For some time now, I’ve been keen to have a go at doing a ‘Police Rodeo’, which is a slow handling event requiring balance and control to negotiate a course marked out with cones, as opposed to the Harley Style Rodeos which are more like a ‘Top-Town’ fun day on bikes. They make it look pretty easy on You-Tube, throwing their big Electraglides around, what appears to be some sort of maze and some googling revealed rules and courses, so over the last few months, I have checked out potential venues (there aren’t that many large, sealed spaces in Wellington), downloaded potential courses, printing them off and converting the measurements to metres, collected about 20 ice cream containers and 50 half-tennis balls, brought a couple of 30 metre measuring tapes…and I was pretty much ready to give it a try. I presented the plan to a couple of the Uly Rides Committee members, one of whom suggested a school ground as a practice area and we organized to have a go on Sunday…and me being me, I sneaked down for a lone recce on Saturday! Fooking ‘ell……………!!! Well bugger me, I pootled down To J’ville school on Saturday arvo, equipped with the 50+ half-tennis balls, 20 Ice Cream containers, 2 30mtr tape measures, the base and rod from a hearth set and plans for 3 courses: Black Rum; Shield and Offset Shamrock. I inspected Onslow College on the way then found my way onto the top end of the school to find the two sealed play areas, which I noted that each one is big enough for one course and therefore, great to practice but not big enough to run an event. I pulled the stuff out and proceeded to set-up Black Rum, which is approx 20mtrs long, using the base & rod as an anchor and measure point for one tape and a can of tennis balls for the other, fluffing around for ages, but finally got it set up, marking out the main points with containers then filling in the lines with balls.
Looked OK, now try it!!?? Fooking ‘eck.....I’m useless!!!! Or as the Gorillaz would sing... I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad I got sunshine, in a bag I'm useless,but not for long The future is coming on ...anyway, there is no way the ST was going to turn within these piddling dimensions and one suddenly had way more admiration for those Yank cops on the big Electraglides. (of course ....they must have shorter wheelbases than the ST and the way lower CofG must make it heaps easier).....more Tui please garcon?
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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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