After much (well, some) pestering from Steve at Road to Nowhere, I've climbed into another blog challenge.
Steve's challenge was to post your top ten motorcycling photos of 2024. Here's his effort. But seeing as his bro broke the rules then I might as well too. I may as well use the opportunity to do a bit of a year in review as well. - even if I didn't do quite as much riding (or blogging) last year. Here we go:
January
The Tiger was new and I was smitten (still am) and this was just coming home from Feilding. But I like the photo because of a the light it captured, those clouds in the blues sky, the old truck and of course, Tigger.
February
This time it is more around the event than the quality of the photo. Pictured is a resting Tiger after successfully completing its first TT2000. Less than a month to the next one...can't wait.
March
Time to break the rules. This time there's no bikes, but is just one of a bunch of great pics I got while on the 6 day Maverick Muster in Central Otago. Something completely different but in a place I love and where much fun was had!
April
I really like this one of Chris and Stella coming around Pohangina Valley East road, about half way through a Saddlesore 1000 (Egsanity edition). I ended up joining them for a while.
May
Just some random gravel ride through Manawatu back roads. Digging the clouds and blue sky again, along with those rolling hills.
An unblogged ride with no photos so a video grab from the Desert Road as Colin and I came back from Chris's "big" birthday in Raglan. We were the only ones to brave the ice on our bikes - just sayin...
August
And I can't find any biking ones from August so here's a photo taken by someone else (Raveen) on a wee 4WD excursion I organised for some of the guys from work. That's me and Colin in my ute dropping down Towai Road on our way to Waihi Falls.
September
Back on the T7 and here's another pic I like 'cos of the old building in Apiti.
October
In October four Tigers escaped for a day of delicious tarmac surfing and Harley baiting. I love Fields Track!
November
Two pics again this time as the two wee ones have not featured yet. First the RMX up in the Maungatuks before it had a dip.
And then the mightiest of mouses, out from hibernation and after singing it's head off up the valley.
December
Not bike related (although the yellow bike was in attendance) but a cool pic from the farm of Mount Taranaki.
And there's the winning entry in the blog challenge then...
With all the drama that this year has brought to the world it perhaps seems a bit strange to be reminiscing about the years highs but hey, you have to try your best to eke as much fun out of your time so here goes.
Last year I did a bit of a rough distance calculation on distances travelled for each of the bikes and I knew before even looking at my numbers that this years would be down (there was that whole lockdown thing after all). At least I added another bike to keep my eye in...
The rough numbers:
Super Tenere: 7,000km
Concours: 3,000km
Mighty Mouse: 3,500km
RMX: 5 Trail rides
January
Looking back on January and the key events were getting the WR setup for the Dusty Butt, riding the little bike along with a couple of Tenere rides. Looks like the poor old Connie was mostly ignored 😢
Odlins Road
Pori Road
Rising Sun
New tank, racks, bash pad, seat pad...
Turakina Valley
Turakina Valley
Chain/gearing change
Test run
February
We must have known something was coming - February was probably the pick of the bunch in terms of riding with two outstanding events to tick off. The first was my first Dusty Butt - 1,400km of mostly offroad and gravel riding in the South Island over three days - and some of the best riding of my life. And then of course there was my tenth TT2000, made easier to do by being North Island based this year.
Molesworth
Dusty Butt Day 1 - Chevvy's rescue
Having a paddle on Day 2
The Obelisk
Chewing gum removal on Day 3...
Day 3 - Danseys Pass
Nice weather at Big River mine
Above Titirangi
Titirangi
TT Day 1
TT Day 2
Early morning TT Day 3
Yes! Got my TTX badge!
March
So the Connie was totally ignored in February and that wasn't my intention for March but a small hiccup interrupted any riding part way through the month with the entire country being sent to bed without any pudding...
At the least the mouse got in a couple of rides including a trip with the two other WR riding nutters to take on Fisher's Track and the 42nd Traverse.
North Range Road
Wharite
National Park
Hassling peddlers
The 42
Okupata Caves
April
April was a very boring month with bikes locked away and batteries suffering for it. It was all you could do to keep a bike rider amused...
Probably would have happened if I had a dirt bike...
Visiting my poor babies
Yeah, we were all locked down
May
We were still under house arrest for a bit of may but we finally got let free and the two blue bikes were let off the chain.
Sanson
Napier-Taihape Road
Takapari Road
Takapari Road
Chevvy making a splash
Takapari Road
Ridge Road
Pohangina Valley
Kimbolton
Ice on Main South Road
June
In June something amazing happened - all three bikes got out to enjoy some great winter riding. Yes, even the Connie got some exercise!
Spur Road
Pori Road
Ridge Road
Makoura Road
Pohangina Road
Turakina Valley Road
Whangaehu Valley Road
Whangaehu Valley Road
Turakina Valley Road
Pohonui Road
Kimbolton
Mangaweka
Main South Road
July
In july things were a bit more wintery so we needed to take in a snow ride and then I went crazy and bought a yellow bike. The only downer was catching a cold (no, not on the snow ride) just before the trail ride that I'd been itching to try out on the new beast 😢
Pukeokahu Road
Mangaohane Road
Mangaohane Road
Napier-Taihape Road
Mangaohane Road
Approaching Waiouru - rain freezing on windscreen
Ruapehu
Ngauruhoe
Ruapehu and mission accomplished
Getting acquainted...
The Yella Terra!
August
It looks like in August it was all about the little bikes. First things first, the RMX needed to be ridden and then the WR had a wee operation.
RMX and Mouse in the Mangatuks
The Orange Hut
Shiny
Jake the peg?
Replacing the fork seal
A brief experiment in sand...
September
I managed to get quite a bit of riding in during September: some tag hunting on the mouse, my first proper trail ride on the RMX, some tunnel exploring and a very special FRDC MC ride on the Connie.
Papatawa
Ruawhata Road
Taupo
Berm Buster
All done
Taranaki
Pohokura Saddle
Forgotten Highway
Just another little milestone
Stormy Point
October
In October the Connie rattled off a pretty quick 800km during the NI800 (and I still haven't written that ride up yet!), there was a quick trip South (not written up either!), I sampled a 1250 GS, the Napier-Taihape was gobbled up again and there was a wee Adv meet-up in Eketahuna. An action packed month...
That mountain again
Line-up of IBA plates
No, that isn't good
NI800 checkpoint - no Colin...
Wellington
And back in Picton
Porangahau
Mangahei Road
Mangahei Road
Coast Road
Pongaroa
Pongaroa
Rising Sun
Napier-Taihape - again...
Napier-Taihape - again...
November
There was plenty of riding in November even if I passed on the C1K. There was not one but two trail rides, a gravel ride with the WAR crew and the Connie even got some more love.
