Winter Wander

Winter riding can either suck or you get a magnificently sunny (but not warm) clear day and a great day out on the bike.  This is the story of a ride that didn't suck much at all...

And it was a Tiger ride with Colin turning up on his 900 not long after 8 and looking for coffee after seeing 0.5℃ on his way up.  Of course, it was much warmer in Ashhurst - about 8 if I remember rightly.  While someone defrosted, we chatted about a possible destination, and I suggested a ride up the Parapara's even thought this might mean we'd need to be careful in the frosty bits.  The frost didn't put Colin off the idea and soon he was warm enough to give it a crack.

My initial plan was to cruise over to Vinegar Hill and then ride through to Fordell via the usual track we take from Hunterville as I'd ridden this a few weeks earlier with a different Colin (who doesn't have the sense to own a Tiger) and the road had been in good condition for winter.  But, after firing my Tiger up and checking the fuel situation, I calculated that Hunterville for gas might be a stretch.  So, without telling Colin a thing, I took him on a magical mystery tour to Marton and introduced him to a road (Mangaone Road) that he reckoned he hadn't ridden before.

Through here the temperature was around 6℃, which wasn't too bad with grips and seat on and after a fuel up we carried on out the back of Marton to hook back up with Turakina Valley Road (mind the peacocks - we had three separate flocks to avoid!) and then onwards to Fordell and Okoia.  Through here the temp dropped to between 3 and 4 degrees and there was plenty of evidence of frost in the paddocks and in the shady bits.  Yes, we rode like nanas in the shady, damp looking stuff...

Popping out onto SH4 and turning North towards the Paras, the temperature pretty much didn't move but the road was actually not too bad - it wasn't icy where I have encountered it in the past so maybe it wasn't as cold as I thought...yeah, right.

Next up was the turn to take in Fields Track which I really enjoy.  You have to ride it - pay attention and don't leave ya brains at home.  Skinny, bumpy, slips, gravel on the road, animals on the road - you name it.  Oh, and some decent views too.

Here's the ride out from our photo stop:

Oh, and if you didn't watch all of that video, you probably missed some excitement:

Yeah, a close one.  In case you didn't work it out, I spotted the far calf first and slowed up.  The one on the side of the road was completely invisible to me and then decided to check my ticker out.  It just goes to show that while you might see and react to one hazard on the road, there could be more than one...Brakes work!

Popping out on SH49, we turned for Waiouru and I decided to record a wee frosty bit:

But believe it or not, by the time we hit Waiouru, the temperature had climbed to 5.5℃ and it was even warmed in our favourite Waiouru eating establishment - the toasted sammies are the best in the country!

After lunch, it was time to head back home but along the way we got to sample some more delicious back roads (screw SH1!).  It got really cold a few times and we managed to get caught up in some light showers but no snow...

My only gripe is the ice grit which sometimes can be invisible, and you really can slither around on it without trying too hard.

Never mind, it was a great ride (the temperature even came up to a balmy 8℃ as we neared home) and I'll take a chilly, clear day over a windy, wet one any day!

A conversation with Claude

(and putting him right).

In the previous episode of this oft ignored blog, I mentioned that the rear of the T7 was getting a wee bit out of control in a slightly exciting way.  Here's a pic of the old E-07 compared with a the new replacement - an E-07+ (first time on T7 but ok on Super Ten).

So, where does Claude come in?  Well, Claude is an AI that I play around in every now and again and I had a question for him.  I'd seen someone suggesting putting the tube (slightly inflated) into the tyre before fitting the first side of the tyre to the rim and I thought this was a stupid idea that was just asking for a pinched tube.  Turns out Claude agreed.  But, he (pretty sure Claude is a bloke's name) wasn't to clear with some of his suggestions/instructions and I had to put him right - more later.

Anyway, last night I pulled the old tyre off in expectation of a tyre delivery today (my guess on delivery was correct).  Less than fifteen minutes had the wheel off the bike and tyre off - only one tool required to remove the rear unlike the Tiger which requires all of the tools...

Ok, I needed the mallet as well as socket and bar...that's two tools...

Bead-breaker has been a good investment

I must investigate a tubeless solution (I say this every time)

Easy peasy.  So tonight was the slightly trickier job of getting the new tyre on and wheel refitted to the bike.  It appears that I am getting a little better at the job and didn't have too much trouble getting the tyre on.  I did muck around a bit fitting the wheel - I had a little trouble lining up the brake calliper carrier which meant pulling the wheel out again and giving it another shot.  But she's on!

Mmmmmm, rubber

Gotta have a little bit of blood involved but no tears...

Anyway, after the event, I decided to go back and fill in Claude on some of my other tips and it was interesting to see him agree with me (not unusual, AI's are great at agreeing when you give them the learn and sometimes apologise if they get it wrong).  Claude even suggested I write up my own how-to guide so that's almost what this is...

Here's the conversation with Claude: Claude doesn't know it all

Next maintenance item might be rear pads as the bike eats them - there's still plenty there but maybe another 5k to got, best I keep an eye on them.  Might even check the front ones...

Puketoi preamble

I hate to admit it but in a couple of weeks' time I'm taking some guys from work on another gravel roads excursion in our utes/4WD's.  A bit sad really (4 wheels and all) but they know that I know (I know that's a lot of knows) my way around a few gravel roads and can put a bit of a route together if asked.

Anyway, I have put a route together and I kinda promised I ride it prior.  Well, Colin and I sort of did a tiny bit of it and in particular checked out Puketoi Road which may be an option if the weather is good on the day - if it's wet it will be a no-go as it's as slippery as jandals on wet lino.

Leaving here, we gassed in Woodville (survived a small heart attack at the price of fuel - cheers Trump) and then headed to the first gravel Road of the day - Pahaeke Road.  It was here I confirmed that my ride would be interesting - a bald rear E-07 is not the flashest on gravel.  This would be a day of slides and every change in gravel composition had me relearning how to handle the bike - yeah, it was fun!

Top of the Rising Sun (Towai Road)

What damn mode is this in?

Our timing into Pongaroa was bang on with it being right about lunchtime.  It just so happens that the pub was open and serving up its great burgers.

After lunch, it was time for a short run down 52 before the attempt on Puketoi Road.  Puketoi Road has all sorts of signs saying no trailers at one end (no problem) to road closed and unmaintained road at the other end.  But it is passable and needed to be ridden.

From the Eastern end, it starts off as a decent gravel road before changing to a dirt farm track which gets a little rougher in places as you climb the hill.  Along the way there are places where it definitely can get slippery when wet (went up with a 4WD club a few years ago and some souped up 4WD's had difficulties) but we were lucky in that there were only a few muddy bits and I only really had one moment where I thought I was going off (see previous bald tyre comment) but managed to stay on somehow.

One of the things we came across was the below slip.  It's narrowed up the road quite a bit - not sure that I want to squeeze my ute through that gap - and it's pretty huge when you look over the side.  Shame the picture is a bit crap.

The not so great pic of the slip

After summiting the hill, you then drop down towards Pori Road.  This generally is in better condition but still had some technical bits where you need to swap ruts and pic decent lines.  At least you get to use a couple more gears - the rough stuff coming up normally required 2nd and occasionally 1st.  I really enjoyed the more technical riding, and the descent was a lot of fun.

A bit of a breather, it was hot work

Out back on Pori Road

Mission accomplished, the ride concluded with a pootle to Pahiatua, a fang over Tararua Road (much sliding was had), a zap over the track and then home.

Not a particularly long day but a great little ride to confirm the performance of bald tyres on a variety of interesting surfaces...

The Britten Museum

Just back from the TT2000, but you'll need to wait for the write-up...

We had plenty of time this year to get the to the ride start in Christchurch so ended up there early with time to kill.  A good thing that the Britten Museum had just opened its doors for the first time the day before we got to Christchurch...

I've previously seen the large Britten display at Motorcycle Mecca in Invercargill on a previous trip and now I believe that all the Britten stuff has been moved to the new museum along with a whole lot more.  

Along with the memorabilia (including 2 of the 10 final version Brittens currently) there was plenty of information about Johns life and birth of the Britten.  There was even an AI hologram of him chatting about the bike.

Anyway, here's some of the pics and a video I took of one of the Brittens: