Yep, Colin and I have managed to wobble our way around the South Island and complete the required 2,000km and 100,000 points to qualify (subject to final check by the boss man) as finishers in the TT2000.
Well, perhaps we're not that great at maths, cos we seem to have ended up with 216,000 points and 2,253kms...
Ignore times - newbie Garmin 595 owner stuffed up resetting thing...
For the record that included 38 checkpoint stops:
16 compulsory checkpoints
All 4 Mystery checkpoints
7 Adv Flyers. We skipped one that was in our plan - more on that later...
11 Flyers
Anyway, that's enough for today - a lot more to come!
Yep, given up working for 8 days and vamoosed - it's TT time!
Last night I rode down to stay with Colin and save me an even earlier start and then Colin introduced me to a BMW custom...
After a really nice crossing we fuelled up in Picton and started the trip down to Christchurch. In Blenheim we starting seeing temperatures with a 3 up front so keeping moving was the name of the game. A slight diversion to check out one of the ADV checkpoints gave us the chance to get some dust on the bikes.
Back on SH1 it was still hot and things got even hotter when we started hitting the roadworks and some big delays. After one stop we were joined by a Bandit who tucked in behind us as far as Amberly.
Anyway, now we're parked up in Christchurch with the air-con going flat out counting down to our 12pm start tomorrow.
Oh, and if you are bored over the weekend (and I've set things up properly) then the below map should show you were we are:
On Saturday I got a phone call with orders that I was riding on Sunday. Colin had a hankering for a trip up the Turakina Valley and had already told Carl he was coming - he obviously needed some assistance so he didn't get into any trouble...
So, come Sunday morning, I opened all the vents on my gear and saddled up to go over and meet the guys in Bulls. Naturally I was super organised, I had all of my gear and got away in plenty of time to meet them but left my camelbak on the couch...I remembered somewhere around Sanson...
On the way across I was in a line of traffic and spotted a low, racy looking thing ahead. Knowing that there was car racing on at Manfield I nipped past some cars to check out the flash wheels. And that folks, is how I dusted a McLaren...
In Bulls, I fuelled up and watched plenty of other bikes go past while I waited for the guys to arrive and get their juice. It was already warming up.
Colin led us out of Bulls and onto the first sealed bit of Turakina Road and seemed pretty keen to get to the first gravel section. Perhaps he just wanted to be in front and avoid the dust...
The trip up the valley was its normal spectacular self but yes, the dust was a problem and we did spread out quite a bit. Being summer the road was pretty hard and the gravel fairly "marbly" under our tyres. A lot of the corners were pretty corrugated too - the Tenere was not enjoying the corrugations with the traction control constantly kicking in and affecting drive. It actually becomes a vicious circle with the power being cut, then coming on strong, only to cut again straight away - quite annoying and it definitely slows things down. After our first stop I knocked it back to the 2nd setting and it was a lot smoother.
A fair way into it there was another larger group of Adv bikers coming the other way so there was a bit of waving as we avoided each other and ate more dust. If it was anyone reading this, then checkout the video - you're famous...
Not far North of Rangiwaea School (see map) I had to pull over as the vibration had loosened off my GPS mount and it was flapping around hitting the gauges. I decided that I didn't want either screen smashed...
One last gravel thrash caught me up to the guys at Tangiwai and we pottered into Waiouru for an early lunch.
After lunch Carl had to leave us - who has business meetings on a Sunday - but Colin and I forced ourselves to go in search of more fun.
After another tarmac squirt up the Napier-Taihape Road we turned off to take to the gravel through to Pukeokau and Taoroa Junction. Once again Colin disappeared in a cloud of dust while I followed along behind hoping for rain...
More marbly gravel and corrugations had me having to stop yet again to sort out the GPS (I see thread-locker in the very near future) and let a bit of Colin's dust settle for me. I also got the chance to start the cameras again and the batteries managed another 20mins or so before giving up.
I caught up to Colin at Pukeokau and after a wee chat led him the rest of the way through and back out onto SH1.
In Hunterville we stopped for fuel and I removed a (living) bug of some sort from my jacket before Colin informed me that we were not done for the day and led us back through to Turakina Valley again!
At one of the intersections on Turakina Valley Road we had another chat and I mentioned a little back road I knew that would get us back into Marton. Taurimu Road was in much nicer nick than I remembered and once out of the bush there were some great views out across the Rangitikei. As I was in front I made an executive decision to make a photo stop. I was even quick enough to catch a picture of Colin in full flight.
About two corners later we said a final goodbye to the gravel and pottered on into Marton before heading for SH1. Along the way a nice policeman showed off his Christmas tree but soon realised that he was looking at two well behaved, law abiding motorbicyclists and shut them down again.
Back out on SH1, we joined the Sunday arvo madness before pulling in at Sanson for a quick coffee. Colin the exited stage right while I trundled back into Palmy in search of another cold drink...
All righty then, I seem to have worked out my problem and can now comment from my new laptop...
It appears to be a Chrome extension called Ghostery (an ad blocker) and I think that an update (or perhaps fresh install in this case). Selecting "Trust Site" or disabling the "Enhanced Anti-tracking" seems to do the trick. Uninstalling also works...
So at just under 54,000km (that's 83,000km sooner than on the Connie), I've been forced to invest in a new battery for the Tenere. I blame the previous owner...
For a few weeks starting the bike has been a little more feeble than normal (the bike has always sounded like it was slow cranking - two big slugs to spin I 'spose) and on one after work start it sounded particularly sluggish and the voltmeter wasn't reading as high as normal. Luckily it hung in there long enough for last weekend's ride but when I went to start it on Monday it was another story...
Oh well, better now than half way into the TT...
Original
I did a quick check of the Tenere forum and discovered that once again, a battery with higher cranking amps was recommended and would also make for better starting. Exploring a few NZ sites gave me a rough idea of how much the new battery was going to cost me and once I picked myself up off the floor I ordered one.
You'd think it out to be painted gold...
I got it home tonight and then tore into it. A pretty easy job, although I was a little annoyed at having to unbolt the RHS crash bar to get the battery in and out. only slowed me up a bit.
But would it work...
Phew, the terminals are around the right way then...
Yet again I seem to be having issues with Google/Blogger and blog comments. I've yet to check on my other computer but on my new laptop I cannot comment on any blogs - including my own!
So, I'm not ignoring you - just smashing my head against a brick wall!
Now for some detail:
I'm permanently logged into my Google account and Gmail, Google Drive, Photos and Blogger (when blogging) all work sweet as - it's just when on a blog and trying to comment!
If there's a genius out there with the solution then I'd love to here it. If it works I'll even be able to reply to your comment!
I didn't get a ride in on Saturday, so yesterday was the day and the Tenere was the bike. Leaving home I had great plans of a decent pootle to try out the new rubber (particularly the E-07+ rear) but in the end I didn't go as far as planned - but, that's getting ahead of myself.
I ended up leaving home fairly late in the morning (probably around 11:30) so one of the first things I did was stop in at the shop at Ashhurst to pick up some lunch - you must never miss the opportunity for lunch! I stashed some sammies in my tankbag and inhaled a pie while chatting to C109 rider on his way to the Burt Munro Challenge - he was looking for Woodville...
With things hotting up I quickly got underway again and made my way out of Ashhurst and onto Valley Road before hitting the first gravel road - Zig Zag Road. I can't blame the tyres, (I'll blame my headache instead) but I didn't really have my gravel mojo on. It seemed to take me quite a while to get my eye in and I took things pretty easy, often being lazy and just using 3rd gear in place of several others...
Further on up the road (actually on Finnis and Ridge Roads) it was interesting to see some new scenery - there has been a lot of logging going on and the missing trees made for quite the different view. You might be able to see the forestry work in the video. BTW: the video looks a bit weird - I think Youtube didn't like it...
Anyway, I dunno if it was my headache or the temperature, but when I hit the turn-off to Te Awa Road I decided to take it. This shortened up my ride plans quite a lot but it also got me down by the river where I stopped to have my horrible, stale sandwich...At least the water in my camelbak was still pretty cool.
At Kiwitea I went straight ahead so I could at least get another few minutes of gravel in before heading home. I also chucked both cameras into photo mode for a change...
The fun starts here...
Cheltenham
Approaching the turn-off to Colyton a big, low, dark coloured beast pulled out in front of me and then proceeded to hold me up...
After one little blurp he chickened out by turning off (well, that's my story) and I carried on towards home.
With not far to go I noticed a bike behind me and it sure sounded nice as it went past when I turned onto Gillespie's Line. Gotta love a decent sounding V-twin!
With the bike saying 29 degrees (it lies by a few degrees), it was nice to get home and lose my gear after a disappointingly short ride - never mind, Wednesday is a public holiday...
