MMMMM 2009 24 - 26 July

[gunnyrob]

Again, thanks to Clint for organising the ride, and thanks to all who helped. Ultimately I feel the right D was made to send you guys on your way, It would have been a different story had the weather been worse.

Definitely ensure you have AA plus, it saved me a shitload & got me home after a major malfunction a long way from home.

[Waihou Thumper]

Definitely ensure you have AA plus, it saved me a shitload & got me home after a major malfunction a long way from home.

You never know....I had to renew the membership and decided to upgrade after your story....

[Crisis management]

A brief and naturally "truthful" account of the last couple of days, excuse the photo quality, I blame the camera.

1. Evidence that 990's actually do get cleaned once in a while, starting off on friday morning and heading from Auckland towards Raglan, Kawhia, Pio Pio etc.
2. Somewhere in the heart of Tri-boy country, Wairamarama road I think.
3. A bit further south but before Raglan and inland from the coast road, it actually wasn't raining.
4. South of Kawhia and before Pio Pio, more dreary gravel, bush settings peace & quiet. It was tough this ride I tells you.

[Crisis management]

1. Getting close to Pio Pio, Waipuna road??? Anyway, nice country to travel through, the stock being well behaved this time and staying on their side of the fence.
2. The Ninja photog (Pooeys mate) at work, everytime you turn around he's there!
3. The start of the Waikaremoana road, fairly tight and variable surfaces (eh Rob?). The fast buggers have already left and the dust is clearing so us mere mortals can totter on.
4. A maori cow (standing around, doing bugger all).....and a rivery thing, presumably the Waikaremoana unless I'm lost 10 minutes into this ride..Cary, where are we???

[Crisis management]

1. Top of the Waikaremoana road, a light dusting of snow and a 990 in repose...I began plotting my cunning plan to hurl snowballs at passing motorcyclists....Epic fail when your the last motorcyclist....
2. Rosie....bloody passing me again (and the snowball missed too)
3. Being in the country I thought it neccessary to blend in with the locals so carried out some on the spot bike training..I can get it to play dead but it hasn't cottoned on to the "heel" command yet. Maybe those farm dogs are smarter than they look?
I would like to point out that in this case:
# I didn't fall in the water.
# I actually cleared the water hazard, the tyres didn't touch the bridge at all.
4. Proof that I am not alone in lying down KTMs (it's a clear design defect). In this case Al is trying to negotiate a loan to buy fuel from extortionate DR owners..I think he sold both testicles in this case.

[Taz]

Is that what we are, chook chasers then? Still, nice to see some positive feedback....

You're more of a sheep chaser aint ya?

[marks]

Now is that a black KLR on it's side?????????????

there were two black klrs on that ride - that was the other one.

Home safe after 1700km (my new 606's aren't so new anymore)

Thanks Clint and Rosie for an awesome weekend.


cheers


Mark

[Crisis management]

1. The start of the Motu...I did like this bit, and the other bits....
2. A bit further in, road, river and hills, what more is there in life?
3. Yet another bright idea.....lets go over there and look at the view, that puddle can't be too deep. Well it wasn't after I had finished moving 200 litres of mud and water.
Luckily the ford wasn't too far away and got me and the bike clean again.

I must confess to a minor oops a bit later on as well, I managed to highside the bike down a hill (I stayed on the road-ish), I have no idea how this occurred and I can only blame bovine tuberculosis or operator error....
Thanks to those that helped pick the fat pig up again and particularly Rex? who pointed out my tool bag was busy setting itself on fire on the exhaust a couple of clicks further on (I would have noticed eventually, give me a break ok?)
Luckily KTMs crash well and apart from a new collection of dirt in strange places all is well.

Thats it from me, thanks Clint & Rosie and all the other hangers on, good to meet you...when's the next one?

[Brian d marge]

4. Proof that I am not alone in lying down KTMs (it's a clear design defect). In this case Al is trying to negotiate a loan to buy fuel from extortionate DR owners..I think he sold both testicles in this case.

I thought I had stumbled upon another RIP thread

Stephen

[Taz]

Ian - Last pic looks like your bike is letting off steam......

[Dakar]

Should have come anyway.........

Looking at the photos, im kicking myself!!

[Taz]

Can you post a pic of you kicking yourself? I'd like to see that.

[Dakar]

Can you post a pic of you kicking yourself? I'd like to see that.

you have to pay for shots like that! and dont ask how much

[Crisis management]

Ian - Last pic looks like your bike is letting off steam......

You reckon that's bad, that was taken a couple of minutes after I went through the "puddle", most of it had dissipated by then, for a while I was in my own little cloud of evaporating mud and slimy water.

[Eddieb]

there were two black klrs on that ride - that was the other one.

cheers

Mark

Hmm, So both black KLR riders wore the same jacket, same red trousers, had the same saddlebags and the same flouro straps huh.

Wow, thats some set of co-incidences. Were they both named Mark too?