First Wednesday night ride of the season

Cold and wet but I was there. 11 brave souls left the Duck Pond at 6.30pm and headed to the lookout on the Paekakariki Hill. From there it was back to the Sandbar for refreshments.

Wellington Sights

Today I joined the Ulysses ride around Wellington.

The ride started from Brown Owl at 10.00am. The first stop was at Scorching Bay. Then around the Bays to Wrights Hill to view the gun emplacements and then off to Makara Beach. From Makara Beach we took the road to Johnsonville and then along the Motorway to the cemetery and looped back to the sea finishing at the Sandbar in Mana.

I didn't stay for lunch as had to be back home. It was a just okay ride, I prefer the open road and find the round the city and slow roads hard work. Next big Ulysses ride is to Riversdale on the 19th and I will not be able to make that.

Stats from MC computer: 190.0kms, 3.43hrs, 5.1L/100km, 50kph ave, xxxkph max.

Pahiatua Track Loop

A Ulysses ride today. We left from the Plimmerton Weigh Station at 9.30am and travelled up SH1 to just south of Levin at the turn off to Shannon. A pit stop in Shannon for fuel and then off to the track.

The ride over the track was quick - I was third in line. We had a planned stop at SH2 Mangarmaire turn off and it was a long wait as one of the riders had a low speed off. Once we knew the rider was okay we headed for the Wild Oats Cafe in Carterton. There was a street day in Carterton so instead of waiting for food there we headed on the the Tin Hut.

Alan called me from home when I was at Mt Bruce and we planned to meet at the Tin Hutt. Food here was going to be slow so we headed to Featherston for pie and coffee. After that it was home, arriving at 3.30pm.

BTW last week on Thursday the bike had its 10,000kms service.

First RAT Ride

The Wellington RAT group start their rides from Shell Mana at 9.30am. I got there at 9.15am and by 9.45am there were just six of us. The bikes were, two S3, Street, Speedmaster, Sprint and Tiger.

The ride was around the inlet and over the Takas. We regrouped in Featherston and then headed to Carterton for refreshments. Following the essential coffee and something to eat we went via Gladstone and the back road to Martinborough. The ride was planned for lunch at Lake Ferry but at Martinborough I headed home. I called into see Alan and he followed me home and then Alan headed home around the Mana loop.

The bike has now done 9772Kms so I will book it in for the service.

Stats from MC computer: 224.9kms, 3.07hrs, 4.7L/100km, 71kph ave, xxxkph max.

Social ride with gravel option

Ulysses organised a ride to Gladstone for lunch with two options for a ride. The road option involved Martinborough, the back road to Gladstone, water towers loop and back to the pub at Gladstone. The other option was the Admiral Range road.

Obviously the Speedtriple wasn't suitable to the gravel options. Plently of riders turned up with their other bike, the trail riding type.

We left Brown Owl at 10.00am, regrouped at Featherston and then again at Martinborough. The Martinborough stop was to allow the trail bikes to be refuelled. Photos are at Martinborough. After the water towers loop four of us went up the Admiral Range road until the seal stopped and we then waited for the gravel riders to turn up. We didn't have to wait long.

We we arrived at the Gladstone Pub it was too busy so Alan and I headed to Carterton for lunch. We stopped at the summit on the way home to watch the traffic. I got home at 3.30pm.

It was a good days riding, the weather was good although a bit too cold first thing. The ride as 285kms and the bike has now done 9547kms.

RAT Meet

Last night I went to the RAT meeting at the Sandbar in Mana.

Five for the meet with a total of three bikes. It was very cold and especially so on the trip home.

The turnout to Triumph events seems to be consistently low. If this was a HD meet there would be at least 10 times as many. Is this something to do with the Triumph statement, "go your own way"?

Mt Bruce for lunch

Today it was a Ulysses ride with lunch planned for Mount Bruce. Departure time was 9.30am from Brown Owl.

The weather forecast for today was for no rain in Wellington or the Wairarapa - so I felt confident in leaving the pack with wet weather gear behind. This confidence in the weather forecast was a mistake.

The route was planned by John and Steve and included the back way to Pahiatua and then back to Mount Bruce for lunch. We weren't far north of Masterton when it started to rain and then it just got heavier. By the time we got to Pahiatua (a fuel stop) I was wet and cold. At home was a complete set of new wet weather overs and gloves. Somewhere along the way we lost 5 of the pack but found 2 at Mount Bruce, one got lost (Guy) and the other took a short cut. It was a good pace but the pack spread out at times - this was the reason for losing some of them.

After lunch I went straight home and the rain cleared nearing Masterton. At around Greytown I was warming up a bit and drying out. I had a good run over the hill - not too much traffic and the road was clean and dry. Got home after 3.00pm.

The photo, taken by Steve, is of me arriving at Brown Owl.

Stats from MC computer: 358.5kms, 4.35hrs, 5.1L/100km, 77kph ave, xxxkph max.

Cold day and nice ride to Paraparaumu

A nice clear and cold day after sleet and snow yesterday.

Alan and I did a short ride up SH1 via the Paikakariki Hill and then back the same way. Lunch at Paikak (that is a busy spot on a nice day) and then back over the hill. A red unmarked HP car was hunting speedsters on the lower area of the hill.

Not much more to say; the Speedtriple is a very enjoyable bike to ride, it sounds great, handles well, and that motor - beautiful.

Stats from MC computer: 105.9kms, 5.1L/100km, 61kph ave, 1xxkph max. Odo 8782.