So Saturday was the Annual Wellington C1KC (Capital 1000km
Cruise). I have been reading people
previous write ups on these type of events and fancied having a crack at it
myself. Did a few 500k plus rides in the weeks building up to try and condition
myself including a 650km blast week before last in some pretty grim weather .
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| FJ Cleaned and Ready |
Anyway bike washed tyres checked , front bit scrubbed out on
the edges but plenty of tread in the middle J. Alarm goes off at 4.30 am and woke bright as
a button up breakfast and out the door about 5.15.
Nice ride over the hill to Upper Hutt where there were already
a good collection or riders ready to go.
Didn’t know anyone on the ride so didn’t know what to expect
but had an open mind. Not really keen on riding in groups of people I don’t know
so had planned to do my own thing really and was happy with that choice.
People soon started heading off so I put on my yellow ribbon
geared up and started what for me was an epic journey.
The Rimutukas were covered in low cloud and quiet wet in
places not my favourite ride in the wet, had a good ride to the summit then got
caught behind a few cars following a land rover towing a trailer. Decided to
just stay behind them, no heroics so early into the ride.
Nice ride up to Eketahuna managed to get a huge moth smack
bang in the middle of my visor pulled over to clean it off and off again.
Picked up some bikes behind me and we all made our way over the track together.
Pulled up at first checkpoint and got cameras out for evidence
photos. Then headed off into Ashurst where we all got a bit confused at which
road to take, a quick chat and we were off again.
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| First Checkpoint of the Day |
Next stop Kimbolton where we stopped again for photos and
introductions. The 2 guys on Suzuki 109s and I decided to stick together so
headed off for a great run through Rangiwahai on some awesome roads. Was a bit
startled at how quickly the FJs fuel gauge was going down so did a few mental
guesstimates and worked it out I should just be able to get to Taihape. Got
there with a litre left in the tank !!
Lots of bikes filling up so quick as we could and off again. We picked
up another rider on a Busa and made our way to Rotorua. The mountain looked
quiet magical but no time to stop for pics today.
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| Kimbolton Church |
Got to Rotorua in good time our moving average for the
section from Taihape was over a ton.
FJ gasping for gas again so stopped at servo and decided to
have our lunch break there, its then the guys on the 109s told thay had planned
3 fuel stops as they had a 350km range ! Just missed meeting BanditRider here we were leaving as he was pulling in . Tagging along with me didn’t help
their cause. Anyway feed fuelled and toilet stop and off to next photo stop at
the Skyline.
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| Skyline ( KoroJ in background) |
This is where my GPS packed a sad so we decided to go back
to following KoroJs notes and headed off again. KoroJ came past us while we
were at the side of the road we decided to follow him, he orginised the event
so he must know the way was the logic behind the decision. Followed him for
sometime when we got stopped at roadworks , at this point he told me he was
doing a diversion and we needed to keep on to Putaruru which was great as we
would have quite happily followed him all the way .
Next photo stop on Old Taupo Rd at the hall then off again.
Fantastic roads all the way down never rode before I was in heaven.
Next photo stop on Old Taupo Rd at the hall then off again.
Fantastic roads all the way down never rode before I was in heaven.
Picked up another rider on a bandit and had a good jolly
down the Western Bay Road. Then picked up another that turned out to be KoroJ
again.
Next stop was National Park and more Gas for the FJ. Then
just down the road for picture at Raetihi then blast down the Para,s Great fun
then boring roads back to Wellington from there.
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| Last stop of the day |
Back to Parrot and Jigger to sign in Just over 12 hours all
up so happy with that. Thought I would feel totally shattered but was fine,
arse ached badly at about the halfway stage but that sorted itself out and was
quiet comfortable on the whole downward leg.
All in all a fantastic day meet some great people no one
with ego’s to fulfil bust good people with a comman interest having a bloody
good time. Bring on next years J
FJ performed well but front tyre really scrubbed out on
edges now J
