Not the TT2000 - Intro

Alrighty then, the start of a few blogs totally unrelated to the TT2000...

Yeah,  The TT2000 was a few weeks ago and Colin and I were both supposed to be on it but stuff happened along the way...

This year we were repeating last years event by not only completing the TT but also taking the WR's down so we could investigate some more cool riding in the South Island that suited the little bikes.  Having a ute certainly helps...

Prior to us leaving the North Island, both ferry companies were having major dramas with most of their boats out of action.  A lot of people (including TT riders) were having their bookings cancelled and not being able to rebook as it one stage there was only 1 boat from each service running!

Somehow our booking (made last year) didn't end up being cancelled but after getting up at 5 to make the sailing we then had to wait 12 hours at the wharf before we could even board!  We did get to have a wander up town and grab a feed but because we still kept getting updated boarding times we ended up spending most of that time near the ute chatting with other travellers.  Someone even ended up with Colin as a friend for life...

Eventually (around 8pm) we boarded and headed out across the straights.  After a feed and chatting with other travellers inside the hot interior of the boat I started feeling a bit green so spent a good hour outside in the cold before we finally arrived (very late) in Picton.

Our original plan had been to drop the ute and little bikes off at a friends place in Blenheim (thanks Marty) but we didn't think it would be that polite to arrive at 1pm and wake everyone up...So our plans had to change.  

With no accommodation booked (and it being very doubtful that any was available), we decided to drive through the night (with the complete house and contents) and aim for Wanaka where we would be able to drop off the excess baggage, grab a sleep and then make our way to Gore on the big bikes for the start of the TT.

Well, it started off ok as we blasted off into the wet darkness but by the time we hit Kaikoura (maybe 02:30 or so) I was definitely not feeling too good.  We swapped drivers but this just moved the crook bloke to a different seat.  We ended up making a few stops along the way but I was getting worse and worse.

Once we hit Geraldine we stopped for a decent while and I wandered around the place pretty much just looking for a place to have a heave.  I wasn't coming right and really just needed to get in some serious shut eye.  So we ended up getting into a motel and I hit the pit.  

This pretty much ended our chances of being able to get to Gore for the ride as well still had way too many vehicles and the startline was still a fair way away but the start time was getting closer.  Colin called Shannon and we pulled the plug.  Hopefully we'll get down to complete the ride before next years one...

Anyway, although this seems like a crappy start to our holiday (and it was), we did manage to recover and ended up having some great fun on both the big and little bikes.  More soon...

Herbertville Trail ride

It's been forever since I rode the yellow bike and with the Herbertville Trail ride allowing quads too I managed to persuade Colin to come up for the ride.

We had an early start as we had to haul the bikes a fair way on the pretty average Weber-Wimbledon section of Route 52.  In the end we could have taken it a bit easier as we got there with just over an hour to spare - plenty of time to get sunburned while we were forced to smell the bacon and sausages the guys next to us were cooking up...

With no rider briefing (just a piece of paper with a map) we had to keep an eye out on when the ride started.  We managed to be in the first 20-30 bikes to tear into the first of many hill climbs.

The route was a little different than last time out but still took in plenty of challenging hill climbs and descents and of course the odd bit of mud - one particular bog hole taking a bit of an effort to get through on Lap 1 but there was a better route around/through it the next time around.  One thing that was familiar from last time was the wind - I didn't get blown off the hill this time but it was interesting...

A new section of the ride was probably about 2km or so of beach.  I hated the entry to the beach through seriously soft sand and even on the harder stuff I wasn't crazy about the wiggly/waggling through the front end at speed.  Beach at about 21:30 in the below video:

During the first lap Colin and I got separated when he took an easy route while I clambered another hill and I ended up waiting for him for about 20 mins with no sign of him.  Meanwhile he got back to the ute and waited for me for a while before tearing off to go looking for me.

When I gave up waiting and made for the ute I stopped a number of times to ask people if they'd seen him but apparently he was an invisible man.  When I got back to the ute the guys next door said he'd left about ten minutes before I got there.

A quick drink for me and the bike (450's use a it of fuel on hilly 35km loops) and I tore off after him.  I eventually caught him probably a third of his way into his second lap and we had a quick catch up before getting back into the brapping.

Another hoon back down the beach got us back to the ute again where at around 2pm it was definitely time for lunch!

With 2 laps and 70km under our belts we were reasonably knackered so after lunch the bikes were loaded back up for the trip home after a heap of fun!

I really enjoyed getting back on the Suzy and am definitely looking forward to the next trail ride in December.

Here's what some of the ride looked like from 4 wheels (shame the Garmin doesn't have the image stabilisation that the GoPro has).

2022 NI800

 Yes, I've been riding.  Finally there is proof:

http://banditrider.weebly.com/2022-ni800.html

Lazy Slob pt 2

 Now I've got an excuse - goddam Covid!

But wait, maybe there is something in the works...

Lazy slob

 Dang, no posts since May!

It's not like nothing has been happening.  I've been doing plenty of riding but have yet toe even finish my TT write-up.  I guess I've just been taking a bit of a break and not really feeling like sitting down in front of the computer for the time it takes to write a blog after spending the day pretty much all in front of my work screens.  That and winter I think...

I can't see me catching up on all the riding but definitely need to finish the TT write-up, do justice to the awesome riding) on the little bikes) we did after the TT and also capture our recent (last weekend) getaway.

I promise I'll get my act together...soon...