It's raining again.
Today the second round of Speedway Super-cup is to take place at Oreti Park, should the track conditions be favourable, doesn't look like it will? Lets backtrack a few days.
End of working week and I have a couple weeks annual leave to use up. 6AM on the Saturday I trundled out the drive on my 1996 MotoGuzzi California and headed to Riverton on the "Longest Day Ride". The objective to complete 1000k's in one day to collect a badge for the effort, madness but why not? After meeting with Roger at a gas station we headed to Riverton to collect Russell as we passed. A spirited trip through the winding and windy road to Tuatapere, then up the Blackmount Road towards Manapouri and onto Te Anau our first destination.
At the turn off one over shot so we stopped and decided to carry on (albeit we were only meters pass the turn off) straight ahead bypassing the destination and catch up any missed k's at the end. Plan B. At Mossburn a gas stop then a turn off to Five Rivers with the destination sort of planned to arrive at Roxburgh via Cromwell but one reckoned he would not make it and we stopped at Frankton for more gas. Here Plan C came about by me the organiser- heh. Let's make up a few k's as it is a nice day and head over the Crown Range, up to Wanaka and over to Tarras and back to Cromwell, and back on track. Which we duly did with massive smiles on our faces, great riding.
Over the Cromwell Gorge we stopped for more gas and after extracting one from the station and attraction to the attendant chick old enough to be our grandchild, (but she was pretty good looking) we decided a snack to get some sustenance as it was lunch time. A shop promising always good food caught our eye and we duly trodded in and ordered our food. The assistant was foreign and there was trouble getting across the orders. When I had to pay I was told it would be 1740 cents. So that was 17 bucks 40 for a burger and a drink, better had be good! Outside we sat and ate and I must say that the food from there was extremely shit! Won't be back, we all grisled bitterly. It wouldn't be right to tell you where this shop is on the right hand side across the road from the BP station, so I won't.
Plan D, we were to head over the Manuka Gorge, but decided to travel instead from Beaumont along the river road to Clydevale and then on to where it exits at the Balclutha bridge. Another fuel up and this time on track we headed as planned around the marvellous Catlins.
The weather packed it in and although it was a little windy most of the day it started to get breezy, and then torrential rain. A sheep and tree branches were dodged as we negotiated quietly around the twisty road to Tokonui. A stop here with an issue of not being able to see as the helmet visor was fogging up badly. At this point standing outside the store yacking to an interested local (also rides a bike) the rain was seeping through and with wet balls decided to head back to Invercargill and think about the rest of the ride. By now we had done 864'ks. Starting to darken and as being wet we pulled the pin, had we continued the plan was to head to Mataura, onto Cilton, over to Gore, Mossburn, and home which would have given us well over the 1000 k's. Great ride in great company, and wasn't even tired after such a big day. I was awarded the badge for proof of the attempt.
After the rest of the week sorting out affairs of my recent late wife's and selling off bits and pieces I would no longer need in my life I had a visit from my eldest brother from Sydney Australia. We travelled up to Dunedin and visited the Archives to research a family story. My great-grandfather's wife's, younger brother had immigrated from Scotland with her at a young age (leaving a deceased wife behind).
Living in and around Southland at various places following work where my GGD was a supervisor for the Riverton rail bridge, and then the track to Thornbury, then from Kamahi to Mataura where he stopped to settle after a rail accident (and from whence my extended family since hail from). The brother with the isolation and unsettlement we think went a little odd and had trouble getting work.
There is a theory as he came from a lead mine town in Scotland he may have been suffering as many commonly did, from a touch of lead poisoning?
We found a number of cases where he had been admitted to Seacliff asylum as he progressively got worse. Not a violent person but he had a tendency to talk incoherently and when unable to get work would set fire to things. This occurred all around the province back in the late 1800's. We noted that funnily on the many releases from Seacliff he was given back his packet of matches. From the records he appears to have died in the institution. So that filled in a day and added some truth to a closet skeleton.
After weeks of valued support from good friends and family I decided I needed some time alone to grieve a little to myself so piled up the van with tucker and sleeping bag and headed to Christchurch to watch the first round of the Speedway Super-cup. With offers of company and many places to stay I wasn't in any mood to do this, so decided to freebird it and wallow in my own misery and not to drag anyone else down (sorry if I have).
Cranking up the stereo the dulcet tones of Uriah Heep, Ian Moss (Cold Chisel) and Fleetwood Mac got me as far as Ashburton when 'pop!' the stereo died. (O.K recent wife, bike, stereo, I guess life is getting easier, do remind me not to touch anything). As I can't sing a note I had to be like I do when riding motorcycles and let the music randomly run through my head as it often does. I could have talked to my invisible friend but the problem is he only knows the punch lines to all the good jokes that I struggle to remember what they fit to.
You're still with me, good I think...what else is there to do, the rain is getting heavier outside.
Imagine this...a detour just past Balclutha I visited a farm. It was a quiet place and notable was the good fencing to keep those mills from running all over the road.
Mount Stuart
Over the Manuka Gorge (this time) then a brief stop at Dunedin to reluctantly sell my wife's bass uke, but it paid for the next few days.
Next stop was at Shag Point to look at the East Coast. It was there, but no signs of any shags, maybe it was the wrong time of the month (or year)?
It was just Me Myself I at Shagless Point.
A brief stop to look at a castle and avoiding buying any trinkety stuff.
Continuing on with WHY a Christine McVie classic of Fleetwood Mac to stop for gas at Ashburton. The lyrics of the tune kind of hint the mood I was in.
Then the stereo died, as I said. F.S!
I headed through the new mazes of roadworks about Christchurch to Halswell to drop off a picture I had sold, then headed West across Christchurch to Springfield where I secured two nights at Kowhai Domain just off the Arthurs Pass road for $20.
Nice quiet wee spot apart from the night train. Good facilities, showers, toilets, a kitchen, and cheap, I'll be back. A fiddle with the stereo but couldn't find the issue so it had a new abode for the rest of the journey home, on the floor.
Next day it was 30 minutes drive straight back toward Christchurch and along the Old Coach Road to find my destination. As Canterbury was abandoned due it's day off, I filled the morning with a round trip to Rangiora and back via Oxford as the racing didn't start until 3PM.
A stop at Cust, made me wonder if the people there are called "Custards", like the people from Barst are? The grumpy old coot owner of the pub came out asking to move the van, wonder if he originated from Barst (where public relations and tact are a lacking)? I happily moved, .. off, leaving him with no custom from me today.
Amazingly I never got lost, it was just a matter of following the easy to read signs..
Destination found with ease, as have been there before, and in good company. Next year Russ.
Lots of beasties in this park, quite a noisy lot, but fun to watch them go around and around in their enclosure.Apparently there is a rule that when the blue beast resembling a blue track maintenance tractor goes past one has to have a drink, but! there were two of them,..Oh well!
Oreti boys flew the flag.
Met up with another motorcyclist Dale from home and we had a good natter. He told me the last time he saw me he thought I had a new partner in tow unbeknown that my wife had lost an incredible amount of body weight and was looking pretty sharp to the day she passed away. I took that as a compliment.
I then met my nephew, wife and their three boys and daughter (all motorcycle mad- motocross) whose names I can never remember, daft old uncle that I am.
And the racing was close and exciting, great meeting.
Sat and watched most of the event with them before heading back to Springfield via Sparagus…?
A stop at Darfield Pub on the way for a roast pork meal and beer served by a lovely lady that had me lick the plate clean, and I can't remember if the food was good or not, must have been hungry?
A good sleep and up early, brekkie down and on the road by 7.30 AM...heading over Arthurs Pass it started to rain, heavy rain.
Past a letter box I guess belongs to the two Cox brothers? You can't be that silly with just one cock.
Rain over the pass means plenty of cool waterfall but you had to be there.
A lot of big slips along the way with detours but no noticeable bridges out as thought would be the case.
A stop at the viaduct lookout to see not much, and through the rock shelter (pics shows a manmade waterfall)
They say it is a "rock shelter" but I must be off my rocker as didn't see any rocks in there sheltering from the downpour...silly rocks.
De lays
Stopped at this weird and interesting pub Otira Hotel with a lot of odd garden-ware (a bit like my place, ...and then there are the ornaments in the garden).
A West Coast Jackalope, you decide?.
A Fire engine pic (Just for Russell who should have come for the ride),
and the entrance door. Maybe next time it will be fitted, and I will go inside to check it out?
Did I mention it was wet, I think the sign at Kumara has slipped and when pointing the right way (down) shows the direction of the rain? It meantime didn't point to anything else?
Hokitika I stopped to see that they had free alcohol, but as I was driving, like the rain was, I left it, and anyways I was in good spirits. Went into a bakery to line up for a coffee and a snack.
After waiting a while it was my turn and the guy said as I was about to order, "Wait a minute!" and walked out the back, so I walked out the door. Went across the road, opted to risk a coffee from a café as the dark fellow serving after coughing all over himself and brushing his hands through his hair served me, ew!. Later went past me serving food, it's o.k I didn't die (yet).
Next door picked up a Chelsea bun from new World and trotted past the bakery contented that I had won, and was three bucks cheaper too. IMO Gordon Ramsey could have field day at Hokitika food hygiene-customer service, etc to improve gain in that tourist and local $$. In fact Canterbury.
From here on I turned off my brain and ran on emotion, as you do on a motorcycle. Don't recall much as I weaved past a number of slow squirming maggots all over the road heading South.
Middle of nowhere passed an old Invercargill Meat Processors truck, so must be heading the right direction home? Did I mention it was damp.
Heading South I stopped at McDonalds to use the loo. A good wee camping/fishing spot and may return to sometime as had appeal.
At Bruce Bay the rain had stopped, so I stopped to take a pic and noticed a memorial stone pile. As in Bruce Bay I guess you do what Bruce Bayian's do? I walked the beach and choose a nice rock-stone to add to the pile. Shit, this now suddenly got a bit emotional (the price of love is grief), and although not raining now, a few tears made up for it. I sat and contemplated my situation in life, and as the song says (WHY) …"The sun will shine, and I will carry on another day".
Into Haast for gas, don't complain...the price per litre here is a mere 2.46.9 a litre for 91.
A place on my bucket list for some time to visit has been Neils Beach which is not far from Jackson's Head a very historic place (once a Maori and later a planned settlers settlement which like many was abandoned due to isolation and shit weather, Stanley near Bluff was another).
Lovely place, if I hade some dosh I could reside there, a 30 minute good sealed road down the coast from Haast Beach.
Mouse and Grover get a taste of Neil's Beach (and a Lion Rouge) thirsty work passing all the 'closed for the day' pissers. I was going to have a bite to eat but the sandflies were eating anything that stood still, so I moved on opting for chocolate bar as I went just to get rid of that awful taste of beer (sorry I lied there).
Homeward bound at Hawea came a text from a friend to say a bad tragic bike smash in Southland, so I stopped at Wanaka for gas and to check to see if my motley lot of great riding buddies were O.K. (Phew! they were).
A plate of ribs at Spigot's washed down with a Speights, a check in call to daughter Amber and headed into the dusk arriving home 12.30 AM.
A big day but so pleased I did this, and alone, I feel a bit better-happier than I did when I left with sense of adventure and humour intact.
Stopped raining outside...maybe round two Speedway could be still on, I'll go check. (Nah cancelled.)
Til nek time, Mouse.
A day at Oreti Park speedway for an excellent meeting to watch under a virgin erection, that being my new sun cover gazebo. Keep your mind on the dirt track here, (actually the track surface is lime).
Nek day (Sunday) off to Dunedin via the wonderful winding Catlins road to Balclutha with great company of Rangi Yammy 1000, Steve Goldwing 1500, and Russ'd also on a whisperjet Goldwing with destination Carries Bay pub meeting point just along from Port Chalmers.
There we met with around 300 other avid motorcyclist to ride into Dunedin's Octogan to deliver toys for underprivileged children. An awesome experience to ride in a large group like this and with traffic control all lights shut on green it was an easy run through the city. A trailer and cage full of gifts was collected, there was also a gift of 4K given to special need kids, pretty good effort for a bunch of dirty old motorcyclists.
After the run a usual catch up with some of the Grover Chasers Touring Bunch at St Kilda Tavern where an outdoor cooked snack was provided, then a spirited ride home.
Checking the weather conditions I guess?
Back to work and riding the exercycle in the morning have managed to lose 5 kg since the passing of my adored Tracy. While pedalling I listen to the radio and one morning the tune 'It's Times Like These" by Foo Fighters was playing and the lyric struck me it was how I was feeling having Tracy generously tell me in her last days to find someone else as if I don't I will just become an grumpy old man.
Although still deeply grieving and missing her company very much I decided the former rather than the latter was going to be my choice for my future.
Too soon,... I don't know, but I have nothing to lose anymore and a lot to gain. Then just around the corner... a weird crazy thing happened.
A very nervous meet up with a friend of a friend also very nervous for a coffee and chat and magic...it was amicable love at first sight, really! Pinching myself everyday that this has happened.
Mary, also a widow through chatting have discover in a short time a lot of common ground in music, pets, life values, goals, loves motorcycles, good cook, sense of humour, kind, etc, etc, we have just hit it off. We think it is almost like her late husband of 38 years and Tracy my 28 are pushing us into something here? In a time where I should be very sad at Xmas, the first without my lovely wife, but...I am so happy and in very good spirits due to the friendship of a new person in my life (a previous volunteer firefighter to her credit) who has a heart of gold. We have talked and shared considerably from both sides with empathy to our situations, both wanting to dedicate to a second chance at life, with strong feelings and compatibility (we are both Virgo) for each other, we are not letting this opportunity pass by and intend to see how this crazy journey takes us.
A memorial rose for Tracy from a friend I have potted so if I every move digs I can take it with me. Not a day passes without a touching moment for my wonderful late wife, never be forgotten.
Xmas day a visit from my lovely daughter and grandchild, how did they ever know what flavour beer I liked and gave to me as a gift a box of it?
For lunch a B.B.Q with my brothers and family and mum was very nice,
then another outdoor cook up at Steve's for tea in good company. An early night as tired from a big day at work spraying flies, it is the wearing of a mask all day that leaves one a little dehydrated and takes a few days to come right.A good sleep and rest up over Boxing Day.
Not to pass up on a ride Russ'd was heading off to do the Southern Safari so I tagged along for company. Quote abridged;" 2 days. 1238km ridden. The southern safari completed. Rode from home to invers to meet Mouse then headed to Alexandra to start safari. Headed to glenorchy via Clyde and Frankton then back out to Arrowtown via skippers. Then over the Crown Range to Wanaka then down to Tarras, over to omarama then down to Otematata then down the back of Benmore to Aviemore, through to Kurow then down to glenavy and finished day 1 in Oamaru. Started day 2 going out to Kakanui then heading to Palmerston, Mcraes, Hyde and through to Ranfurly then through to Oterehua,Ophir, Chatto Creek and finished the run back in Alex. Headed home via Moa flat and down to Gore then home. The trip home was with some trepidation due to the fact Mouse didn't believe my rear tyre would get me home. Good ride, spectacular weather and great company."
So a mixed emotional time for me, it is all positive, my apologies to those trying to catch me, I have been off on the bike, a Happy Xmas to everyone, and 2019 is going to be an awesome year. Mouse. Hope I can find time for Blog 3....
