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