I'd been reading some mags lately and had in mind one of those pooftah neck warmers, so that was my excuse. Rang my brother Clive in Feilding, who punts a Suzuki GS1200SS retro rocketship and he was on for a ride - also to escape from "honey-do" and the garden.
Stopped at Phil Turnbulls, but they didn't have the neck warmers in stock, so the morning was off to a cheap start.
To Feilding, 20kms away, and by 11am we were on the road.
Fabulous fine day, hardly a cloud or a breeze, and in the sunshine it was glorious (although I do cheat somewhat with heated grips).
We rode to our home town of Wanganui, on the coast about 45 minutes.
Took a circumtuitous route to Virginia Lake where we had lunch in a new cafe. Food - soup of the day brocolli and blue vein, garlic bread, with coffee and cake to follow was hot, waitress service great and fast. We ate out on the balcony in the sun.
Then took a ride out to Kai Iwi Beach, just a bit up the coast - a small holiday village where we used to come as kids, and where we later brought our own families on camping holidays. Here's some pix - about the only place where we got a chance to take photos....
Clive with his GS.
Moi with the Vulcoon
Bikes posing on the clifftop
Back to Wanganui, dodging cyclists in a race event, and had a ride through the Basin Botanical Reserve - to suss it out as a potential family picnic spot. They were just starting to plant this out on a dairy farm when we left Wanganui in 1980, and it was great (especially on a fine day!).
Back in to Wanganui for a nostalgic suburban tour past some familiar homes, then down through the main street Victoria Avenue and up Durie Hill.
Stopped at one of my staff's place to see him since he broke his ankle the other day skiing over the top of a snow boarder up Mt Ruapehu - but he wasn't home.
So blatted back to Clive's via the main road for a welcome cuppa, and I got home here about half an hour ago.
The Vulcan turned 60,000km on the odo today, and apart from a 'sticky' and 'clunky' gearchange around 1st 2nd and Neutral which happened after I beefed up the clutch spring she went like a dream.
(I think I got some air in the system, or the clutch washers dropped out of line on reassembly - never mind, I can live with that for now.)
Cheers,
Howard.
