Kidnapped!

On Saturday I missed a call from Colin.  Turns out he was having some bluetooth issues...

Three quarters of an hour later I heard a boxer coming up the road and it buttoned off just before my driveway.  A small, vicious brown dog went out to investigate while I looked for some footwear, socks seemed to work...

Yes, there was a GS in the driveway and once the rider had dismounted and got a coffee in him I discovered that we were going for a ride.  It was fairly nice out and I happened to have a silver bike in the shed which sorely needed some exercise so I was all out of excuses...

Leaving Palmy, we rode across to Bulls where some go-juice was purchased before two riders inhaled various pastry covered treats (and some rice bubble cake).  That important job done we were off.

Just for a change we decided a little bit Turakina Valley was in order before making our way across to Hunterville.  The reasonably newly sealed section of Turakina Valley Road was a little interesting on the Connie - a little slide had me pulling my head in a tad.

Riding across to Hunterville was accomplished without any other dramas although being winter there were plenty of slippery bits and some crap on the road.  Nearing Hunterville it got quite a bit cooler and the road was really wet - a shower had obviously just gone through.

A short bit of SH1 got us to Ohingaiti where we turned off onto more wet roads through to Pemberton.  Stopping for a mo, we both admitted that the heated grips had been put into service too.

Nice pile of gravel...

The rest of the loop from Rangiwahia to Ashhurst was more of the same: cooler temperatures, wet and slippery winter roads and even a few spits of rain.  Still, it was nice to get the old girl out and top up her battery.