Fiona's Blog » Motorcycles

Man, Bike and Cliffhanger!

fiona — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 06:36:42 +0000

It’s not called Cliffhanger Hill Climb for fun, if you come unstuck on the notorious Cliffhanger Corner you’re in trouble – big trouble! We’ve seen it before (ouch!) but as the day drew nearer for the annual Hill Climb at Gladstone in the sunny Wairarapa we had turned our attention to the weather forecast – riders (me included) are not fussed with wet roads – a pain in the proverbial to say the least – but the gods were kind and graced us with two beautiful days. This year the Hill Climb was tinged with sadness as we were missing the Cliffhanger stalwart himself – Garry Albrett – but his wonderful wife Dina was there stepping courageously up to the mark to make this very popular event happen and we had a record number of entries signed up to prove again that this is the best hill climb in the North Island – As they lined up to be sent on their way at 1 minute intervals I realized again why I love this event so much – big bikes with big noises, little bikes with big noises, old bikes with big noises, leather clad riders – ohhh it’s such a buzz! You get to read their eyes very well as the dearly beloved sends them off on their way with me right there recording numbers and soaking up the atmosphere and there are a lot of nerves underneath all that gear! They have to negotiate 27 corners, 6.2 kms at breakneck speeds of up to 300kms in around 2 to 3 minutes all the while climbing 1000 feet – it’s blood curdling stuff…..! And they don’t just do all this once – no, we send them up there as many times as we can fit in over a 2 day period. Saturday is practice day with the serious business of claiming champion status on Sunday. Oh no, this is not for the faint-hearted! Cliffhanger corner lived up to it’s reputation and again claimed a couple of victims – but hey, that is the nature of the game. It’s a dangerous adrenalin pumping sport and the guys know that. Probably what attracts them in the first place! There was a special award this year – the Garry Albrett Memorial Trophy for the person who best embodies the spirit of Cliffhanger…..jeez, it went to the dearly beloved. Well done Pete!!

The Ducati Girls!

fiona — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 01:01:26 +0000

We have finally been having some glorious weather here in the Wairarapa and Sunday was no exception and dawned clear-skied and still. Having been abandoned by the dearly beloved for a few days while he did some bike riding of his own some quick networking was surely needed to see if I could gather up my friends and head off for a girls own bike ride on our Ducatis. No trouble at all….they were as keen as mustard and we agreed to meet in Greytown to plan our assault of the ‘Rapa roads’ and have the first of a few coffees for the day – we then headed off on our merry way. The fact that the three of us ride Ducati Monsters is sheer coincidence (it does show that we do have good taste…..:-)) but it does attract attention as we pull up on our red, yellow and white Ducatis – do we enjoy that attention….yes of course!! We had a fabulous day with lots of fun and laughs finishing back in Greytown again for a wine and pizza at the famous Cuckoo Cafe…..very much needed after 6 hours of riding around the fabulous Wairarapa roads. All good things have to come to an end though and I now have to knuckle down and get all your Fiona Bassant Cushions made and sent off to you. That’s good fun too……

Bikers Etiquette

fiona — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 04:13:48 +0000

We managed to snatch a motorcycle ride this weekend on what seems a rare beautiful sunny Wairarapa day (it is summer after all) and we were riding our usual ‘Rapa Circuit’ and heading down to The Ferry for those famous Fish & Chips and as always there were lots of other bikers heading in the opposite direction. Nothing unusual you say, but the thing is, I’m relatively new to this bike riding phenomenon (well, I guess you could say I’m a born again) and I’m still surprised, delighted and amused by the bikers etiquette of giving me the nod, the fingers, the hand and maybe the full Monty (wave that is) as they pass by me. You see, I clearly remember on many occasions over the years saying to the dearly beloved ‘why on earth do you have to acknowledge every jolly bike rider as they roar past us?’ I mean, heavens above – who gives a toss!! I couldn’t fathom it out at all. Well funny, now I would feel very put out if I was ignored as I headed along the road on my motorcycle – I have come to learn over the past year that bikers are the friendliest bunch of people out there and I will carry on the bikers tradition for as long as I’m on two wheels….you bet!!