Yesterday was the 18th running of the Woodville Lions Coast to Coast which is a local charity ride which benefits our Rescue Helicopter. The rides starts in Himatangi on the West Coast and ends in Akitio on the East - not actually a very long ride distance wise but it does take in some great roads (particularly on the Eastern side).Saturday morning started out pretty grey and drizzly didn't really improve a whole lot. I started off by filling the Connie and riding out to meet Brian at Himatangi. Out at the beach we signed on for the ride and hung out in the drizzle watching the rest of the bikes arrive.
Eventually there were around 300 of us and after a quick briefing we were off on a quite ride up SH1 to Sanson before cruising to Feilding and then making our way over the Saddle to Woodville. In Woodville sausages were consumed and then we were off again heading East.
On the road to Pongaroa things got a fair bit wetter and did a good job of keeping speeds down and holding the idiots in check. It's funny though, I really started enjoying the wet and tagged in behind Meanie for the rest of the ride to Akitio - two Connies splashing around and having fun.
But by the time we turned off Route 52 the weather began to improve and it was actually very warm out at the beach. At the beach we had a drink and hung around for the prize giving where I managed to snaffle myself a hat before Brian, Meanie, Monie and I remounted for the return home.
We left the sunshine behind and were soon back into the rain again but it was another great wee ride through to Weber (fantastic roads) and then onto Danniverke. From there it was just a quiet pootle to Woodville where we stopped for gas and discovered that one of us had suffered a bit of bad luck somewhere along the way - Monie's bike was less one Givi V46 topbox! Not good and only a couple of weeks after I had the same issue - the only trouble this time around was the nobody saw it come off and we had absolutely no idea where it came off! Very sucky and not a good way for the run to end for Monie.
You certainly get out on some good rides, It is agreat part of the country which I have only ever managed to discover a small bit. It is good to read your write ups as it gives me many good ideas.
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