Central Otago social rides

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Bugger we are doing the Alexandra - Glenorchy, Crown Range Wanaka and back to Alex on Monday and then the Lindus Bemore Oamaru Dunedin on tuesday... oh well next time

Ride Safe people I don't want to see any more biker down threads

[xknuts]

Huh?
FJR, Coming or not?

[oldrider]

Bugger we are doing the Alexandra - Glenorchy, Crown Range Wanaka and back to Alex on Monday and then the Lindus Bemore Oamaru Dunedin on tuesday... oh well next time

Ride Safe people I don't want to see any more biker down threads

Hey NH, will you guys be calling in here on your way through? John.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Hey NH, will you guys be calling in here on your way through? John.

PM me your address... and cell phone...
ensure the kettle is on.

[oldrider]

PM me your address... and cell phone...
ensure the kettle is on.

Done but I hear the ride is cancelled! Cheers John.

[Jantar]

A few riders enjoying the road around Lakes Wanaka and Hawea.

[FJRider]

I assume the pink Suzuki was one... (but not pictured...)

[Jantar]

If you look real hard, it may just be in one of these.

[karla]

A few riders enjoying the road around Lakes Wanaka and Hawea.

Shame I wasn't reading KB closely - I (think) we passed you on our way to Haast for a plate of chips and coke. It was lovely to get the KB wave though from everyone - the biker fellowship shining thru the campervan procession.

Great day for it! ~

[Jantar]

I arrived at Shell Cromwell right on 9:30 as arranged to see no other bikes there. As I pulled the big VStrom onto the centerstand ready to fill up, Xknuts turned in on his Victory (Strawberry Tart). hayd3n and Christina were already there, but parked around the corner out of sight, and within minutes Outbakal and Sleasebag arrived.

After a short conference we decided to head to Hawea and Makorora via Tarras, just for something a little different. We set a nice cruisy pace (around 106 kmh) alongside lake Dunstan, then through the back roads of Hawea Flat to Hawea itself. After a short break at the Hawea petrol station where we were joined by Free2be and Adelle, then it was off around the shores of Lake Hawea and Lake Wanaka to Makorora for morning tea (read that as coffee, fruit juice, fish and chips, pies etc).

Next it was back on the bikes and head for Wanaka. I took off a bit before the others as I wanted to find a spot where I could get some pics of the bikes being ridden, and it was while I was riding solo I saw the only two wallys of the day. One was a guy with a pillion on a Busa who after passing me (no problem there) overtook a line of cars on a blind bend. I'm glad it wasn't an hour earlier when we were riding the other way or it would have been the Canterbury crash all over again. The other one was a Holden ute towing a boat trying to overtake a camper van uphill on a straight so short that I'd hesitate to try it on the bike, He didn't make it before a car came the other way around the bend, and he had to brake hard and try and squeeze back in behind the camper van. I'm glad I gave him plenty of room.

I found a spot to get some pics, but hadn't quite got myself ready to shoot when Strawberry Tart came screaming by. However I did get some reasonable ones of most of the other riders. Some didn't turn out so good, and there is only the one chance.

We all regrouped on the outskirts of Wanaka for a group shoot, then headed down to the waterfront for lunch.

Adelle, left us here as she had to go to work, while the rest of the group headed over the Crown Range to Arrowtown. We stopped at the Crown Range summit where a bit of discussion ensued about speedo accuracy. I know my speedo is pretty much bang on, and it appears that while I had been leading the group at around 107 - 110 kmh, they had been showing speeds of 115 - 120 or more to keep up. So I lent Outbakal my GPS for the rest of the trip to Arrowtown, while I followed him as closely matced in speed as possible. Triumph speedos are normally pretty good compared to the Japanese brand ones, and the result was that an indicated 112 kmh on the Triumph compared to 109 kmh on the GPS, and 108 kmh on the data logger on my bike.

We found a pleasant pup in Arrowtown for a beer (one only thanks) and a good chat before splitting up and heading our separate ways home. I followed Sleasebag for quite some distance before deciding the stink of oil fumes was coming from his BMW, and not from a poorly tuned car ahead. So just after Roaring Meg power station I passed him and decided he could follow me for the rest of the way to Clyde.

All in all, it was a very pleasant day. Only 300 kms or so, and a whole day to do it. We must certainly repeat such trips soon.

[Daffyd]

Sounds as though you had a good day, might have to join you on the next one.

[hayd3n]

it was a great trip will post up a couple pics l8r just got home 2 dunners did 349 ks in total on ride yesterday

[hayd3n]

Sleasebag

hehe i searched for neil Sleasebag
Sorry - no matches. Please try some different terms.

[Jantar]

hehe i searched for neil Sleasebag
Sorry - no matches. Please try some different terms.

That's because his online name was "assigned" by Xknuts, but he hasn't actually registered on the site yet.

[xknuts]

That's because his online name was "assigned" by Xknuts, but he hasn't actually registered on the site yet.

How right you are!

I agree it was a fab day of "twisty's', oh how I love the Hawea -Makarora road. And to do it twice in one day
The Crown Range on a bike was a 1st for me, and would love to do it from Arrowtown next time. The lingering smell of hot brake pads from a campervan had me expectng a "moment"!

Sitting in the hot sun @ the "New Orleans" beer garden sampling a brew was rewarding, esp amongst like minded friends.

I stayed & visited friends holidaying in Q/town. left about 7pm only to be breathylysed at 2 checkpoints between Q/town & the Bungy Bridge on way back to Alexandra.

Lets do it again sometime!
1) Haydn & Chri5tina in a CLINCH
2) Jantar Portrait
3) Victory Vegas & Free2be @ Summit
4) KB Group (L-R) xknuts, chri5tina, haydn, sleasebag, outbakal, free2be, jantar, & adele