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Journey to the Lion's DenTen bikes met by the Narrows Golf course on a fine but cool Hamilton morning and Alan's alarm has gone off on his bike before he even left home. Four bikes from Hamilton, the rest from Te Kuiti and Taumaranui. Ray (Ulysses co-ordinator Te Kuiti) on a Moto Guzzi, son-in-law Mick, Bob, Roscoe, Steve, Julie and Annie all on Suzukis, Les on a Honda, Christine (Ulysses co-ordinator Taumaranui) on a Volusia. Violet & Alan on a Kawasaki and Jeaneen on a Harley Davidson. Off to Paeroa for breakfast via Matangi out to the east of Hammie through Morrinsville and Te Aroha. The fast bunch lose the slow bunch and Ray has to ride round and round Morrinsville looking for stragglers. The leaders get told off for going too fast and so it's a slow trip to Te Aroha for breakfast. Onwards to Thames with hardly any traffic. Ray comments that it's the first time he's ever ridden past the Kopu Pub without stopping for a beer. Up the windy coastal road with a short stop at the seaside to take pix and where a smart young chap on an Aprilia says to Ray "That's an old helmet". Well, that was enough for Ray to have to show these young whippersnappers that he can stack it with the rest. So the smart young chaps left before us but Ray caught up and overtook them on his old Moto Guzzi wearing his old helmet! Nuff of the old eh! Awesome, awesome views as you ride up and over the hills towards Coromandel. Almost too hard to keep your eyes on the road ahead (more about that later). Jeaneen waxing lyrical about all those lost photo opportunities (missed because it's too dangerous to stop in most places). The folks back home (Jeaneen is from USA) just don't believe she's been out riding because she's not sending back the forensic evidence (bit like CSI - can't see it therefore can't believe it). Wow all those windy roads with terrific views, oh well they'll just have to come and see for themselves! On one particularly windy road, Annie's Bandit starts to cough, it's only done 175kms so it can't have run out of gas but it sure is behaving like it has... Looking desperately up the curvy road to find a safe spot to pull over, she spies a driveway well placed for what is now a cut out motor. Fortunately "tail end charlie" Les is there and pulls in behind. "Switch it on to reserve" he says and poof she's away again! Must be crap 96 petrol instead of the usual 98 she's used to! At Coromandel township, we turned off by the pub (oh how convenient, I hear you say) and stopped at the Lion's Den Backpackers to be met by the exuberant Linda who owns and runs the place. We have it booked all to ourselves and dump our gear in our rooms and change out of the leathers (well some of us do). Some historical types amongst us want to go on a train ride through the bush but it turns out to be too dear for this lot and too long to wait. Let's go to Colville some bright spark says so we march back down the hill and jump on our bikes and head north. The same beautiful coastline unfolds to the left, kilometers (doesn't sound as good as miles) of calm green water and twisting turning roads. Road works up ahead and they haven't compressed the gravel yet, makes for a very exciting gut lurching traverse on the bikes. Making a mental note that we have to come back the same way and enjoy it a second time! At Colville there is a general store and petrol pump and further down the road an intersection where the gravel begins and it's time to turn around and return to Coromandel and the pub! However, on the way back, one of our number (with an old helmet) was looking at the scenery instead of the road ahead. To cut a long story short, he took his eyes off the ball and skidded along the bridge alongside his bike. Eventually, the others came across the scene and came to his assistance. He was already busy fixing up the bike with number 8 fencing wire as any handy kiwi bloke would. Amongst us all, we didn't have the right tools until Jeaneen came to the rescue with her Harley Davidson tool kit. It even contains duct tape! Very impressive. All fixed and back to the pub (I mean backpackers). Seafood chowder (made with fish heads) was delicious and even Mick who doesn't like seafood had 2 helpings! Wild pork and roast vegetables followed and everyone was full and happy. Violet entertained us with her rendition of "does anyone want their eyebrows plucked"? A few lies and dirty jokes were told and Linda who wants to buy a trike joined us for the evening. The bikes were housed in the back shed with Alan's bike alarm at the fore to protect the rest of them (if the thieves take his first, someone should be out there in time to protect the rest of them!) Steve and Julie departed for the fairy cabin!! Snoring ensued all round (apparently)... Les is up at the crack of dawn as per usual and happily (read noisily) making a cuppa and looking for light switches up and down the hallway. Ray does Pilates and stretching exercises to ease the sore muscles... (yeah right). Away by 8.30am after a few more bike alterations and Annie gets her chain tightened by kind kiwi blokes. More windy roads to Whitianga for breakfast, Alan's bike alarm goes off! Again awesome views and lots of curvy corners up hills and down. Some of us get stuck behind a milk tanker and several boat trailers and nowhere to pass, never mind... (not). Stopping at Tairua for petrol and to let the locals gawp at the bikes and wish they were us. A few drops of rain decides the route home (not down the east coast via Waihi Beach and Tauranga) and it's out to Tahuna where we come across a sports bikes of the Aprilia kind doing high speed wheelies along the road. Jeaneen asked later why Annie didn't pull over to the left as it went past, she replied that her mouth was open and she couldn't believe her eyes! And so on to Morrinsville following Roscoe around and round the block or two.he was just playing with us. Alan's alarm goes off again, Les cadges a smoke, Roscoe cadges 12 coffees off his sister and shows us his feminine side by playing with his baby nephew. The Hamiltonians head for home with Bob from Te Kuiti in our group, the rest lag behind and turn off where, Bob? Hope he got home alright... |