Prologue

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 mountains and valleys of central Otago. This is an injustice that needed to be corrected.

Continuing on the theme of the old and familiar, I must of course re-introduce my two friends Dave Mac and Dave Lear. Much has been said about these gentlemen but I have no doubt that much more will be said in the next 2 weeks. 

For those that have not had the opportunity to follow our trips in the past, and for the proportion of my readership who's memory may be failing(approximately 90%) I will revisit some of their finer foibles and failings.

Firstly, Dave Lear, has most kindly done the lions share of the work in preparation for this trip. One of those people that quietly keeps the world turning and it is for his myriad of contributions that we should acknowledge him. But we don't. We could also admire  the very rich and interesting life  he has led. I could tell you about it but he would be upset. Black diamond skier. One of the first people to paraglide in New Zealand. Setting up the big Bungy jump at Victoria falls. Overlanding Africa. Excellent cook. Excellent researcher. Kind and thoughtful.  

He is not perfect of course. Far from it. He did manage to pull his own bike on top of himself during a routine inspection in his garage. I believe the ankle consequences trouble him to this day. I could go on. 

Dave L is riding a KTM 500exc. The same bike as last year. It’s a good choice. 

Dave Mac. I have written many many many words about this man. Regular readers will think I exaggerate. Those that know him know that I don’t. Fantastic company and engineering hardwired into his dna. What he can’t fix can’t be fixed. Coffee addict. Night owl. Does anyone else see a connection? Dave has the odd blemish in his make up. He has no idea that we work on a 24 hour system to compartmentalise time. This failure to understand the more basic concepts around time leads to some unusual patterns of behaviour. He does have an alarm set for 1 in the morning. It’s set to tell him to go to bed. Give me strength. 

Dave M is also absolutely the best person to have around if things are not going to plan. It is a useful attribute. He is also the only man with whom I spent the night in bed, in a motel where most customers were paying by the hour I realised the next day. But that's another story. 

But mostly he is just fun. That is why we keep him. 

Dave M rides the KTM 890 R. It’s a big bike that is very capable in a broad spectrum of terrain. It is a bike best appreciated by skilled riders with large gonads. He has both. 

Young and less familiar is the fourth member of our group. And when I say member, I mean member.  What else to say about Bernie? Of course I have also written a fair amount about Bernie over the years of doing these trips. This is actually somewhat surprising as he is never on the bloody trips! So, I guess it reflects that I would like him there. I’m delighted then, to be able to announce that Bernie will be joining us for the full trip at last!! In previous years, like a flirtatious woman, he has joined us briefly, just long enough to leave us wanting more when he turned for home. 

Bernie is the nicest person in our group. Nuff said. Great conversation, thoughtful and always the first to help. Another excellent engineer, who’s abilities to perform ingenious trail side repairs is a talent honed to the finest by his borderline maintenance program. 

Bernie is the best rider in our group and is therefore worthy of the KTM 990 Adventure that he rides. This iconic bike can go most places but I doubt the design engineers intended it to go the place’s Bernie has taken his. A giant of a man. 

That leaves me. Sadly, as I think about it, I contribute very little. My talent is to get people to do things and so in an oblique way I have harnessed the powers of these men to turn these trips into reality. My mechanical skills are best served by standing aside and letting the real men sort it and my riding skills are average. If it counts, I like food a lot and make sure we have a good evening meal.  Most importantly, I am the scribe and if the thing is not witnessed, did it happen at all?

I ride a KTM 500 exc as well.  The perfect bike for this job, it may not be the most comfortable on the long transport to the South Island but the price is most definitely worth paying once the tires taste grit, and rock, and mud, and water, and steep up hills and steep down hills. Light and nimble it floats over terrain when needed and it stops and turns on a dime when that is needed to avoid terrain.

For some treasure might be gold, for others pounamu, and for others the joy of the great outdoors. Our group is in the last camp. whether it is soaking in the peace at a trailside coffee stop or challenging ourselves on a steep rocky trail, I cant wait..