Well, it’s New Year’s Eve and time to write about the annual Boxing Day ride, normally it would be an early start to get down to Wanganui for the street race’s which unfortunately were cancelled due to the Covid, but the boy’s decided to go down anyway and have an extra day down there to have a look around the place as we never have the time after the racing and just head home the following morning.
So, the first slower group had a lazy start at around 8.30am which consisted of myself (BMW R75/5 ), Rob ( BMW R1200R ) and Charlie on his ( RE Himalaya ) and met up at the BP service area on the motorway.
The faster boy’s which consisted of Ray ( Suzuki Hyiabusa) and Nick on his ( Ducati Panagarle ) headed out around 10.30am, the weather was fine and sunny, there was the compulsory and there was always some tea stops and sightseeing along the way.
Then on to National Park for a view of Mt Ruapau and a look at the last spike on the Main Trunk rail line.
The Hyiabusa finally caught up with us on the other side of National Park at a cuppa stop, no sign of Nick and the Panagarle he was already at Wanganui and in the shower !!
It was time to head into town and paint it Ducati red, well not quite !! anyway, we put on our best bib’s & tucker’s, Charlie and Nick both looked like gangsters so we were a bit nervous to be seen in their company so we kept a few yards behind them ?
The following morning it was time to board the paddle steamer Waimarie for a 3-hour cruse up the Wanganui River, the weather was good and the river calm with plenty of food and cups of tea available, so who could ask for more.
So, it was full steam ahead and keep a lookout for any pirates
Then it was time for some exercise with a look at Durie Hill but no one was game for the hike up the stairs so we all opted for the elevator but with a walk back down the stairs.
The following morning it was time to pack up and head back to Auckland, Ray was busy trying to mount Charlie’s new addition to help him to get on the Himalaya ( a collapsible step ) ?
I’m afraid there are no more pics, as the ride home was in torrential rain with no opportunity for photo shoots, we all made it back ok and my new BMW suit did the job very well and I arrived home warm and dry, all in all it was a good 3 days, and have already book the motel for next year, just hope the racing goes ahead.
Cheers for now and here’s to a better 2022 ?