Hot on the Ridge

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...