gijoe1313 and DONOR go on a Road Trip! Part the One

[gijoe1313]

Well my fine ladles and jellyspoons, it is with a mixture of trepidation and exhilaration that I actually post up something! This has been a long while due to the onerous exertions of reality (yah! boo! hiss! )

Anyhow the meat of the matter is that my friend Greentea has been pining for her own bike to call her own, to love, to throw hard earned cash and to call it by it's own name. The tale of this saga begins last Friday past (20th Aug) when she piped up she wanted a bike definitely.

I had previously already looked at a MC14 CBR since it was going for little money (but to her, it was much money!) DONOR and I rode out to the hills of Hibiscus and I test rode the little filly and pronounced it worthy. Of course, I did not take into account the mercurial and capricious mind of a female biker-to-be!

Turns out cosmetically it wasn't good enough for her!

Trying again, Friday night I discovered a vtr250 for the bargain price of $2995 ... only problem it was down in Masterton! With her interest piqued, I rang the number ... at 9pm! So smitten she was with this, she somehow made me agree to travel at 5am down to Masterton to view it in person on a Saturday!

Common sense out the window (I wanted to phone in the morning to see if it was sold or not), in the bracing chill, we drove down to Masterton (I had chucked my riding gear into the cage). At Taihape, for a comfort stop, I rung the Honda dealership and talked to Andy (he is a right good sort as will be revealed later).

Turns out the bike has been bought already on Friday arvo! by someone from Pakuranga! Tch! Typical! However, Andy did say there was another VTR250 to view. Since we were already 2/3rds of the way to Masterton, might as well!

The bike turned out to be a little ripper, I test rode it out to Carterton and knew it was a good’un! The bike was going for $5995, but Andy quick as a whip said … “for you, $4K cash, cheque all good!” DEAL! Or so I thought …

The little lady was dithering and dallying and she would think about it. Well, on the way back to Auckland, just as we hit her home – she changes her mind (woman’s prerogative doncha know!) and states she does want the bike now!

Anyway back on the blower back to Andy, and he picks up at 9.30pm and we have a quick natter, which basically went along the lines of “bike being looked at by another couple, they have first dibs, will know on Monday morning whether they want it or not – if they don’t want it, you can have it if you want it”. DAMHIK

Crestfallen the little lady is, it’s all my bloody fault it is, if you knew it was such a good bike, why didn’t you buy it then? The usual ra-di-ra-ra! Anyway I said to her, you don’t really choose your bike, your bike chooses you, if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be innit? I asked her cat Pearl to do her magic cat thing and said “well Pearl, if you want your mistress to own that bike, make it happen okay?”

Well you wouldn’t believe it, come Monday, I phone to Andy and he gave me the good oil. “Bike is yours for the $4K if you want it!” Bloody marvellous! I do the internet banky thing and exchange details over the phone and arrange to come down Tuesday to collect it! Huzzah! Road trip!

This is where DONOR comes up to the plate and since he and I are off work, we shall cart ourselves down to Masterton and come back with our purloined ill-gotten gains, a prize snatched from the jaws of defeat to be squirreled away to D’orkland!

[gijoe1313]

Now for this nefarious plan to tour the countryside of our fair lands, DONOR and I had numerous challenges to overcome. Namely provisioning. We spent a goodly amount of time with drool on our chins as we thought of all the rations we would consume, vittles to munch on and liquid potables to quaff.

With that semi-sorted, we loaded copious amounts of ginger beer into an eski and basically proceeded to chuff all sorts of gear into DONOR’s station wagon. We also sorted out our bike trailer with a new WOF after a bit of a fiddle with a dicky brake light. So testicles, spectacles, wallet and watch sorted, we bedded down for the night to get up at 4.30am for a 5am start (I was kipping over to make it easier to get away efficiently).

What a load of bollocks.

DONOR couldn’t get out of bed due to his alarm clock failing, and I was sitting in the lounge I contented myself to reading a strategy guide for DIABLO I and II (with expansion) and around 5am, DONOR is kicked out of bed by his wife

So with that late start so early in the morning (chortle! Oxymoron!) we gassed up and ended up in the ne’er parts of Otorohanga, heading to Masterton and to our date with destiny! (also conditional on the money from the transfer showing up in the dealer’s bank account okey☺

Well when the sun peeked through the pall of the passing blanket of the night, we were well on the way – stopping for a quick feed of the golden arches at Otorohanga. DONOR imbibed his large can of black V and I merely threw some cola down my neck.

At Tamaranui a quick refresh of chocolate supplies to ensure maximum feel good factor was enjoyed. This was after many rousing hours of trying to remember what 80s TV shows we had watched (kind of scary!) also many renditions of karaoke of favourite themes was par for the course (it was agreed that “Snoopy’s Christmas” was the best of them all with “I’m a little teapot” vying for top honours).

This is where our roadtrip got derailed and we found ourselves having to scoff the best pies at the One Horse Café as recommended by Lucy in Raetihi (lovely it was!) so good were these morsels of flavour and so great was the dark art in crafting them, I bought three to take up to D’orland for my dearest pater, who is somewhat of a connoisseur of these pastry enclosed meat parcels.

With repast digesting in our stomachs, the lads head off to Waiouru and the travel plan got well and truly destroyed. The ETA to get to Masterton around 2-3ish was well scuppered by DONOR’s desire to view the Army Museum. Who was I to say nay to such a man who looked as if he had found a really cute puppy and wanted to keep it? And with a nickname like mine, it would be churlish to deny such a designation with the keepers of peace.

The war museum is a thing of great beauty and revulsion to me, I forever adore the implements of war, but forever abhor the implications of their existence. The sheer scale of waste, the almost casual infliction of brutality is a dark stain on our souls.

This was tempered by the revelations of my erstwhile travelling companion who has been denied many a time to visit this hallowed place of remembrance.

As our travel resumed, our mood did lighten, away did the troubled mien fall from faces and a bright grin shone forth again to enliven our road trip. For those who served, they allowed us the freedom and opportunity to do exactly as we are wont to do.

In Taihape, DONOR’s GPS chirped merrily that we were nearing out rendezvous to come. Statistics were reeled off as the milage fell away. Through twisting roads, the whirling forest of man-made ingenuity came through, the tragic scene of an accident on a bend in view. The spectacular power of Aotearoa impressed itself through our ocular organs as we feasted on God’s own.

But, eventually our target breached from the streets of Masterton, the Honda dealership in it’s majesty had our prize waiting to go. Andy unfortunately could not be there to see us off since we had taken so long in arriving (4.30pm now! )

I took the time to ring up John Baker insurance to ensure the bike was covered before we even left the premises, ten minutes on the phone and all was sweet. Bemused, the staff queried why we weren’t loading the bike onto our trailer. Aha! My usual bonhomie of riding “whenever, where-ever, anytime, anyplace” seems to have made me a bit “Speshul” in their eyes!

Of course, we refilled the bike, the car and ourselves before the trek back to D’orkland. Foot long, Italian herbs and cheese, BBQ meatball rolls from SUBWAY was packed most efficiently into our svelte stomach lines and we prepared to set forth on our jolly jape and escapade!

Oh, and for all those who have reached this far in the ramblings of my befuddled and demented (un)consciousness, I applaud your grit and have yet to warn you to gird your loins for more of the same waxing aloud of a great deal many of things that signify very little!

[gijoe1313]

From Masterton, we took our leave, the sun was falling and many a township had to be passed before we could rest from our might exertions in the safeness of one’s own bed. The time taken whizzed, by as I rode the newly acquired steed.

It was a learning experience from one another, the little VTR huffed its way at me as we proceeded to eat up the twisties of SH54 and the backroads towards “home”. As time passed and we settled into each other’s rhythms, poor DONOR was left behind in the cage. Motorbikes truly are magical mystical creatures, they can be most subtle to maleficent in their guises. This VTR however, had the good grace that it was to be ridden in the manner that all motorbikes aspire to … to just be ridden. With stops in various places to ensure that DONOR and I kept in contact, the time and space just flew by. The grin on my face overcame the chill as the partnership between man and machine worked in harmonious accord in design with physics, mr Honda and the biking gods.

The biking gods indeed, must have been pleased with my desire to worship the need to ride, for the weather did part, fair was the play of moonlight through my travels in the National Park. Blue sheen did the roads did gleam, little was the traffic, much was the twists and convolutions in the roads, great was the enjoyment, joyful was my soul.

DONOR was also lost in his own magical transitions, each to their own in the way of the Road Trip. At a point, I did throw on more layers to ensure the attentions of Mr Hypothermia did not play his bad hand at me! I normally wear polyprops beneath my riding attire, and for some reason I did not bring them with me :slap:

Eventually Ngaruawahia peeked out from the night’s gloom and we met up with a friend who was driving a truck in that vicinity. A quick natter, and making sure all was good to go (for fatigue can easily cloak one’s senses), the last leg home fell away quickly.

Final time to home : 1.30am, essentials were unpacked and DONOR drove home as I sorted out the VTR into place between my Big and lil’ol Hornets. They were quite chuffed a new girl had come to stay the night (my bikes are males!)

And to top off all things good for such an epic win of a road trip, my parcel of pistons for Daisy (my RZ250) had arrived as well! Huzzah!

And that as they say is that, it has been a long while since I have done such a good thing and it pleases me most greatly. To those who have stayed the course and traipsed through my voluble discursions about a great deal of nothings, I can only say it is with great honour that I have taken some of your most valuable time!

Yours most humbly
gijoe13133

[PirateJafa]

Those VTRs are the perfect little bikes, no idea why she had to wait and think! :P

[Gremlin]

see, I'm not the source of all the weird things on trips

[Donor]

I cannae add much more - suffice to say, it was a pant load of fun.

Though getting stuck behind trucks for 10km at a time in the pissing rain and fog on the way back sucked.

I reckon next time, I'll be hitting the makers of V up for a sponsorship - 3 x 500ml cans of black V kept me with it enough to drive 1178km in a day.

Where next? I hear the burgers in Wellington are quite good... I'm sure there's something to pick up down there some time soon

[MIXONE]

I tips me hat to the both of you.A one day roadtrip of epic proportions.

[chanceyy]

Justin I thought you had disappeared forevea from those crazy long arsed trips, good to see your back up to your naughty tricks again

Donor your just as nutty

[gijoe1313]

Well, I got dropped into a load of hot water last night. Greentea found this thread ... and I was summoned to my execution when I had to explain certain quaint turns of a phrase

Crikey, I didn't half have to duck for cover!

Ah well, alls well that ends well is what I say! Well least sleeping in the dog house means I have a roof over my head!

Thanks for all the replies so far people, it's been a long time since I have tapped the keyboard with my own incoherent ranting and raving!

[chanceyy]

Well, I got dropped into a load of hot water last night. Greentea found this thread ... and I was summoned to my execution when I had to explain certain quaint turns of a phrase

Ohh you in line for a or a ???

[Squiggles]

Where next? I hear the burgers in Wellington are quite good... I'm sure there's something to pick up down there some time soon

If you two cant think of something i'm sure the SMC could...

[gijoe1313]

If you two cant think of something i'm sure the SMC could...

I don't think collecting up Conelius's cousins and extended whanau from around NZ would be appropriate!

[Donor]

If you two cant think of something i'm sure the SMC could...

Has wagon, has trailer... for enough V and fuel, I could be persuaded...

[Squiggles]

Has wagon, has trailer... for enough V and fuel, I could be persuaded...

Thats dangerous talk! Motorbyclist made two trips to welly last month to pickup bikes

[EJK]

Thats dangerous talk! Motorbyclist made two trips to welly last month to pickup bikes