Wellington Wednesday Night Cruisy Summer Rides -- 2008/09

**VasalineWarrior** · 10th December 2008, 22:32

Im not sure where the cruisy bit comes in. In fact, its starting to feel a lot like the Thursday night rides of old.

Nice to see you out there guys - and like a bad smell ill be back again if next Wednesday is as nice as that was

**nigel** · 10th December 2008, 22:43

Four of us at least had a cruisy journey around the lake.. until Michael decided he wanted to be Not Last (tm)

. My god the smoke!

**Hawkeye** · 10th December 2008, 22:52

Originally Posted by VasalineWarrior

Im not sure where the cruisy bit comes in. In fact, its starting to feel a lot like the Thursday night rides of old.

Don't understand that statement: There were a number of distinct groups tonight. The setup was made quite clear before we left the duckpond. Guy (BuckBuck) was going to lead the cruisey group with Sels1 running as TEC. There was a group that went off ahead who were guilty of getting closer to 110 but it was all controlled. Everyone pulled in at the top of the Takas and waited for the slower group to arrive. After ordering food in Featherston, we headed off around Lake Ferry. Again Guy took the lead and I would say I only needed to use the brakes a couple of times the whole way round. It was done at a good pace without the need to use brakes to go around bends. It only took a twist of the right hand to scrub off enough speed for the tighter bends.
The trip around Lake Ferry was done in smaller groups. I know one group went off fairly fast to try and catch the first group. Unfortunately for them, they would never catch us as we took the wrong turn in Featherston so they ended up in front of us not behind.

**Bullitt** · 11th December 2008, 00:00

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

Don't understand that statement: There were a number of distinct groups tonight. The setup was made quite clear before we left the duckpond. Guy (BuckBuck) was going to lead the cruisey group with Sels1 running as TEC. There was a group that went off ahead who were guilty of getting closer to 110 but it was all controlled. Everyone pulled in at the top of the Takas and waited for the slower group to arrive. After ordering food in Featherston, we headed off around Lake Ferry. Again Guy took the lead and I would say I only needed to use the brakes a couple of times the whole way round. It was done at a good pace without the need to use brakes to go around bends. It only took a twist of the right hand to scrub off enough speed for the tighter bends.
The trip around Lake Ferry was done in smaller groups. I know one group went off fairly fast to try and catch the first group. Unfortunately for them, they would never catch us as we took the wrong turn in Featherston so they ended up in front of us not behind.

My experience was get to Featherston go in and que up to make a food order. As Im too polite I ended up near (but not at) the back of the que. Guy came in and asked if anyone else was going on the lake ride and I said we were which he acknowledged.

Then as soon as I placed my order I went outside and had just about made it back to my bike but without my helmet on when everyone left. So I rode with the second group (about 10 bikes which got left behind despite standing near the bikes when the first group left) which left a few minutes later....Im not going to say who they are as I dont think they did anything wrong but at 130ks they were still pulling away from me.

I ended up in a group with one in front of me and two behind who obviously should have been in the main group but got left behind. When we got to the first turn off the bike in front of me didnt take it so we folllowed for about a k (Ive never done the lake in that direction before so wasnt certain where to go) before I stopped and turned around. The two bikes behind me stopped as well but only one followed me with the other continuing on.

We got to another stop sign which I assumed we needed to turn left at but didnt know. The guy following me didnt know either but we guessed left and I followed him back to Featherston.

So basically I did the entire lake mostly not knowing where to go, partially struggling to keep up and mostly riding with only one other person. Perhaps I was riding marginally faster than the learners group but because I (and several others) had no idea where we were going we were never going to catch up.

I dont know when the main group go there but I know me and the guy I followed got there after everybody had gotten off their bikes and two other people came in by themselves some time after that.

I dont blame the second group for going fast. They were all experienced riders and were not part of the learners group that I should have been in (having a pillion makes me alot slower as shes not very confident). I place the blame for the mess on the first group leaving before everybody was ready.

Ive always been on the other side of this debate but tonight Im going to join the other side and say it didnt feel like a group ride at all. It was like a solo ride which happened to end at a pub where alot of bikers were at.

In saying that the weather was great. The company at the pub was great and nobody crashed so Im still glad I went.

**davebullet** · 11th December 2008, 05:19

It was a great ride. I find going back over the takas in dark / dusk actually helps. It seems odd but I prefer going from featherston to upper hutt than the other way. Any of you find the same? Maybe in the dark my eyes aren't drawn to the scenery and I can focus on the road ahead, therefore taking lines and lean angles better.

Thanks to Ranty Dave for following me over and his advice on my riding.

**flame** · 11th December 2008, 05:28

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

Don't understand that statement: There were a number of distinct groups tonight. The setup was made quite clear before we left the duckpond. Guy (BuckBuck) was going to lead the cruisey group with Sels1 running as TEC. There was a group that went off ahead who were guilty of getting closer to 110 but it was all controlled.

I think he was referring to the ride home

**RantyDave** · 11th December 2008, 06:37

Originally Posted by davebullet

Thanks to Ranty Dave for following me over and his advice on my riding.

You ride good, man

Dave

**Hawkeye** · 11th December 2008, 07:10

Originally Posted by Bullitt

My experience was get to Featherston go in and que up to make a food order. As Im too polite I ended up near (but not at) the back of the que. Guy came in and asked if anyone else was going on the lake ride and I said we were which he acknowledged.

Then as soon as I placed my order I went outside and had just about made it back to my bike but without my helmet on when everyone left. So I rode with the second group (about 10 bikes which got left behind despite standing near the bikes when the first group left) which left a few minutes later....Im not going to say who they are as I dont think they did anything wrong but at 130ks they were still pulling away from me.

I was the first to leave Featherston along with 3 other riders that I normally ride with. Unfortunately I didn't take the correct turning and ended up having to double back. So ended up behind groups 1 and 2. We did the lake run at around 85-90 slowing down to 45 at places due to single lane bridges etc. No one was hitting warp speed. The sun strike was too bad to be going any faster than that. (and I'm not a fast, confident rider)
The reason I left when I did was because Guy had said we should go off in groups of around 5 so that we weren't up the backsides of each other as it got quite narrow in places. I did not expect everyone to follow me when I left. Just the small group!

I may be guilty of stepping up the pace a little after we had turned left but that was because I was with people that I know and trust and as far as I was concerned, we were in our own 'little' group.

Originally Posted by Bullitt

I ended up in a group with one in front of me and two behind who obviously should have been in the main group but got left behind. When we got to the first turn off the bike in front of me didnt take it so we folllowed for about a k (Ive never done the lake in that direction before so wasnt certain where to go) before I stopped and turned around. The two bikes behind me stopped as well but only one followed me with the other continuing on.

We got to another stop sign which I assumed we needed to turn left at but didnt know. The guy following me didnt know either but we guessed left and I followed him back to Featherston.

When I reached the first left hand turn, Guy (who followed us down the wrong road and then took the lead in our group) had stopped and was directing everyone that way - or that is what I assumed he was doing.

Originally Posted by Bullitt

So basically I did the entire lake mostly not knowing where to go, partially struggling to keep up and mostly riding with only one other person. Perhaps I was riding marginally faster than the learners group but because I (and several others) had no idea where we were going we were never going to catch up.

I dont know when the main group go there but I know me and the guy I followed got there after everybody had gotten off their bikes and two other people came in by themselves some time after that.

I dont blame the second group for going fast. They were all experienced riders and were not part of the learners group that I should have been in (having a pillion makes me alot slower as shes not very confident). I place the blame for the mess on the first group leaving before everybody was ready.

Again, The plan was not to go around the lake in one big group. Guy had stated we should go in smaller groups. I got ready, and our small group headed off, not expecting the whole group to set off at the same time.

Originally Posted by Bullitt

Ive always been on the other side of this debate but tonight Im going to join the other side and say it didnt feel like a group ride at all. It was like a solo ride which happened to end at a pub where alot of bikers were at.

In saying that the weather was great. The company at the pub was great and nobody crashed so Im still glad I went.

As far as I was aware, that is the normal case. We ride over the hill as a group ,stopping to let stragglers and the slower group catch up. Then when we get over there, people can do their own thing. I'm sure someone will correct me if that is not the case!

**horch** · 11th December 2008, 07:48

I was with Bullitt - 'lost' going around the lake. It wasn't much of a group ride (ie 2 of us).

Had to make my own fun, and gave my VTR a nudge on the straights. Had to laugh out loud when the mirrors folded in by themselves as i 'blasted' thru 130.

Still had a good night - and even rode back solo. I think south of the hill is nicer. Or maybe it was at my pace .. slightly faster than the learner group - yet slower than the racers. ...

good to see a large turn out.

**Bullitt** · 11th December 2008, 16:13

As for the pace of the main group I cant comment as I never saw them again.

At no time did I hear the plan of splitting into smaller groups. All I know is the initial group I ended up riding with some people thought they might know the way and others (like me) didnt have a clue.

Ive never really understood the point in splitting into smaller groups just for the sake of it. Someone who is going to tailgate you and run into the back of you by not paying attention or pushing too hard. A group of 20 bikes on a narrow back road with not many intersections is just as safe as a group of 5. Its only when your trying to get through traffic lights etc it causes more problems.

Im sure the people in the main group had fun and to a lesser extent the rest of us did too but it wasnt a group ride for those were excluded.

**Gareth51** · 11th December 2008, 16:35

What a great night it was for a ride,plenty of bikes a few new faces and some old, nice to see partners out for the ride.

**chazza404** · 11th December 2008, 18:56

Picking up my new bike tomorrow evening all goes well. Will be seeing you lads next wednesday hopefully

**captain_andrey** · 11th December 2008, 18:59

Oooh, what is it?

**chazza404** · 11th December 2008, 19:05

Sounds gruntier than it is and its red apart from that you can see next wednesday. Insurance is being really anal about my gear, they say they won't compensate the gloves because gloves are considered clothing which is plain retarded, also they wont accept confirmation from a bike shop which has seen my gear and quoted the replacement costs they want to see and take the gear themselves