The last adventure for the year

I was just back from Xmas in the ‘naki with all the rellies when my phone goes off and it’s some bloke called Colin inviting me on a two-day ride.  He and another bloke called John were heading off for an overnighter and needed someone sensible to join them - they must have exhausted all their options and so called me…

As it turned out, I couldn’t sneak away for the night as I needed a dog-sitter, but I was keen to join them at some stage.  I decided to let them get up to mischief on their own on Saturday and to join them on Sunday for the ride home from wherever they ended up.

They managed to get themselves via some probably inventive and gravelly way to Taumarunui on Saturday and I was instructed to meet them there early on Sunday morning.  So I set my alarm for ten to seven...and got up at five ten…

So, yeah, I got up fairly early and this meant that I was on the road just after six with the roads to myself.  Progress was made…

Vinegar Hill was fun but I settled down for the cruise up SH1 to Taihape where I stopped for gas before carrying on up to Waiouru.  Leaving Taihape the temperature really dropped (when I checked at Tangiwai it was 10 degrees) and I was glad that I’d put on an extra layer.  I was even glader when my temperamental heated grips mostly played ball with me.

The chilliness hung around all the way to Raurimu where the sun finally started showing itself and I had the pleasure of seeing the temperature rise to 14 degrees by the time I hit Taumarunui.  In Taumarunui I met the guys at the local BP where a warm drink and a bite to eat was most welcome.  And then we were into it…

John was the man with the plan and he really knows the roads in and around Taumarunui and through to the ‘naki.  Colin and I just had to sit behind him and eat his dust.  I won’t go into huge detail about where we went as it all gets very confusing in a short space of time but suffice it to say we got to enjoy some fantastic riding, from tight windy sections through native bush to more open and fast flowing gravel.  Along the way there were the usual hazards - mainly animals and other vehicles (including a stock truck and trailer that needed more road than there was) - but, we had a ball.

For more info on the route, check out the map and there’s a heap of videos in this playlist if you’re keen.  There are also tunnels…

When we popped out on the seal at Urenui, our timing was impeccable - it just happened to be lunchtime and there just happened to be a cafe…

After lunch we were straight back into the gravel, picking up a few more of the Taranaki Tunnels before the major excitement of the day.

A wee pause after Kiwi Road

At one of the turn-offs, John and I spent quite a few minutes yabbering away before we started wondering where Colin was.

Yes, this mob were wandering around all over the road...

We figured that nature may have called so gave him a bit more time before eventually deciding that something was up and turned around to go see.

We probably rode back about 10km before finally finding him riding really carefully.  Yep, he’d managed to pick up a wee puncture.  He stuck in some air via his CO2 bottles and decided to make for Whangamomona before undertaking a repair job.

After a slower ride into Whanga, Colin and I got stuck into trying to repair the puncture while John went for some cold drinks and settled in to watch the entertainment.

One dog turd didn’t do the trick as we were still getting a leak from the tyre.  We tried a few different ways of putting in 2 turds and in the end thought that we’d got it.

Leaving Whanga I had my own little issue when something hard and fast flew in my visor and into my eye.  Luckily I shut my eye just in time but man did it hurt!  While I was feeling sorry for myself the other guys got away on me, but, dropping down the other side of the saddle I again caught up with some slow moving KTM’s.  Yes, the air had escaped Colin’s tyre.

We pulled into a side road and again attempted repairs.  Once again we thought we had it sorted and set off, only to stop about another 10-15km up the road…

Yet more dug turds were pressed into action and we determined that the tyre must have more of a split in it rather than just a hole.  The dog turd supplies were taking a hammering…

This repair only lasted about the same amount of time, so we got some more practice again as we watched other vehicles that we’d passed re-pass us again.  My little compressor was sure getting a workout.

Muchus dog-turds...

This time around we sent Colin off as soon as we thought the tyre was sealed and inflated while John and I packed up all the gear.  He really got away from us but once again struck trouble just before Toko and parked up in the shade by the school - well, I’m pretty sure it was shady as I never saw him and carried on my way towards Stratford…

I was nearly in Stratford when my phone rang to tell me that I’d deserted the team - oops!  Rather than head straight back I carried on into Stratford and picked up a tyre pando - the last one at the second garage I tried…

I then rode back to the others where we inserted 2 or 3 more dog turds before using the pando as well.  Once again we told Colin to disappear while we sorted the gear and he rode into Stratford to check the tyre and put in a bit more air at the service station.  Then we were off towards Hawera...for a while…

Just before Normanby I noticed (and smelled) two big puffs of pando juice come from Colin’s tyre and in no time he had pulled over again.  It was here that we had to admit defeat.  Colin rang his wife and got Jen on the way with the Land Cruiser and trailer while we put the last two dog turds in the tyre and attempted to get into Hawera.

And, we actually made it without the tyre completely deflating!  Maybe Colin could ride home anyway?  Heck no, we just knew that the tyre would probably give out just out town so we stuck to Plan A.

After a drink and a bite Colin told John and I to gap it and like the tight bunch of mates we are, we abandoned him for a very quick trip back down from Hawera.  In Sanson John turned off to head home while I carried on home to Palmy.

I got in at 9:20 after leaving just after 6am having ridden around 803km according to the GPS and having a bit of an eventful ride.  Chatting to Colin later, we both agreed that it still had been an awesome ride - we’ll have to get those other tunnels again some other time.