This year's TT2000 once again had a few changes made to it:
- It started at 12pm on the Friday and therefore riders had to be finished by 12pm on Sunday.
- Riders needed 50,000 points along with the compulsory 2,000kms. As before there were many different valued photo checkpoints and riders could make up their own route to pick up as many points as they wanted.
Friday
Friday morning kicked off with a lazy start, I didn't leave my motel until 9am and went for a bit of a pootle to get some fuel before finding a cafe for a decent breakfast to get me through the day. While getting my brekkie I was joined John, Steve and the rest of their crew.
By half ten I was at the TT ride start along with plenty of other keen riders all itching to get stuck into it. ScooterBob checked out a few of the bikes and even met up with fellow blogger Phil.
After a quick riders' briefing there was a mad dash to pick up our ride T-shirts and then it was time to gear-up and hit the road. As expected quite a few riders headed off in the direction of the two closest checkpoints at Port Chalmers and Aramoana.
From Aramoana, we had to turn around and head back the way we'd came on the slow, winding coastal road. The GPS then through up a bit of a surprise and took me up over the hill to exit Dunedin, rather than back through town. It was quite a fun little jaunt though.
After a little of SH1 it was time to turn inland to pick off two more checkpoints before heading South.
Now it was time to just clock up some k's as my Route took me South to Balclutha for fuel and then around the Catlins (just for ScooterBob's benefit). The next two checkpoints were just South of Edendale with a third on my way back to Balclutha for fuel again.
Turning back inland again I picked up Greenfield and Edievale before hopefully picking up the 4,000 bonus points on Moa Flat Road.
I was now within about 100km of my motel for the night but still managed to pick up a few more points along the way.
I rolled into my motel at 9pm on the dot with 818km for the day. A quick shower and warm drink and I hit the hay with the alarm set for 5am.
Friday Map
Saturday
Who needs alarms? I woke just after 4am and rather than trying to get a bit more sleep I decided to get on the road a bit earlier. By 5 I was tooling along down towards my first fuel stop in Invercargill. The roads were wet and there was the odd spit of rain and oh yeah, just a little dark at Bluff...
Returning to Invercargill I then turned Westwards onto the Southern Scenic Route picking up Colac Bay and Clifden on my way to Manapouri and 5,000 points.
On the way out of Manapouri Phil and Steve went past going the other way, obviously doing bits of my route but in reverse. My next stop was in Mossburn for 1,000 points and some fuel.
Now I was heading for Queenstown and Wanaka where the traffic was going to be a fair bit busier (very touristy and also a multi-sport event on). I picked up a couple of 500 point piccys at Kingston and the Devil's Staircase before clambering up the hill to Coronet Peak.
I dropped back down the hill and made my way through Arrowtown and then headed over the fantastic Crown Range Road (NZ's highest sealed road) on my way to Cardrona and Treble Cone.
From Treble Cone I dodged the cyclists on my way back into Wanaka and then made my way to the airport. Here there was a bit of confusion around the location of the checkpoint as apparently the sign we were supposed to get a picture of had been moved, everyone used the Alpine helicopters sign instead.
Seeing as there was a cafe right opposite this sign I decided to take five and have my second breakfast (at lunchtime) of the day. It was then on to Cromwell for fuel and 1,000 points there and at the Clyde Dam.
Heading East I missed Alexandria and made my way through Chatto Creek on my way to Drybread and the Idaburn Dam. I had a bit of an issue finding the dam as there was no water in it and I rode past without noticing the little shed in the picture - this cost me about 10 minutes.
From the dam I carried on East and got back onto SH1 at Palmerston. After a quick top up (not needed, poorly planned) I turned North before finally turning back West at Glenavy. My last checkpoint was at Elephant Hill and on my way out I saw a lot of guys heading in, including Phil and John's groups.
The next section was a short 45km or so into Kurow which was to be my stop for the night. I actually had a few spits of rain but I still got in at about 5:15 after 1,016km (thanks to that early start) and got settled in my motel for an early night.
Saturday Map
Sunday
I had a bit of sleep in on Sunday as I only had around 350km to go until the finish and was on the road just before 6am. My first stop was in Tekapo for fuel and then my final checkpoint stop at Burke's Pass.
It was fairly chilly through here but I had a bit of fun between Fairly and Geraldine before settling into the cruise home up SH1. About 100km out I hit wet roads and actually had rain off and on all the way into Christchurch. I arrived at TT HQ at 9:30 having been beaten by Glen on his Triumph and a couple on a ZX-14. Mission accomplished!
Sunday Map
I spent the next few hours drinking coffee, eating sausages and chatting with riders while I waited for the rest of the riders to come in and hopefully a break in the weather.
I departed the scene just before 12 and went in search of a shower and a quiet afternoon at my motel feeling satisfied after TT number 5. SccoterBob seemed to have taken it all in his stride - maybe he's just getting started on his long-distance adventures...
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| Only 2 of us stopped here on the way out |
From Aramoana, we had to turn around and head back the way we'd came on the slow, winding coastal road. The GPS then through up a bit of a surprise and took me up over the hill to exit Dunedin, rather than back through town. It was quite a fun little jaunt though.
After a little of SH1 it was time to turn inland to pick off two more checkpoints before heading South.
 |
| Very warm day in Hyde |
Turning back inland again I picked up Greenfield and Edievale before hopefully picking up the 4,000 bonus points on Moa Flat Road.
 |
| Shhhh, don't disturb the Moa... |
I rolled into my motel at 9pm on the dot with 818km for the day. A quick shower and warm drink and I hit the hay with the alarm set for 5am.
Friday Map
Saturday
Who needs alarms? I woke just after 4am and rather than trying to get a bit more sleep I decided to get on the road a bit earlier. By 5 I was tooling along down towards my first fuel stop in Invercargill. The roads were wet and there was the odd spit of rain and oh yeah, just a little dark at Bluff...
Returning to Invercargill I then turned Westwards onto the Southern Scenic Route picking up Colac Bay and Clifden on my way to Manapouri and 5,000 points.
On the way out of Manapouri Phil and Steve went past going the other way, obviously doing bits of my route but in reverse. My next stop was in Mossburn for 1,000 points and some fuel.
Now I was heading for Queenstown and Wanaka where the traffic was going to be a fair bit busier (very touristy and also a multi-sport event on). I picked up a couple of 500 point piccys at Kingston and the Devil's Staircase before clambering up the hill to Coronet Peak.
I dropped back down the hill and made my way through Arrowtown and then headed over the fantastic Crown Range Road (NZ's highest sealed road) on my way to Cardrona and Treble Cone.
From Treble Cone I dodged the cyclists on my way back into Wanaka and then made my way to the airport. Here there was a bit of confusion around the location of the checkpoint as apparently the sign we were supposed to get a picture of had been moved, everyone used the Alpine helicopters sign instead.
Seeing as there was a cafe right opposite this sign I decided to take five and have my second breakfast (at lunchtime) of the day. It was then on to Cromwell for fuel and 1,000 points there and at the Clyde Dam.
Heading East I missed Alexandria and made my way through Chatto Creek on my way to Drybread and the Idaburn Dam. I had a bit of an issue finding the dam as there was no water in it and I rode past without noticing the little shed in the picture - this cost me about 10 minutes.
From the dam I carried on East and got back onto SH1 at Palmerston. After a quick top up (not needed, poorly planned) I turned North before finally turning back West at Glenavy. My last checkpoint was at Elephant Hill and on my way out I saw a lot of guys heading in, including Phil and John's groups.
The next section was a short 45km or so into Kurow which was to be my stop for the night. I actually had a few spits of rain but I still got in at about 5:15 after 1,016km (thanks to that early start) and got settled in my motel for an early night.
Saturday Map
Sunday
I had a bit of sleep in on Sunday as I only had around 350km to go until the finish and was on the road just before 6am. My first stop was in Tekapo for fuel and then my final checkpoint stop at Burke's Pass.
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| Horrible, blurry pic! |
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| ScooterBob finally comes up for some air... |
Sunday Map
I spent the next few hours drinking coffee, eating sausages and chatting with riders while I waited for the rest of the riders to come in and hopefully a break in the weather.
I departed the scene just before 12 and went in search of a shower and a quiet afternoon at my motel feeling satisfied after TT number 5. SccoterBob seemed to have taken it all in his stride - maybe he's just getting started on his long-distance adventures...
Nice work Andrew! I see the Catlins weren't "point heavy" but they sure put a smile on the dial.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Steve and I could zip over, hire a couple of bikes and have a go next year? Hmmmm.....
Now there's a plan. And you won't be the first entries from the West Island...
DeleteNicely done. I bet ScooterBob quite enjoyed the ride. I've never done a rally. How many points did you end up with?
ReplyDelete61,000 points - so a few up my sleeve just in case.
DeleteOver here there are rallies and then there are rallies. Some just involve meeting somewhere and getting on the turps, others are more about the riding. I'm all about the riding...
Great write-up. You make it sound so easy, when I know it can't be.
ReplyDeleteHow much planning did it take to figure out your routes for the two days?
It wasn't too hard. A fair bit of planning goes in to work out the route - lots of stuff to take into account - fuel, accommodation etc.
DeleteI've got some ideas for better route planning next year...