Yet Again ah took the high road up Ben Cliffhanger

**scracha** · 15th March 2009, 18:14

Like a wee laddie the night before Christmas, I was just too excited and only managed about 4 hours sleep on Thursday night. I was seriously looking forward to the drinking....sorry...racing up thon hill. Eddie's gixxer and my 748r loaded onto the trailer, Mr Mental Troosers arrived at my house at 5 on Friday and we were offski.

The girlfriend's hilux's radiator decided to let go at half one in the morning at Mangatainoka. "I say, that's dashed unlucky old chap" said my Kiwi friend. "I concur", was my reply before getting on the blower to the AA. Turned out the AA had decided to not renew my "plus" cover and hadn't fuggin bothered to tell me. For some reason, MT's AA had also lapsed. The gorgeous Tui workers were not to be found so "the Drew" was telephoned and the AA took the Toymotah + bike trailer to Pahiatua. By the time Drew arrived we arrived at the campsite just before 5. Fuggit, the racing must continue.

Some nice lady decided to wake us all up at around 7am with comments of "if I can't sleep then nobody can". I could have killed her. Anyway, hillclimb. I tried backing out of it and getting a couple of hours more sleep but Drew/Helen/everybody called me a softcock and HTFU was mentioned at least a dozen times. At least the weather was cool. All my runs got progressively faster...and I mean progressively...as in less than 1 second difference per run. At least I can say I was consistant. After the 4 runs I decided to call it a day as the lack of sleep meant I just couldn't concentrate and on the 4th run I'd got a 3rd gear corner mixed up with a 5th gear one. I somehow made it round...show's how much confidence (some may say balls) I lack in the Ducati's abilities.

Drinking. 2 tui's and I was 3 sheets to the wind....I was that tired. A couple of sugary "wake me up" rum's later, a very nice mutton meal (and then a $5 one later in the night to sober me up) and then some more sugary rum's and then I was tucked up in my tent by about 9pm. Helen tried keeping me awake by shouting outside my tent and flashing her torch but even if she had tit-whipped me I would have still crashed out. Excellent sleep. Crawled out tent to see Mental Trousers lying between the two bikes. I kinda wondered if he was dead for a minute as it was a pretty cold night, but then he smiled and it was "all good bro". I guess it was his turn to sleep on the grass.

Race day morning. Started cleaning the Ducati as it was really filthy, even by my low standards. Spotted the cracks in the headlamp. Fark. At that point I called it a day as:-

I was pissed off/stressed and not in a good headspace to go racing next to a cliff
I worked out the Cliffhanger had cost me about 2 grand (assuming the Toymotor's engine isn't farked)
The gods were just begging for me to crash the Ducati and have no way of getting home.
Ducati $hit headlamp made even $hittier with cracks and tape over it riding through the night...nuff said.
Cliffhanger organisers. Excellent food. Excellent location. Excellent band, I was just too tired to stay awake. Shame about the lack of numbers this year...I guess all the riders "up norf" aren't as hard as they make out

Pit stopped at Nick (Mumbles) and Allies place in Palmy North before heading home via SH4 (a first for me...loverly road). The ride back was excellent and cheered me up no end.

With the $hit some people have to deal with like cancer or kids in hospital (and even just a likeable paddy writing off his Triumph), it puts my miserable weekend in perspective. Only money after all.

It was still Friday the 13th in Scotland and Ireland after all.

Thanks
Nick.. for offering shane the ZXR to get home on...and for lunch...and for offering to put me up next Friday when I pick up the car from drew's.
Jarred.. for offering to loan your R6. Never mind Shane, I was tempted to steal it myself as the 748 ain't the best tourer.
Drew.. for picking us up in the wee small hours and for (hopefully) getting the radiator sorted.
Helen/Malcolm/craig/sheree/vicki/clive.. just for the banter

**Clivoris** · 15th March 2009, 19:51

Way to keep it in perspective bro, and reading it made me laugh. You are due for a change in luck man. I've got my fingers crossed that it doesn't involve whipping me in F3 at the Actrix Winter Series. Bring a 400 next year, shits and giggles enough to go around. Glad you got home without further incident.

**roadracingoldfart** · 15th March 2009, 20:07

Heres my day ...... i get up and con Di to not go to church with the kids naaah lets go to the race and watch Steevie do us proud.!!

Half way there (sometime past Martinborough) Kieran (7yrs) decided weetbix was not on the tummy retention list so up it all came . great.

Busy cleaning all that up without a witness and still on target for a sneak attack on the crew at the event and then i hear a bike comin. hmmm bloody Bistard springs me roadside wiping vomit away from the seatbelt.
Theres the end of the sneak attack aye.
Get to the event and wander round looking , see the trailer and think , ok hes up the hill , thats cool. Vhatted to a few i havnt seen for ages and that was good.
Watch Deano , Drew and a few others launch

and go at least a 100 metres up the road . Ohh , so ya cant see much here can ya .
Back to car for a coffee and a feed . Wait , wait ...... others come back from up the hill and i ask , umm wheres Steevie ? Hes gone home !!!!

Ahhhh fuck .

Good to see you all havin fun , was a great day for it and i hope the guy that binned it was ok (i only heard of 1 guy while i was there) .

It was a good trip and we went back the scenic route for the hell of it .
Blew half a tank of fuel and thankfully looked before it ran out and wondered , how long has that fuel light been going ?

Sorry ya had a bad weekend mate but as Clive says , its going to get much better from here and HE better watch out lol

Paul etc...

**naphazoline** · 15th March 2009, 20:20

Great reading guys.
Anyone know how Griz went?(03 R6)

**Toast** · 15th March 2009, 20:21

Shithouse bro, but like ya say...

And, you gotta sell that Duc, eh, I think it's cursed.

**t3mp0r4ry nzr** · 15th March 2009, 20:23

another entertaining read! kai pai bro!

**Deano** · 16th March 2009, 11:07

Originally Posted by naphazoline

Great reading guys.
Anyone know how Griz went?(03 R6)

Second overall with a 2.18s run, and winner of the C1 Class (up to 600cc)

The bastard pipped me by one second and boy did he rub it in.

**naphazoline** · 16th March 2009, 11:15

Originally Posted by Deano

Second overall with a 2.18s run, and winner of the C1 Class (up to 600cc)

The bastard pipped me by one second and boy did he rub it in.

Congrat's Deano.Sounds like a great result for you both.
Yeah...He can be a bit of a smart arse some times.

**Dazza** · 16th March 2009, 11:50

Originally Posted by Deano

Second overall with a 2.18s run, and winner of the C1 Class (up to 600cc)

The bastard pipped me by one second and boy did he rub it in.

Only as Andrew can

**Str8 Jacket** · 16th March 2009, 17:56

Ya poor bastard, you've had some bad luck... Hopefully the Vic club series will see some better luck for you!

**scracha** · 17th March 2009, 19:59

Originally Posted by Str8 Jacket

Ya poor bastard, you've had some bad luck... Hopefully the Vic club series will see some better luck for you!

The girlfriend cheered me up with some of her vag powers.

**Clivoris** · 17th March 2009, 20:44

Originally Posted by scracha

The girlfriend cheered me up with some of her vag powers.

If that's going to carry on through the Actrix Winter Series, I hope those are post-classic vag powers. Any performance enhancements must be consistent with the technology of the period.

**scracha** · 18th March 2009, 09:44

Originally Posted by Clivoris

If that's going to carry on through the Actrix Winter Series, I hope those are post-classic vag powers. Any performance enhancements must be consistent with the technology of the period.

Pre 82 vag buddy. If I were getting post 89 vag then I'd be officially a dirty old man.