Do cherries come in threes?

Just to share 2 good things that happened yesterday..

Firstly I visited Tony's widow on Thursday evening and spent almost 2 hours with her, her daughter Tess and hubby and 3 rather boisterous grandkids with the associated competition to get the attention of the new bloke in the house.

During the visit I found out that Doreen still had not heard anything from the pension fund and as Tony was the only earner she was starting to have some financial difficulties, paying the housing association for example,

Friday I contacted Employee Assistance and make it clear that I thought Doreen had been 'dropped' and asked that they committed to contact here and help her at this time.  A couple of whiz bang emails and phone calls and guess what, a substantial amount of money, which I presume she was due from the pension fund, was released to her bank.  Result!  I live 200 miles away but I think I heard her faint!

And then I got a phone call later in the day from Force4 chandlery that the Gill OS2 (offshore sailing suit) that I've been waiting for since September had finally arrived in stock, was now in the post and with a fair wind should arrive at my house on Christmas Eve!  It is next years model and has been given to me for the same price as the old suit as a gesture of good will.  Result number 2!

For a while now I have known the saying that good or bad things tend to come in threes.  I'm due to go out to do some more Christmas shopping today so... cherry number 3?  You never know Baby!

Speak soon

I got a cherry on my cake!

As promised I have some more video to share.

This time with Frankie's 'Welcome to the Pleasuredome' as an appropriate accompanying track.  I'm finding it real enjoyable to browse back over the video.  Significantly better than still photo's and maybe I should vlog in future?  Anyway this one is of The Forgotten World Highway.  Pretty remote with about 20km of gravelly roads, and no longer a problem for me and the Ten12

See: The Forgotten World Highway

In all of the days travelling, nothing, absolutely nothing went off the 'plan'.  Everything was on time, no hitches, no issues, all good.  But of all of the most insignificant things when I got home I found that a small leather loop had gone missing off a favourite leather belt.  Bum!

I kinda knew I had it on the Coromandel and a few 'can you check please' emails later Randal wrote back with the good, the bad and the ugly news.  In that yes the day before he had found it on the driveway, had binned but, that the bins had not left the house!  So after many a happy (not) hour and day I guess trawling through bins and dark corners of clothing and workshops, he finally finds it!  Yay!  And I got it back last week and is now on the belt. Woo Hoo!  Thanks again Randal!

How insignificant you might think.  But of all the things that went good this was the only microscopic, minuscule, irrelevant issue for me.  But when I found it in the pile of post on the floor last week it brought a huge smile to my face.  From the biggest problem to the smallest then in the face of adversity whatever shape or size it may be, if we look hard enough we can always find something, even if to others is irrelevant or insignificant, to bring a smile back to our faces.

And sadly I heard that a friend, Scotty, a great mate of Kev's, committed suicide the other week and also with great sorrow write that Elaine's mum died in hospital last week too.  I feel hugely for everyone, including Tony's family, as all of them similarly need to get something, maybe small, nonetheless good and positive and enlightening sent to them soon, maybe even in the post.

So after a short wait.... I finally got the cherry on my cake,

I think that it is now time to find cherries for everyone else too, don't you think Baby?

Speak soon

A Little More Video

Another round up of the run around New Zealand this time with some video from the handheld camera and some easy listening music courtesy of Sang Froid - Sunsets...  enjoy...

See:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dZG7xsD6xU

Speak soon

Jet Lag

Oh dear, I had forgotten just how hard it is to change body clocks back to normal

After effectively 3 weeks in other time zones I get back to the UK having managed to get some sleep on the return flight.  Really thought that the business class and the flat bed was a winner here but oh no.

Sunday night, was drop dead tired by 6pm UK time and by 8pm just had to go to bed.  Dropped into a deep sleep and woke up some time later, checked the clock and damn, only 11.30pm.  Fought the rest of the night trying to sleep but really quite wide awake.

Work Monday was hard.  3 weeks of catch up to do including a complete re-organisation at work.  Midday was extremely tired so has 15 minutes sleep on the sofa.  Back to work then again @4pm was really stingy in the eyeballs.  Finished work about 6pm, had to go to bed at 8.30pm again and again woke up at 11.30pm

Tuesday was Tony's funeral.  Thanks to Dave on my team in that he picked me up and drove the 350 mile round trip.  Thanks God.  I was hallucinating in the car at around 5pm,weird stuff with a floating dashboard with uncontrollable power naps in the passenger seat.  Got home, put some dinner on the stove, back in the living room and next thing I recall is waking up 1 hour later.  Quickly back into the kitchen to find a carbonised pan with the remains of mixed vegetables permanently welded to it.  Gave up and went to bed at 9pm.  Woke again at 1.30am.

This is hard work

For the rest of the night had very weird dreams of me in some non existent part of New Zealand, the bit where the exorcist lives I fear cos everything was grotesque.  I was stuck in a permanent loop of riding around steep gravel tracks on the edge of huge precipices and could not get home.  Not nice...

It is now 10pm in the UK and I am still up.  Good.  Will go to bed at at 11 and see just how far / how long I sleep for tonight.  I'm hoping things are for the better.

Damn you New Zealand.  Why oh why can't you be closer to me and not 8000 miles beneath my feet.

Enjoy your new day. I will do so tomorrow!

Speak soon

All Done

I have arrived back home.  Jet lag is not too bad, a little sleep on the flight took care of that I hope.  On the train last night looking out of a darkened window I would swear that I saw the shadows of New Zealand hills and forest flash by.  It has had that magnitude of an impact on me and one reason why I also slept with a light on last night so that I did not awake in a darkened room in a middle earth dreamworld as nice as that may have been.  I am grateful for many memories and experiences, only a few of which have been included in this blog.  And 3500km riding in 11 days is, for my English bones, just about right thank you!

Thanks everyone who made time to read the musings of a middle aged man.  I have enjoyed putting finger to keyboard and through this, being that this is a first blog, have found a new mechanism other than FaceBook (which I am now off forever), of expressing my thoughts and observations, as much for me to read over the coming months and to help what I think is a failing memory, as well as sharing the journey with you.

I will add the YouTube links to this post as I get them done over the coming week... but to start with here is a compilation of the 12 days in the saddle, see : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikcxqxyl6Xs

Thanks for travelling with me...

Speak soon
Wayne

Day 22 - Shhhh!

I'm as silent as a church mouse eating crinkle cut crisps during sunday worship...

I'm the in the business class lounge in Hong Kong airport.  Its quiet and as clean, moist and warm as a high class call girls armpit, well that's what I'm calling it today.....

Surreptitiously doing video of the biking....  Shhhh.... don't tell anyone...

Speak soon....

Day 21 - Parting is such sweet sorrow...

I have just parted with an old friend.

You know how over time one grows fond of someone or something, like a ropey mutt, a heinz 57 if you like, or a petulant pensioner hell bent on being the trouble of your life at stalag 13 for the elderly.

Well me and Ten 12 have parted.  I have only known her, for it is a she, for 11 nights and 12 glorious days whilst we have danced the miles away with the best that New Zealand could put on the juke box.  Old favourites like the Forgotten World quick step, or the Gentle Annie waltz, or the Coromandel jive.  Together we have whirled and pirouetted and climbed, nay soared, and fallen in a way that would amaze should you have been able to watch us from a lofty, er loft.  Our efforts have worn callouses into each others unmentionables and has even taken a strip of rubber from some undergarments.  Now that's the type of lady that I like to dance with.

So Ten is  now gone.  But alas whilst I now frolic in the clouds and be a general nuisance to the Air New Zealand stewardesses where I will regale of the days just passed, Ten will soon cajole, fraternise, flash here bright beamy eyes and say 'why don't you try me' to the next leather clad masochist, but only once she is refreshed and the wash and brush up is done.

Back home it is now to the love of my life.  No not work for that is a sin, but to the K1200S that has sat patiently waiting for her master to return, and no doubt will try to bite my leg off in the next set of cold wet winters bends!  Note to self, I need to get her some new rubber too!  Phwooooaaaarrrrr... she said as I twister her throttle....

I have so much video now I will take days, nay weeks to mull it over and select the good stuff.  Like looking for the best wines on the ropey shelves at Tesco's.  Someone has to do it and it will take time to find but the result with be splendid, especially if watched with a bit of cheese eh Gromit.

So a huge thanks to Randal Brown of http://www.aucklandmotorbikehire.com.  Such a friendly chap full of the love of the dance but only with the right girl of course and only if she wears BT021s or 023s, Phwarrr!  Nudge nudge, wink, wink, know what I mean? Eh? Eh?  I heartily recommend Randal to anyone wanting to follow in my, and anyone else's tread marks.

I will add more vid to the blog before the end, else also look me up on YouTube (Wayne Tyssen).

Parting is such sweet sorrow Baby, we will dance again one day... soon.

Speak soon

Day 20 - Is this the end?

I was dreaming last night.

Weird in that half awake / half asleep stage somewhere at God knows o'clock I was laid on the foredeck of a yacht, looking up at the jib.  It was a becalmed night, as dark as the heart of Satan and I was fearful that the sail was still up (I could feel it) and that I might lose my glasses overboard.  Panic ensued with me fumbling around for my specks.  Somewhere in that madness I realised I was awake in a pitch black motel room and the jib was the wall by my head.  Was not nice in an unsettling way and maybe a foresight into the nights ahead, should I ever buy that yacht and set sail for distant lands.

At reception this morning I was asked ' did you have a good nights sleep Mr Tyssen' which whilst not that unusual might have been prompted because of reports of a fat dude stood out on the balcony of appartment number 11 at 3am stark naked shouting 'shiver my timbers!'  A polite lot these New Zealanders...

For sure the Coromandel peninsula is the icing on the cake of this visit to New Zealand.  The 'Wow Factor' is huge, thanks Randal for your predictions.  Loved the roads, loved the scenery and the good news is, because I approached it from Thames today, that tomorrow I get to see the whole thing again in reverse.  Not that the bike has a reverse gear but you know what I mean and as good as a different way home for sure.  I am stacking up the gigs of video taken on this trip and for sure have overestimated my abilities / wifi access to get it processed and up on YouTube each day.  Never mind.  I have lots of  the good stuff to play with over the coming days and I will keep this blog running with that and some additional personal reflection of the holiday until all is done.  So that will be Christmas then...

The eggy smell also lingered today, not really noticeable until at the end of the day, in the shower, I thought poo! is that me? Hmmm, not a nice smell is it?  I can normally place people by their looks, for example the Dutch have up turned noses and a sloping forehead, people from West Yorkshire have flat faces and googley eyes (hi Fiona).  Neva thought I would place people by their smell but come to think of it the people of Scarborough..  Hmmm.  Fishy.  I wondered why everyone was keeping me at arms length and why flies seem to follow me everywhere that I went...  Don't forget Rotorua's water is all geo thermal so impregnated with the sulphur I guess.  I did not realise that I had so quickly grown used to it.   Also now explains an interesting sign I recall that said: 'no mining or drilling' unless that is you want a really really nice hot bath!

Is this the end?  All has been better than expected and would be a tad better with someone to enjoy it with.   The people, the places, the roads, the weather, the shiny bits, all has been fabulous.  I'm currently sat finishing off a bottle of The Beacon 2004 Reserve Merlot on the balcony at Kappeli's (no not the ice cream parlour at Scarborough our kid) listening to the waves breaking over the distant cold volcanic rocks waiting for the stars to come out....

Tomorrow is time to run back to Auckland and get to the airport for about 19:00 ish for the just before midnight fight home.

This is not the end Baby, we must do this again and sometime soon....

Speak soon

Day 19 - Poo! Rotten Eggs!…

I got told off last night.  I think I upset the Te Puke locals.

Whilst I was tucked up in a corner of the bar waiting to be lynched, one of the local Mauris smiled at me from their group and I politely smiled back.  Now this is apparently a ' why don't you come over and join us at our table' smile and whilst I acknowledged it, per normal, I stayed put.  The evening passed, more video was done (I still cannot upload due to limited bandwidth) and as I went to leave the bar I was politely asked to come across to their table and introduce myself.  Which I did.  Quickly followed by a 'listen mate, if we smile its because we really want to speak with you and say hello!'  Ooooer!  I've upset the locals twice in one night.  I'm hoping they use a highwayman's knot (I've remembered it! see earlier blog) at the lynching so I can make a quick release and getaway!  

Now being that I am a sensitive Yorkshireman with all the social graces of a hippo, I recall that a remote 'come hither' look in my teen hippo days first of all had me looking round in case I was accidentally in someone elses line of sight followed by a 'who me?' kinda look back before wandering over with a gift cabbage (hi Brian / John) which normally and quickly resulted in a slap across the face.  Hence my reluctance last night.  Pavlov has taught me well how to avoid such things.  Anyway was great to speak with them about life and PC's and other worldly things including sheep.  At the end of the evening I'm told that I AM just like my nephew (Brad) who lives and breathes his life away on his PC.  And in this case I cannot argue that, last night, me and Brad were one and the same.  Anyway there is a promise to return and leave the PC, phone and all things not beer shaped or flavoured at home.  Also met an 82 year old Dutch bloke today.  Right friendly and chatty chappie, sparkly eyes and full of life.  Another one off the ships in the 1950's methinks and he similarly finds New Zealand Lekker!

The ride from Te Puke to Rot(ten)orua (sorry for the play on words but the smell of sulphur / rotten eggs is a little bit overpowering to a sensitive hippo like myself) was fun and was the longest day in the saddle before refuelling (360Km).  Again some beautiful scenery and good roads, but also some bad.  Crested a rise to find without warning the tarmac stopped and the gravel started.  A bit of a ooh aah bird moment at 100kph, but speed was scrubbed off quickly and over it I went.  Off road riding?  Pah!  The feeling that one is not connected with something solid is now old hat to a hardened traveller so a short sojourn across the screes was no problem for me and the Ten 12 today.

But why does animal life continue to sling itself at me?  Talking of birds again, they seem to enjoy flitting in front of the bike and exiting from under my wheels unharmed.   Was getting used to that then this bigger bugger, like a dwarf crow or a muscled budgie (eh?), decided to have a go at head height.  Ooooh!  Michael will tell you that sailing taught us that EVERYTHING on a constant bearing will collide with you.  Also if you see a green light then you have right of way.  And as I did not see green but did see the whites of its eyes I grimaced and shrugged so hard I thought that a giant had pinched my neck twixt forefinger and thumb as though to squeeze a giant zit.  Result!  No Impact!  But for the next 30 miles I rode the bike with bulging eyes and a red face cos I shrugged a bit too hard!

Anyway, the smell of sulphur is a bit overpowering tonight.  Poo!  Reminds me of when, as a child, Dad used to grip me (and my brother Allan and for all I know the 5 sisters too until we came along) in a head lock, using his legs with his bum and our noses pointing the wrong way.  Aaahhh memories.  Thanks Dad!  And have just come out of the jacuzzi like an over done kipper, a hard boiled egg,  Bits and pieces are now restored to normal and bum massaged by bubbles other than my own after a long day in the saddle.   

Also just remembering, hit another flock of sheep in the road today.  No not literally…. but got a good vid of the buggers on the move past the bike…

Sheep don't half gasp and pant when running away from the dogs in warm weather Baby!

Speak soon..

Day 18 - A day at the races...

The bike's thermometer tells big fibs.

New Zealand has today shown its other side to me.  Bloody cold!  Figured that no holiday in NZ is complete without a bit of the wet stuff and the forecast had predicted it with a cold front moving up the east side of the island which it promptly did last night.  No sooner had I arrived yesterday at the Masonic hotel, an art deco type with a lot of 1930's style, that the heavens opened with the wet stuff.  Not heavy but enough to water the garden for sure.  But not the matter, I had arrived early after a grand run along Gentle Annie I tucked up in an expensive bar charging of 2022 prices for beer so drank slow and cracked on with vid editing and blog bits.  Broadband in NZ is not like the UK, i.e. unlimited.  I think I used up the hotels months allocation with YouTube stuff cos for sure it was off the air this AM!

Up for an early start as the bike was on a parking meter and being that I am a Yorkshireman I was not to part with another dollar and so on my way by 9am.  Definitely cooler than previous days with high pressure in the West and a Southerly wind up the east coast.  Now back home a Southerly normally means good warm weather but seeing as I am at the other end of the planet, high pressure systems do two things.  1, spin the wrong way (anticlockwise) and 2, bring bloody cold air in all the way from the south pole I think.  Showers were predicted but was looking dry so away I went.  Today's jaunt up the coast via Gisbourne to the Te Puka Tavern on the east coast was not as spectacular as earlier days but was needed to get me up onto the north east coast.  

Somewhere approx 30k's South of Gisbourne the weather hit.  Moments before I has stopped at the roadside and put the fleece on.  And thank God I did!  The next 30K was wet and bloody cold, that kinda penetrating cold which back home would have the heated grips on and me looking to get back to base ASAP.  I suspect that I had caught up with the cold front.  Bloody felt like it.  The bike climbed into the Wharerata Forset and the thermometer dropped, from 12 degrees to 7.   Sorry Ten 12, you are wrong today, the numbness in my hands with silk liner (thanks sis!) and waterproof gloves over, made me forget about the numbness in my arse.  Definitely less than 7 degrees.  My growing end, being reliable in these matters, vouched for this in that it's 'size' is proportional to the air temperature, so I guess about minus 5 today!

So now I am sat in the Te Puka Tavern bar.  Working on the blog and vids with a warm log fire (never thought I would write that in New Zealand) to my arse end, beautiful ocean scene to my front end and surrounded by people in their glad rags for the Melbourne cup.  Had no option but to have a go on the tavern sweep stake (because to drink in here one has to be in the sweepstake apparently).  So I parted with 5 dollars, closed my eyes, stabbed the clipboard and hit number 11.  

And it came second and got placed.  I've just won 30 bucks!. Oh dear!  Imagine, a stranger, because for sure the rest are locals, comes into a bar and wins the sweepstake.  I'm gonna be lynched!  

Coming second in most things in life is normally enough for me, including not being first to the top of everything.

As long as I get there Baby!

Speak soon

Day 17 pt 2 - I need a 3rd foot...

Annie was gentle with me today.

Her older sister, Brunhilde the Ball Breaker, was not.  Today's route was in the sat nag which took me in a kinda squiggly straight line to Annie out up Route 4 from Wanganui and somewhere along it the sat nag (it is no longer my friend) took me to the right and into the hills.  All good, single track much like some of the minor B roads in the Dales and Wolds back home.  Again beautiful scenery and then the sat nag said turn right.  I double checked because what looked like a farm track surely was not the right way to go?

But it was.  Again a gravel (single track this time) road with a high camber and plenty of the loose stuff with steep edges on tight hairpin turns.  I have never done it but presume that the experience of wrestling a bull by the horns is similar to my efforts at getting a Ten 12 down a gravel lane at just over trotting pace.  For sure I am having difficulty typing this evening as  I have lost all strength in my hands.  I keep trying to pick things up but have lost the power or grip.  For sure an impression of my fingerprints is now firmly and indelibly pressed into the Ten's bar ends; not a bad feat considering I had two layers of gloves on!  I was thinking of leaving a memento of my visit in NZ and think that I have now over done that...  The Owhakura Road has left a lasting impression.

So there I was, right hand bend, off camber, downhill, with right foot off the footrest surfing the scree and I'm in need of a brake!  Did not dare touch the front and thank God (Him again) for engine braking which the Ten 12 has by the bucket full.  A 3rd leg and foot, no not a military unit, would have been nice though.  Whilst I am now a self proclaimed GOD of off road riding, this ass still needs to find time at the BMW off-road school in Wales, and soon!

The fight with Bruhilde was hard won. I still have my wedding tackle intact and connected albeit now a bit dusty.  Hah, Brunhilde!  Take that you wafer thin mint eater you! (said with a French accent of course, Monty Python style).

And again it only gets better.  Annie was gentle for sure at the start and I thought nice, easy ride.  Came to the section often shown on the web, see : http://youtu.be/AhbPt1-MCn8 for a truckers eye view.  So did this, down the hill, back up the hill, video in various poses and with a bit of doo, di, doo, da, daaa in my mind and thought that this close encounter of the 3rd kind had finished, turned off the camera and headed onwards for Napier.  But no, that was just the start.  The scenery in the Kaweka Forest Park is stunning.  Look at that, no look at that now look at THAT!  Thought I'd dropped off the bottom of the planet into another universe.  Camera back on!  For the first time in the holiday I stopped the bike, contemplated and reversed the course for 10k to see it in the other direction too.  And back again.  Hopefully all is shown when I publish today's video.  Asap it will be there.... promise.

But for now here is Day 3 (I am still in catch up).  See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-atli3bS8c. A time lapse camera experiment for day 4 went wrong so have nowt for that unless you want to see 3000 still photos!  Day 5 was my Birthday so similarly no travel.  Day 6 was Taupo to Whanganui via the Lost World Highway - NZ's number 1 rated drive.  It's close between that and Annie for me.  Lost World will be ready for issue tomorrow night!

For sure NZ is a country needing many types of riding skills and North Island, for a biker, is so much better.  And surprising that today's riding reminded me moreso of South Island roads and landscapes than at any other time.

And the trucks are hauling milk (not logs) now Baby!

There is a story in here about asses and milk but the link momentarily escapes me...

Speak soon

Day 17 - Gentle Annie

She is now in my sat nav and is the target for today.

I'm currently sat in the Breakers Bar, attached to the Grand hotel.  Poached eggs on toast has gone down well and now have to wait whilst the computer thingy does it bit with the Day 3 video.  Not yet catching up but will try to keep future vids to 3-4 minutes or so.  At the end of the holiday I will do a roundup vid of all of the good bits (for me anyway) and have already selected the track that I want to use with it.

Last night, the final leg in to the Hotel was 'fresh' to put it mildly. Even though I had an evening sun on my back I do need to remind myself that this is still late spring in New Zealand and there is still snow falling on South Island.  However today is again bright and sunny.  Will wrap up today as also likely to find showers on the west coast.

The manager of the hotel was remembering to me, as a 20 something in the army, how they took a convoy of trucks across the Annie; that was the days before the tarmac road, and how at the end of the day they circled the trucks, wild west style, as an encampment in the bush.

Hmmm.  Encamped in Annie's bush.  Brian, that is one for you my friend...

More to follow later today Baby.

Speak soon

Day 16 - I visited a republic today

Why do people want to get to the top of things?

Whether it is trees, mountains, the Earth, classes, companies, etc...  There seems to be something about human beings that drives a need to get to the top.  For me it is silly things like countries.  Can I get to the most northern part and if yes then I go for it.  In the scale of things like those done by a multitude of explorers with drive and determination and machete's and ice axes my ambitions are a bit on the limp side as it must have a good road to it.  But still I do it and there is no other reason for doing it other than to say that I have done it.    Whether Scotland and places like Cape Wrath or as on this trip to Cape Reinga on North Island.  Now I do not know if it is truly the most northerly point on mainland New Zealand but it is as far as the road goes....

And that is good enough for me.  So here I now have the vid of the run up and back down again.  See :  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEGOdazyUB8  .

It was a lovely day, a long day in the saddle.  I now have callouses on the soft parts of my bum (the seat on a Ten12 is a bit on the firm side; a park bench rather than an armchair methinks).  But thank God I'm not doing this on a Harley Davidson as I would have given up and bailed out even before leaving Kaitaia for the round trip to the cape.  Just the thought of serious back ache and stretched hamstrings a la California is enough to put that idea away forever (see earlier Harley blog for why).

Yesterday was a wet day but the good news no motorcycling!  Yay!  However, said my farewells to John and Barbara today after 2 nights at their rather splendid house overlooking Lake Taupo.  The penthouse room was truly spectacular and sorry Barbara that I could not find a cable for you to help with the video editing.  But it is also likely that you will need a new PC as whilst a 10 year old model might have the connectivity, it probably will not have the disk space as video consumes gigs faster than I consume muffins!

Today though was back on the bike and away south finishing the day in Wanganui.  Long day riding again.  In fact all rides will be long in the saddle to cover all that I want to do.  But today included a run along the Forgotten World Highway.  And yes Randal, your predictions are right in that the riding and scenery is only improving as I get the miles in.   Had a late lunch at Whangamomona Hotel.  The town has declared itself a republic as a protest to council boundary changes in the 60's, see : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whangamomona

Video for today's ride is under construction.  I'm not quite as quick as I would like to be but the vid will get uploaded as soon as is ready.  With a few tunes too as watching a bike vid can be as interesting as watching paint dry unless supported by an appropriate ambient track.

Tonight I am in the Grand Hotel in Wanganui.  For sure feels and looks like it has frozen in time since the 1950's.  A characterful place... and with WIFI.  Yay!  So good for blogs and YouTube stuff which is now in underway....

Tomorrow is a ride on the Gentle Annie road.  I'm aiming to reach the coastal town of Napier by 19:30 tomorrow evening as it is likely that I will meet John in the bar at the Mason's Hotel post his painting duties in Napier (or was that code for fishing John?).  He's the only guy I know that trailers a speedboat with him when he goes decorating.  Hmmm.

Hope Annie is gentle with me tomorrow Baby

Speak soon

Day 15 Continued - Sat in an Internet Cafe...

First NZ video now uploaded onto YouTube - see Day 12!  More to follow...

Ciao Baby!

Day 15 - Fireworks Tonight?

But only the good ones I hope and not have an argument.

And a quick note, I have changed settings on vids to allow anyone / everyone to see them.  Let me know if you cannot.... doe to copyright on music for example...

I was right to suspect that the fireworks last night were for Guy Fawkes. I presume a legacy to the family histories and links to the UK.  Mr Fawkes, another Yorkshireman and a Yorkist I think, was intent on killing the King (James 1st) to remove the Protestant monarchy and restore Catholicism in England.  But failed etc etc.  read more if you want of the history at :  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes

Today is my 50 birthday don't you know.  I have made it.  Yay!   See:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I-zBEfuWWw

Don't know whether I should say this but almost did not because an interesting sequence of (very fast) events on the bike yesterday.  Something like this:

I was enjoying the curves in the back stuff.  I was approaching a right hand sweeper, safe to take at approx 40mph.  So on the approach dropped two cogs on the bike, opened the throttle to keep the power balanced and wooo!  Nice.  Saw the 34 wheeler coming around the bend in the opposite direction but all was good, right position, right speed, nice.  The the next 3 seconds became very interesting.

I still had my left boot hovering over the gear lever and just as passing the truck hit undulations then a bump in the road.  A gentle tap on the gear lever gave me a false neutral.  Engine revs rose and my reaction was to 1, keep the turn going and 2, close the throttle.  Now at this stage the normal process is to declutch and change UP  into a higher gear.  But within 1 second hit bump number 2.  The boot for the second time tapped the gear lever and snicked into the next gear down.  So now immediate engine load put on the back wheel (throttle closed) which immediately slowed its rotation and started a mini slide.  Still doing 40 mph in a tight right hand bend the back end 'stepped' to the left and immediately initiated a left right left right slide.  I de-clutched and allowed the back end to settle and straighten out of the bend.

This has probably left 3 indelible marks.  1, A black snaking line of rubber on the bend overlaid with 2, a brown snaking line made up of the contents of my bowels!  The 3rd is a big red love bite on the bike saddle caused by the sudden grip of a puckered arse just before letting go with the smelly stuff!  In a huge number of miles riding this is only the second time that bumps in the road have caused me have a 'moment' and being that I learn from things then today I will add a new sign on Randal's bike just below the 'keep left' on the left hand mirror to say ' if not changing gear then please keep your boot clear of the gear lever at all times'  This would effectively render the mirror useless but would be a far greater safety device to a numpty like me.  Experience matters.  A novice may have grabbed a handful of front brake and stood the bike up and launched Evil Knievel style with a loud and long hoooohoooo!! off the road into the scenery some 100 ft below.

Randal, the bike is fine and I'm making it sound worse than it was for the fun of embelisment and writing about it.  I'm sure that it would see loads more excitement from a bit of off road use but for me, what might have looked like a fat man with an unexplained wobble on in the trucks rear view mirror definitely felt worse than it was.

I guess truck driver is still there now looking over the 'edge' on the outside of the bend shouting ' hello, anybody there, can you hear me, are you OK?....'

In this blog I have mentioned God a few times.  The person one talks to on occasion, in private or in communion, to ask of such things as why do boats hurt so much and how on earth did I break the pinkie on my right foot?  Or why do people die and what can be done to help those suffering with pain and grief.  For sure I am not a religious man.  I do not attend church but do on rare occasion find my self speaking to Him.  As much to ask why but also to say thanks! as was the case today for my 50 years.  For sure many things have happened in my life that mean that I can do the things that I do.  Others can do more, even more people can only do a lot less.  I thank Him for all of this, for my mum and dad who brought me into this world.  For the patience of family and friends and for all the other things, too numerous to mention.  But He knows...

Today I will pop into Taupo to try to help find a cable for Barbara and John to help with with their home movies; to find a nice place to eat (Plateau recommended for good food and beers); and, to join another 10,000 people at the fireworks display in Owen Delaney Park @ 9pm.

Soon will be time to break out the sparklers Baby!

Speak soon

Day 14 - I want a cherry on my cake!

Tomorrow i will celebrate surviving 50 years on this planet.

And with huge sadness, yesterday I was informed that Tony had died whilst in hospital Tuesday Am this week.  So so quick, It cannot be more than 2 months ago that he told me about the backache that was keeping him awake at night.  And no more than 1 week after his diagnosis he has passed away.   I had not known Tony for long.  A gentle character, softly spoken and a good man.  We will miss him.  My heartfelt condolences to his family for what has been not only an untimely death but exceptionally fast illness too.   How can things like this happen so quickly?  Only God knows.  Rest in peace Tony.  So so sorry my friend.     

I have now reached my main destination of Lake Taupo in New Zealand.  I am currently sat on a balcony on the eve of my 50th Birthday looking out over the lake.  The forecast for tomorrow is rain, which is OK by me because it will be the one day I will not be riding the bike.  Again another good day today.  Overcast most of it but still more and more of the great scenery and fantastic roads.  You know that feeling when as a child you looked at the pile of silver and red and gold and blue and green foil wrapping on the floor and then at your seventh unopened Easter egg and thought, maybe save that one till later?  I wish I could do that too but I cannot.  I cannot take any part of this country back to the UK with me so will have to accept the fact that I am addicted, chocolate is no longer enough, I have taken this country intravenously and in 1 weeks time will have to pay the price of a massive come down and suffer 'cold turkey'.  But hey, that will be nice too with a bit of cranberry sauce and some roast tatties on the flight home! I can always find good in bad :-)

In the distance across the lake are the lights of Taupo.  All around me and on the horizon there are flashes and bangs and crackles and multi coloured fountains of light.  Could it be that New Zealand does like the UK and celebrate Guy Fawkes night?  Or am I missing and ignorant of a celebration in country for another event?  If the latter then I apologise for not knowing.  If the former then thanks for the sound and light show New Zealand!

Met more people today.  An old woman at a coffee house in a small village on the west coast.  At least 85 by the looks with bleached white hair, silver grey eyes and skin slightly tanned and as wrinkly as an elephants bum (I'm sure there is a better way to describe out there - sorry my dear).  Great to chat about her retirement to the coast and the festivals in the village each year.  Met another couple at the 'natural bridge', a rock formation in the middle of nowhere, and similarly find that he and his wife moved to NZ some 2 years ago.  From Ipswich.  Well you would wouldn't you - not a difficult decision methinks.

Still though am having problems with wireless access so when I get unfettered access there will be a great glob of video dropped on to You Tube, so watch out.  I will keep it short and sweet but I would like to share some of the experiences with you before I come back home.

Saturday the 3rd of November will be my 50th Birthday.  I have achieved what I set out to do. To complete 50 years of life.  And most recently the mini get togethers before I left, the sailing and Harleying in San Francisco, the miles on the Ten 12 and stringing of the pearls together as I travel from place to place.  I am for sure someone who could organise a piss up in a brewery.  

But again, tonight, I am still alone.  The silence is deafening.  The conversation is done for the day.  I feel sad in that it is these experiences in life, which can be cruelly curtailed at short notice, that do matter but would be a gazillion times more fun and rewarding and enjoyable with the right person by ones side.  Two smiles together are exponentially better than one on its own.  To hold each other, look into the others eyes and regale over the hours, the days, the weeks, the years just passed...

That would be, of all things, something just a little bit better than a trip to New Zealand Baby.  

Speak soon

Day 13 - Mmmm Cookies!

I am the Cookie Monster

Today started with Breakfast in a small town called Rrrrrrrr… nope I'm not broken just think it begins with R and my almost 50 year old brain cannot remember.   Russell! - thats the one!  Bumped into another couple today at breakfast.  The gent originated from Harrogate some 60 years ago by the looks of him.  An Aussie, so I guess part of the mass exodus in the 50's…  Still good to find that yet again on another day a coincidental 'hello' resulted in a conversation that finds a direct link back to good old North Yorkshire.  The World is definitely a small place and us Brits sure have got about a bit.

Right now I'm staring at my feet, and some 8000 miles in that direction is the soles of people I know.  Some arse soles too!  But not that many :-)  And how far away is home?  I do not miss nor pine for it and feel quite comfortable on my one man jaunt around the planet.  I guess nothing less would be expected of an almost 50 year old. 

The Tenere1200 is a tall bike.  On day one I must have looked like an arse trying to get on and off it, left leg on the floor, right leg cocked as high as that of a Yorkshire Terrier peeing against a tree straight after a Great Dane.  And still I get my boots tangled in the handles on the tail pack.  How people would laugh should the bike topple on top of me as I pull it over with my skyward boot.  How I would groan with approx 1/3 tome of jagged metal, plastic and dirty laundry pressing into my nether regions.  So the new method is :  with the bike in gear and on the side stand, like a horse, left foot on left foot rest, grab the reigns, er handle bars, step up and swing right leg across the saddle.  Works surprisingly well.  Just waiting for the comedy moment as I fall off the other side, or, end up facing backwards.  Note to self, LEFT foot on LEFT foot peg.  OK?  Also when in San Francisco learn't a new knot - the something or other (my brain fails me again) - but the same as used by cowboys when tying their horses to a post outside the bank; in that a pull on the loose end undoes the knot allowing for a quick getaway after the robbery.  I will not be using that on the bike though, security matters else 2500 NZ Dollars will trot unabated from my bank should I lose the bike. 

So why am I the Cookie Monster?  Simple.  Today I have been a child in a cake shop with an unlimited amount of pocket money.  I have gorged myself on all that is sweet, good and bad, depending on your taste.  I have twisted more than Fats Domino on a 24hr dance'athon.  I have eaten from the cookie tree and not stopped until all the fruit has gone.  New Zealand's roads are a Jezebel;  she has had me dancing in the streets, delirious with energy, unable to stop.  Care free on empty roads with mile after thousand mile of left right bends surrounded by a  jewel of a countryside.  What should I do?  Slow down and enjoy the view?  Speed up, concentrate hard on the limit point and scrape my toes in bend after bend?  Who cares?  Got to the stage mid afternoon where the camera was no longer used.  It is engorged, full of memories and images that I will look at later because for sure I could not today.  All attention was on the road for fear of becoming part of the scenery.  

I am this evening sat in the bar at the Harbour View Hotel in Raglan on the west coast.  A lot of bikers here too all similarly enjoying what has been a fantastic day in the saddle satiated with the blood of torn tyres and the sting of dislodged chippings on sore knuckles.  

I am not the Cookie Monster.  I AM Spartacus.  No! I am Spartacus! I hear all the other bikers cry.  For sure we are all heroes of the road today.

I think I'll not have a pudding after dinner today Baby!

Speak soon

Note:  Disappointed with Cooks lookout last night - not cheap and just a motel overlooking the bay.  Not close to shops nor restaurants nor bars - shame really as there are a load of motels and places in the town centre with vacancies.  Next time eh?

Day 12 - I think...

Starting to lose my days now but I think this is the entry for the 31st October.

My eyes and senses drowning in the experience called New Zealand

The video at the end of this monoblogalogue will hopefully support my thoughts which are, that New Zealand is a delight.  I am drowning in it; I am satiated and full up, fit to bust.  I am Mr Creosote and about to eat a wafer thin mint and explode and gush, outpour and guffaw, praise and regale and just generally say lots of good things about the place.   

I am now worried for New Zealanders.  So where do they go for a holiday?  To Norway to see the Fjords (nah, already have them).  Ok then to Switzerland to see the Alps (Nah, got them too…), All right, how about the Emerald Isle?  No seen lots of green here too…  OK the Caribbean?  Nope no need it is just right here.  OK, then how about the Sahara desert to see the dunes (Nah… ) yeah I get it, got them too maybe?  Yep.  From skiing to sailing, from canoeing, bungee jumping, fishing, just sunning, swimming in turquoise lagoons, the crystal clear air and the, the… sorry I'm starting to gush…

I do not know what God was thinking when he set about this place - somewhere on day 2 I guess he decided to put a cherry on the cake.  How many times did I think 'turn the camera on now', and again, and again and…  In fact got to the point where if I missed a really good view then no worries, just wait 5 minutes and another one will appear.  And probably better than the last.  

Do you like motorcycling?  Do you like twisties?  Do you like good roads and scraping boots and kneepads on smooth tarmac?  Or a bit of 'off road'? Yes?  So why don't you ever ever ever come here?  It is a must do, the only do for bikers.

This was day 2 in NZ.  I still have 8 days to go.  I am full up.  I have gorged my eyes on all shades of green and blue and brown and orange and turquoise and, and…I'm going to be such a bore at future get togethers so watch out and avoid me like the plague.  And please please please do not give me a wafer thin mint after an evening meal...

Randal, thank you for the perfect bike.  Tony Sir, thanks for the suggested detours and you do have a story to tell - hope to read about D block one day!

For day 1 See:  http://youtu.be/GlV_EI2hecE

PS - Twice now I have walked out on a balcony and looked up and seen a bright shooting star.  Both times were in New Zealand.  The first in Queenstown 3 years ago and again this evening.  I feel like I am in the film Contact.  I fear that I am living The Matrix.  I wish for the former but it must be the latter for no place in real life is this good to the eyes and soul.

The UK is so far far away Baby

Speak soon

Day 11 - I love New Zealand

First things first, URL for bike ride on Highway 1 now added, see day 9...

I'm immediately struck again by 2 things - the friendliness if the people and just how bright this country is... It's like moving from watching standard definition TV to high definition, really, is that noticeable for me.

Randal is a star! Right nice guy taking all the time needed to make me welcome and set up the bike.  A nice cuppa, said morning to his family, and after a review of the map to make sure the main bits were covered then points me in the right direction and away we go. Thanks Randal!

Took 5 minutes to gel with the Tenere but all is now good and set up as I like it.  Whilst the suspension on a BMW GS1200 feels a little softer / compliant, the Ten is a hoot in the corners, very sure footed.  And with a sweet note from the exhaust too.  So the first 200 or so miles now done in new Zealand.

Even with the sleep on the aircraft I was still blasted and about halfway into the journey had to stop in a layby and have a lay down and a bit of shut eye.  Would have looked like a motorcycle accident if it wasn't for the fact the bike was up and on the side stand,  A gaggle on cyclists went by and somewhere in the distance I heard a "looks like you've got the right idea fella" ring out.  Oh those poor weary cyclists.  Thank God again for four stroke engines, petrol and a twist grip on a right hand bar end.

That did the trick for the rest of the ride.  Scenery is stunning.  Almosty garden like in all directions (no not my garden which more resembles a small dead section of rain forest).  Thought the roads in the USA were fun did I?  Well have a look at these buggers.  See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMY6x9jZMrg  for what was a great  first day in the saddle..

Here is a version with no music in case blocked for you :  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UQpqO4RRfs

Started this blog at 5am today after at least 9hrs sleep so running a day behind with updates (today is day 12).  Hope to catch up at the end of the day today, with a small beer and a laptop on the table at the next destination, some 250 miles away which includes a jaunt to the very top of New Zealand (Cape Reinga)

It's now 7.30 am.  the clouds are clearing and the Sun is coming out Baby!

Speak soon

Day 10 - I am tired...

Struggling to keep awake right now so a quick note about last night...

For the 2nd time in my life I again missed a day.  

Westward travel means that at some stage you need to give back time accrued. And this is done by crossing the international date line, which I did circa 20 years ago and have just done again and was woken for the pleasure of that I presume cos it was not for the breakfast on board.  This was about 07:00 San Francisco time so the good news is that I must have had at least 5 to 6 hrs sleep.  Not the best sleep but the bed was flat and so now with some shut eye under my belt there should be no unintentional travels into the kiwian scenery.  Still 3am NZ time is still 3am so early doors and so will have a loooong day ahead of me today.  Randal has confirmed all is good and will be picking me up from the Airport around 6am.  

I also think that there is a comedy show developing on the NZ 007 flight from SF to Auk. Travel a little with Air New Zealand and you will see what I mean.  Like a very polite yet slightly not sure Aussie, the antedate to an Aussie red neck if you know what I mean.  Example is the steward who has a gruff mannerism saying - yer gonna have this drink whether you like it or not, whats that you don't want it? Oh OK then Sir!  Or the stewardess's... Give them anything that is 'not normal' and there is a slight fluster, almost as if things like that never happen with a 'er… yes, er not sure, er let me check, er what was it again Sir?'  I'll see if the power adapter turns up later this AM.  God knows what fun and games are happening in cattle class..

More to add to the blog later, hopefully I'll find wireless out there!

p.s. The power adapter never arrived Baby.

Day 9 - Like a Harley? Not like a Harley?

Today is the final run back down State Highway 1 to San Francisco, drop off the bike and taxi to the airport.  So this leg of the journey is coming to an end.  I'll add more thoughts about my time in San Francisco and the area to this blog later cos I have to get a move on now to avoid panic and stresses later in the day.

Thanks for the note Michael, here is the vid of the cheese grater without the music so should not be blocked now..

See:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwhkJ3g0kWo

The visit into the USA is now over, done, dusted, just a figment of my fragile (and becoming moreso as I get older) memory.  Over the last 2 days I have completed the jaunt up highway 1 to Gualala, had the steak and bits, stayed in a flea bag motel and watched the sun set into the pacific.  And then taken the Harley Numb Bum Davidson back to the dealers exactly on time.  Everything has gone like clockwork so far.  The  sailing done and dusted and met and spent time with Michael - thanks Mike for putting up with a Yorkshireman for 5 days!  I've got thoroughly wet on the bike and scraped foot boards up and back down the coast road which truly what a great place to bike for a day or two, especially of you like twisties!

See : (to add later today) for some of the spectacular riding, some of the best I have had in recent years.

So what do I like about a Harley?  The sheer presence of the bike for one and the way it glides around corners, but only when taken at the right speed (slow).  For sure had me thinking again about biking skills and how to ride again with me making noises like the Ooh Ahhh bird (named after the sound it makes; it is the only bird in the World to lay square eggs) during fast moments on the occasional tightening bend.  Fog and damp patches on newly laid tarmac also did not help with the confidence of a fat man and a fat boy getting around hairpins every time.

The run up to Gualala was about 120 miles and like I have said before, for all of the fun of riding a Harley, by Jove!, at the end of the day defo had enough and wanted, nay needed to get off it!  Sore bum, aching lower back and hamstrings stretched to the max.  Its the ridiculous riding position you see… high hands, feet forward means that all weight is on yer rear end and lower spine with your knees stuck out in fresh air taking all of the wind.  Kinda water torture for middle aged middle management types with a mind for expensive fun but bodies made out of blancmange and string.  HD's are made for city cruising or short runs out.  Be warned, for goodness sake do NOT get one if there is any intent in your life to use the bike to do any long distance touring at all.  Unless you are a masochist Yorkshireman or an Ape; Both are similar in mind and stature and both ride Harley's rather well.

Still - it brought a smile to my face on every bend.  It also brought a grimace when the fog descended.  A misted up visor and glasses and sun in my eyes for sure means a puckered arse which makes it difficult to part from the saddle, therefore bike, if you know what I mean...  I was gripping it like a sat nav mount stuck to a car windscreen.

It is now midnight 30 on the 2030 overnight flight from San Francisco to Auckland.  I am sat in a darkened cabin looking at, for all the world looks like, deep space hibernation capsules, all white and plasticky with blue backlit buttons eerily adding a flavour of 2001 a Space Odyssey to the cabin and am contemplating just when I should stop messing with this blog and pressing the blue button to get the hibernation capsule into gear for a couple of hours shut eye.  It is a 12 hr flight and arrives into Auckland at 05:30 NZ time.  And then there is a 250 mile ride ahead of me for the day.  So sleep is the number 1 priority for fear chucking me and a Yamaha Tenere 1200 and my dirty laundry at the scenery - now that would be a mess for me, the emergency services and the laundrette to deal with for sure.

Night Night Baby

Speak soon

Day 8 - The Golden Gate

Last night I ate curry.

Not that unusual back home as Indian Restaurants are ten a penny.  But as this was the only one I have seen in 6 days and its a Friday night then why not? It was a bit basic inside but the food more so reminded me of the curries in India rather than the UK.  So somewhat more authentic than the 'tikka massala' kinda stuff back home.  It was good.  No beer though, had to find my way back to another 'pub' to get one of those, and again not able to find a mainstream American or European beer...  So had a 9% IPA, in fact two of them, and at about 11pm (7am UK time) last night I gently wobbled my way back to the digs.

Just another observation about the food.  I do not think I have eaten so healthily in quite a while.  Lots of salads, there are more nuts in the bread than in a squirrel, wholewheat this and that, all very good though!

Ok I'll now bring the tone of this blog down a crotchet or quaver or something.   So whilst thinking about it, why are toilets around the world so different?  In the UK we have little pools of water in the S bend and shuddering flushes.  In The Netherlands a flat dry ledge with the 'bend' at  the front of the toilet.  This is just not right.  Why would anyone want to poo onto a ledge?   Do the Dutch like playing with their food but at the wrong end of the process?  Funny folk them Dutch.  Or India, hole in the floor, er.. nuff said...  Or America with a swimming pool of water in the bowl and a Jet Engine (sounds and works like one I reckon) to, I am sure, thrust the remains of the day direct to the sewerage farm!

It's now 6:55 am and yep, just starting to see lightness developing to the east and it looks like its going to be another b, e, a, utiful day!

So just to wrap up the sailing week, a couple more snippets of me sailing the bike and riding the cheese grater (farewell No 18 in slip 10, you will shred me no more!).  See:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhbqA1YqHsg

I'm hoping that the soreness will subside sometime soon Baby.

Speak soon

Day 7 - Last day on the water

YouTube has let me down, no matter how hard I have tried I have not been able to upload video of me wrestling with a David Harleyson and a cheese grater.  So here they are now on Vimeo:

See: http://vimeo.com/52232580  for me riding the HD out to OCSC

Yay!  This one worked, see:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwaT6ZzMshk for me, Michael and Eric and the cheese grater with man overboard drills...

See:  http://vimeo.com/52236637 for me riding back home on the freeway.

Today was the last day on the boat and was a full day in, what was, a beautiful day.  This morning I looked east and the sky was clear with blues, turquoises, yellows and a ruddy orange on the horizon. I took two things today.  A long sleeve tee shirt to save the arms from further assault by UVand a crash hat (didn't really) because I do seem to have a knack for head butting the boom (ow!)

Overall a grand day with boat control exercises in the marina under sail (no engine) having to deal with other boating traffic.  Good fun manovering the boat in a tighter area and bringing it to the pontoon under sail alone.  Even man overboard drills (I think Orange Bob is now fed up with us) have improved a good bit, and even done sail trimming for speed in light airs by using using the Outhaul, the Cunningham and the Back Stay to 'shape' the sail for more / less power.  This is a lot more complex than I ever remembered from the UK.  However the J24 is a racing yacht so definitely more bits and pieces to pull on and play with.   Good fun!

I'll add some more (and the final) vid of sailing later today / tomorrow.  Has been great fun with Michael sailing together and one never knows, maybe in the future we will meet again again at OCSC and take a boat out together.  Thanks for your patience Michael and good luck with your practical and written tests when they come around.

Tomorrow, time to ride across the Golden Gate and up the coast.  The Harley is fuelled and ready to go so am now moving into the motorcycling section of the holiday and take a trip north on Highway 1

Time to kick back and cruise baby!

Speak soon

Wayne.

Day 6 - Bad News Today...

It is enough for me to say today that a work colleague has this week been diagnosed with terminal cancer.  There just are not enough words... My most sincere and best wishes to him and his family over the coming weeks and months.

Wayne

Day 5 - I need a holiday

Just a quick note this evening cos I'm going to bed in a mo.  Am tired, worn out, dehydrated, achy, and realising now a lot has been missed in my previous training on the smaller and larger boats.  - this is really good training, a great refresher and I'm learning lots more and tired, worn out...

More to follow and a bit more vid in the AM but time now for sleep...

Sailing is hard work Baby.. (for me anyway...)

Back on line at 6am today (Day 6) so will finish this post.  I have video to share but am having problems, due to connectivity, in loading to YouTube, but give me a little time and I will get it done.  Maybe trying to do too much so tonight I will split the video into smaller bits and try again.

I would like to some more of the same sailing today so that I get more practice as some manoeuvres defo need work.  And remembering to sail the boat when the engine failed and get the crew to fix it - now there's a thought - bit like work really...  So today is back out with more marina practice using a Genoa (a fore sail that replaces the jib at the bow) as well as reefing whilst at sea.  I feel the aches starting to subside now, still a little stiff but starting to feel stronger again.  Just shows how far a human being can let their body deteriorate when working at a desk - so a thought - maybe I should go back to the gym.  Really think that would make a difference for future sailing / life / health etc..

The house is still swaying though.  I am sat here typing with a gentle feeling of the waves around me.  I'm sure that is just a retained sense... unless there is an earthquake developing today?  Wonder if that is how dogs know in advance of a quake that something's afoot; in that they feel sea sick?

I'm going to leave the house earlier today and find some brekkie nearby - Jenny's cafe is in the sat nav so that is my first and nearest destination to start with.  If anything like the evening food, which has so far all been excellent and more than slightly on the large side (ordered soup starter on Tuesday and I got a bucket of the stuff.  Very nice with crusty bread, yum).  But I need to avoid stuff like that because whilst I need a few more calories to sail the boat... or... maybe not - keep the same calories because now I'm starting to make use of 'em instead of storing the damn things.

Hands are starting to feel a little harder too, just curled the fingers and for sure they feel 'tougher' .  Seawater and skin and all that I'm sure.

Anyway I will persevere with the video and get some loaded, and again, will try later today.

Speak soon

Wayne

Day 4 - David Harleyson and Sailing

Ow ow ow!  This 50 year old body is aching enough to let me know that today, this week, I am not sat behind a desk on a laptop.  The broken pinkie (i've decided its broken because I am a wuss) has settled somewhat and I am now sufficiently wrapped up so that the 24 foot cheese grater we are sailing in the bay will shred me no more.  There is now a pattern to the weather in that most nights it rains, so is a dampish start, but predominantly is sunny and as Baby Bear might say, just right in the afternoon.

I want to go on, nay need to go on a diet.  I'm sure that my family fret over my weight but are a little too polite to say "hey Fatty!, time to give birth to that teenager isn't it?"  So true.  So this is a short blog today so that I can give you enough time to see a fat man wrestling with a David Harleyson; a cheese grater; and, his trousers in the bay.  See day 7 for links...

Today is the first day of a full sail across the bay so all day out on the water.  I will say more about the excellent food but will do that tomorrow as I need go get a move on today!

Be careful those sharks Baby!

Speak soon
Wayne

Day 3 - Wet Wet Wet!

05:30 and.. its raining.  Today is reportedly the end of a very long period of dry weather.  Same happened when I went to India.  India was suffering with a water shortage because the monsoon was 1 month late.  I arrived and the heavens opened up.  I think I have a new found talent and is great timing Wayne for biking and sailing.  Am gonna get wet  wet wet :-)

And I did.  Left the house at 7.30 thinking rain has stopped - looks OK ish.  So with the Harley loaded up set off to go 7 miles or so north to OCSC.  And God did he havens open.  About halfway there I felt like I'd peed myself (but that ugh cold feeling not the mmm warm feeling).  I should have put on my waterproof trouser liners.  Too late and so thought, well I'll just have wet legs when I get to OCSC and I'll soon dry out after I get there .

I didn't account though for the poor drainage and great sheets of water being thrown up by passing vehicles.  That and the fact that the road must have been 3-6 inches deep with water in places meant that I soon learn't something else - that waterproof boots are : 1. good at keeping water out, and are : 2. also very good at keeping water in.  Ugh.  Obvious really.  Listen, I was now prepared to do the man overboard drill and could have just jumped in the bay fully clothed as really I could not get any wetter.  Arrived at OCSC and poured water out of boots and wrung out my socks.  Peeled biking trousers from my legs and let everything drip dry in the wet room.  See :  http://youtu.be/UfI9NcFpxjc

So why do boats hurt so much?  I now have a sore knee, ankle bone (God knows how) as I managed to hit it with something edgy on the boat (sss aaah, sss ahhh, sss aaah!) and the middle pinky on right foot, well, feels very sore too but God again knows how I did that one.  I need to have a chat with God.  Also the finish on the boat is like a cheese grater so after 5 minutes of losing bits of knuckle skin I now have my gloves on.  Really yes, this is what I call fun!

Will have some vid of sailing and the bike tomorrow - today a bit too wet and have too much to learn so didn't have time to think about using the camera.  But was great fun sailing out into the bay for the first time.

Just back in from the restaurant.  And thank that man, again, cos I've just got back to the digs and the rain has started, again, and is bucketing it down. Hammering on the roof.  Anyway what is with American restaurants?  The goddam starter was the size of the main meal.  Also I think the restaurant has a magic oven cos I ordered a Calzone and got Pizza and the waiter apologising with a "sorry, it came out that way...".  Sorry but I'd be pretty sure it did go in that way too.  Can't complain, food excellent and good value - so much better that the Aurora.

Soon time to get wet again Baby!  I do not want to sound like a McD but I'm loving it!

And will someone please stop the house from swaying.  I wanna sleep!!

Speak soon

Day 2 - Fat Man on a Fat Boy!

Sunday 21st October

Up at 06:00 as expected, sore back from carrying heavy bags yesterday - that is not a good sign being that for the next 5 days I'm riding a Harley and hauling on sheets and winches and other bits of boat whilst sailing.  It has settled and I hope that it stays that way for the next 3 weeks.  A bit of vid here of me travelling over the last day up to the point of arriving on the aircraft.  See:  http://youtu.be/SCkdHMR5zGc

The urge for me to look at work emails this morning was palpable - physically has to stop myself.  This is what in the trade is called a conditioned response.  Like Pavlov's dogs.  Unlike the dogs I do not salivate nor get a food reward when I look at emails.  Mmmm ideas - maybe I can convince BT to pay me per mail read in bacon sarnies a la Man vs Food!

Anyway the phone is now off and away for 3 weeks.  Unlike last night the walk to the bus stop was easy as it was just outside the hotel.  Last night I could have shot the bus driver because even though 3 people said please stop at the Aurora hotel he did not.  So a blubbering sweaty fat wreck of a man turned up in the hotel foyer 10 minutes later with a young american woman who took pity and was courteous enough to walk with me (note to self: pull belly in again and try not to gasp Wayne!).  Oh how I think now of my 20's when I was not quite so large.  

Absolutely no problems at the airport this morning - straight though the express check in and into the upper class lounge.  Tried to eat £4000 of sausages and bacon (I'm damn sure I'll get my money's worth on this trip) and sat in a reclining chair feeling as tightly wrapped as ever.  For sure I need to loosen up over the next few days as the adrenaline settles and I "chillax" (I think that's what I heard Brucie say last night on Strictly...). 

Sat comfortably on the 11hr flight.  Lunch was about 1pm UK time so 5am San Fran time.  Watched the movie Battleship with any number of people wandering around the aircraft.  Watched Prometheus too - crap film - like a watered down version of Alien.  Wonder if the Wright Brothers ever envisaged this?  No not Aliens!  Being at 35,000 feet somewhere over the North Atlantic watching movies, drinking beers, eating good food (small potions though) travelling 1/3 of the way around the planet.

Its the Mile High Club for me Baby!  Really?  Need more than one 'member' for that club do I? (fnar fnar eh Brian :-P).

Arrived at San Fran airport into the longest queue ever for passport / immigration.  Reminded me of the 80's and the problems with the Greek airports!  Taxi to downtown and jeez!, yer man driving didn't know where 8th street was so was trying to navigate using hand held sat nav and almost went up the chuff of a stationary car (queueing traffic on the freeway).  Thank  God for a space in the lane to the right - very very close to a prang for sure.  Seatbelt was now firmly on with apology from driver who was dressed like Michael Jackson (red leather jacket and perm - you know - Thriller stuff!)

So different were the boys at the Harley rentals, could not do enough for me.  AND they did fit a power supply to the bike - I'm now on a Fat Boy!  See:  http://youtu.be/xObOOO0Lf-c

Just coming up to 6pm (2am UK time and I'm good - bit stingy in the eyeballs but hopefully a good night's sleep tonight.. Sailing tomorrow

Shiver my timbers Baby!  Note to self:  shouldn't that have happened in the mile high club?

Speak soon

Day 1 - Don't Panic!

Saturday 20th October and I'm busy...

Its a bright warm and sunny start.  Was a good night again last night at the Ryther arms with our kid, Elaine and Brad, Carol and Sharon with Alana and Con and Margaret.  I am now [today] on a self imposed diet after eating 20oz fillet steak, cooked to perfection, with more trimmings than I could have shaken a stick at.  Burp!  So today is orange juice, and not a lot else.  I think I've got enough beef inside of me for the rest of the week. 

A bit 'mad' this morning is an understatement.  Up at 06:30, Started washing.  Out at 07:30 to Alcuin and cleared another load of garden rubbish to the tip.  Van was back at Enterprise for 9am and I'm back home for 09:30 and… more washing.  Got a haircut and some stationary bits from the post office and back home.  More washing.  And finally started to pack.  And then… yep...

I'm beginning to learn, in that : 1. Do the washing before the day you go on holiday and 2. Do a pre pack to make sure no problems before you go on holiday.  But all done for 12ish and I think I have everything - I have my credit card and passport so if something does occur then well, I have a credit card and passport.

12 till some time just before the taxi arrived at 2pm I did the worlds quickest email handover update for Colin (manager) and the team.  Work for sure grabs you by the balls if you let it - and I do.  But all work is turned off now for 3 weeks with emergency contact only via another mobile number if needed.  I intend to stay out of 'normal' contact for the duration except for this blog.

Just passing through Doncaster (again) on the train.  And It's just struck me..

I'm on HOLIDAY BABY!  :-)))

Some adventurers ahead… the first probably US customs tomorrow evening.

ps, Staying at the Aurora hotel.  Room rate was good but food is crap and expensive.  35 quid for a couple of beers and a chicken salad.  Oh dear, captive customer and all that…

6am Sunday I'll be up and on the move ...

Speak soon

Disappointed Puppy

This is the second time I have complained about Eaglerider in this blog and I've not even started the hire with them.

So I ask them is there a power outlet on the bike.  No.  So I ask can they add a power outlet on the bike.  No - and not only that they tell me I can try myself but if I damage the bike in any way then I will be responsible.

There is nothing quite like telling it straight I guess.  But the attitude and tone of the email just makes me think; I'll have the bike for 7 days, take it back as expected, then blow them out as ever a company to do business with again.

Sorry, but there is choice out there and I'm one for getting good customer service.  However their attitude is take it or leave it and do anything different and I will be responsible.  What do they think - that they are doing me a favour hiring me a bike?

Bad karma Baby.  Neva again with this shower.

Speak soon

Beer Beer and more Beer!

It's not long before I lift my feet off the desk and climb onboard an aircraft bound for San Francisco.  All the pieces are bought and all the bits now together in the house.   Just need to pack, check, double check, triple check ... and go.

Last Saturday, really enjoyed the lunch at the Red Lion (in Knapton - NOT Poppleton Mr Taxi driver please! - I'll say more on that later) and after a good meal and bit of banter a birthday cake was brought out, rather unexpectedly, with a printed photo of me, maybe as a 3 or 4 year old sat in a deck chair at Scarborough.  There was a moment when all I wanted to do was to 'let it all out' cos for sure I'm feeling a bit tight wrapped at the moment.  But I held on...  the food was finished, the sisters enjoyed the day too - it has been such a long time...

And now I have 3/4 of a birthday cake at home.  Oh well, OK, if I must - chomp!

Then out for beers again on Saturday evening.  Met with our kid for robust debate, arguement, disagreement, put the World to rights kinda stuff but did not stay in town due to the crowds post the famous York horse swimming trials on the Knavesmire (the races really - was a lake 2 weeks ago so very very soft going I guess).  Got to bed about 1am, got up with a headache, had some brekkie and then back out again for Sunday lunch and more beers with John, Fiona, Brian, Brenda, Gary.  I am as straight as a die and not into leathers on a Harley but thanks Brian, when I said I was out with the sisters I meant my mothers daughters.  Fnarr Fnarr again eh :-).  And then met our kid again later that evening on my way home for one more beer; he was on his way out withe Elaine for a meal with Stella, Mary and David post their last day at work (Multiyork furniture now closed).

I was by now very tired...  I'm am built for but just cannot drink beers on successive days.  And back to work into a busy week this week...

The last supper is planned at the Ryther Arms steakhouse this Friday.  And no our kid this is not a farewell session to break bread and drink wine - I do plan to come home.  I'm not about to disappear off the face of the planet so stop worrying!  And I trust that you have sorted a minibus to get the 9 of us to the Ryther - not really looking forward to garden chairs nailed commando style (along the walls) in the back of your box van Mr white van man please Sir...

So so nearly there.  I feel that I will collapse into the holiday.  I could have booked a swanky beach holiday at a very very nice place for 3 weeks at half the cost but NO, sailing and biking is my bag and in my blood so that is what it will be.

Maps are now off the wall and tucked under my arm

Almost time to 'chill' Baby!

Its been a few weeks...

...since I last made an entry on the Blog..

Work has been real busy and finding time to do most things is not good.  Chores?  Hah!  I have a backlog, a pile, a mess of things still to do and am living off borrowed clothes and bits at the moment.  Things are charging ahead in prep for the holiday.  I have virtually all that I need bought - clothing - earplugs for the bike, portable disk storage, etc.. For sure Amazon have just has a lot of business off me!  Shame though that Force4 chandlery have been unable to find a Gill (coastal) sailing suit for me - I need to wait until December when the new XXXL stock comes in.  It would be quicker to lose weight...

This weekend I will be out Saturday lunchtime with some of the family on a small birthday dinner.  Then Sunday for a wee beer and a bite with some long time good schoolmates / friends.  Hoping to have a quiet weekend as I should be trying to relax and wind down a little on the run up to the trip.

Friday the 19th will be a final night out with the other half of the family (don't ask long story) - at the Ryther Arms for a very nice (I hope) steak and bits...  Saturday 20th about 2pm I'm away and God, how soon time has come around.  I still have about 100 pages of pre read to get thorough before I get to San Francisco and the sailing - well - a bit if light reading at the weekend won't hurt eh?

So nearly here - and all I find is that work is consuming me - massively.  What will I do for 3 weeks away from the rat race.  Probably wind down, enjoy myself and then get the reality shock when I get back on the 12th November.  Ah well that is still over 4 weeks away so why worry about that now.

No bike vid to share this time.  I have been practicing and now am a bit quicker at getting the clips together for you tube.  I'll paste the links as I travel - so watch out for some scenic runs and a bit of personal commentary over the coming weeks.  Move vid and less photo / typing is what I say.

Have American Football on at the mo - I just found out that the BBC has it on iPlayer!  Thanks BBC for advertising the fact!  Thanks BBC for doing it anyway - is good - see... http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01ngqk6/American_Football_Live_Matches_2012_13_Season_Houston_Texans_at_NY_Jets/
 First down and 10 Baby!

Speak soon...

300 MPH!!

Just for a bit of fun, day 4 video on the motorbike compressed into 8 mins or so, see: http://youtu.be/-15L-Ixsg6w

And with Sang Froid - Sunsets, a beautiful piece of music to 'chill out' to..

Relaxing Baby!

Speak soon

Boat Show Part 2

Here is the vid from the run to the boat show and back again, see:  http://youtu.be/suX_jFfLsuw

I like Massive Attack's music and somehow seems so appropriate for this run, 800 miles in 3 days with a day messing about on the water at the show.  The whitbread 60 experience was great - thank God for light winds cos the damn thing really took off on the slightest breeze.  6 knots speed limit was easily beaten, this racer will do 6 knots through the water with a 7 knot breeze and a max speed of 27 knots - which would have been more than fun and would have left a number of the swanky expensive power boats behind!

Both the Dartford and Severn bridges were impressive especially with the sun to my back.  Also I do like Wiltshire, Britain's equivalent of the 'big sky' country.  And if you are lucky the occasional Challenger Mk2 Tank! (not this time though..  boo!)

I think that is it for the British summer - 'twas the last big run before things start to be a little bit too cool and wet.

It's now autumn Baby!

Speak soon

Southampton Boatshow

So a few more things done now since the last update.  As follows :

1. MacBook Air has arrived - currently messing with it to get it all up to date with all of my music copied over
2. Waterproof holdall arrived and have also test run it on the bike last weekend - more on that later
3. Sailing waterproofs ordered.  xxxl needed to fit and by anyone's account that is twice the material used to make a large suit but at the same price
4. Insurance is done.
5. Money (US and NZ dollars) has arrived.

I'm running out of ideas now of what is left. There has to be a point where I just need to stop.  The remaining items are nice to have bits so not panicking about them at all.

Anyway last weekend has a dry run of the camera and the bags on the bike to Southampton for the 2012 Boat Show.  I have thoroughly seen enough Yachts to know I have seen enough in one day and also had a short spin out on the worlds fastest Yacht - the Whitbread 60 Monohull.  All is shown on my latest you tube vid, well I'll add that as soon as I have it edited down to something watchable - lookout soon...

I could also be feeling a lot better at the mo - something has got to me over the last few days.  The weekend jaunt to the south has tired me out for sure and am now back to a busy job.  Sadly the feeling of satisfaction with a job well done has somewhat been overtaken by the tiredness and a busy work life again.

Somewhere / somehow I need to get on with the holiday and settle in / wind down.  And worry about the shock of coming back to the real world when I am 50+

Ah well, nearly there - 31 days and counting...

Speak soon

Bits and Pieces

Getting everything together seems to have no end...

So whilst all of the main stuff like accommodation and travel is done I am on the last leg to buy the bits that I want to take with me to make a good experience great!  I now have the Garmin maps for the USA and have modified some handlebar clamps and car mount and also now have the power adapters so that I can use my Garmin Sat nav on the bike.

After about 4 weeks of looking and considering (well fannying around) I have now ordered a Macbook Air, 11 inch, the smaller / lighter one in the range cos I do like Apples compared to PCs.  Easy to take with me and has a 256Gig of solid state storage (rather than disk).  I should get it within the next 4-5 days and if it does arrive I will 'dry run' it and the cameras on my weekend jaunt to the Southampton Boat Show on the 16th September.

So what else, maybe a few new tee shirts, some shorts, maybe a Henri Lloyd jacket for use whilst on the water and a non BMW vest for use on the bikes.  I also want a waterproof holdall - something I can use as carry on to the flight so needs to accommodate the helmet and a few other bits and pieces like the laptop and a bit of clothing.  Must try again to see if I can find a good un that will be good for strapping to the pillion seat on the bike.  

42 days to go and counting.  Getting closer...

I'm also starting to think about some night(s) out before I go with Family and Friends as for sure I will not be at home in the UK on the 3rd November.  Where will I be did you say?  Well look down between your feet and approx 8000 miles thataway is where I'll be at with my feet (or wheels or bum depending on what I'm doing) pointing straight back at ya :-)

Tick Tock Tick Tock Baby...

Speak soon

Bone Daddy Challenge

My feet are finally on the desk, have kicked back and am necking a tinnie (drinking a lager don't you know).

All is now done.  Have just booked the last accommodation at a place called Gualala to the North of San Francisco on Highway 1.  I drove South some years ago and remember had to do a fair few miles to get to the scenic bits.  So my compass is now set firmly to go North.  Gualala is approx 120 miles ride away and it is a twisty coastal road all of the way.  A nice leisurely run that also allows for detours and stops on Saturday the 27th (outbound) and Sunday 28th October (return).

Also food!  They may not have Yorkshire puddings but this seems to be the place to eat and drink, see http://www.bonesroadhouse.com and being that I am not a vegetarian and am a bit on the large side I think I may be tempted to have a small bite to eat here or even have a go at the not too challenging [I reckon] Bone Daddy Challenge!  Don't you just love BEEF!

Anyway my feet are up, both heels firmly on the desk and I'm now satiated with the feeling of a job well done.  Just the minor things to sort over the coming 7 weeks so no late panic, like map data for sat nav, a laptop (so that I can record and post the journey on this blog as I go - I need one anyway). Apple anyone?  Maybe a new biking jacket and, well, all else I can sort when I get there.

The next 51 days will not pass quickly enough!

Bone Daddy Baby!

Speak soon

Almost Done

Is a Frikadello anything like a Yorkshire Pudding?

An unusual question but now that the Harley is defo confirmed booked and the additional night at Claudia's similarly booked then all I need to do is decide on one more night - where to stay on the 27th October.  Shall I go North up Highway 1 or South?  Which way?  For sure I've had harder decisions in life!  Almost done and the heel of my right foot is now alighted on the desk.

Frik.. er Yorksh.. er Both Baby!

Speak soon

Splish Spash

Did I say rain or shine I ride my bike?

Found some video on the DRIFT HD recorder of the run up to the rain around Blubberhouses and the state of the roads after the downpour.  It was a heavy one and the camera was tucked away for the duration.  Not quite 40 days and nights but 40 minutes of heavy rain for sure left me very wet and cold, see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYToxf2EUiE

The roads as you can see were pretty awash and quite dangerous for a 2 wheeled thingy without stabilisers nor traction control.  So I was a good bit slower and kept more distance from the Volvo ahead until through the worst of it [which is a good rule of thumb any time there is a Volvo near by 'cos if any vehicle is going to clobber a motorcyclist it will be one of them there Swedish Exocets...]

This would have been good practice for the ride on New Zealand South Island West coast 2 years or so ago.  Rain then did it?  Well, you do ride along a coast road parallel to a rain forest and there is a clue in there somewhere methinks...

By the way I HAVE renamed my YouTube channel "TellyTubby" after I said I would not.  Well no-one else has it and it did make me smile when the thought first landed on the left side of my brain...

I also have now booked the train to Heathrow Airport from where my SFNZ jaunt starts - is there much else to do?

Ride Safe

Speak soon