Whangarei ride this saturday

[roo]

A couple of us (roo/mini_me/mono) are doing the old russell road this weekend, I thought some of the whangarei guys(or auckland/waikato/wherever *cough* *shrug*) we met last weekend might like to join in...
We're heading up to whangarei on the friday night, but theres room for one or two extra aucklanders to crash if so desired... or they could head up early on the saturday morning to hookup in whangarei...
The planned route is whangarei->ngunguru->sandy bay->hikurangi->SH1 for 15ish kilometers->OLD RUSSELL ROAD!!!->opua->paihia (44 degrees south cafe) then either back down SH1 through kawakawa or back down old russell road (depending on how stuffed you are...)
We'll try to leave about 10-11ish so the roads are dry and warming up and we'll get back when we get back... (usually mid-arvo).
That is all... you may return to your work, citizen.

[jazbug5]

Will alert some of the locals. Meanwhile, check this out (plug, plug)

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...472#post196472

[John]

Well, I'm keen as a bean - but I cant be speeding to hard - I'm not enjoying my tires at all *stupid budget crap tires*

I'll see if any others are keen.

[Waylander]

You bastads!!! How dare you plan another ride in the area before I even have my bike fixed. Nah j/k have fun but just remember as soon as my bike is ready I'm doin that last route again. This time I might follow that sugestion from the "defending yourself the american way" thread. Am I kidding about that?? Anyway have fun while I am stuck at home plannin how to do things to my ride.

[Motu]

I'm going to Whangarei this sat morning,but most likely in the Pajero...it's just a there and back,I'm not doing that on my bike with no incentives of detours on gravel.

[John]

I'm going to Whangarei this sat morning,but most likely in the Pajero...it's just a there and back,I'm not doing that on my bike with no incentives of detours on gravel.

KEEP AWAY FROM ME SATAN (PT)

[roo]

Well, I'm keen as a bean

Cool, cu tomorrow am then.
The plan suggests Tikipunga mobil (across the road from the whangarei falls) about 1030.

but I cant be speeding to hard - I'm not enjoying my tires at all *stupid budget crap tires*

Heh, it sucks not being able to trust your tyres... i gotta get a new front soon. Anyone tried the dunlop d218? I got one for my rear (replacing the d208) and it seems as good as the old one but does take a little longer to warm up. I'm thinking i'll bin them for the d208rr when they arrive on april 13th

[Coldkiwi]

have fun roo. I can't make it (nor could I afford the wear on me tyres!)

[Motu]

(nor could I afford the wear on me tyres!)

That's my reason too,I have off road competion rubber on my bike at the moment,after 3 rides the rear is half worn,a ride on SH1 will destroy it,and I'll get no fun for that money to boot.

[John]

Dont wait for me though, if I dont turn up its probably due to my stupid electrics still playing up, I will hope to be there, but dont wait on little ol me though

[mini_me]

for anyone who wishes to join us on this ride we will meet @ the tikipunga mobil station 1030,
cheers
m/m

[roo]

Well, forgive the belated addendum to the ride... in short, it was a disappointing day.
It started out ok with my having to only get across town to tikipunga on time... *shrug*
Well... I must have forgotten to take my 'dont listen to the voices' pills because coming up the tiki hill, the little devil on my left shoulder went "cmon... I'm bored... lets have some fun..." and the little angel on my right shoulder went "yeah.... great idea... do it!"
Of course the obligatary cop was in place to observe, and I'll stop the story there to avoid incriminating myself further. Needless to say, I'm not going back to whangarei for a while...
So after a delay of sorts, we left tiki under a warm sun and blue sky for a day of fun.
Great riding was had all the way to Sandy bay where we hit the first roadworks. From there we never got more than 10 minutes between loose gravel, stop-go signs, and road cones. I had a dreadful ride, nearly stacking into a river at one point, and then a ditch shortly after... I stopped for a headshake and decided to ease back a tad. Mono actually spat in his helmet in disgust at one point, then threw a mini-tantrum over the road condition when we finally got to the ferry. We all sulked across the harbour, over lunch, and most of the way home. I then had to run the gauntlet back across town, passing no less than 5 cops, all of them eyeballing me thoroughly, one of them halfway turning round to follow me... I was a wreck by the time I got home.
So anyway...the sun set, and a new day dawned... We hooked up and kept a very low profile taking the backroads out of town and down SH1 to Waipu whereupon new life was discovered and the average speed jumped again. An awesome ride ensued, marred by mini_me's discovery that plainclothes cops drive gold maxima's... (he can tell that story). Mono and Me cowardly left him to his fate and blazed a track to Kaukapakapa. As mini_me caught up and recounted his tale, a TVR Griffith howled past, absolutely wringing. We laughed, threw a few jokes, lazily put on earplugs, gloves, and helmets, then set off in pursuit. I'd estimate he had a 1:30-2:00 minute jump on us, and in his defense counted 5-6 cars plus a truck that would have slowed him down more than us. We caught him at the very end of old north road (exactly where ck's mirror fell off) Mono slipped passed just before the crossroads and the two effectively did a straightline drag. The TVR got the hell bitchslap from the kawasaki and I then had the extreme pleasure of easily reeling him in and whipping past him down the second straight. I was laughing and hooting and hollering... I havent had that much pleasure from beating a cage in a long time. He was thoroughly humbled. and pulled alongside at the mainroad to acknowledge.

So horribly long story short... avoid the Old Russell Road for a while, and behave yourself round the whangarei cops for a while also.