Mystery ride - West (and North). Sat 11 August.

[NZsarge]

IUf there is anyone left to see this its rerasonable around here and looks overcast but lighter up napier way....but the wind is starting to pick up a bit and if anyone gets a wet arse dun blame my meagere weather forcasting abilities....I guess im in.

[86GSXR]

Currently dry windy and warm here in Napier. Overcast. It is going to be a good day from what I can see. But plenty of wind.
Oh well off to work for me. Have a great ride you lot

Cheers for that Steve. Would be good to catch up soon - regards to you all up there

Ok am about to bail Shannon .. see ya in 30 Al

OK, I'll jump start the old girl now

oooo goody goody goody.....i get to ride my biiiike


yaaaaay.....

My thoughts exactly - must be an addict lol.

IUf there is anyone left to see this its rerasonable around here and looks overcast but lighter up napier way....but the wind is starting to pick up a bit and if anyone gets a wet arse dun blame my meagere weather forcasting abilities....I guess im in.

Nice one, see you there

[cowboyz]

well, I just woke up. And probably not that far off going back to bed.


Such a hard week. This weather knocks the living shit outa ya. Bring on the summer.

[Meanie]

Oh crap, the sun is shining and i gotta go to work I might head out after work if the rain stays away, if i dont i gotta mow the danm lawns Might con one of the sprats to mow them for me

[cowboyz]

i just saw them off. Hard not to jump on bike and chase them down but have to let it go for today me thinks.

[u4ea]

we've had some narly lightning and thunder here and the rain is really coming down now so hope everyone got home ok..

[cowboyz]

just saw 86 and chanceyy go past. snobs didnt stop! must off for dinner

[yod]

yee farkin hah

twas another ripping ride

1: kicking the gixxer in the guts at 86's place
2: sorting outselves out at ashhurst
3 & 4: stop for lunch at patangata
5: stop for gas in havelock
6: stop for a stretch in ormondville on the way back

edit: GPS said 361kms covered, max speed: umm....

[Bonez]

Good company , a nice ride on nice roads and didn't lose anybody .

Perfect .

[banditrider]

Did about 200+ k's today - in the damn car! And with a new bike in the shed and all...

Looks like the weather played ball for you guys and ya had a good ride. Maybe next time...

[cowboyz]

good to hear. I got a fair bit done I wanted to get done and dogs called in this arvo to show off his bike cam. Very very nice. 640x480@30. Surprisinggly high speced for the size of it.

[yod]

Good company , a nice ride on nice roads and didn't lose anybody .

Perfect .

precisely.....i had a ball....as usual

those back roads were awesome

[chanceyy]

Well after waking this morning to really high winds in Shannon I thought no way was I brave enough to contemplate this today ..

Al advised not as windy in Palmerston, but still had to get from Shannon to Ashhurst so plan was hatched, drive to Palmerston & pick up a gixxer .. hmmm well it did not take much to convince me that was a great idea

Yod turned up just as Al was about to jump started the old warhorse, & off we set to Ashhurst to see who might be there .. Bonez & Garry H were waiting & Dogs was having a natter looking a bit worse for wear so not joining us .. since we gave Cowboyz the toot toot when we went past he shot down in the cage to have a natter as well, Garry was only riding part way with us, charging battery time…

Al was right the wind north was not as strong as Shannon with a wee bit of a constant lean it did not take much to get used to riding on a slant .. so off through the gorge & heading to Dannivegas to met NZ sarge .. but guess in the right royal tradition & since I was running a wee bit late … Sarge decided to ride towards us.. now the funny bit .. sarge passed me & bonez sat behind Al & Yod .. with Garry dropping off Al seen 5 bikes so did not realise that Sarge had joined the group

Hence sarge called in to gas up at Dannevegas again, but Al not seeing any bikes headed up the road ..Bonez & I waited & said our hello’s .. did not have to wait long til they joined us again ..

Off to Norsewood but heading back way through ormondsville .. was really getting into the groove with the gixxer, after the ride last weekend the corners are really starting to flow .. I pick my gear & just roll on & off throttle smooth nice lines .. ahhh the feeling

After perusing the norsewear shop back tracked, to ormondsville then headed towards taukapu plains .. was having way to much fun on this bike .. just in that groove quick stop at waipuk where Yod being the gentleman he is assisted a couple of older ladies with lifting a wheelchair into their car .. good on ya mate

Off to waipawa & patangata pub for lunch break .. damn nice burgers too .. weather was still quite warm after lunch it was tackling middle road .. took a few ks to get back into the groove & off to Havelock North where Mr & Mrs Bonez Snr made us feel welcome with a hot cuppa .. gas up & then threading our way back home Not sure of the route we took but it was great .. although the wind caught ya out a few times

Only one brief shower of rain just out of waipukaru & we seemed to skirt the outside of it .. but had some interesting moments with slippery roads back towards ormondsville … quick stop, pic time & heading home time

Quite uneventful to dannevegas after bidding sarge farewell heading out & OMG the wind Thank you bonez for staying with me gawd I am sure I crapped myself several times & just about got blown off the road a couple of times I know my heart was in my mouth & am sure a few fark me’s came out as well .. thank goodness the wind eased by the time we got to the gorge


said cya to bonez & shortly after Yod as Al & I went the back way from Ashhurst to Palmy.. we did contemplate calling into cowboyz but was feeling pretty damn shattered .. so carried on back to palmy .. Cafe Cuba was calling us with latte, hot choccy & mud cake which was pretty much the icing on the day ..

Yes chanceyy did it again .. checked petrol gauge thought ok there is enough but umm no forgot unlike Betsy the gixxer has a reserve tank yes she stalled & had no gas to get started again .. ohh this is only at a set of lights along Rangatiki line .. but quicky sorted once Al came & put reserve on for me ...

I am still damn well buzzing about the day .. dunno that I like being slammed by the wind like that .. but rain pretty much held off til we to cafe cuba & I am damn glad I was not riding bike back to shannon cause its fair pouring down here .. along with thunder & lightening ..

to have the most of the corners flow & to know how it feels the satisfaction of "getting it" .. well I guess quite a few riders know how that feels

[86GSXR]

Another great day! After a hesitant start we finally got it together and started the ride from my place funnily enough. Good thinking Jonno

Luckily we then decided to check the Ashhurst Mobil just in case, which was fortunate as we'd have missed Bonez and Garry H.

Both Cowboyz and Dogs were a tad exhausted due to hard weeks and declined to come so the hard men (and woman) headed east to Dannevegas losing Garry H but uplifting NZsarge along the way.

It was then straight onto the road to Ormondville. First time for me on this road and I got a rapid intro to it's first major corner as I'm happily following Sarge when suddenly his leg goes down and it's hard into this incredible left hand sweeper. Ahhh, the beauty of the backroads

Into Norsewood for a spot of shopping for Yod's Dad and then back onto the Ormondville road to Waipuk and Patangata for lunch - nice stop.

Then another first for me, Middle Road - marvelous

A refreshing stop at Bonez's folks for coffee (thanks ) then back down the back line to Wiapuk and this incredible route back to Ormondville. Raining by now and the wind is starting to make it's presence felt so a stop in Ormondville for a breather. This place is great. Very peaceful and straight out of an early settlers scene - nice.

Down to Danne's and say goodbye to Sarge, then south. Chanceyy has a few 'moments' with the wind but survives admirably Through the Gorge, latte and hot Choccy and home. Starts raining. But, we're dry, timing couldn't have been better

Thanks all for another excellent day

More pics soon!

[86GSXR]

Some more