Waitangi Day Wellington Wairarapa? .. ah Kapiti Ride - pics here.

[Lissa]

Thought I might write up my ride report from the Wairarapa point of view.

Woke up early…. texted the rapa crew to make sure they werent sleeping in, then jumped on KB...I'm annoying like that. Sweet, ride was still on. Weather was cloudy, but not raining, patchy blue sky. Meet up with kinje and Ronin. Tooted our way through featherston.. only cause Ronin has a stebel horn thingymebob. Elle decided to bugger off up the hill before us, so we meet her up the top. Weather looked stunning on the Welly side.

At the top of the hill got a txt from cowboyz… saying they were in Waikanae having a fag and a coffee… thought we better head off to rimutex incase the Ashhurst boys beat us there… no fear they didn’t.

Large turnout.. more than I expected and after a few words from Sels1 we all went off up the hill, the weather looked disgusting in the Wairarapa… so a quick Plan B was drawn up… off to Raumati we went. Apparently we were suppose to turn off at a place called ‘Moonshine road’ never heard of it, so over the Haywards we went… little did we know that Mrs Kendog had been following some biker who wasn’t on our ride.

Stopped at the top … lovely! Then off to Sels1 for a bbq… awesome.

Then off home… quick stop at rimutex for a coffee, another stop at the top of the takas… me coming last because of the wind not my riding ability.

[knight rider]

were you guys heading over the haywards about 2/3pm? think I reconised the cbr600

[Drew]

Awesome ride!
It was great to meet new people and get re acquainted with ones I already knew.
Awesome photos Merv. Indeed, I looooove the tight stuff.
Thanks sels1 and wifie for the fab barbie, what a crew!

Christ almighty bro! Check out the pic of you in the third lot. You spend too long on the rack last night ya kinky bugger?

[elle-f]

OMG Lissa we must have been on a different ride because I remember some things differently.......

Firstly,. I was having a leisurely stop at the top of the hill at about 9.40 when these three hoons screamed into the park and stopped the peace........I followed them down to Rimutex because I was worried that they were on some kind of drug......only to find there were more than 40 of them! I casually joined in to go back UP the bloody hill and then back down the same side for reasons unknown. I can only say here that i was obviously taken in with the group mentality because i toddled along, following instructions to the T except I made the mistake of following some blue, white, silver and black helmeted hoon on a hornet.....of the female kind - who had spotted some cute guy NOT in our group ride and we ended up totally off the track at Haywards

Luckily I growled the first two guys who lined up at the petrol station and told them that it was THEIR fault that we were there BUT it turned out that they weren't with us at all so I looked at who was next in line and HELLO!! It was that MrsK woman!!

Anyhow, we toodled off trying to keep up with Lissa on her GN and met the rest of the group at the top of the Paekak Lookout and what an amazing day. The bikes looked amazing and the view was as well but chatting was the best!!

Then off to Raumati and then Sels - thanks guys - and then home following that bloody GN again up the Paekak Hill to the turnoff where we said a teary goodbye and goodluck to the Kendogs and then were buffeted to the Rimutex for a coffee and GOOD OLE ME decided to give that coffee a 10 second BOOST in the microwave but FARK - it was like scorching hot and i didnt realize that until i had gulped a mouthful!!

Then off to the top of the Takas - i love that ride and Lissa was staying back as Tail End Charlie - thanks for that and then down - that GN led all the way and we took off from the guys - sorry guys!!

Then home and I dont think I have ridden that much or that far for AGES and I absolutely loved it.

Thanks everybody for a wonderful day........

Hang on - I have already said that!!
Have a great day tomorrow
Elle

[Grub]

I was soo looking forward to the ride today, especially as the weather was so primo. Great crowd from all over - what a cool thing this motorcycling is huh? It has its downside too of course, I wouldn't have had to meet Cowboyz or Colapop if I didn't have my bike.

So I started the run leading the small cc & newbies group (ahem ... at the speed limit) and got into trouble for it from those behind when we got to the top of the hill! Sorry girls but I slowed when suddenly the last two disappeared. Wasn't really sure if we should wait or carry on ... so I did both. Now i know why the 'gentle' group left the top of the hill ahead of me!

The bandit and I were just getting aquainted having never ridden it before. It's interesting and does interesting things, I must talk to Shaz about her swingarm bush - but I digress. So when I was in front of either Elle or Lissa about halfway down and it started to squirrel a bit, I didn't get excited about it. On the next corner it really went nuts and I just about lost the back end. Sorry to whoever that was behind as I pulled left & braked without indicating. I was hanging on a bit at that point, didn't really have a spare thumb or braincell to assign to the indicator. The back tyre was so flat that the bead had popped into the centre of the wheel - this baby was going nowhere.

We called AA and we got the teen just out of school/tech/ITO who asked the following ...
- Is the vehicle Auto or Manual? Then added "oh no, it's auto isn't it"
- Don't you have a spare tyre?
When told we were 2km below the Rimutaka Summit
- Where in Rimutaka Forest Park are you?
- Oh, I see, you're on SH2?
- Are you near the Brown Owl? ("No, 2km below the summit" )
Where upon, we had to say no to every geo, political and manmade feature on her GIS picture (I believe about 22 in all) as she proceeded at walking pace across her screen following the road from Rimutex to the {gasp!} summit.

Was about 90mins when the bright red flat deck salvager arrived from Caterton (really nice guy and his wife if anyone knows them) collected us off the hill and took us to Rimutex where we could reintroduce some air into the tyre.

I had a sneaky suspicion that the borrowed bike might have had little air in in it and that I might have peeled the tyre sideways enough to dump all the tubeless air. In a way, I wish I had. I would have been a dork but I would have been able to ride home. We'd managed to get the tyre to seal on the rim just enough to pop the bead back but at 30psi, the 3cm slit we found right in the centre of the tread was letting it all out again.

Don't snigger class! Whatever I picked up was there when you went past it or was waiting for your tyre if I hadn't got it off the road for you. So we loaded it back on the truck and took it home. Oh BTW, the TSS emergency recovery number posted at the top of the Takas doesn't operate out of hours

I jumped on the bike and headed out to join you at Sels place. I saw some of you on the Paekak Hill Rd, some at the summit, a huge bunch of you coming down SH1 from P'ram and nobody at Sels place! Snarlers and coke all gone and no people either. Oh well, I was able to give Sels the tyre Panda back, have a natter, get a Kapiti Ice Cream at Lindale and go home.

Stupidly, I quite enjoyed the day. Another motorcycling adventure - albeit an expensive one. $80 for the towie (I thought AA payed that) and I guess it's going to be on me to replace the tyre. Its a Michelin so I guess that's another $200. Oh well

Brett

[elle-f]

ah Grub - I thought that was you coming back as we were heading out. Sorry we missed you and sorry about the bike. It was Lissa that was just behind you and I was behind her. I WAS going to stop but knew Sels was behind you so carried on. If you had have been there we would have at least gone the right way!!

In saying that - somebody said (pointing Lissa's way and not in my direction) that you might have stopped because you were scared of the speed Lissa and I were doing behind you and you got frazzled ....if ANYBODY says I said it - don't believe them!

Ah, there is always a next ride

Have a wonderful week
Elle

[Shadows]

He gave it a Ruatoria Repair

Damn! Setting fire to your bike is a little drastic isn't it?

[Nasty]

ah Grub - I thought that was you coming back as we were heading out. Sorry we missed you and sorry about the bike. It was Lissa that was just behind you and I was behind her. I WAS going to stop but knew Sels was behind you so carried on. If you had have been there we would have at least gone the right way!!

...

And believe it or not I actually stopped for him ... and waited with him ... and went home on the back of the cbr ... (I am so nice sometimes it kiils me) ... I guess it can pay sometimes to have a partner in the crowd .. looking forward though to riding me own bike on the next one.

Cheers
Nasty

[Trudes]

That would be Spitttie (aka Nick) Thanks for the help mate.
That was his first KB outing on the Bandit he bought last week

Awesome job there Spittie, you can come on the KB rides again if you're gonna cook us lunch!
(Is that the Bandit I was trying to talk you into buying when I was fairly drunk one evening at Paul in NZ's place? If so, someone owes me some commission!)LOL

[Trudes]

Mrs Kendog had been following some biker who wasn’t on our ride.

He had a nice arse, you would've done the same!

[Trudes]

we ended up totally off the track at Haywards

Funny as always Elle, bling ya later when I can, and I took you guys that way 'cause I knew you wouldn't have liked that goat track the big boys took!
Typical, I go to bed for my beauty sleep and you all write nasty and incriminating things!

[Thomas]

So who is who in the photos? For those of us not in the Welly area - or are we not allowed to know the faces behind the names?

[Lissa]

So who is who in the photos? For those of us not in the Welly area - or are we not allowed to know the faces behind the names?

I'll put names on my photos.... where I can.

I'm the one wearing the black t-shirt saying "I can only please one person each day, today is not the day (tomorrow doesnt look good either) " Might have to invest in a KB t-shirt me thinks.

[Drum]

I'm the one dressed in black.

[Lissa]

I'm the one dressed in black.

We need name tags... will bring some next ride I'am only half joking.



Haha elle... good write up above... funny how we all see things differently. I enjoyed being the leader a couple of times... umm never agreed on being Tail End Charlie.. but as you know I like to be helpful.

Grub I was behind you on the hill, but I honestly thought you had pulled over because you intimiated by my GN and her funky flames.

Mrs KD, there was a shortage of cute bums to watch, is why I want to get a faster bike so I can keep up with them. Although I followed Mr KD a little on the way back home..... not too shabby.