Today was a Uly ride to Hunterville, via Fordell, which I wasn't going to go on, but maybe I would, but the weather was going to be crappy so I wasn't, and I had heaps of work to catch-up on so I wasn't, and I only managed to mow the front half of the lawns yesterday so I wasn't, and I haven't been to the gym all week so I should have gone to the gym instead so I shouldn't.....then I checked the forecast again this morning and it was really crappy......but it wasn't raining when I looked out the window......so I went!! After lingering in bed thinking about not going and all the things I had to do, I got up at 0900, scrubbed up and was away by 0923, topped-up the tyres and fuel at Z Crofton, and finally got to the Plimmerton Weigh Station at 0950, telling the idiots already there that it was going to piss down. By 1010 there were 9 of us there and no other Rides Committee members so I went through the brief, got Tony to lead out and I took TEC. The trip up SH1 was the usual tedious affair although the westerly wind started to hit us after Levin and that started to ruin my economy, which had crept up to 20K/Ltr up to that time. We got to Bulls at 1145 and by then I was down to 19.5K/Ltr, some of the guys topped-up on fuel but I was only one bar down, so had another 400Km in the tank. The trip up SH1 was the usual tedious affair although the westerly wind started to hit us after Levin and that started to ruin my economy, which had crept up to 20K/Ltr up to that time. We got to Bulls at 1145 and by then I was down to 19.5K/Ltr, some of the guys topped-up on fuel but I was only one bar down, so had another 400Km in the tank.
We discussed if we should lunch in Bulls, Turakina, Fordell or Hunterville and since no one had tried the Fordell Pub, that was it and we hit the road again at 1158. This leg was straight into the wind so it was quite good being TEC as I could shelter behind the others or the cages, so more tedium and we had done the 36Km and were at the lunch stop by 1223. I had a small Spag-bol and a coffee, which was quite nice, we chatted and were on our way again at 1330. I went to lead through here and found the road quite good, although some of the road was wet and there was a bit of loose crap scattered about. I did have a wee moment when I misread a patch that was thicker than it looked and the bike twitched a bit but no real problem though as we were taking it pretty easy. We came across a few critters as well and at one point I had to stop for a herd of cattle. There was a siding with a gate off to the right so I pulled up there to get out of the way and the dickhead farmer got grumpy because that was where he wanted the beasts to go. If the gate had already been open that would have been obvious....bloody pillock!! Once we got to Hunterville, I turned to see if the others wanted fuel or another coffee stop and it looked like they wanted to continue for home, so I turned north for Vinegar Hill to let them sample some more roads-less-travelled, but a couple of Km up the road they had pulled the pin so I continued on alone. That was good because that left me free to clip along at my own pace....which wasn't that quick because it started to piss down, then once I got near the hill, was blowing a gale, but I made good time, turned off past Waituna West to go via Stanway and kept going to head around Pryces Line and emerge by Kakariki then Ohakea. It was then more SH1 riding, but the traffic was moving well, except for the car that had been taken out emerging from Campion Rd, (the left front wheel was lying flat on the ground and the front was a mess) but I didn't get a good look as I was busy passing cages and avoiding firemen. Then I had to contend with a fleet of Harleys in Foxton. They were riding two abreast and in close formation but fortunately I was able to make use of the flush median strip to filter past about half of them. One or two didn't seem to appreciate any interlopers in or around their midst, but I was gone pretty much before they realised I was there. Once we were out of Foxton I was able to pass another quarter of them in a few maneouvers as there were a few gaps now, then we got to passing lane after the bridges but they spread into both lanes so I had to wait for a clear patch on the straights before Waiterere to compllete the job and get clear. Once I was through Otaki the wind eased off (or at least it was more sheltered) so riding was easier and I made good time all the way home to average 87kph for the last 200Km from Hunterville. I got home at 1639 having done 440Km for the day at an economy of 18.1K/Ltr (no thanks to the wind) and the bike now has 21,992Km on it....hmmm 2,000 in 8 days....I better ease up!
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These blogs were posted on the KiwiBiker forum but I decided it was time for a change. Archives
January 2017
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