Nice weekend run coming up

[Speedy1959]

From what I hear NZ is gorgeous..
Wish I was there !
Sounds a great ride Col....

[KiwiCol]

It's all relative Speedy, if you see it every day it becomes the norm, but yes, it's fairly unpopulated & for the most part still unspoilt. 
We got 4½ million approx. in the whole country, about 1.5 mil in the biggest city, Auckland - rat race compared to the rest of the country. 
Rest of the place is pretty empty, especially the South Island.  We (S.I) have lots of mountains though & only a few roads give access to the other side, great scenery though. Roads aren't too bad mostly, but bugger all motorways of any length, def not down south. Even the main "Highways" are single lane for most of their distance, occasionally branching out to 2 lanes per side, then back to 1.  We're used to them, tourists on the other hand are not & are frequently involved in crashes, often fatal for them & the locals.

[Kiwifruit]

Your own little MCR with a couple of ring ins

But there's only 1 GSX, rest are Trumpets of one sort or another.  Anyway, 'we' (the royal version) have an MCR every Saturday for the whole south island contingent & it's always a full attendance by every member, so, there's only one way to go from that. 


BTW, total S.I. membership is 1. 

Thought I saw an FE go past home the other day....saw it again tonight.
Anybody reading this going up Oropi Road ??
We will get around to our own MCR one day.
Its a bugger havin no mates !! 

[Red Biker]

Enjoy and stay safe Col 
You Kiwi's definately win the prize for best place Names 

Cheers
Red

Been discussing the street names developers use when creating new sub divisions. It was decided that its quite simple..... developers cut down a beautiful Kowhai tree from which native birds feed. Then call the new street.....Kowhai Grove !!
But yes Red l know what you mean. Many of the Maori names of various places will have a meaning.
Kaikoura means ....."place to eat crayfish." Kai meaning food and Koura meaning crayfish.
Maraetai means..... "meeting place by the sea."
Whanganui is trickier...... means "big bay or big harbour."  But to bike riding honkys it means "Boxing Day Street Races or .....time to grovel for permission to leave the Whanau (family) to fend for themselves on Xmas Day so dad can travel to the Street Races."
That concludes your lesson in Te Reo (Maori language) for today......please put your Koha (gift) in the tin as you leave.
Aye bro (Kiwicol) 

Thanks Kiwi,
I guess it's not too disimilar here, some of the names in central Nottingham go back Years, we have a 'Hounds Gate' where the Sheriff of Nottingham used to keep his hunting dogs,Wheeler Gate where all the carrigaes were made and 'Beast Market Hill' which was the old cattle Market. There is also a 'Gallows Gate' which is where they used to do the public hangings!

Only one punishment worse than that of course, was to be shipped to the Colonies 

Red

[Kiwifruit]

Today 'Gallows Gate' is probably just across the way from the 'Serial Offenders Botanical Garden.'

In the interests of inter-hemispere relations i shall pretend not to have seen your last caustic comment Red !!    lol

[Buddynq]

Today 'Gallows Gate' is probably just across the way from the 'Serial Offenders Botanical Garden.'

In the interests of inter-hemispere relations i shall pretend not to have seen your last caustic comment Red !!    lol

The buggers are coming voluntarily now and won't go back now that all the hard work is done

[KiwiCol]

Red, that was only ockers, our immigrants were worse, religious groups setting up camp throughout the new land!

[Red Biker]

Oh Lordy!
At least the roads should be quiet on a Sunday then 

[Tony Nitrous]

Only one punishment worse than that of course, was to be shipped to the Colonies 

Red

I always liked the interview Billy Connoley did with the (convict descendent) owner of Doyles Fish and Chip shop in Sydney with its million $ views.

He asked him if he ever wanted to go back to the UK and find his family that his convict ancestors came from.

The shop owner relied no, but if he could He'd find the family of the judge that sent them out here, shake their hands and buy them a beer. 

[KiwiCol]

Well, getting closer now. Had a few good runs on the bike, I'll do 1 more before Saturday morning.  Bike is going good, cleaned & lubed the chain tonight, (jeez it sounds nice straight after a clean n lube), checked the brake pads - prob close to a change after the run. Tyres good, bash plate fixed, oil not due for a change for 2000k so fine there, Mrs sewed up the stitching on my bike bag - zip stitching had perished. Got a full tank & have some injector cleaner in this tank full - just because it hasn't had any for a few fills.
Bike is ready, I'm ready, bring on 7.30 Saturday morning!!

[Sweaty]

Good stuff Col, I can feel the excitment in your typing. It's great when you are really looking forward to a getaway 

[grog]

enjoy col. all fired up, i like it. bash plate?

[KiwiCol]

enjoy col. all fired up, i like it. bash plate?

Tongue in cheek reference to another run I did, where I ripped out the sump bolt. No bash plate really, just wariness of deep pot holes & remembering not to take it 'off road' again.

[KiwiCol]

Good run through to Murchison, 20 odd degrees with a slight breeze. Waiting for others to arrive. Couple of pics for our English contingent.

[Kiwifruit]

Nice and cool in the shade then Col ?