1KC - 1,000km Cruise

[Toymotor]

Aside from the loss of the young man on the Wellington ride, one disappointment for me, was none of us who chat on this forum came up and introduced ourselves in person while at the start or at any of the stops. Well, no one intro'd themselves to me (maybe that should be telling myself something about me ).

At the start of the ride, I was wanting to get on the road as fast as possible, I didn't stick around. Met a few people along the way and back at the club, whether they were KB members or not never came up though. I don't recall seeing any cruisers or recognizing any bikes at the stops, as I surely would have approached. One guy I kept bumping into and ended up following after Toku and again in Putaruru used to own an M50, good chap but i'm shit with names.

[eldog]

one disappointment for me, was none of us who chat on this forum came up and introduced ourselves in person while at the start or at any of the stops. Well, no one intro'd themselves to me

Hi. Im No one.
you started off earlier than I thought, I spent the rest of the time catching up..........
Insomia01 would have been those bright green leds on the kwaka i guess.
I liked those, really made the bike visible

[insomnia01]

one disappointment for me, was none of us who chat on this forum came up and introduced ourselves in person while at the start or at any of the stops.

You was to fast for me Arthur I was still registering with Jim when you lot exited the carpark & the last time I seen you was on SH29, maybe next time......

[banditrider]

Link to Bloggy and pics: http://banditrider.blogspot.co.nz/2015/11/2015-1kc.html

[eldog]

I found I needed a challenge, the 1600 challenge seemed a bit to far for my current ability, while the 1KC central also was problemmatic as I couldnt see how I could get time off work to get to the start and finish as well as ride the 1KC

Then I saw the 1KC Northern. I planned and looked about KB and elsewhere learning about distance riding. The info I got helped me understand what I needed to do.

I then decided to do a 1K ride of my own, one I have wanted to do at the end of this year but a free Saturday can up and I took up the challenge. The first couple of hours saw me in constant rain with the front of the bike not giving me any confidence I rode slowly and carefully avoided as much wet tar bleed as possible. Finally the sun came out and I was slowy drying out and speed increase. I did dry out and by the end my hands started to cramp up and I knew to be careful about the last 100k as its easy to get over confident. With the 1150k ride over I knew I could do the 1KC.

I couldnt wait to get the directions and looked about in maps to see where I was going. Only the Tauranga-Gisbourne-Opotiki part of the route I had been on before the rest I wasnt familiar except Pirongia-Otorohunga.

I saw Awa's posts and he seemed like the ideal partner to follow to do this ride. He accepted, with the planning done and the bike all packed and the bike fixed up (several parts had broken on the first long ride). I organised to ride to Hamilton the night before and a breath test seemed like a fitting way of arriving mid Hamilton.

Awa was arriving early at the start and I arrived to find him and another rider/pillon groupo already primed to go.
AWA started off and I wondered what I had gotten mysel in for. I suddenly realised I didnt know Hamilton at all so keeping up with him was important. It was a pleasant ride to Tauranga several times I looked in the rear vision mirror to see other riders approaching. A car & trailer pulled over to let us past and I saw in the corner of my rear view mirror a bike from behind overtaking, it was a close thing as I brushed the side of the trailer. Much relieved we arrived at the Kiwifruit photo stop.

The weather put on a great show as we travelled along the coast with a couple of big sweeping corners to keep me concentrating. Awa constantly pulling away around the corners and I was playing catchup on the hills. The stop Te Kawa proved interesting a small group of locals approached our bikes and asked what all the bikes were doing, I said 1000 K cruise, how long that take you they said. One day I replied. The look of surpise on their faces was good. One thing I do remember is as they went past was the voice of one small young lass 'ride safe' she said.

We continued onto Hicks Bay and the smell of possum and lots of Kina shells provided an incentive to move on. We figure by now we would be the last of the riders. We arrived at Tokomaru bay and had to check the store out as the sign was missing. A large group of riders passed us as we snacked.

[eldog]

We continued onto Gisborne with some views along the way. Gisborne provided another fuel stop and off we went, AWA gaining ground again as I was stuck behind a 4x4, finally I caught up with him at the school along with another pair of riders we had seen pass us before. I asked if they had been at the pub, they replied that they had been to the light house.

Off they went and we continued into the Waioeka Gorge - after I did a good samaritan buying some fuel for a young couple who didnt have a credit card but did have cash. This proved that I need work on my cornering ability and maybe find a away of sensing exactly what the front wheel is doing as it wasnt all that inspiring. I managed to keep AWA mostly in my sights the bungie effect keeping us going.

From Taneatua to that tree photo stop i had several whiteouts as the sinking sun caused my vision to be obscured. Slowing down and looking directly at the road away from the sun, enabled me to continue to ride.
At the Turn off around the top of Lake Rotorua AWA stopped, I thought for a snack, no just to change his glasses as the setting sun caused the light levels to dim. Around the lake and the Otura rd where AWA cut a path through a mass of insects so I could avoid them.

We finally arrived at Putaruru and I breathed a sight of relief as we stopped and fuelled up. Then we were off again ahead of my previous estimated time. We continued and I could see AWA's dim tail light behind a car infront.
Then all of sudden the bike light was gone and the car continued on I searched the road side just in case. The the Mangakino turn off appeared, stopped and checked my map and figured which way AWA had headed.

Finally I saw his dim lights on a corner and he started off, I guessed he was concerned that I had been so long behind him, but I showed up and that would have put his mind at rest. We finally arrived at the Otorohunga photo stop and found it hiding in the dark. Photos done I continued on my way as I knew that route rather than the Te Awamutu as suggested by AWA. I passed what I intially thought was a house fire but turned out to be bonfires, one was about 100m from the road, I still felt the heat wash over me as I passed. All was good till I hit the road works at Temple View, I waited patiently for what seemed like 5 minutes before the lights changed, the fine gravel making me relax as the bike continued up the incline. My hands were getting stiffer as I approached the Commerce Club. Even though I knew no one would be there I got satisfaction on getting to the destination.

Motel bound I switched off the motor so I didnt wake the baby who was living in the front unit.
I woke before 6 got ready and travelled back to akl, washed the bike, and cleaned my gear.

Its now been a while since I completed this challenge and I am looking forward to my next - Northern Odysee 2016

Thanks must go to AWA who patiently put up with me. He navigated almost the whole of the route without maps/gps and was very accurate with times and distances between each section.

and Also to the Distance Riders who orgained this event. Cheers

[insomnia01]

hats off to you & Arthur for giving it a good go they get easier with practise

[eldog]

2 weeks to go for 2017 event.
waiting for route.
interested in start location. Pity they don’t give that out like the NI 800/1600

shall be thinking about AWA’s supreme ability to navigate without a map. Miss your dogged determination.

[veldthui]

2 weeks to go for 2017 event.
waiting for route.
interested in start location. Pity they don’t give that out like the NI 800/1600

shall be thinking about AWA’s supreme ability to navigate without a map. Miss your dogged determination.

Saw a map the other day but can't remember where. The Hamilton one was Hamilton - Taumaranui - Wanganui - Tahape - Napier - Rotorua - ??? - Hamilton. Those were not the stops but give a general idea of the route. Looked good. Hope the weather is nice or at least not raining.

[eldog]

Saw a map the other day but can't remember where. The Hamilton one was Hamilton - Taumaranui - Wanganui - Tahape - Napier - Rotorua - ??? - Hamilton. Those were not the stops but give a general idea of the route. Looked good. Hope the weather is nice or at least not raining.

I did last years 1KC on my own, after learning that 100 Kph on the bike was actually 90, so my time improved somewhat, as I don’t as a rule travel over the speed limit.
but the cold near the end and the maze of roads to get back to the start through the southern end of Hamilton was a PITA. Otherwise I enjoyed the variety.

I am used to rain after this years NI800 and last years northern 1KC

gentle annie?

[Euro2018]

I'm signed up for the Hamilton 1KC, Sat 4th Nov.

I've never ridden anything like that distance in a single day before, so am planning to head out for a 500km ride on either Sun 29th or Mon 30th to shake out any bugs in my bike (and me).

If anyone else here wants to join me please get in touch. I'm a slowish rider, so don't expect a race.
Route undecided, open to suggestions.

PS - I'll be taking the Beemer, not the AG

[eldog]

I'm signed up for the Hamilton 1KC, Sat 4th Nov.

I've never ridden anything like that distance in a single day before, so am planning to head out for a 500km ride on either Sun 29th or Mon 30th to shake out any bugs in my bike (and me).

If anyone else here wants to join me please get in touch. I'm a slowish rider, so don't expect a race.
Route undecided, open to suggestions.

PS - I'll be taking the Beemer, not the AG

Good one.
dont worry about the distance, they get easier once yourve done one or two.
i had only done 1 off ride longer than 500km before taking it on.
the weekend before the 1KC I did a 1200+ km ride in 1 day, had everything from rain, brilliant sunshine, rain, rain, freezing cold.

important if you rely on GPS you sort it out and test it.
mine stopped working on the NI800 within 1k of the start, the rest I did off the supplied notes.
and there was plenty of rain that day

Sort out the fuel stops and some snacks, water is important.

getting back to the start in Hamilton was a bugger for a nonhamiltonian last year.

warm gear for the last part
rain gear a must.

otherwise there is no time limit, so no need to race.
pace yourself

i maybe available sun 29th yet undecided.
no I don’t ride fast either.

[Toymotor]

Route was emailed out today. This is basically it with the checkpoints. https://goo.gl/maps/euRJaiQuF8v I would still tweak this in a few places e.g Google says its quicker SH3 instead of SH39 (riders guide) but it's not as fun, and guide also states to turn onto SH29 after Rotorua instead of SH28 like in this map (still 1009km total this way) so not sure if error or not. Feel free to use this maps link for navigation if needed, all the checkpoint homework has been done. I even stopped at a few of them for the NI1600, hopefully not pissing with rain this time

[caspernz]

https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/s...-one-day/page2

The only photostop I'm not familiar with is the Kaimai air crash memorial. Might have to go for a recce prior to the big day out

[insomnia01]

Looks like a good loop this year