Laxed out rides

[mvw]

Waitangi day is on Wednesday

Well done, that man!

I should be free that Wednesday, too.

[5150]

So basically, since I am essentially a non drinker, a trip like this would be pretty good value for money.

Cheap date right there ladies and gentlemen

[slofox]

Yeah it's still a little far out to get a reliable forcast, fingers crossed eh?

Metservice: Whitianga, Wednesday 6th - "Showers, Easterlies."

Bum.

Latest forecast is more betterer...fine an' light winds. Map looks like it ought to clear for Wednesday too.

[MzTulip]

So basically, since I am essentially a non drinker, a trip like this would be pretty good value for money.

Yup, and I bet you'd still have a good time too!

[Damantis]

Anyone keen for a blat tomorrow? Was thinking a wee pootle out to Waitomo vis Kawhia / Harbour road.

[slofox]

Anyone keen for a blat tomorrow? Was thinking a wee pootle out to Waitomo vis Kawhia / Harbour road.

Nothing for me tomorrow.

I have to go up to Dargaville on Monay - for a funeral...and come back same day. Best I take me cushioned trousers - or grow a fatter arse quicklike.

[Damantis]

Nothing for me tomorrow.

I have to go up to Dargaville on Monay - for a funeral...and come back same day. Best I take me cushioned trousers - or grow a fatter arse quicklike.

Condolences for the funeral. You're riding up? Waiopua forest and the Maungamuka gorge aren't far from there though! Hope you get some time to squeeze in those excellent roads.

[Geeen]

Nothing for me tomorrow.

I have to go up to Dargaville on Monay - for a funeral...and come back same day. Best I take me cushioned trousers - or grow a fatter arse quicklike.

[slofox]

Condolences for the funeral. You're riding up? Waiopua forest and the Maungamuka gorge aren't far from there though! Hope you get some time to squeeze in those excellent roads.

I lived up there for ten years so got to know those roads well. Which is how I met this guy whose funeral it is. Good friend back then. He's been sick for a while - we knew he wouldn't last long.

Doubt I'll have time to venture upwards.

[QUOTE=Geeen;1130491207 [/QUOTE]

So is that a padded dunny seat then...

[Damantis]

Anyone keen for a blat tomorrow? Was thinking a wee pootle out to Waitomo vis Kawhia / Harbour road.

Ah well, if anyone wants to tag along, I'll be gassing up at Z Five Crossroads about 9.30 tomorrow morning

[slofox]

Nothing for me tomorrow.

I have to go up to Dargaville on Monay - for a funeral...and come back same day. Best I take me cushioned trousers - or grow a fatter arse quicklike.

I just spent eight of the last fourteen hours sitting on the back of The Vixen, wending my way to Dargaville and back. I bet my bum has right angle notch shaped kinks in it now...

Pretty rough ride really. Left at 5.00am thinking I might get some dry road to start with. But the rain started at 5 to 5, just as I was togged up...then further up it pissed down. Auckland motorway at 6.15am was still crazy but didn't stop at all.

North Shore and up to Brynderwyn, the cloud was on the ground, roads were wet and traffic was insane - fucking great truck and trailer units on those Narrow Roads to the Deep North. Lots more passing lanes than when I lived up there but still damn slow with the weather. Oh and the wind was blowing like hell as well.

Heading west of Maungaturoto, I could see the western arch ahead and once onto the Ruawai (pronounced "ROO WHY" by locals) flats, rain stopped.

Headed back in afternoon. Dry nearly all the way. But again traffic totally clogging that Northern highway - lucky to make 90km/hr without being a loony. Auckland was pretty rush hour (4.30pm) but survived it. Met heavy rain again once I hit Ngaruawahia. Again, really heavy wind gusts in Northland. I don't mind riding in windy conditions - in fact I quite like it - but there was one gust on the ROOWHY flats coming back that shunted us right across the lane. Never had that before.


One good outcome of the slower than usual pace is the fuel consumption which was about 12% better than usual...dunno why that should be...

[mvw]

I can't outdo Slofox's gripping tale of his harrowing commute, but it's time for me to cough up the tracks I recorded on the East Cape ride. If for no other reason than to partially recompense those I held up by fiddling with my alfresco charging circuit in a series of semi-successful attempts to keep the phone alive enough to record said track.

Day 1, yes I forgot to turn the bloody thing on until the first stop. The blank bit was Tuikaramea Rd, out to Ngahinapouri, then across Te Awamutu/Kihikihi and out Arapuni Rd to the spectacular Owairaka valley. Zig, zag before a last-moment right bend saves us from Mangakino and drops us into the loving arms of Whakamaru.

http://goo.gl/maps/6AUxa

Ok, look at map if you want to see where we (or, at least, I) went after that. Lake, trees, glipses of the mountains, all painfully pretty. Turangi, less so, but nature calls. More spectacle and a good pace to the next stop at Waiouru to fill up on sugar, salt, fat and quick-digesting carbs and to top up the bikes. No trouble finding the turn-offs that Milan described so carefully in the briefings and vroom vroom over Gentle Annie we go. Down to the expressway and cruise on up towards the waterfront. Stop and look at maps [Where's the bloody hotel? Dunno mate, let's try down there], park the bikes wander about on foot, where there hell is everyone, sod it, into the bar, come back out and finally remember to turn off the track. At which point everyone turns up with no bits missing! Choice day!

[BigAl]

Speaking of rides guys & girls, a few mates and I are planning a Coro loop ride on Waitangi Day.

Planning to leave at 9am BP Rototuna, all levels at the mo with a TEC and lead at intersections.

Several stops/regroups & lunch around Whitianga, 370kms return.

Weather looks good tomorrow , meet at 8:45am BP Rototuna.

See you there.

[Damantis]

Weather looks good tomorrow , meet at 8:45am BP Rototuna.

See you there.

I think I might make this day one of my summer raod trip. Been wanting to get away for a while and think I might go down the coast after this ride and stay in Opotiki then head round the east cape. Then wherever my budget allows. Maybe to hastings and back ove rhe gentle annie road or something.

[BigAl]

Would if it was easy Dan, but adding to calendar appears not user friendly.