Adventure ho!!

[Badger8]

Hrm, tis looking more and more like i may be cage-bound for the journey. Having no luck tracking down a suitable bike that i believe has a shit show of making it. I'm all for a challenge, but i'd like to have a fighting chance of making it too...

The family lives up north, could probably throw a box of beer at the old man and borrow his big ol' 4wd and trailer for the weekend. Seats 7 comfortably (we've had 9 in it tho ) for broken bodies, and a trailer for broken bikes.
They're planning to move to kerikeri this year, so if they're moved by the time we go, i'm sure a bottle of the cap'n would get us a lawn to camp on and a bbq to use.

All just ideas at this stage, we'll have to see how things pan out. Never know, may find me a bike tomorrow!

[fireball]

i believe this is challenge by choice.
its auckland to the cape and back on a bike that cant cruise at 100.
an fxr is fine it is a commuter bike and is inappropriate for such a ride (sorry ej)


i also have someone willing to print shirts for us still working out the fine points but its another sponsor.....

[fireball]

remember you have until about june ish to get your bike

[breakaway]

I volunteer to be tail end / luggage bitch (I will bring the 650) if the timings of this event fit in with my work hours.

[deanohit]

What kind of saftey marshaling will there be?

Does it matter?

I'm keen as long as we have a route and somewhere to stay. This is supposed to be a challenge after all.

[Big Dog]

What kind of saftey marshaling will there be?

I would expect that this would be a stage event.
Several mustering locations (photo ops etc), however ultimately you are responsible for getting there yourself.

I would strongly recommend that when more is known about who is riding what it may be a good idea to group together in teams and have some team challenges along the way (e.g Collect photos that match the criteria etc).

If we have a volunteer to drive there will be a sweep vehicle but this is a not for profit event. As such there will be waivers to be signed accepting that there are no marshals, no closed roads and no responsiblity accepted.

Besides, it would kind of defeat the purpose of the activity if we were to guarantee you a safe journey.

[Big Dog]

Yes but these little bikes will be very exposed....

Most traffic will continue to obey the law.

I strongly recommend the use of fluro vests.

We will not be traveling at night unless we failed to make it to camp by dark.

I strongly recommend teamwork to help keep you safe.

[Big Dog]

I am not concerned about a garentey, more that steps are taken.

Essentially we will endeavor to have a sweep vehicle.

Hopefully there will be some mechanically capable sods willing to travel at the back.

I encourage any of you with no prior certification or experience to sit their first aid course or if you are current to bring first aid kits and advise who you are.

I intend to discuss this with the police in order to minimise their interference when our little gang of hardcore bikers pass through townships.

If anyone knows any ambo staff who might be keen to join the fun then all the better.

HOWEVER: If this requires more than a support van and the participants to look after each other we might as well can it now.

[Badger8]

I am not concerned about a garentey, more that steps are taken.

The old big enough and ugly enough comes to mind...

I'd say (or at least hope) that we're all big enough and ugly enough to look out for ourselves and one another.

[Badger8]

Also just FYI, i have my first aid cert (work is good for something after all), and a reasonable supply of hi-vis vests if anyone needs one. Pretty handy mechanically too

[deanohit]

I'd say (or at least hope) that we're all big enough and ugly enough to look out for ourselves and one another.

I'm with you there mate.

And the Hi-Vis is a good idea seeing as most of the time we'll be below the open road speed limit.

[Ixion]

Bloody oath, it's riding to the Cape we're after talking about, not riding to the moon.

Start bike . Get on. Align northish. Ride. Anything breaks or falls off, kick bike , swear , fix bike. Ride.

Stick to the back roads (maybe gravel, but the bikes we're talking of will be fine on gravel).

It's not that big a deal

I'd say there and back in the day, but to do that y' really need to do it midsummer for the light. It's about a 16 hour ride.

But one night should be enough.

[deanohit]

Now that sounds like a plan Ixion, but we gotta have the 1 night camping for comparing bikes and general shit talking.

[Badger8]

I think with the calibre of bikes going, and the casual (at best) pace we will be taking, the best idea i've heard so far is to head up fri to somewhere like kerikeri or kaitaia. Park up for the night, drink and be merry, frazzle up a feed, enjoy the crisp clean northland air and look at all them twinkly star thingies you dorklunders have heard so much about (gee, can you tell i'm a northland boy? )
Taking account of numerous fuel stops for the smaller tanked among us, and re-group stops, mechanical stops, photo stops, we will soon be running short of light if we try to bite off too much in one go.

Anyway, where the heck was i?...

oh yeah. Head to the peak on sat, pootle about, take lots of stupid photo's in stupid poses (superman dives over the open ocean anyone? ), and cruise back to base camp before the sun sets.

Another enjoyably uncomfortable night, and we leave the mighty north on sunday to return to the mighty metropolis that is dorklund.

You never want to rush an adventure!

[Badger8]

Some of us live a fair way from the start point...

Dude, comin from napier (especially on an inappropriate steed), would definitely recommend gettin to auckland a day or two before I'm sure someone can put you up for a day before and after. Would volunteer m'self, but unfortunately not much room in casa-de-badger