So The Mini Returns...

**ducatijim** · 14th March 2008, 17:12

A GREAT BIG 'BEST WISHES' TO ALL YOUS DOING THIS,especially my M8 -HIGHLANDER, HAVE A SUPER TIME AND STAY SAFE NOW YOUHEAR!!thinkn of you with envy!!!!

Jamie.

**banditrider** · 15th March 2008, 07:35

Just about to pack the bike ready for a 9:30 departure. Primo day in Palmy so should be a nice little ride down to Welly and onto Kaikoura. Have a great ride everyone else who's heading down in the next wee while and see you all safe & sound in the deep south!

**ynot slow** · 15th March 2008, 08:58

Enjoy the trip people,and if your lucky like us,you may not see any/many police out on highway,the sights around Tekapo,Twizel and south are primo.

If you are in need of good quality campsite try Arrowtown one,very clean and close to town,then only a short hop to Invercargill.

**MaxB** · 15th March 2008, 21:58

Good luck guys, hope you get round and home safe and sound. Hope the weather holds for you.

I couldn't go 'cos I have to work 7 days a week in my business right now. I'm already making plans for next years Southern Cross though.

**shafty** · 15th March 2008, 22:18

BastardsBastardsBastardsBastardsBastardsBastardsBa stardsBastards!

I hate missing out - but good on ya Guys and Gals - enjoy, stay safe and 'tell us all aboot it"!!

Cheers Shafty

**banditrider** · 16th March 2008, 18:46

It's day 2 for us and we've made it to Omarama. Pretty good weather, no cops and some great riding. Ducking back out to the East tomorrow to do the Catlins on Tuesday.

Freekin awesome, I may never go home!

**Jantar** · 16th March 2008, 18:50

What Shafty said +1.

I'm on night shift, at work right now, and thinking of you bars-tards just over the hill in Omarama.

Oh well, stick with Highlander on wednesday morning and I'll catch up with you for a couple of hundred kms or so.

**ynot slow** · 16th March 2008, 19:19

Originally Posted by banditrider

It's day 2 for us and we've made it to Omarama. Pretty good weather, no cops and some great riding. Ducking back out to the East tomorrow to do the Catlins on Tuesday.

Freekin awesome, I may never go home!

Scenery awesome there,good if ya can look at it,instead of dodging campervans lol.Cameras get a good workout with the views.

Mate did the east coast prior to getting to Arrowtown,to meet us there,said the Caitlins was brilliant,mind you they took about a week to get from Picton to Arrowtown.

Bring back oysters.

**banditrider** · 18th March 2008, 15:08

Now in Invercargill where the sun is roasting us. Have done the Catlins today and ready for tomorrow's kick off. Have run into several of the other riders in a few different places and KoroJ just rode past the window so looks like he's ready to rock too.

Have put a couple quick blogs up but no pictures yet - saving them...

**Jantar** · 19th March 2008, 19:20

I arrived home at 5:00 pm after riding half a day with them.

Left home shortly after 09:00 this morning and headed through to lawrence for a coffee. Highlander said he'd text me as he was leaving Dunedin so I'd know what time to expect them. Shortly after 11:00 I received a text saying they were just leaving Dunedin and would be refuelling in Milton. As I was only 25 minutes from Milton, and Highlander was at least 35 minutes, I figured I get easily get there first rather than hang arond any longer in Lawrence.

So I pulled up outside the Caltex station which is the northern most of three big ones there, and saw Andrew and Grub from the west coast already there. There were another couple of bikes at the pumps, but I didn't give them much attention until Hitcher and Mrs Hitcher came striding out. I must admit I do like the colour of Mrs Hitchers Bandit, red is always quick.

Highlander arrived about 5 minutes after Hitcher and Mrs H left. While he was filling up Noel and Barb from Chatto Creek club cruised past on his new (well 4 week old) BMW KT1200. This will be a great way to run it in.

Highlander took the lead for the stretch back up through Central. A good pace and almost legal speeds all the way (100 - 110). Traffic was light, and the day was HOT. Another entrant joined us at Clyde on an Aprilla Mille. He had taken the alternative route through Middlemarch so made very good time.

Going through the Cromwell Gorge two camper vans did their best to take out Highlander, and one of them had two attempts. We were in close staggered formation as we came up behind a camper van which was following a car. As we hit a nice long straight Highlander pulled out to pass, and I held back a fraction to allow him some room, but moved to the right ready to go as soon as Highlander was infront of the van. However as Highlander was about even with the driver's door, the camper van swung right with no warning. I hit my horn, Highlander braked and moved hard to the right hand edge of the road while hitting his own horn. The driver of the van moved back to left for a fraction of a second then had another go at Highlander. Fortunately H was composed enough to match the van's swerve and give the driver a friendly V sign right against the drivers window as he continued with his passing manouver. The camper van pulled back to the left and gave me plenty of room, so it was obviously Highlander the driver was out to get.

Five kms down the road we came up to 3 camper vans travelling in convoy with a car between each. We each passed the first one and the car, then as Highlander started to pass the second one, it was a repeat performance of what happened a few minutes earlier. This time we were more prepared, and with the noise of two horns the driver pulled back to the left and stayed there.

We stopped at Cromwell and the other two collected their flags, then on the road again. I took the lead this time, and almost as soon as we turned onto the Wanaka road my radar detector sounded. The cop looked disapointed as we passed him at exactly 100 kmh. On towards Wanaka, and passing the airfield at Luggate we could preparations for Warbirds well under way. A ggod line up of WWll aircraft in the warbirds parking area, but nothing happening in the air.

We turned right to Hawea and stopped for fuel, then onto one of my favourite roads, Hawea-neck-Makarora. A couple of other bikes caught up with us and matched our pace until about 10kms short of Makarora when one of then passed me and the two cars I was following on a piece of road I would never pass on. It is a deceiving piece where it looks like a bit of a bend followed by a straight, but is actually 3 blind bends in a road. Oh well, I just let him go.

We stopped at Makarora West for a drink and a bite to eat. Here I wished Highlander a good trip, and I sadly turned around and headed home.

For me it was only 580kms in total, but the Mini Returns riders will have put in 900+ kms by the end of the day. They are probably just arriving in Greymouth about now. For me though it is a highlight as it is the longest ride I've done since my accident last year, and I am getting more and more confident with one (and a half) armed riding.

**shafty** · 19th March 2008, 19:52

Good write up Jantar - cheers !!

**Highlander** · 20th March 2008, 19:38

*@#$* camper vans. Darn near stuck my hand in that MORONS window when I told him to order us a couple of drinks at the next stop.
Fantastic day, has been a good run so far (apart from the bit above).
Have done just on 3000Km since leaving home Sunday morning, 1/3 of that was yesterday. Bit of drizzle from Haast to Greymouth and again this morning on the Coast side of Arthurs Pass. Not a cloud in the sky on the Eastern side though. Even got a touch of sunburn, not sure if it was through my visor or when I stopped for lunch today in the sun at Greta Valley.

Good to see you Jantar, not much of a catch up but always good to ride with friends.

More later, maybe even some photos.

**banditrider** · 21st March 2008, 06:10

Originally Posted by Highlander

*@#$* camper vans. Darn near stuck my hand in that MORONS window when I told him to order us a couple of drinks at the next stop.
Fantastic day, has been a good run so far (apart from the bit above).
Have done just on 3000Km since leaving home Sunday morning, 1/3 of that was yesterday. Bit of drizzle from Haast to Greymouth and again this morning on the Coast side of Arthurs Pass. Not a cloud in the sky on the Eastern side though. Even got a touch of sunburn, not sur if it was through my visor or when I stopped for klunch today in the sun at Greta Valley.

Good to see you Jantar, not much of a catch up but always good to ride with friends.

More later, maybe even some photos.

Watch them campers dude! After the big 1st day we had plenty of time on day 2 to do the Arthurs Pass, Christchurch CP and then onto our ferry for a 6pm check in. Really took our time and stopped at the slightest excuse to muck around and eat up time. Really showed with the Connie getting an average of 18.2km/l for day 2.

Home in Palmy by 00:30 and into my own wee bed by 00:40. Up early again this morning (habit now I think). Day off today.

See you all at 07:00 in Wangavegas!