2012 C1KC

3:40am on Saturday morning and I'm rolling over to check the alarm clock - it's set for 4:20 so my internal (or should that be infernal) alarm clock is well off and has robbed me of 40 minutes of sleep.  Oh well 5-6 hours is just going to have to do it because I'm meeting Meanie and Monie at 5am to head off to the start of the Capital 1000K Cruise.

I meet them and Meanie's pillion Jordan in town and we waste no time getting on our way just before 5.  It's cool and calm conditions as we make our way South and by half five the skies are starting to get brighter.  I love riding early in the morning but the early starts are another story...

We had a nice quiet ride down to Paekakariki and over the hill to Upper Hutt, arriving at C1KC HQ at about 6:30 with a 150km head start on everyone else.

Monie, Meanie and Jordan (Moe?)

Tanks topped up and signed on for the ride we off again chasing after the Wellington starters and making for the Rimutakas.  I had a great run over the hill with little traffic although there was a little blue VFR nipping at my heels all the way.

From Featherston we had a quiet cruise up to Masterton where we took the bypass and then kept off SH2 by turning off and making for Mauriceville, our first compulsory photo stop.

Some serious machinery!

Soon we were back on SH2 which we followed all the way into Woodville before  taking the Saddle to our next photo stop.

Te Apiti Windfarm

Artistic shot?

From the wind-farm it was just a short squirt across to Feilding and Halcombe and then Stanway for photo number three.

Stanway

A couple of little back roads and we on our way across Vinegar Hill to start to make our way Northwards.  Our next stop was in Taihape for a quick top up and then we were on our way again.

Our next stop was definitely unplanned when we came across an accident and to our shock it was one of the C1KC riders.  Meanie and I helped Steve get the bike off the road while Monie helped out with the rider.  He was certainly suffering from some shock and very sore but it was great to see that he was not seriously injured.  An ambulance eventually arrived from Taihape and loaded him up for a short drive to a helicopter.

An unpleasant pause

On the road again and it was no time before we were stopped again!  This time it was some roadworks where the bearded stop/go man held us up for about another 10 minutes!

It was great to finally get moving again and I had a great ride across the Desert Road following Meanie.  Things were definitely hotting up though, Meanie was leaving tracks through the hot tar and was looking forward to our next stop in Turangi.

Turangi - lunch break!

We didn't need fuel in Turangi but as we were about half way through our 1,000km we decided to have a break for lunch.

After lunch it was time to pop over the hill to Tamarunui for a trip through the King Country.  You see the strangest things on the road...

For the Ural fans

On the way over the hill I seemed to get away from the others.  Pausing to wait for them at Kuratau Junction I finally found out why when Steve pulled up.  The Viffer was apparently playing up but luckily it sorted itself out and the others were soon with us.

From Taumarunui we made our way North on SH4 following Steve before turning off on Ramaroa Road to take in some back roads to Aria.

SH4

Ramaroa Road 

Aria locals

From Aria it was a maze of back roads before we popped out on SH3 for the trip Southwards to Awakino.  It was great to be riding through here in the dry after my damp trip through here on the Four Points.

Tunnel in the Awakino Gorge

Another compulsory photo stop

Not long after Awakino the brilliant Mount Messenger was waiting for us and yes, it was dry and yes, it was fun!

Oh look!  Another tunnel!

Our next stop (after some more road works) was Urenui for gas and a cold drink, then we were off to New Plymouth where I somehow lost the others again.  After waiting a while I doubled back only to see them finally coming.  A lucky off-ramp let me do a quick U-turn and we were soon reunited.  Yes, the Honda had been playing up but this time Meanie had found the culprit - a loose wire shorting out somewhere under the seat.

Time for a slideshow: As you may have noticed there's a few on-board pictures above.  I had the GoPro in photo mode from Turangi until the battery ran out just South of New Plymouth.  So here's all 1,300 pictures nailed together for your amusement.

Our quiet pootle around the 'naki was only interrupted by one more compulsory stop in Pungarehu.

Pungarehu

From Pungarehu we carried on cruising our way home although by now there were a few sore bikers as we all were using any slow bit to stand up or otherwise stretch legs and other things.

Our route followed the main road most of the way home until Turakina where we turned off and rode through to Halcombe and then Feilding.  In Feilding we stopped and I gave the gang their badges and certificates (having been given them in the Hutt in the morning) and we said our goodbyes after a fantastic day out on the bikes!

The Spoils

View 2012 C1KC in a larger map

A few more pics (no, not 1,300 I promise) here.