Today is a great day. I've just found out that I have to go up to Mahia for a location recce for work sometime this week. And as I don't have to take any equipment (apart from a still camera) there's no particular reason why I have to take the work car. So I'll save the client a few $$ and go up on the bike! Woot!

I'm thinking about going Wednesday or Thursday, but it depends on a few variables that haven't been nailed down yet, so it could even slip to next week. It'll be a one day up & back, and I'll be leaving a bit early (well... early for me, which means before 9am ) in order to get up there at a reasonable time.

So anyone who happens to be free on a weekday and feels like a longish cruise is more than happy to tag along. Unfortunately my work isn't going to pay for your petrol as well - sorry.

Sweet............ you lucky bugger

where is mahia?

Not sure if I have the tyres left to do any more big runs. The four points is the one in all for me this month.

It's the peninsula sticky-outy-bit between Wairoa and Gisborne. Google Maps reckons 4.5 hrs to get there.

Click to view attachment

now thats temptiong/.

If it's next week, I could be keen. Any day from Tuesday onwards - get back from the GC on Monday. Olds are in Napier too so free coffee etc there...The Napier Wairoa rocks. Might need to pack the surfcaster if I go to Mahia...

well its not like you havent got room. Put the boat in and be done with it

Geez, things are slipping - that took 4 mins.

I was busy on grab a seat trying to get $13 flights to dunedin

Why fly - Dunedin's just down the road...

little womans never been in a plane. for $50 return for 2 of us I thought it would be a go for a weekend. Missed out though. not sure why. It said there were 14 seats left but when I tried to get one it wanted to charge me $400 for it.

My plan is to do it this week if possible, but a couple of things have to fall in to place yet, I'm not doing it Friday or Monday due to other stuff on, so it could easily slip to next week. I'll keep this thread updated as more info comes to hand.

Right, I've confirmed plans for this Thursday, hopefully that slow-moving front stays very slow moving. Going to be a very early start, departing from Palmy at 7am.

Enjoy, i cant come, Monie going into hospital for small op, so id better hang around or ill be in heaps of trouble, be heading that way next week anyway

Yeah, just a little bit. Hope everything goes without incident. Only 5 days to the first point!

Yea roll on, I cant wait untill next Friday morning

Have a good ride while I'm at work...actually it's my last day at work before the GC and I'm having all of next week off.

Sunday looking like the day of choice for the first point, at this stage anyway...

fingers crossed I lose on sat!

Youll be right your a born looser

Yeah, I heard you were tight.

Lose what??? we're all winners here.

I am playing the 2nd round of the club champs (golf) on sat. if I win I go into the 3rd round which is on sunday. If I lose I am out.

wellingotn ride on sun.

win sat = golf sun
lose sat = ride sun.

unfortunately I cant bring myself to lose on purpose

Give it snot,plenty of days to ride,if the form is good on sat,it'll carry onto sunday (hopefully),almost thought of going to a driving range last Monday to try to recall how to use the driver,and rest of clubs,not bad bought them almost 5 yrs ago,used twice.

my biggest problem is it takes me too long to loosen up. played twilight on tues night and went triple bogey, bogey, double bogey, pick ball up, par,par,par,eagle,birdie. Its the first few holes I end up throwing away and makes it hard to recover. Doesnt help I cant chip to save myself.

In any case, saw horse (he was hard to miss) heading out napier road this morning while on my way to work.

Thought that was your big green bike. Yeah, I was a bit later getting out of town than I'd have liked, didn't get away till about 7:25. The drizzle around Palmy wasn't too encouraging, but once I got north of Woodville it cleared up, and then got out from under the cloud base once I hit the Takapau plains, and there was plenty of sun for most of the rest of the day - at least until I got to Woodville on the way back last night, when I ran into more rain. Typical.

The ride went fairly well overall, I do like that road north of Napier, all the big hills and twisty bits. As we're going to be doing much of the same route (at least initially) next Friday I was taking mental notes on traffic etc. North of Napier there was quite a bit of traffic, but there are plenty of opportunities to pass on a bike, so no drama. And we'll be there about 2 hrs earlier than I was yesterday, so probably a bit quieter.

Mahia was great, heaps of sun, got what I had to do done, and then turned around. stopping for a late lunch in Wairoa. You know you're on the East Coast when you have to go easy on the throttle as you're pulling up at the cafe, so as not to scare the horse someone has parked on the other side of the street!

Glad you had a good ride. It's a great bit of road alright - the devil's elbow etc dropping down into Tutira all good. And one of the best sweepers in the country (just north of the viaduct)...

Better than even chance I'll be doing it on sat night...

mint. pleased to hear the day went well. It was a struggle not to turn around and chase ya and forget about work for a day but being as I am not working next week I thought they might complain.

Good scouting trip and looking forward to next weekend