2017 Highlights

Well, it's January again so perhaps it's time to look back on 2017 and see if I managed to eke out enough fun from it.

2017 seemed to be a pretty crap year weather wise.  We had a lot of rain and some pretty miserable conditions at times.  I'm not sure if this is the best (or even most likely) excuse but, this year I've only done just over 16,000km across both bikes - with the Tenere stealing the lion's share of the riding.

Anyway, on with the show:

January

The New Year was kicked off properly with a semi-organised Ashhurst ride with a good bunch of guys and girls - something that we didn't manage this year and will have to try harder next year...

An Ashhurst ride - starting with coffee and a bull session...

Later in the month I got to enjoy some of that great weather I mentioned above but was concerned with what all the rain was doing to my anatomy: http://banditrider.blogspot.co.nz/2017/01/webbed-feet.html

Don't go near the water children...

February

Feb turned into one of the most enjoyable of the year.  First up, I started getting queries from a certain Aussie Blogger who was threatening to come over and visit.  And then, horror of horror, poor little old Palmerston North was invaded with not one but four crazy Aussies on there dubious rental bikes!

All joking aside, this really was a fantastic experience and they weren't really that bad...It also was great to have met the guys through the world of blogging - see someone does read this blog!

Bushpig: Triumphs are great I tell ya!

And then, no sooner than the Black Pearl had departed the Manawatu, the Tenere was pointed South for my annual trip for the TT2000.  This time around though, I was on an Adv bike and was able to spend plenty of time before and after the TT cruising some fantastic gravel roads and crossing off some of the iconic Adv rides like The Molesworth, The Rainbow, Hakataramea and many more - nearly two weeks and 6,500km of fun, fun, fun!

The magnificent Molesworth

On The Rainbow with Al

March

Reviewing the blogs for March and it looks like I was still getting over the TT with a bucket load of posts related to the TT.  At least the Connie got to go out for a quick tag.

The Connie and a wall...

April

Man, what did I do in April?  Well, not much by the looks.  At least the Tenere got some exercise.

Look!  Another bridge!

May

In May I took on a new, non-payer boarder who is now about 6 times the size...

Touch Dad's bike and you're dinner!

A big girl now!

The Tenere did get in at least one ride worth blogging about but the Connie also got her battery charged with a nice ride to Ohingaiti.

Pretty girl was my comment back then - and it still fits!

June

In June there seemed to be a bit more action.  The Connie visited a favourite road of mine on a particularly crappy winter's day.

Pretty girl in pretty scenery.

And I joined a bunch of like-minded nutters on the TSS Red Baron Adventure ride.

Battling with Beemers, Katooms and DR's...

July

July must have been wet and boring.  But it was farkling month...

Tenere getting spoiled...

Gotta get a grip on all this farkling...

August

In August we had a cold snap that dropped snow down low, but a week later there was very little left of it on Whariti.

And, there was cause for much celebration when my beloved celebrated a milestone.

http://banditrider.blogspot.co.nz/2017/08/10th-birthday-ride-part-1.html

http://banditrider.blogspot.co.nz/2017/08/10th-birthday-ride-part-2.html

Pretty bike and nice little hill

September

In September I was still celebrating the Connie's birthday with some TLC and a new farkle...

Picture showing...stuff...

Present for the bike or me?

October

October is NI1600 time and in 2017 things did not go quite as planned: http://banditrider.weebly.com/2017-ni1600.html

But later in the month the Tenere got to climb Burma Hill and revisit the Turakina Valley.

Hill-climber extraordinaire

November

In November it was time for another good day out on the Connie.

Team Palmy

And I took Rodney for a ride through the not so bad, Badlands.

Pukeko Pie, mmmm....

December

In December the Connie got to do one half of the Coast to Coast.

And the Tenere got in a few gravel rides and got the honour of finishing off the year with a fantastic trip through Waikaremoana.

Bring on more in '18!

And that was pretty much it for the year.  Not as much riding as I would have liked but there was definitely some quality rides ridden and fantastic places seen.

TT Planning is underway and I'm looking forward to many more fun-packed miles in 2018!

Happy New Year everyone and thanks for reading!