This was sent to a couple of mates as an email after attending a Kiwibiker ‘Cruisy Wednesday Night Ride’.
This ride used to be a short social ride to break the week and also encouraged and mentored the newer riders but in recent times it’s got a little out of hand It’s not too much of a problem for me as I feel confident enough in my own skills to stay out of trouble…..nevertheless, I probably won’t do any/many more. I sent this yesterday re the Wednesday ride but I got there OK anyway. It's definitely become a marginal ride and even Guy hardly knew anyone there. (I only knew Guy and Eugene by name) It's no surprise to me that there have been no post ride posts in the thread. There was a group of about 5 turned up who looked marginal and they were quick in a straight line with one of them spending more time on one wheel than two between Avalon and Kaitoke. I was in the first 10 and let them get away after Te Marua but ended up on their tails as soon as we hit the hill. At this point I was all over the back of them and passed one then settled behind the next and thought about it but decided to hang off on one of the passing lanes. That was fortunate as I would have been right beside him when he barrelled across two lanes through the right hander, narrowly missing my front by inches, all the while being totally oblivious to my presence. After that I thought 'bugger it', I'll just sit behind the Wallys and they were neither quick on the road nor quick to pass cars so I tended to be No.3 in line behind a car, behind two bikes, behind another car or two.....Anyway, here I am minding my own business when another loony goes through my inside on a left hander....and you will be well aware how I like to use all the corner. It didn't bother me as there was plenty of room and nothing happened but it could have been disastrous. I got to the bridges at the bottom of the hill and fortunately we were behind cars as a cop was there and I decided to go back to the summit to have a better ride, finally getting to the Royal about 15 or 20 minutes later. I've only done several of these recently due to a lack of other riding and I'm no saint when it comes to being marginally crazy, however I think I tend to be a bit courteous of other riders and wouldn't generally 'carve' them up. I'm almost of the opinion that the only reason to turn up to the Avalon pond in future would be to find out where the ride isn't going! I might also note here that on the previous TCWNR, I decided to join a few others on a jaunt around Lake Wairarapa. I led out at 120-130 but was soon trailing the others at 160 to stay within sight and on one occasion on the western side of the lake I blipped it up to 180 and heading towards Kahutara on the southern side, I hit 200kph. The speed doesn’t bother me but I don’t enjoy riding like that. I get way more thrills just sitting at 110-120, but maintaining that pace through rolling country and into tighter roads like the Parapara’s or Awakino Gorge.
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Old Blog?
These blogs were posted on the KiwiBiker forum but I decided it was time for a change. Archives
January 2017
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