Just thought I'd remark about the great ride I had this morning :-)
Left Taradale at 9.27am and was soon out on Roys Hill Road cruising past the wineries and dodging the pheasants! Cloudy, overcast, but not wet. Right earplug came loose after a couple of kms so pulled up to adjust. Soon on my way again in blissful silence - well almost. Could just hear the velvety throb of the Cambell slip-on that now blesses the CB. Was thinking about my first coffee stop. Cruised legally through Maraekakaho thinking "ah, so this is where Dooly hangs out". The incredible bulk (...the CB I mean, not Dooly!) was on song and the lack of traffic meant I was in heaven. SH50 is a joy - beautiful gentle swoops, dips and curves and then suddenly tighter twists up to the top around Ben Lomond.
It's at times like this that I realise that the big CB is every bit as much fun as my previous ZX9. Thought about coffee at Ongaonga, but I was having too much of a great time. I was grinning and talking to myself and giving myself a running commentary as well as advice to watch my speed - always conscious that the oncoming car might just be a mufti. One more strike and I'm out I'm afraid! Spotted Bex's brother in his cage coming towards me. Had to be him, not many old maroon BMW cages around that part of the world. Besides, he lives at Ashcott and works in Hastings.
Anyway, I digress. The further south I got the warmer and sunnier it became.
Joined SH2 and was amazed at the continuing lack of traffic. Thank you God! My stomach insisted I stop at Dannevirke, so 70mins after leaving Taradale, the Regent Cafe had the pleasure of my company as I devoured their "ultimate Benedict" and swilled it down with a large flat white - in a bowl! Tres Francais n'est ce pas? Something went down while I was there ( besides my breakfast that is!) Suddenly Dannevirke was humming to the emergency siren and the main street was at a standstill as all three services beetled northward out of town.
Between Woodville and Masterton, a few trucks created a welcome challenge, but otherwise the run continued to be a relaxed affair with more of the same effortless manouevres keeping me amused. Passed a guy on a Bandit (650?) with a red ventura pack on the back. Looked like he was doing pretty much the same as me, except he was content to sit behind a truck!
Pulled in for a fuel top-up at the Mobil by the Castlepoint Road in Masterton and passed the usual pleasantries with the cashier who rightly assumed it was a nice day to be out on the bike! Thought about another coffee at the White Swan, but decided to press on. Between Greytown and Featherston I whipped past an old Merc at a speed in excees of the limit only to be confronted by Mr Plod coming towards me. "Shit!" (OK, that wasn't the word I uttered). Twas not to be thank goodness - he carried on his merry way.
As if that wasn't enough good fortune, I had the Rimutaka Hill to myself and enjoyed every bit of it thank you very much! The CB might as well have been on auto-pilot considering the number of times it has traversed this route. Before I knew it, I was back at Riverstone and had clocked up exactly 300kms from the motel in Taradale to my garage door! Time of arrival home: 13.10pm
QED.
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Originally Posted by Grub
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