Four Visit Treasure Island 2023

Well well well. Finally on our way. I think Jennie will be thankful that I am out the house as the pacing up and down over the last 24 hours was becoming tiresome even to me. I mixture of pre ride nerves, anticipation and biblical weather meant sleep was light and conversation was boring (for anyone other than me).  Actually I was boring myself as well. I might get a job with Metservice after this though.  Of course once one heads out the door life is quickly left behind and existence is rapidly narrowed to a strip of road and passing sights and sounds. That lasted 100m when I realised I hadn’t done up my helmet strap, set trip meters and generally sorted myself out. I rode down to Whakamaru, the traditional place for Dave Lear and i to meet. The other 2 are somewhere but not here. We will see Bernie later and hopefully Dave Mac tomorrow. Don’t ask, I don’t.  Today was part one of our transport down south and thankfully it was uneventful. Lots of water falling so not lots...

Its time for our annual trip to the South Island. The planning is done, nerves are beginning to thrill. Sleep becomes fractured by happy little thoughts and dreams. Time starts distorting and stretching out as anticipation disrupts the laws of physics. So here I am, a week before we leave, waiting... Our planned trip has familiar bits, always nice, like visiting an old friend where the passage of time leads to subtle change in which familiarity brings joy, but enough change to keep things interesting and fresh. Of course it would be no surprise that the bits we repeat are what we consider the best from previous years. Much to look forward to. Then there are the new bits. They bring excitement and interest. They place the adventure in adventure riding. On this trip it is the mountains of inland Canterbury where the exploring will happen. Previously we have treated Canterbury  as a place to traverse, with as little pause as possible, largely due to our eagerness to reach the mountain...