Well after putting my hand up to Marshall on Frostys trackday I lay in bed on Saturday night trying my best to get some sleep preparing for the following day but it just wasn't happening. Drifted off to sleep about 1 am feeling like the night before Christmas.
3.30am and I am wide awake. So thought I might as well get up and get going. Hot drink and loaded up the bike and hit the starter button at 3.50am.
It seemed really dark with no lights which was a bit of a shock. Quick look around and found out the connection to the headlight had popped off. Strange I thought, put it back together and headed off at 3.59am.
It was clear and fine with a bit of a brisk feel to it. I was kitted out in thermals, leathers, and jerseys over the top. Looking forward to a cruisy ride up to Taupo as I had a world of time not having to be at the track till 830am.
Vinegar hill was clear and my planned criusy ride changed to a pace that would rival a meanstreak over the hill in the dark. Hit the highway and calmed down to a steady pace and the temp dropped and the ks clicked by.
Just out of Taihape the lights went out again. Took the opportunity to put on another set of gloves and tried best I could to figure out why the light socket wasn't staying put. Batteries on GPS run out somewhere along here so stopped in Taihape for some more. Took a couple of photos of some cars that were covered in ice but something must have been up with the settings on the camera cause they didn't come out at all. Point noted about slowing down. It was real cold now but might as well press on.
Desert Road and the temp definitely went well below zero with wind chill I reckon it was close on -273. Brain took over and some very sensible riding over the 3 sisters before lights went out again. More photos that didn't come out right and fucked around with the light for a while before carrying on to Turangi.
6am in Turangi and sun had got its arse out of bed. Rode round the lake with the sun on my right. It was very pleasant and one of those magic moments where you just enjoy being on the road by yourself with no one around you. It was still cold but ALOT warmer than what I had just ridden through.
Pulled into Taupo at 6.28am. Time for Hot Chocolate and photos of the lake.
While I was admiring the view a few guys pulled up in a 4x4 with a Honda and R6 on a trailer. They came over for a chat and were complaining about the cold. On ya mate......... Sorry I forgot your names already but they were saying the temp probe in their 4x4 got to -2. Hmmmmmmm.
Headed out to the track and wandered for a little bit till I found Frosty running around organizing everything. Big job there and he seemed just the man to do it. I was assigned to take lunch orders first off. It was a good opportunity to put names to faces. Surprisingly alot of them seemed to make sense but didn't get more of a conversation much past weather they liked ham or beef. Highlight of the lunch ordering was meeting Skidmark. Interesting character.
9.15am and called to a marshall briefing. Frosty went over a few things about using radio and flags and such and I was assigned an experienced flag marshall to show me the ropes. We went up to point 7 at the top of the track with a fantastic view coming out of the esses and into a hairpin onto the long back straight.
I kind of envisioned standing out next to the track all day waving a couple of flags and watching the bikes go by. I was surprised how busy I got and how much there is to do as a flag marshall. Had a fantastic time out there and had a great vantage point to see the big bikes picking up the front going down the back straight. Mixed-light of the day was seeing a heap of bikes head into the hairpin at the same time. You could tell it wasn't going to end well but still had a hope that everyone was going to make it out of the corner ok. Unfortunately suspicions turned to reality as 2 bikes collided and one had a nasty off sliding down the track. I grabbed the radio and reported in rider down, rider down. We had been told that the riders were told to put their hands up if they are ok after a crash. I looked at the body lying in the track. Another report on the radio. Rider down, Red Flag Red Flag. The race controller took over and red flagged the track while I stood their willing the rider to her feet. It was probably about 10 seconds but felt like about 10 mins as the rider lay there not moving. I enjoy the sport but no one ever likes to see someone get hurt and this was a close as I have every come to seeing an accident I wasn't part of. My flag Marshall partner jumped in his car and rushed down to the scene. A heap of other bikes stopped and stood round the rider. Unfortunately with all the traffic around the accident now I couldn't see anything. Race controller came over the radio, Point 7, do we need an ambulance. I could see the top of the riders head as she sat up but the scene was sheltered from me. I replied on the radio and felt a little sad doing so. Better get that ambulance out here. The experience and professionalism of the crew shone through as the ambulance and recovery vehicle were on the track and dealing with the situation without delay. By now the rider was standing and walking and appeared to be ok not barring a few bruises and the worlds worst headache in the morning but shuffled into the ambulance all the same.
"What bike went down ?" Race controls attention turned to the bikes.
I thought about it and realized with all the excitement I couldn't actually remember the accident. There were alot of bikes in the group and the scene was still a spread of cars and bikes everywhere. I looked over and thought I saw an orange kwaka on its side. "Thinking it might be a orange zx6" I replied "Not sure" It seemed funny I had just seen the whole thing uncover and I couldn't remember which bike she was on. As the scene cleared the recovery vehicle picked up a black SV. "Correction on the radio, It wasn't a zx6 at all, it was a black SV, number 27 I think"
You could hear the dejection in race controls voice as he came back with " No, that's number 21. Its my bike"
Everyone on the radio could hear Frostys heart sink as he day was getting worse. Another radio, "Could recovery bring the vehicle back through the pits so I can have a cry" At least he managed to keep his sense of humor.
After all that it turns out rider is fine, bike is fine-ish. Good news. And I got a real taste of marshalling at its best. Would like to thank Frosty for the opportunity and loved every minute of it. Hope to do it again sometime.
4.30 and day had wound up. Came back to pits to find 86, Sarah, bonez, NZ Sarge and Mr and Mrs Yod there to escort me home. I was a bit dehydrated so keen to get out of there so told them I would meet them at the BP up the road.
Waited at the BP up the road for about half an hour before figuring they had gone in to Taupo main centre BP. 3 mins into the trip home and I had lost them already. Chatted to Mstrs and Yungatart and HXC for a bit as they had stopped for fuel on their way home and headed in to find the others waiting patiently in town.
Off round the lake and decided we would go through acacia bay and I thought it was a follow the road round the lake and it joins with the top road. Sitting at a dead end and the crew pull out a map and have a little giggle about getting lost again. Turns out there was a turnoff about a km up the road. Got on the right road and feeling a little buggered I settled in to a steady pace around the lake.
A couple of photo stops and enjoyed following 86 on his 86 zooki at pace it wasn't long before we were on our own. Regrouped for some dinner at turangi where we had to wait for the eggs to hatch, wait till the chicken grew up so they could kill it and stick it between a couple of buns for my dinner.
Keen to get back we headed out over the desert road. NZsarge got away on the desert road and thinking we weren't going to see him again we settled into a quickish steady pace. Funny, I don't remember it getting dark but it must have at some stage. Views were awesome coming down the middle of the island and it didn't seem to take long getting to Taihape. Waited for the others to come past as 86 had a ciggy Mr and Mrs Yod were not far behind and Sarah and Bonez cruised on past.
We decided we would try and catch the other 2 now without getting caught doing it and it was surprising how quickly bikes can get ahead of you at a moderate pace.
Found Nzsarge at the top of vinegar hill waiting in the cold for us.
Finally caught Sarah and Bonez in the middle of vinegar hill where again, 86 showed a fine pace in the dark. It was nice to follow and I can see how much 86 loves his old girls.
Said the goodbyes in cheltenham and headed for home arriving at 9.24pm.
Big day out. Loved the lot of it. Crashed big time once my head hit the pillow.
Till next time.
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Originally Posted by Garry H
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