tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43411145118300749772024-03-16T14:09:49.454+13:00Confessions of an Ageing MotorcyclistGeoff Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041523109817248619noreply@blogger.comBlogger373125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4341114511830074977.post-30792089092991626382024-02-05T14:18:00.000+13:002024-02-05T14:18:07.078+13:00A day in the sun<p><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">For the second post running, we feature some classic cars. Every year barring Covid or natural disasters, the Coromandel Car Club puts on a car fair with vehicles from all around the peninsula and beyond. The majority are American classics, with a smaller number from other countries, including some really rare vehicles. It was held yesterday in perfect weather in a farm paddock just south of the town (village). Entry was via a gold coin donation - fantastic value for money and extremely well organised with food and live music too.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The following photos only scratch the surface but are of vehicles which caught my attention. Apologies if any of my descriptions are inaccurate but it's only 2 and a bit years from first classic car ownership! Delighted to say however, that our MGB GT attracted a fair degree of attention, even in the presence of some seriously nice (and expensive) hardware.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We open with a location shot. One side of the paddock borders Coromandel Harbour and the opposite direction shown here looks towards Castle Rock, the core of an old volcano. Pretty much the perfect setting on such a great day.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp4JS67i7vFKnoLVFPI0v89aVRdZPE_gkLJfOiqqKMs9qEOU_HBBiCT5tN-tLYiQcQqiTlQlDIRz8TxHcGHSOdr6f38Q74keYe0sJ5lXKXtI9Vm2biosOs3o6VmRBULX5q_CvQnc2JvlgPrd-pBbrXA2TST4zbfX4HrbwIXACAoJ83Fg9SiUdgxo7sHO4R/s5184/Crowd%203%20and%20backdrop.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp4JS67i7vFKnoLVFPI0v89aVRdZPE_gkLJfOiqqKMs9qEOU_HBBiCT5tN-tLYiQcQqiTlQlDIRz8TxHcGHSOdr6f38Q74keYe0sJ5lXKXtI9Vm2biosOs3o6VmRBULX5q_CvQnc2JvlgPrd-pBbrXA2TST4zbfX4HrbwIXACAoJ83Fg9SiUdgxo7sHO4R/w640-h480/Crowd%203%20and%20backdrop.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Backdrop towards Castle Rock, Coromandel</span></b></div></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvRhkT7fs2CIK3cpQLTUAaOroQNqzpCKaykpc4S2NqgVPfT-oVVocuJcYC7HqozZ4gYSinunYCfWmcCaEeXepP73VNd4cDSM6PNU0XrUVDSRRGFtR349VQ6153nNfzEBZ2LXsfFAWxftbgcVKnlO6RzpMd7q4xo52WpC4iAIBNpYq0pCqLjhpUZ-jfFYfk/s5184/Miscellaneous%20Americana.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvRhkT7fs2CIK3cpQLTUAaOroQNqzpCKaykpc4S2NqgVPfT-oVVocuJcYC7HqozZ4gYSinunYCfWmcCaEeXepP73VNd4cDSM6PNU0XrUVDSRRGFtR349VQ6153nNfzEBZ2LXsfFAWxftbgcVKnlO6RzpMd7q4xo52WpC4iAIBNpYq0pCqLjhpUZ-jfFYfk/w640-h480/Miscellaneous%20Americana.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Some serious money on show here - miscellaneous Americana</span></b></div></b><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Dodge produced some wonderful muscle cars in the 60's and 70's, particularly the Charger and Challenger. I'd never seen a Coronet R/T in the flesh until yesterday but you can certainly see the lineage.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje9YoQH21U5ZyH6KEQUuVPqCO4mYAmzz8dB_eIZS3jOnf3uI7YP_NGr-w1l8gjyh3UjDKonWJ9rhDXIbuSV88ZpuS78RT0569qhG4x_XzvgT98tIuheJ7huYXWWv7cJdva_67ZknP6wZMBmc-SMuB0x-4_h7CuRnNrax5AZWK4Xr_RkB0Afp9nC7W7u-qa/s5184/Dodge%20Coronet%20RT.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje9YoQH21U5ZyH6KEQUuVPqCO4mYAmzz8dB_eIZS3jOnf3uI7YP_NGr-w1l8gjyh3UjDKonWJ9rhDXIbuSV88ZpuS78RT0569qhG4x_XzvgT98tIuheJ7huYXWWv7cJdva_67ZknP6wZMBmc-SMuB0x-4_h7CuRnNrax5AZWK4Xr_RkB0Afp9nC7W7u-qa/w640-h480/Dodge%20Coronet%20RT.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Coronet R/T</span></div></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Matte orange finish Chevy pickup with a natural finish V8 engine. Looks far better than chrome in this application.</span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLiGN4gL9gZ6YHQqk_sMp5Z5bdkC9IQHhEVD0cDVPxX9x2hoP1IqVJJJ9snNsDGcXfgv-xSWyN8DAS854jvSjLuafS-lH5hKQDVpjEacgAlYGlNebLAIxwMDEmBQyOn8jO5SE6lKX5TNuPPu9BCJqVb5V6WTXf5B6IMkSAoK-N5C-I-JY4FPU_imWTv0ZP/s5184/Old%20Chevy%20pickup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLiGN4gL9gZ6YHQqk_sMp5Z5bdkC9IQHhEVD0cDVPxX9x2hoP1IqVJJJ9snNsDGcXfgv-xSWyN8DAS854jvSjLuafS-lH5hKQDVpjEacgAlYGlNebLAIxwMDEmBQyOn8jO5SE6lKX5TNuPPu9BCJqVb5V6WTXf5B6IMkSAoK-N5C-I-JY4FPU_imWTv0ZP/w640-h480/Old%20Chevy%20pickup.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Chevy pickup with flawless matte paint</b></div></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The European Ford Capri is becoming increasingly rare in NZ, particularly the 3 litre version and commands a premium price.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYTVmQnZf5WxTJQ63mgxeyYPrtEVxG3J16AuqWGI6MglpZ1W9fskt0Uwkwk__GyUaasY3ceFfR3rE-Iv9ticae1Q0j0kcpbRg8KvVksWFS2oHisszL0xDlvZN2Og029IDmfYcvbrFkNPwU8Gstz2TmkXAQV3fR8qlgwkD4bGrO-gnxLGLn_ULn1g1q_L__/s5184/Ford%20Capri%203%20litre.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYTVmQnZf5WxTJQ63mgxeyYPrtEVxG3J16AuqWGI6MglpZ1W9fskt0Uwkwk__GyUaasY3ceFfR3rE-Iv9ticae1Q0j0kcpbRg8KvVksWFS2oHisszL0xDlvZN2Og029IDmfYcvbrFkNPwU8Gstz2TmkXAQV3fR8qlgwkD4bGrO-gnxLGLn_ULn1g1q_L__/w640-h480/Ford%20Capri%203%20litre.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Ford Capri 3 litre</span></b></div></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Ford Falcon GT is arguably Australia's premier muscle car of the 60's and 70's (ok, the Monaro too for Holden fans!). Available with a range of engine options - 289, 308 and 351, plus various bolt-on goody options; it had a great racing legacy. I seem to remember that a top spec Falcon GTO sold last year for a tad under AU$2 million which is really serious money.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The one in the photo below has modern mags which suggests that it's either a low spec GT or a non-factory GT which has been upgraded. Serious collectors tend to stick to originality. Still a nice car though and sounded great.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXEz6M2_vgRab0VMBdJbanDWBjiA8WmkDeRZmZ3akxwhU9ZHVe8ChVaHZRnL3XFi6SNgydlLpu6Pjs-_AcUqsi7oSj-2PxlUL68wWGX8buDSHh9U3AbhGhVwCgFVS9aJ_xGU2YXYThyphenhyphenNVbuUNVUO_g6mPx-XYxBOumfxDLiEWFSQfVSJ92x91Ztz9iTsx/s5184/Aussie%20Falcon%20GT.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXEz6M2_vgRab0VMBdJbanDWBjiA8WmkDeRZmZ3akxwhU9ZHVe8ChVaHZRnL3XFi6SNgydlLpu6Pjs-_AcUqsi7oSj-2PxlUL68wWGX8buDSHh9U3AbhGhVwCgFVS9aJ_xGU2YXYThyphenhyphenNVbuUNVUO_g6mPx-XYxBOumfxDLiEWFSQfVSJ92x91Ztz9iTsx/w640-h480/Aussie%20Falcon%20GT.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Falcon GT</span></b></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUbAiWHn1lMHjfMlhXOsnH-OSY4P_ODW6UrCl8vtUazDOyhkGOpLhEziq39DkbfwAm7rC45wB4JSWJX3hV5LXVB7Dd0H15WSSdcWlbDXjmR8lX0vBDQmtOT1j8hSuIrW-4eZS1aGipeWTUKNNOFEAF0ynZclavLjKh2WuPMwBddOv6vatULASXllgPL1mM/s5184/Chevy%20pickup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUbAiWHn1lMHjfMlhXOsnH-OSY4P_ODW6UrCl8vtUazDOyhkGOpLhEziq39DkbfwAm7rC45wB4JSWJX3hV5LXVB7Dd0H15WSSdcWlbDXjmR8lX0vBDQmtOT1j8hSuIrW-4eZS1aGipeWTUKNNOFEAF0ynZclavLjKh2WuPMwBddOv6vatULASXllgPL1mM/w640-h480/Chevy%20pickup.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Beautiful Chevy pickup</b></div></b><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In a departure from Americana, the following photos are of the Saker GT. I must admit that I'd never even heard of one, let alone seen one in the flesh. There's plenty of reading about them on the internet, but in short; they were originally designed and built in NZ. Full production was subsequently carried out in the Netherlands, with some controversy about the legality of the arrangement. A gorgeous-looking car and the owner had some trouble getting it into the paddock because of the minimal ground clearance.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcuehNqIARU_pS7MQIJTPppib_hWt886lc4IXnGAN43M5X6k80lEzrKflh_s1K4iX-WCNxN_CbiBDD2bjKmaD6cqE_eg2WZC7qh_PafQx9ebC6NMSmBY1JV1jFOidt965SeUAw6kYWBbeqARICHzmec2nJJncZx9BN-pCduCTgEBYolM283zaxTfAHWpQ/s5184/Saker%20GT%202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcuehNqIARU_pS7MQIJTPppib_hWt886lc4IXnGAN43M5X6k80lEzrKflh_s1K4iX-WCNxN_CbiBDD2bjKmaD6cqE_eg2WZC7qh_PafQx9ebC6NMSmBY1JV1jFOidt965SeUAw6kYWBbeqARICHzmec2nJJncZx9BN-pCduCTgEBYolM283zaxTfAHWpQ/w640-h480/Saker%20GT%202.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Saker GT</span></b></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghvslNaOScqjb-uWPsnSZ-s5xPjCOKPbKQPMzl7Rs8556iQ3hVEwD3G8s-w-jieF6CShRp88YPMHUjWNeTjbCfbb_bMtJRStVcnkk2xcjQOo56G6lXmQAQUJBgiH67gCpHOJbtfeOvyUFNChFRZvEfxaf5BckZKSxTnYKYcnW0k6NY9mbK_tNKvEif76op/s5184/Saker%20GT%203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghvslNaOScqjb-uWPsnSZ-s5xPjCOKPbKQPMzl7Rs8556iQ3hVEwD3G8s-w-jieF6CShRp88YPMHUjWNeTjbCfbb_bMtJRStVcnkk2xcjQOo56G6lXmQAQUJBgiH67gCpHOJbtfeOvyUFNChFRZvEfxaf5BckZKSxTnYKYcnW0k6NY9mbK_tNKvEif76op/w640-h480/Saker%20GT%203.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Saker GT front end - crash rating???</span></b></div></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj62jBfxPc20gtvdIBpyU-FzyI3k6hC7hBLLEuHrMvIh9B_cRBhyphenhyphen2JUMS7iGhYujRgF3jlk4dBeogUTiWCrFyxRiGENXjoaEp8XqnsdgJdeWTTT_7NKPUzn2OP2iyO43qltxSBKcIZPKIwNdbves9GTbLu4snIfeBY5o5z-p-kmP0qjHAKtGaGg8XIrARv/s5184/Mercury%20Cyclone%20GT%201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj62jBfxPc20gtvdIBpyU-FzyI3k6hC7hBLLEuHrMvIh9B_cRBhyphenhyphen2JUMS7iGhYujRgF3jlk4dBeogUTiWCrFyxRiGENXjoaEp8XqnsdgJdeWTTT_7NKPUzn2OP2iyO43qltxSBKcIZPKIwNdbves9GTbLu4snIfeBY5o5z-p-kmP0qjHAKtGaGg8XIrARv/w640-h480/Mercury%20Cyclone%20GT%201.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Mercury Cyclone GT - a seriously large car</span></b></div></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Something a little different was a Toyota Landcruiser set up for long distance travels and camping. I understand that the owner brought it to NZ after owning it in Australia, which makes sense. Incredibly well set up.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJCcth9mAZwDsx4xMQoSEKw5KT_GVjzbD0uDaW8Zrfnu88dKdLM4vTkXTpsCRih98Mz18tfUZBD4N34xkgyRUKMekGKfAU4_ml37wbiqpyjsm81DyOvpLmGJdg1Q6Fi9W5a5Ua9HxF1W3xiBsVZQyKOmS3aMttCI09H1GfS-q0B2osGHYXi5ZRKBI-a1e/s5184/Camping%20Landcruiser%201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJCcth9mAZwDsx4xMQoSEKw5KT_GVjzbD0uDaW8Zrfnu88dKdLM4vTkXTpsCRih98Mz18tfUZBD4N34xkgyRUKMekGKfAU4_ml37wbiqpyjsm81DyOvpLmGJdg1Q6Fi9W5a5Ua9HxF1W3xiBsVZQyKOmS3aMttCI09H1GfS-q0B2osGHYXi5ZRKBI-a1e/w640-h480/Camping%20Landcruiser%201.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Toyota Landcruiser</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">There were a couple of all-black vintage cars at the fair, both of them with paint like a mirror - no dust, fingerprints or any other form of blemish. An absolute tribute to their owners. I'd happily own this but I guess super-deep pockets might be required.</span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhePianwHfzO0T8NcJ-w0wNQr4J72NBRBhC2NaQKMTerL8TA4U8MGAPEsMwrYwWXWlS8WuJ_l39EECYwEBF7zi9YZrML-rpvBAIdW61IOGLRWizSMgmgb_uOEMsWYHkbqTp3cxGYq5GehzdAbSWrxGY2mJX117RngHLnn-KUW5oDdwHm9bvjsvuqyeB8GFn/s5184/26%20Ford.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhePianwHfzO0T8NcJ-w0wNQr4J72NBRBhC2NaQKMTerL8TA4U8MGAPEsMwrYwWXWlS8WuJ_l39EECYwEBF7zi9YZrML-rpvBAIdW61IOGLRWizSMgmgb_uOEMsWYHkbqTp3cxGYq5GehzdAbSWrxGY2mJX117RngHLnn-KUW5oDdwHm9bvjsvuqyeB8GFn/w640-h480/26%20Ford.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Model A Ford - 1926?</span></b></div></b><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWjRB7uYOiwDRxbA6SAQKrM9rHiSaxLvJrbxU4d4QpGUIBQ-tx8uCmmmHEd_hURlPlj3FjnF1fnn1W6H9dx7IMN0H38XgTEMW0_E4HM9Oxi5J8Q9ZHqZOAYSjkKPDoIr1C7XS-sSf2EHKgM8FQ5SzytDKDGkD57P81tQ3kIjhxiYhRQ62K2CEVZ4H17fUy/s5184/26%20Ford%20Interior.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWjRB7uYOiwDRxbA6SAQKrM9rHiSaxLvJrbxU4d4QpGUIBQ-tx8uCmmmHEd_hURlPlj3FjnF1fnn1W6H9dx7IMN0H38XgTEMW0_E4HM9Oxi5J8Q9ZHqZOAYSjkKPDoIr1C7XS-sSf2EHKgM8FQ5SzytDKDGkD57P81tQ3kIjhxiYhRQ62K2CEVZ4H17fUy/w640-h480/26%20Ford%20Interior.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Model A Ford interior</span></b></div></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The following Vauxhall Viscount represents a bit of nostalgia for me. Growing up in the UK, a mate had a Vauxhall Cresta with the same body shape. The Viscount was the top of the range version. We all used to pile in it and head off to the pub or longer weekenders and it had a surprisingly good turn of speed with a 3.3 litre engine. Ahh.... carefree days!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiACdYO0eacRULprwWk5W0fc1y_Fv-d_GUVrreDVoc_sZ5K_1IItROr0GWFV-KWc_wsZmMmLPLL_uPPk5GVZlfD3pHwybOBPVyqVOhRS6OO6kTZqvNwiBwIQCdylAaK0c3IaSZcvhwNFCmupmSz5P8AQYE9ImiIjKVWiDCQO_nfWViaOi9eEdeR_ScEicM3/s5184/Vauxhall%20Viscount.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiACdYO0eacRULprwWk5W0fc1y_Fv-d_GUVrreDVoc_sZ5K_1IItROr0GWFV-KWc_wsZmMmLPLL_uPPk5GVZlfD3pHwybOBPVyqVOhRS6OO6kTZqvNwiBwIQCdylAaK0c3IaSZcvhwNFCmupmSz5P8AQYE9ImiIjKVWiDCQO_nfWViaOi9eEdeR_ScEicM3/w640-h480/Vauxhall%20Viscount.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Vauxhall Viscount (UK made)</span></b></div></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicCjq-7qxCXXWoHYNK2_uLWMuKQpC5_-qCvpLvl8ex20BZEw8ogzCtMsUM5f9sK-M82XXwhSSCdjJQBQpZzCKOn-acmhyYMsM8T_OHBu0domAQdIKChlc9NJW9UZ17cO5NvUaPldzr1keyx2giGj3bnimKTNJcnDuMDN5iw6HlPEx05mWYK1tJLKNJUwA4/s5184/Ford%20saloon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicCjq-7qxCXXWoHYNK2_uLWMuKQpC5_-qCvpLvl8ex20BZEw8ogzCtMsUM5f9sK-M82XXwhSSCdjJQBQpZzCKOn-acmhyYMsM8T_OHBu0domAQdIKChlc9NJW9UZ17cO5NvUaPldzr1keyx2giGj3bnimKTNJcnDuMDN5iw6HlPEx05mWYK1tJLKNJUwA4/w640-h480/Ford%20saloon.JPG" width="640" /></span></b></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Nice airbrushing on a Ford saloon</span></b></div></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDkddeefG9orvwmgyREU0T0aGAbeZPfP4nG6_IOdG5yh6vcyEkcHPxs-vRRaPNew6zbvqrSe0PBLgLtRPj_KEgpkdcr4abRVcA1LpKcWrEA0ZeJSqMcIolXZuG1AH4h8hN9ptbV6KHAGErnxHH07iX2pt1qOZT7Wfk1c9_tGIp6b9Mes2kFixYxuEwspIU/s5184/Mustang%20and%20Ford%20pickup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDkddeefG9orvwmgyREU0T0aGAbeZPfP4nG6_IOdG5yh6vcyEkcHPxs-vRRaPNew6zbvqrSe0PBLgLtRPj_KEgpkdcr4abRVcA1LpKcWrEA0ZeJSqMcIolXZuG1AH4h8hN9ptbV6KHAGErnxHH07iX2pt1qOZT7Wfk1c9_tGIp6b9Mes2kFixYxuEwspIU/w640-h480/Mustang%20and%20Ford%20pickup.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Two Fords from different eras</span></b></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhol8Bx32LzRu8LKAkuDJ3QMVWtpIJ6aQnPVIFHVqteJw8Wn9YqtySnxu5gbC-3DCwu4kuVxd7yjsdi5lhbtyjq8X7c0jSOtHNaTnRK9jz6qxjfDG-XfxmisdK5Z6soYFwZJjvp5Yx5l4xGQCfWfgQSo-tz0umS8a6vho8wZI3FyNu0rGOZxYyYdd4Izlf2/s5184/65%20Mustang%20Fastback.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhol8Bx32LzRu8LKAkuDJ3QMVWtpIJ6aQnPVIFHVqteJw8Wn9YqtySnxu5gbC-3DCwu4kuVxd7yjsdi5lhbtyjq8X7c0jSOtHNaTnRK9jz6qxjfDG-XfxmisdK5Z6soYFwZJjvp5Yx5l4xGQCfWfgQSo-tz0umS8a6vho8wZI3FyNu0rGOZxYyYdd4Izlf2/w640-h480/65%20Mustang%20Fastback.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Early Mustang fastback</span></b></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaqRVuqcVzgYDa29EVYwAhn-fMO3LB9C3Ynd2BUhn7urW6gQSDoNJGZgJ-02lDzYPuhEVCJ6OaU3UtTk4GFac6dFdwU1h3NllMoDs4zjXMke1ZpiWswQlt7uguIfkvuWGP4zY8zG3N-Elpp2Osg7qgU5W0S0cja_TZcfJCrZid94zvZEkPPdQ0tXdfMqRO/s5184/Corvette.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaqRVuqcVzgYDa29EVYwAhn-fMO3LB9C3Ynd2BUhn7urW6gQSDoNJGZgJ-02lDzYPuhEVCJ6OaU3UtTk4GFac6dFdwU1h3NllMoDs4zjXMke1ZpiWswQlt7uguIfkvuWGP4zY8zG3N-Elpp2Osg7qgU5W0S0cja_TZcfJCrZid94zvZEkPPdQ0tXdfMqRO/w640-h480/Corvette.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">A Corvette in Lamborghini Muira livery<br /></span><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Finally, a very nice Ford coupe hot rod. A black finish still looks classy!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqU406g6zxi6LckROUCY9OuE9K685V5IySNC4j9jJ-kFJniE4mzds4ICYIBpojqwtqsp66CPgT7OG8cKLGyIDFcZ2lMi6JP91g0VIhcGvMrmKDv13BGqHtdvcN9sNHqrGXEokywr_1yX9Qz3vEGEI6JHITnolkPMH17VfTwFj3M3QmI7DKl66cWU7aMF0B/s5184/Ford%20Coupe.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3888" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqU406g6zxi6LckROUCY9OuE9K685V5IySNC4j9jJ-kFJniE4mzds4ICYIBpojqwtqsp66CPgT7OG8cKLGyIDFcZ2lMi6JP91g0VIhcGvMrmKDv13BGqHtdvcN9sNHqrGXEokywr_1yX9Qz3vEGEI6JHITnolkPMH17VfTwFj3M3QmI7DKl66cWU7aMF0B/w480-h640/Ford%20Coupe.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Ford Coupe hot rod</b></div><p style="text-align: left;">A great day, only 10 minutes from home and kudos to Coromandel for putting on a great show with some unusual machinery. </p></span><p></p>Geoff Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041523109817248619noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4341114511830074977.post-60322486084931013402024-01-28T12:23:00.003+13:002024-01-30T14:39:28.168+13:00Wings and Wheels 2024<p><span style="font-size: medium;">What with cancellations due to Covid and the tropical storms in NZ last year, I've missed attending Wings and Wheels at Thames until now. The location is only an hour down the coast too. What a great day it turned out to be, with excellent organisation and everyone chilled and simply there to have a good time. As I've remarked previously, there appears to be little or no snobbery or a hierarchy among NZ classic car owners which leads to some great discussions.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Even better, any classic cars or light aircraft owners were admitted to to the airfield for free and had a ringside seat for all the activities. Can't be bad, can it? The weather was warm and dry, although rain was forecast later in the day. The following photos are only a small selection of the zillion I took and the sheer variety of vehicles and aircraft was guaranteed to avoid boredom. Even Mrs James was moved to remark that she had a wonderful day out!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPoy8HhGWsuNZJLIRdBnI_dJ-xM6tdfM7t7mm_SIsLc41-5eEWMLTXOOTYmWpdgwUqHfpsAuIN331Urmh79HSLZSMvZuljs1RDoFiMsz2lEXsMqlm_JnwpxdRpoy6LCn0D2rygceuYQHi9yb4HwXa55vJvkReJ-Neyb5kZXd5qONYdQr4cT4jHfRZ2P8Y6/s1566/Wings%20and%20Wheels.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1566" data-original-width="1104" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPoy8HhGWsuNZJLIRdBnI_dJ-xM6tdfM7t7mm_SIsLc41-5eEWMLTXOOTYmWpdgwUqHfpsAuIN331Urmh79HSLZSMvZuljs1RDoFiMsz2lEXsMqlm_JnwpxdRpoy6LCn0D2rygceuYQHi9yb4HwXa55vJvkReJ-Neyb5kZXd5qONYdQr4cT4jHfRZ2P8Y6/w452-h640/Wings%20and%20Wheels.jpg" width="452" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Great retro poster and pilot information</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">After we'd been directed to a parking spot between a Model T brewery delivery vehicle and a supercharged Model T bucket hot rod belonging to a middle-aged woman, we noticed something a bit different parked about 50 metres away. This was a rolling chassis powered by home made pulse jet engines running on LPG, very similar to the WW2 German V1 flying bombs. Even better, there was to be an engine run every hour!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsEUu7Si-kjVgIbBU6RJQiV6GTIgrJGNSD8ddMW5Xgr_73_6zRGB7uyZ6qBbchai5mDsNevmLVw3XFbI3KEpcFfCjtV9NpMBDyfxWm5ihQX4Yqu26u2XseHXClBGt-nnmt0W_7Wmw0ZJg3_kV4O7z_nBEYCx6w_HTRYktkBW9XqR1UhmXeC7-Du-VQS_50/s5184/Pulse%20jet%205.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsEUu7Si-kjVgIbBU6RJQiV6GTIgrJGNSD8ddMW5Xgr_73_6zRGB7uyZ6qBbchai5mDsNevmLVw3XFbI3KEpcFfCjtV9NpMBDyfxWm5ihQX4Yqu26u2XseHXClBGt-nnmt0W_7Wmw0ZJg3_kV4O7z_nBEYCx6w_HTRYktkBW9XqR1UhmXeC7-Du-VQS_50/w640-h480/Pulse%20jet%205.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Not something you see every day!</b></div></b> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Starting it involved the use of a leaf blower to get the air and LPG circulating. The noise and particularly the frequency was unbelievably loud and actually vibrated the bones and organs inside the body. Pretty unpleasant but nonetheless impressive.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuR5MgLTQRHFfsC0lJxezwzx2-vJs6hpzoQ07VE9uwGaFvmXhSgiLZKs9mjkeOi1tOb9kL4t7v9w_VVF3_98A8sqcRDgAPji4ebDles0YpvOpjTeMPkfWxorIJvcqtJqZGXUhtF7-k5-ZNE70u2ztPs0JOWvSjwTCYu7fqmGZeMlpZ33MDpvBNr33BWDlG/s1960/Pulse%20jet%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1303" data-original-width="1960" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuR5MgLTQRHFfsC0lJxezwzx2-vJs6hpzoQ07VE9uwGaFvmXhSgiLZKs9mjkeOi1tOb9kL4t7v9w_VVF3_98A8sqcRDgAPji4ebDles0YpvOpjTeMPkfWxorIJvcqtJqZGXUhtF7-k5-ZNE70u2ztPs0JOWvSjwTCYu7fqmGZeMlpZ33MDpvBNr33BWDlG/w640-h426/Pulse%20jet%203.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">We have ignition! Note all the fingers in ears</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Being local, we were quite early and it was enjoyable to watch other classics drive in over the next hour. A line of vehicles from the Austin Healey Club made for a great sight. They sell for serious money, especially the rarer 100 series models.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoeRjXIrt9mYJenbrEz-egcZGjUGkFad7TKx_CAKEkgVYam1cGkvp1Sz5AoAiR0uDxve8JH5UH4jk6Zps-id3UU0S8KBVC6rez4v_j97FU9nsz0PiLgnUzMFkypGDLafb7qJ_J638jIBOxJy-0MmPhvtI5phWFHd9DVSO-JKYGnzcF08Eg6rcc_Ayu_dFN/s3712/Austin%20Healy%20club.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2259" data-original-width="3712" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoeRjXIrt9mYJenbrEz-egcZGjUGkFad7TKx_CAKEkgVYam1cGkvp1Sz5AoAiR0uDxve8JH5UH4jk6Zps-id3UU0S8KBVC6rez4v_j97FU9nsz0PiLgnUzMFkypGDLafb7qJ_J638jIBOxJy-0MmPhvtI5phWFHd9DVSO-JKYGnzcF08Eg6rcc_Ayu_dFN/w640-h390/Austin%20Healy%20club.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Various Austin Healey models driving in</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></span></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ESZ3SF9zV_kNZ0w22spLg0X5I-os3DvL57W3F3Xk02dXv9o8KwUTp7N7Yd3fVmtxqODETmPrmH11VcAReB8tymHfLG65y1fytsEzZMHEiTACneH49KALpIAPlE8x3JDgM8rBh24gvLc6eNA1bmbDKP-9mH3yj7-0wYlVJvedci2QepYE2UFV-2Xj_-RE/s5184/Austin%20Healey%20Sprite.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3293" data-original-width="5184" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ESZ3SF9zV_kNZ0w22spLg0X5I-os3DvL57W3F3Xk02dXv9o8KwUTp7N7Yd3fVmtxqODETmPrmH11VcAReB8tymHfLG65y1fytsEzZMHEiTACneH49KALpIAPlE8x3JDgM8rBh24gvLc6eNA1bmbDKP-9mH3yj7-0wYlVJvedci2QepYE2UFV-2Xj_-RE/w640-h406/Austin%20Healey%20Sprite.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">An Austin Healey Sprite with aftermarket bodywork</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There was a pretty even split between British and American vehicles and with a population of ~ 5 million in NZ, I'm always amazed at just how many classic vehicles there are lurking in sheds around the country. You can add light aircraft too, judging by how many private aircraft were arriving for the show.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Oi7nmnw-J6YqIAu5ek_vE384nYapI03pDdg9NGGIq0NmZDuHcwHjz42Jyu2mS6HSjI-99pZahh23aGCOCWA_Dv6DG0Nsh4kl5r3wimitFvv9AKxyTaypfs2OoTb1S2-ceOnCaSOzCfo3VVXDo22IvOGSZ2exDpf_gHCsN5ro2hyI0CJkFPlUvsaa2IC-/s4632/Citroen.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2789" data-original-width="4632" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Oi7nmnw-J6YqIAu5ek_vE384nYapI03pDdg9NGGIq0NmZDuHcwHjz42Jyu2mS6HSjI-99pZahh23aGCOCWA_Dv6DG0Nsh4kl5r3wimitFvv9AKxyTaypfs2OoTb1S2-ceOnCaSOzCfo3VVXDo22IvOGSZ2exDpf_gHCsN5ro2hyI0CJkFPlUvsaa2IC-/w640-h386/Citroen.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Citroen with forward opening front doors</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg68qszo8rDVzAgwdVmXndyxQd3vrah56f5SSTuM3et7KOPiAurjGnzuDm7fkjW5O5SSES0Y7qV2LYnjnG9b7iTsPZoZvt4XRpHKpDZrE6UZLUu12ncIhhdtRiQfQc5-DmyFY31SFrTYoIlwGRQ0fMO6JVU5WunLLC_SIq_YoN5kSb_kLjcaTLF3Oj8NHzX/s4324/Cosworth%20Sierra%20RS500.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4324" data-original-width="3588" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg68qszo8rDVzAgwdVmXndyxQd3vrah56f5SSTuM3et7KOPiAurjGnzuDm7fkjW5O5SSES0Y7qV2LYnjnG9b7iTsPZoZvt4XRpHKpDZrE6UZLUu12ncIhhdtRiQfQc5-DmyFY31SFrTYoIlwGRQ0fMO6JVU5WunLLC_SIq_YoN5kSb_kLjcaTLF3Oj8NHzX/w532-h640/Cosworth%20Sierra%20RS500.JPG" width="532" /></a></div> <b>Ford Cosworth Sierra RS500 - a rare beast</b></div></span></b><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ewamK2FSmSTRr0dip-h8H2ktIPtbu9tHOdxBgpjYfDa8D6eM_nTyPRtfimWVotbwPqy4qKi77rmOY3Cr35_dLaB-Sld4SU8Fd7oNIn9gURQr9ENu0ZSph7rTybTKmyshi0rxsxf1QwvyhKiNtEbuO8-_L-oqZKGwVhHAWGZT4wbdaH4vfd7Vm9R94HW5/s5184/Corsair%20GT.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ewamK2FSmSTRr0dip-h8H2ktIPtbu9tHOdxBgpjYfDa8D6eM_nTyPRtfimWVotbwPqy4qKi77rmOY3Cr35_dLaB-Sld4SU8Fd7oNIn9gURQr9ENu0ZSph7rTybTKmyshi0rxsxf1QwvyhKiNtEbuO8-_L-oqZKGwVhHAWGZT4wbdaH4vfd7Vm9R94HW5/w640-h480/Corsair%20GT.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Ford Corsair GT - haven't seen one since leaving the UK in 1975!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></span></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivTeo2Nxch8ysE1QMUPZzeLixiOT5xylOHuz_8Y3AJxEWd-okEljMaFaxIZSTAAoVZd1VdjFG8b7OdNSreH1JSOFHlaW5VfTXy3sfWo0VfyWEf2OfjakUakkgCYet8QnabHK0SdQDNyZyHHEYaG9VLpwE3cYN0yXgFvRU8kRxtm0nHMLmT3Aw3rDiT-mJJ/s5184/Dodge%20Challenger.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3017" data-original-width="5184" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivTeo2Nxch8ysE1QMUPZzeLixiOT5xylOHuz_8Y3AJxEWd-okEljMaFaxIZSTAAoVZd1VdjFG8b7OdNSreH1JSOFHlaW5VfTXy3sfWo0VfyWEf2OfjakUakkgCYet8QnabHK0SdQDNyZyHHEYaG9VLpwE3cYN0yXgFvRU8kRxtm0nHMLmT3Aw3rDiT-mJJ/w640-h372/Dodge%20Challenger.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Dodge Challenger R/T - shades of the cult movie "Vanishing Point"</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></span></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfGeZsX_HcEAqrQaHF1qM6DiFu1tzkVi96aKgv7GernBVcxREfI_2llguF-ytk2_VI_8I4rCuExtd5uk6qW7F4RkLMALreRP2ktgMScf54neQ3tWM_U-vlBSTBSMHMmWmzsFTp2IQqMiYWHamOvvjiH360Rnu6cL0M2v3KBPccit3_PHsz81KUDatbqLH/s5184/Packard%20special.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3508" data-original-width="5184" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfGeZsX_HcEAqrQaHF1qM6DiFu1tzkVi96aKgv7GernBVcxREfI_2llguF-ytk2_VI_8I4rCuExtd5uk6qW7F4RkLMALreRP2ktgMScf54neQ3tWM_U-vlBSTBSMHMmWmzsFTp2IQqMiYWHamOvvjiH360Rnu6cL0M2v3KBPccit3_PHsz81KUDatbqLH/w640-h434/Packard%20special.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A Packard Special which would look at home in a Mad Max movie</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJi0zhikaSm6BiBVfLBKZL4-c5MZ8-JPQHiV2Xm44MOzsAAbD8s6gPFn3IfVE40qCOhY3z4IMq_pie8M_dphQfLyJmPrQ6UD9RVMHyMYJTS4jfXgL5RuWCrQZCGlRGRlds2q1GpwtXXifCW1l19PgIbG027l0DyWlZUNlBVMmfZULYwpUfZVHHAfMCBOVM/s5184/Stingray2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJi0zhikaSm6BiBVfLBKZL4-c5MZ8-JPQHiV2Xm44MOzsAAbD8s6gPFn3IfVE40qCOhY3z4IMq_pie8M_dphQfLyJmPrQ6UD9RVMHyMYJTS4jfXgL5RuWCrQZCGlRGRlds2q1GpwtXXifCW1l19PgIbG027l0DyWlZUNlBVMmfZULYwpUfZVHHAfMCBOVM/w640-h480/Stingray2.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Ridiculously wide tyres on this Stingray</b></div></b><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-f29d0drR7VeyLXIaT20YjIJSDwsyeZLlc7gZgi-T6CEI7N8yjqtGHg37i72uH9mp_kXDFV8tTofWDh6ZF1cUKjqBPuxJvx8iWyEOdLjxcUbhTWSRd_7fDWzAizGarfpAVpeJojyChc_eQIOrboSTGGc7M8LS5uXpxcW5EH4eQCu5ePNy_BPpwdPNc5rc/s4231/Barracuda.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2370" data-original-width="4231" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-f29d0drR7VeyLXIaT20YjIJSDwsyeZLlc7gZgi-T6CEI7N8yjqtGHg37i72uH9mp_kXDFV8tTofWDh6ZF1cUKjqBPuxJvx8iWyEOdLjxcUbhTWSRd_7fDWzAizGarfpAVpeJojyChc_eQIOrboSTGGc7M8LS5uXpxcW5EH4eQCu5ePNy_BPpwdPNc5rc/w640-h358/Barracuda.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Plymouth Barracuda - yummm!</span></b></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEs_uNuwSXT1XtdYCvtDjDi2MYwWRMhRaJyN5a9Ssg1x07dSAT1vp6I44_6dmRQTVabFTcL3_tyrNVt3sAdajphPjBfQK47-U5UxB33XRn1o_ql1_R82Q0S3uCPS7YwFYD9SDxUIKQY9N8bTxNURmGlgKenBqAauX-mALx9kgi3dBEUqCq5ATPWrUhkYYu/s5184/Dodge%206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEs_uNuwSXT1XtdYCvtDjDi2MYwWRMhRaJyN5a9Ssg1x07dSAT1vp6I44_6dmRQTVabFTcL3_tyrNVt3sAdajphPjBfQK47-U5UxB33XRn1o_ql1_R82Q0S3uCPS7YwFYD9SDxUIKQY9N8bTxNURmGlgKenBqAauX-mALx9kgi3dBEUqCq5ATPWrUhkYYu/w640-h480/Dodge%206.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A Dodge 6</b><br /><b style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrw_eSyZt16kJPmjsLy7OUReOBpAXKLs8hF_sycwRZlK19OmKmpiBBLobHmmgvz6BuecgWB93ddUMOM6SicdAuF6U2hcr0No2rphyt8CFCndhuolO2FgskwF4o4dnSBGxQrZYC1fSjA0vUz-dq4_6cU8vn-W7N5Xk48BVqVg4Lu_ceNHSGtBnJxtkeNRuO/s5184/Holden%20Monaro%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2916" data-original-width="5184" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrw_eSyZt16kJPmjsLy7OUReOBpAXKLs8hF_sycwRZlK19OmKmpiBBLobHmmgvz6BuecgWB93ddUMOM6SicdAuF6U2hcr0No2rphyt8CFCndhuolO2FgskwF4o4dnSBGxQrZYC1fSjA0vUz-dq4_6cU8vn-W7N5Xk48BVqVg4Lu_ceNHSGtBnJxtkeNRuO/w640-h360/Holden%20Monaro%202.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Supercharged Holden Monaro towing a racecar</span></b></div></b><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaKD4drW9UZGX-bsHpf1J7tldK76tUOecQ5Kv53cMGo6otJg5ZA3EklECJwsziFZCnEDpdbQks3xGYUmQlJlmuvSDdZa2YBGO56pyZhnErpdjQRptw1VEsQOJV58_847adwcZ_Rp3C56lvt2VaYtGSPjb-o_OjWSD9nWB88W5gRiiu_m93y7q4ws55kbt4/s5184/Retro%20caravan.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaKD4drW9UZGX-bsHpf1J7tldK76tUOecQ5Kv53cMGo6otJg5ZA3EklECJwsziFZCnEDpdbQks3xGYUmQlJlmuvSDdZa2YBGO56pyZhnErpdjQRptw1VEsQOJV58_847adwcZ_Rp3C56lvt2VaYtGSPjb-o_OjWSD9nWB88W5gRiiu_m93y7q4ws55kbt4/w640-h480/Retro%20caravan.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Superb retro caravan</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6saiRLoJ8aOjhZc-IcyIiS8RkpRf_TTgfd6FkgMJg26epuBSeJjje0tWC2DsFH0zVj6wnEfsFL4jwtjdSKkCaoMVCgHIWTb0JPUEVHxcSdeqDno0o23-ba108TnnCUL8TLZVx5XqA9fqUe6DXJYvenEyJzvgcnJpALWz4mVEmFJlcjTs7YNuSi2WOSJG3/s5184/XK150.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3007" data-original-width="5184" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6saiRLoJ8aOjhZc-IcyIiS8RkpRf_TTgfd6FkgMJg26epuBSeJjje0tWC2DsFH0zVj6wnEfsFL4jwtjdSKkCaoMVCgHIWTb0JPUEVHxcSdeqDno0o23-ba108TnnCUL8TLZVx5XqA9fqUe6DXJYvenEyJzvgcnJpALWz4mVEmFJlcjTs7YNuSi2WOSJG3/w640-h372/XK150.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Jaguar XK150</b></div></b><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghkSuBijhIaK6wFhmq27o-VFQHk81Ucdl5SPppQrMe9em6pRSFhbjZ3EfPniQWHjQMiYOk_14uSGDKU0pBk5jSIrCVo9dMWgdxqHt8CaFjnWm2696Bv8Bk9lDwgyeOrFh3A6VrMMMZTvFbzvYkDtNuV8B4pxobtE7v0fpBT0XBq34U4e1eLPeR6haf2cQ1/s5184/E%20type.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3152" data-original-width="5184" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghkSuBijhIaK6wFhmq27o-VFQHk81Ucdl5SPppQrMe9em6pRSFhbjZ3EfPniQWHjQMiYOk_14uSGDKU0pBk5jSIrCVo9dMWgdxqHt8CaFjnWm2696Bv8Bk9lDwgyeOrFh3A6VrMMMZTvFbzvYkDtNuV8B4pxobtE7v0fpBT0XBq34U4e1eLPeR6haf2cQ1/w640-h390/E%20type.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Heaps of E-types on display</span></b></div></b><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTwDIvs98jPZlfk1AQxES0Pk1_xKLn7O632NOSxeUUy4JWGQhoXQeq1bo5bqrFwlzvSziDML61er163N7O6b12aOQoTP39cVTYy8keNGPReYSGjbLgx1IMeFTTBpXHCD4uBBzZVfdT8214-9VtDv28T4yttqdP_AnXMGWGYUKb-LgKYlzBc9u6FrsvV2pg/s5184/Mrs%20James%20&%20MG.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3043" data-original-width="5184" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTwDIvs98jPZlfk1AQxES0Pk1_xKLn7O632NOSxeUUy4JWGQhoXQeq1bo5bqrFwlzvSziDML61er163N7O6b12aOQoTP39cVTYy8keNGPReYSGjbLgx1IMeFTTBpXHCD4uBBzZVfdT8214-9VtDv28T4yttqdP_AnXMGWGYUKb-LgKYlzBc9u6FrsvV2pg/w640-h376/Mrs%20James%20&%20MG.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Mrs J and a certain MGB GT!</span></b></div></b><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgIoQ5CmUMDI7VuNuOtNUK1WIqjEjnhxjFnjx2y6b57tuR9_3qe_kjdXjgada08kwvK9z5fQW0WC-zqDlgxDY0icZ3CIFdJPEVKitWxyFsmuiKUb7WGjtt0b8mnz0PDjgqsG9UNu3mujNNklg-CyrHd0_7ipl6oBoaaZumF_9J3-uEhpvEqsNwOMYGBpJG/s5184/Morris%20Minor.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3888" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgIoQ5CmUMDI7VuNuOtNUK1WIqjEjnhxjFnjx2y6b57tuR9_3qe_kjdXjgada08kwvK9z5fQW0WC-zqDlgxDY0icZ3CIFdJPEVKitWxyFsmuiKUb7WGjtt0b8mnz0PDjgqsG9UNu3mujNNklg-CyrHd0_7ipl6oBoaaZumF_9J3-uEhpvEqsNwOMYGBpJG/w480-h640/Morris%20Minor.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">1952 Morris Minor - 918cc side valve, I think</span></b></div></b><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We simply ran out of time to look at some of the vintage bikes which were at the other end of the airfield but a bike on the back of a ute (pick up truck) near us caught my eye. This is the Honda XR500, first introduced in 1979. This particular bike looked like it had never been ridden. Whether it was new or flawlessly restored was hard to tell but I'd imagine that it would fetch a premium if ever sold.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOcMchaVW5W__n6zKZUgKe2WLjFgB0cT5ekKbTvSrK-7jnFRZZNALp3MEibnUDiE4kHusQYLDiyoDQvU3gK-cridi8-0NiDH3uKxbVU4CBB4l5wRBgvHQ8U5_3Rc0Sl0ISwYiAxc5VdR1rRLPw47QjRM9WLaL-pz3m3UZVFXtwg20dtZyJG9iO89r1n7n6/s5184/Honda%20XR500%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOcMchaVW5W__n6zKZUgKe2WLjFgB0cT5ekKbTvSrK-7jnFRZZNALp3MEibnUDiE4kHusQYLDiyoDQvU3gK-cridi8-0NiDH3uKxbVU4CBB4l5wRBgvHQ8U5_3Rc0Sl0ISwYiAxc5VdR1rRLPw47QjRM9WLaL-pz3m3UZVFXtwg20dtZyJG9iO89r1n7n6/w640-h480/Honda%20XR500%202.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Honda XR 500 trail bike</span></b></div></b><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So many other vehicle photos which deserve to be posted but it's the turn of the aircraft now. When we arrived, there were already lots of planes parked up but there were a constant stream on final approach. A quad bike customised to look like a mini-hot rod was tasked with guiding them to an allocated parking spot. As a point of note, the pilots of the WW1 replicas and WW2 Warbirds could pretty much be described is "mature" with plenty of grey hair on display. I found this strangely reassuring!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUoWsaGLZMHAtKJxqJBW8n_HYRUbbQ7u9EXSnBd1W5Qy98rd8t-zvIxQqGETJ4dhWSO0ipne_jPi7swGV2C65cA1oJvw5VlQyfsKgKvly4rQnRAHkO-CwcTWCMPcu0qvWDPA_GuCcFLuhchdcwSvyyly_PWBk0a1yDgah3cMF_T5Mlty20HYjfrS-zBlN8/s4976/Corsair%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2833" data-original-width="4976" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUoWsaGLZMHAtKJxqJBW8n_HYRUbbQ7u9EXSnBd1W5Qy98rd8t-zvIxQqGETJ4dhWSO0ipne_jPi7swGV2C65cA1oJvw5VlQyfsKgKvly4rQnRAHkO-CwcTWCMPcu0qvWDPA_GuCcFLuhchdcwSvyyly_PWBk0a1yDgah3cMF_T5Mlty20HYjfrS-zBlN8/w640-h364/Corsair%201.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>A Corsair taxiing to its designated spot</b></div></b> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidhMSU16le7uKjwBarJPsosMN5OFuLk9RqlV1zULB7py2FGuZiKV7h6wqCJxU5yuWL6WLfR2Vf_5rArgQOD2Utulh43c9uBAP9aOUUTZakoh-c0uz3mbsBS9P7Qg4j_7VnO2-gANHD0wPa_TN21wT8DU2a4UDzBY70S1UGsPEcwGOWZwAAZ_BUcsgDjrop/s5184/Yaks.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3031" data-original-width="5184" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidhMSU16le7uKjwBarJPsosMN5OFuLk9RqlV1zULB7py2FGuZiKV7h6wqCJxU5yuWL6WLfR2Vf_5rArgQOD2Utulh43c9uBAP9aOUUTZakoh-c0uz3mbsBS9P7Qg4j_7VnO2-gANHD0wPa_TN21wT8DU2a4UDzBY70S1UGsPEcwGOWZwAAZ_BUcsgDjrop/w640-h374/Yaks.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Arty shot of Yak tail fins</span></b></div></b><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A couple of biplanes of unknown make, both of them in flawless condition........</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMX1oD4-tVFpSv5m9UJ_jI-vcMoIH9iRz1g1lF7ai6GNYbgRjMVn5yO7RL-T0fwxI_46YvlWzI57fhC-djxgAbt5Abki0C73W-e3hFMrqBFtqrJ7LAt-PVW4ezKyStkRFi6tt9u3dwB7x6_M7Ow7cYSjt0Zag9tp8CxozpLbFEn0dZB85uWMkvjK5uLUW1/s4638/Biplane%201.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2504" data-original-width="4638" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMX1oD4-tVFpSv5m9UJ_jI-vcMoIH9iRz1g1lF7ai6GNYbgRjMVn5yO7RL-T0fwxI_46YvlWzI57fhC-djxgAbt5Abki0C73W-e3hFMrqBFtqrJ7LAt-PVW4ezKyStkRFi6tt9u3dwB7x6_M7Ow7cYSjt0Zag9tp8CxozpLbFEn0dZB85uWMkvjK5uLUW1/w640-h346/Biplane%201.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">In magnificent condition</span></b></div></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Warbirds Havards then put on a formation flying and aerobatic demonstration which was really impressive, especially against the ever-lowering cloud base.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXArNLFwpytUZ4rhiSvCFNW1Sb0S9LY50dcVdzFo72iIiH7E5GnW-a_Zq7qPB1_RG8mgpV-M0bvlWMSPdxbUjMl9u6VZfYXs1waZ4aTAroTq1-U4dDNOw_uD4fs8vjcccbOLXi20ILjVUsOnanXXkyIQww2MQ3DDmBNi9WUvWo0EWj9DiTifIuGPqNSqSm/s4675/Havard%203.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2269" data-original-width="4675" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXArNLFwpytUZ4rhiSvCFNW1Sb0S9LY50dcVdzFo72iIiH7E5GnW-a_Zq7qPB1_RG8mgpV-M0bvlWMSPdxbUjMl9u6VZfYXs1waZ4aTAroTq1-U4dDNOw_uD4fs8vjcccbOLXi20ILjVUsOnanXXkyIQww2MQ3DDmBNi9WUvWo0EWj9DiTifIuGPqNSqSm/w640-h310/Havard%203.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Havards ready for takeoff</span></b></div></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qbKmloOKMwyww_tGuBH4ZPuwEpvyWizPDi_nzUJabJpS33kVTQy8R8D6uCd1nJ9x2jPFA9w9U5YUNfGZqz-4eNoywxaxWGpJVxjADC_LSayEoJLkg6OS1vo1yNuKxurTL50nTx6R-9UrG7hqR7nwldcGHthhmRWFtt70rfOFJFDhrdGSbG6VYM6d8c1c/s3246/Havard%20display%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3246" data-original-width="2526" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qbKmloOKMwyww_tGuBH4ZPuwEpvyWizPDi_nzUJabJpS33kVTQy8R8D6uCd1nJ9x2jPFA9w9U5YUNfGZqz-4eNoywxaxWGpJVxjADC_LSayEoJLkg6OS1vo1yNuKxurTL50nTx6R-9UrG7hqR7nwldcGHthhmRWFtt70rfOFJFDhrdGSbG6VYM6d8c1c/w498-h640/Havard%20display%202.JPG" width="498" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Formation loop</span></b></div></b><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnSoXIfjEgv0dd4Nh6ai275PCZs6Vu0EGt8jusfVmrJire8wnH3CWpy8JvVE6d40D50-dpBuTYABoZBEnixo5QN5cW8hCDED2N9Dgjln8pe33Aau9mWE7HcKZl3wUlBIms67a0wIGhkTjc3JT4Z1i6GG3WWaNqL1n3qLQaK91I4U7WLCb4bWNxiIvONvJO/s3888/Havard%20display%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2145" data-original-width="3888" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnSoXIfjEgv0dd4Nh6ai275PCZs6Vu0EGt8jusfVmrJire8wnH3CWpy8JvVE6d40D50-dpBuTYABoZBEnixo5QN5cW8hCDED2N9Dgjln8pe33Aau9mWE7HcKZl3wUlBIms67a0wIGhkTjc3JT4Z1i6GG3WWaNqL1n3qLQaK91I4U7WLCb4bWNxiIvONvJO/w640-h354/Havard%20display%204.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Barrel roll with smoke</span></b></div></b><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">There were also some WW1 German and British replicas flying. For me, they clearly illustrated the fragility of combat in those days. These photos scale up well.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT500zuqy7d0N1KKRDYgc_2jC0efjitj7fwznajTDpG7D7GuydyZ3ZOujXd3n3540KyenVkhbPTiF50Oo-49dcGLh0WktXiMYhOLfjo712aCI4BELEdvJe6kdD8OJ9A4SoL-4Y1yhovzJRk-OkCxNS5Md2kVil63SjLFloD25H-9iUJGJhpAPuLKlfrLRL/s4365/Albatross,%20Triplane%20and%20SE5%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2501" data-original-width="4365" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT500zuqy7d0N1KKRDYgc_2jC0efjitj7fwznajTDpG7D7GuydyZ3ZOujXd3n3540KyenVkhbPTiF50Oo-49dcGLh0WktXiMYhOLfjo712aCI4BELEdvJe6kdD8OJ9A4SoL-4Y1yhovzJRk-OkCxNS5Md2kVil63SjLFloD25H-9iUJGJhpAPuLKlfrLRL/w640-h366/Albatross,%20Triplane%20and%20SE5%201.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Albatross, Triplane and Bristol Fighter</span></b></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9_yu2P9Oyy8pthSmRpQh2XyOdFPc2tBQE0Ab5dVMHg_YBp380zXXf6jXTu1DFOipenrMO50KaF4RM2kLDHIrafWX-b9zGR9N6ft-1DpiXgESTZhIn1dg4-TUVCTkNTSVo-pMFNYY8lDa-bl3rFWJzxdJCLLMvjkXkHIf97yOlJlohTMlDMF1c4fU9BAL/s2884/Albatross%20replica%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1912" data-original-width="2884" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9_yu2P9Oyy8pthSmRpQh2XyOdFPc2tBQE0Ab5dVMHg_YBp380zXXf6jXTu1DFOipenrMO50KaF4RM2kLDHIrafWX-b9zGR9N6ft-1DpiXgESTZhIn1dg4-TUVCTkNTSVo-pMFNYY8lDa-bl3rFWJzxdJCLLMvjkXkHIf97yOlJlohTMlDMF1c4fU9BAL/w640-h424/Albatross%20replica%201.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Albatross low pass</span></b></div></b><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSwcnmTiF4c2TNx6lbOHOfdKHY4EgBoblNw3DBmNMnurKdakexvXSFeWcXvN30Y-BxxqKdBzlGbIvdtFMAWAuWDPQsEsDnH_Jhdflz2xZlgwH_homQAtN_7-rB2VaAhKpFBbkmd_08Wdu68THdxYNO1qthts4xuIP7bdkjT3Jc7Z__lEbG-WBgkK6luSUN/s2700/Fokker%20Triplane%20replica%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2367" data-original-width="2700" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSwcnmTiF4c2TNx6lbOHOfdKHY4EgBoblNw3DBmNMnurKdakexvXSFeWcXvN30Y-BxxqKdBzlGbIvdtFMAWAuWDPQsEsDnH_Jhdflz2xZlgwH_homQAtN_7-rB2VaAhKpFBbkmd_08Wdu68THdxYNO1qthts4xuIP7bdkjT3Jc7Z__lEbG-WBgkK6luSUN/w640-h562/Fokker%20Triplane%20replica%201.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The Fokker Triplane</span></b></div></b><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">After the demo by the WW1 replicas, the weather was closing in and although there were to be demo flights by other aircraft, we didn't want to be trapped with every attendee trying to leave at the same time onto an arterial road which was already packed with long weekend traffic. A reasonable number of people had the same idea but getting out was no hassle at all. It was also great to meet up with Peter, the organiser of the MG Owner's Club for the Bay of Plenty region. He had driven up with a number of members. Where we live is a long way from the regional bases so we don't often meet up with other members. What an excellent day and looking forward to next year!</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Geoff Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041523109817248619noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4341114511830074977.post-64865020476948734382023-12-23T13:15:00.001+13:002023-12-23T13:34:25.549+13:002023 - a mixed bag review<p><span style="font-size: medium;">Tropical cyclones and lesser storms, a change in government, significant surgery, spending more time out and about in our classic car, a major time-consuming project of Jennie's and a host of other things made for an unusual year in New Zealand. However, there was still much to be thankful for. In this review, I've used photos wherever possible which haven't been previously posted. </span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">January</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Our region got hit by a series of tropical storms which caused widespread flooding and landslides, including a major arterial route which has only just reopened. This caused significant economic damage to the Coromandel Peninsula because of access difficulties for visitors. Fortunately, the direct impact on us was relatively small as we don't often need to use the roads with the biggest damage. Here's an excellent video of the area since it reopened in December, courtesy of Deano's Motorcycle Rides:</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="403" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nRtE9DB3xKA" width="485" youtube-src-id="nRtE9DB3xKA"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The crappy weather actually offered a serendipitous opportunity for a black and white photo early one Sunday morning. We get very little in the way of fog where we live but the wet, warm conditions had created a fog bank across the harbour. I thought that a photo with the fog behind one of the locally moored yachts would make a good composition so I walked down the road and blazed off a few shots. It wasn't until I got home that it was apparent that I'd also captured a gull flying past which added to the interest.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5r3SdMvzyHQ9b-7BjD0RaPlJdMo17mTlFhzT8Rdwvph8gV7nNhERhfk72Wkf29a-L9enNRToNn5WwoM06cmWmvdFjXQUzMWnvxdnVNFqOhtV0nbnQ1E11pVf-GvtehOEVipj_7ebBgdIJKGFuia7__e17GltTcFEQzHJa8L1NrfaAqAYubfI9ws4FkNyZ/s3748/Long%20Bay%20Rd%20Jan%20'23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3748" data-original-width="2630" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5r3SdMvzyHQ9b-7BjD0RaPlJdMo17mTlFhzT8Rdwvph8gV7nNhERhfk72Wkf29a-L9enNRToNn5WwoM06cmWmvdFjXQUzMWnvxdnVNFqOhtV0nbnQ1E11pVf-GvtehOEVipj_7ebBgdIJKGFuia7__e17GltTcFEQzHJa8L1NrfaAqAYubfI9ws4FkNyZ/w450-h640/Long%20Bay%20Rd%20Jan%20'23.jpg" width="450" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Long Bay Road, Coromandel</span></b></div></b><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">February and March</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Jennie's sister Sue arrived from the UK for a couple of months. That's quite a bit of time to have someone else under the same roof but Sue is so easy to get along with that the time just flew by. Mind you, it didn't get off to a good start with Cyclone Gabrielle making landfall just a few days after her arrival. We were all booked to attend a British classic car festival on the other side of our peninsula, which was really touch and go. The first couple of days were in perfect conditions but we decided to cut and run at the end of day 2. Just as well as the roads we needed to get home became impassable not long after we got back. Mercifully, no damage to our property apart from broken branches but a lot of local infrastructure damage.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhItWPzCxr0H8gm35V-_Z_ZLxFXyOqozWINrL6r53vWp8Lfx7O5preB68e_I0vGt8DHslUrWt-jT7dE61fVV2wVKzr_nyiqWJVu9RQrXubUMdguDfo_dlRG5dwVE0U3vIiIyJo0v07FPjCO0UAabiFwXJ8EwZr7KLo-S4n5qjHjMXu0PXN4-r9ZzvG6hxUV/s2768/Tokotea%20Feb%2023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1805" data-original-width="2768" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhItWPzCxr0H8gm35V-_Z_ZLxFXyOqozWINrL6r53vWp8Lfx7O5preB68e_I0vGt8DHslUrWt-jT7dE61fVV2wVKzr_nyiqWJVu9RQrXubUMdguDfo_dlRG5dwVE0U3vIiIyJo0v07FPjCO0UAabiFwXJ8EwZr7KLo-S4n5qjHjMXu0PXN4-r9ZzvG6hxUV/w640-h418/Tokotea%20Feb%2023.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Jennie and Sue, overlooking Coromandel Harbour where we live</span></b></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Fortunately, the rest of Sue's stay was in pretty good weather so we were able to act as tourist guides around the upper north island. During a trip to the Rotorua area, we visited Wingspan, the national bird of prey centre where they are rehabilitated and also bred to release back into the wild. Watching birds being taught to hunt is quite an experience and having a NZ native falcon (Karearea) perch on your arm is surprisingly emotional.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsUVqf3SzHP59-0c-HBk58kJvyzA3nVhpCpnrFFPyuTsbOuVYjZvEmThF3ijt9I2IDJa9OZwL3BUZUae-Je-FtQkK21D3cyBB19MlFUJ9nU5jGvnW9d_rSvMt2Un6l9JEFAP5GIlhvKneQb6LHfSFRnQC06cRxUrxzAlWtVXf6FpCcWzx5jKqgWlOUin8L/s5184/Sue%20and%20Falcon%201.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsUVqf3SzHP59-0c-HBk58kJvyzA3nVhpCpnrFFPyuTsbOuVYjZvEmThF3ijt9I2IDJa9OZwL3BUZUae-Je-FtQkK21D3cyBB19MlFUJ9nU5jGvnW9d_rSvMt2Un6l9JEFAP5GIlhvKneQb6LHfSFRnQC06cRxUrxzAlWtVXf6FpCcWzx5jKqgWlOUin8L/w640-h480/Sue%20and%20Falcon%201.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Sue with a NZ native falcon</span></b></div><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">April</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The more settled weather meant I could get out more on the e-mountain bike to maintain fitness in readiness for a knee replacement, whenever that may be. I'd covered about 2500 km on the bike, mainly on the off-road trails in our area and as a bonus; had shed just over 10kg. Good for overall health and less load on my dodgy knees!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8LFDJrzZ14PHIhV69df2rLFTLKvGIYIa8atObLvr6seMspDrwfsMpIlEyv2XZteiM3432_aZU6zAP_8opEl3ypVJzUl0PIS2lzC0kGrtg9Hyu4w8pa4_vS54bG9ht4v2du0Jw8tPk-muH4Fb3uZsmz06Uf1ekOcxSxRyw-gjSw2afzD9dsfeoAJ3hTZmt/s4032/20221109_111017.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8LFDJrzZ14PHIhV69df2rLFTLKvGIYIa8atObLvr6seMspDrwfsMpIlEyv2XZteiM3432_aZU6zAP_8opEl3ypVJzUl0PIS2lzC0kGrtg9Hyu4w8pa4_vS54bG9ht4v2du0Jw8tPk-muH4Fb3uZsmz06Uf1ekOcxSxRyw-gjSw2afzD9dsfeoAJ3hTZmt/w640-h360/20221109_111017.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Some local off-roading fun without face plants</b></div></b> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">April also signalled 12 months since retiring from riding - an opportune time for reflection as to whether I'd retired in a timely fashion or pulled the trigger too early. Not too much reflection required - still love bikes but preparation for eventual riding retirement over several years means that my fall-back interests offer new and interesting pathways. I think I got it right!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisSUtqCOp8CpBZeYGh1w7yj5xbPXzrf06ojpHghXWyBzBZJLk9_8X2eQPW3unImyMJFv6Y8t-cfaCtFCFpf-CU_y081FOswzMDaLnDi-i-ch0PPb6tKdnK4B7S3O_UQ5586Fk5oCbsipQFy_S6dCNaAAt3K-BNtMx4QZJgoK8oY65m81Vw_lc5T5up7ANv/s2719/IMG_1836.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2203" data-original-width="2719" height="518" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisSUtqCOp8CpBZeYGh1w7yj5xbPXzrf06ojpHghXWyBzBZJLk9_8X2eQPW3unImyMJFv6Y8t-cfaCtFCFpf-CU_y081FOswzMDaLnDi-i-ch0PPb6tKdnK4B7S3O_UQ5586Fk5oCbsipQFy_S6dCNaAAt3K-BNtMx4QZJgoK8oY65m81Vw_lc5T5up7ANv/w640-h518/IMG_1836.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The start of the very last ride - April 2022</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">One of the fall-backs was joining the Whitianga Classic Car Club. I'm quite happy just driving with Jennie on our own but the members of WCCC are a delight to travel with to a lunch destination somewhere round the Peninsula. A great mix of vehicles from Ferrari through to Morris Minor Countryman but there are absolutely no egos on display with everyone down to earth. There must be some deep pockets though. The Ferrari 355 shown below requires regular cam belt changes - every handful of years. To replace it, the engine has to come out. How about something in the region of $10,000 for the job? In a similar vein, 10 year old XK Jaguars and similar are really going to hit you in the wallet when things go wrong, hence the very modest purchase price thanks to massive depreciation. I'm happy to have chosen an MGB GT!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5Pg-1OL8zrBZTQKwQM4_8yGBrW5t_tFNi37kxQaBtmaeJDhB72Bbb6ddX-GM9sIJ1jpy2U3jz7w4n-IxehqqS2EZ0xu5ks6Y8K8eix2iG2e1Lry7cXeSSD9r0ML3c_55VVjFH-xai-pAsBrEu1nWiWUOXSFOCQ_qohx4IZZA_kQNbjF9GgzOJU9T2I1q/s2000/Classic%20car%20club%20run.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="2000" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5Pg-1OL8zrBZTQKwQM4_8yGBrW5t_tFNi37kxQaBtmaeJDhB72Bbb6ddX-GM9sIJ1jpy2U3jz7w4n-IxehqqS2EZ0xu5ks6Y8K8eix2iG2e1Lry7cXeSSD9r0ML3c_55VVjFH-xai-pAsBrEu1nWiWUOXSFOCQ_qohx4IZZA_kQNbjF9GgzOJU9T2I1q/w640-h312/Classic%20car%20club%20run.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">MGB GT, Ferrari 355 and Daimler Sovereign at a lunch stop</span></b></div></b><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">May</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">May saw the first "proper" maintenance on the MGB GT with a complete flush of the cooling system. The previous owner was meticulous with record-keeping of the restoration but there was almost no information on what routine maintenance had been carried out. Flushing the system and adding a long-life coolant was surprisingly easy and something I shouldn't have to do again for a few years. The purchase of an infra red heat gun to check the temperature of various components triggered a bit of eye-rolling in certain quarters but eye-rolling is a common occurrence in our household anyway!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIFm6_UFd1ItFUBbrU_YmeSIg7QE8RMqfM_dqeos5E3MjCTDtJq4fAGA81hS9JRx7bf-wSuMlnKB-1Bet8XQkkfFCR8-Ojy8Jjx3Dlz5dYhz_GiiqgZ6UOZBaZJAEHIaM8htwuY21wthRmIDoXn1YLzLtvTgLV4BckHhUKiEnA0Jb_lna4FrGWhjwCntG8/s1500/Block%20temperature%20-%20Copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="729" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIFm6_UFd1ItFUBbrU_YmeSIg7QE8RMqfM_dqeos5E3MjCTDtJq4fAGA81hS9JRx7bf-wSuMlnKB-1Bet8XQkkfFCR8-Ojy8Jjx3Dlz5dYhz_GiiqgZ6UOZBaZJAEHIaM8htwuY21wthRmIDoXn1YLzLtvTgLV4BckHhUKiEnA0Jb_lna4FrGWhjwCntG8/w312-h640/Block%20temperature%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="312" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Yet another toy, sigh.....</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I also became involved in the design and construction of a school science experiment chosen by our granddaughter Georgia. She wanted to build a power-generating waterwheel and test power output against a number of variables. It was all a bit of a panic due to time constraints but raiding the local transfer station and working with Georgia on building it was an absolute privilege. Her work ethic couldn't be faulted and we had a huge amount of fun together. Her experiments all worked and she achieved an "exceeded expectations" grade in her accelerated learning class. Her work was also submitted to a regional science fair and was awarded a silver rosette. Enormously proud of that young lady and the future is in good hands with young people like her.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk07KCG6Wtdy5yhNxp-ccygPPwmyuBGxcCLbkUHPR9w2frFefYToVnGT4tFdTPMolzDVVfYzCaAmqPCw3Mbx-XTzOpCljaIrEPmF9i_M2pH9G4uR8EBGaYEbU-8qw2fF0ZFiH-HlIxAQJ6FruFB-D9EY_99Aq7iWn_c04AwTmQug8vGVDBPINGeueSHJBr/s2048/Testing%20the%20wheel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk07KCG6Wtdy5yhNxp-ccygPPwmyuBGxcCLbkUHPR9w2frFefYToVnGT4tFdTPMolzDVVfYzCaAmqPCw3Mbx-XTzOpCljaIrEPmF9i_M2pH9G4uR8EBGaYEbU-8qw2fF0ZFiH-HlIxAQJ6FruFB-D9EY_99Aq7iWn_c04AwTmQug8vGVDBPINGeueSHJBr/w480-h640/Testing%20the%20wheel.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Waterwheel spin test</span></b></div></b><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">June</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The winter month of June sees a lot of bird life in the garden, both drinking nectar from some of our flowering plants, plus seeds we put out. Here are some photos I took.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_CnnFpNv0VT1ny3lXq868xuza61rJnJj733ePA4ny2cAxwpEg5pv35DlH1muzZcfC8yff_5CkHFJFNbSDDq_XFXBtnt1x7_FFPb5T8kgQUwn-7s3AAcDFakViDUDWHpcbA2VIZgZooFifWzH3tPINcWen3mENalai-TvbjFLdo8InKqN98pH0G_UNJhK/s1500/Kereru%20-%20Apr%20'22.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1125" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_CnnFpNv0VT1ny3lXq868xuza61rJnJj733ePA4ny2cAxwpEg5pv35DlH1muzZcfC8yff_5CkHFJFNbSDDq_XFXBtnt1x7_FFPb5T8kgQUwn-7s3AAcDFakViDUDWHpcbA2VIZgZooFifWzH3tPINcWen3mENalai-TvbjFLdo8InKqN98pH0G_UNJhK/w480-h640/Kereru%20-%20Apr%20'22.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Native pigeon (kereru) in a palm tree</span></b></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOxipKNKaKlRojXci-Lad3gR8IL7UTf53X1ZYl4IrkR-vo9NEBuvIFZx4d3hfribp173KD0AsAZdzzQP1lmb7aNAWHbQUU_H8LJK37522vqJXv8QtqQhDF6SFuG6RpEDYL-qYMLjRIm_hMyhlgJEPF6buqscfHlH6OGVonf6MR7UiSEU7L6tXNCVZdiV7/s1908/Quail.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="1908" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOxipKNKaKlRojXci-Lad3gR8IL7UTf53X1ZYl4IrkR-vo9NEBuvIFZx4d3hfribp173KD0AsAZdzzQP1lmb7aNAWHbQUU_H8LJK37522vqJXv8QtqQhDF6SFuG6RpEDYL-qYMLjRIm_hMyhlgJEPF6buqscfHlH6OGVonf6MR7UiSEU7L6tXNCVZdiV7/w640-h312/Quail.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A flock of California Quail waiting for a feed</span></b></div></b><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">July</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">A quiet month apart from it being our 51st wedding anniversary. Hopped on my MTB for an off-road ride and was no more than 10 minutes from home when I realised the significance of the date. Jennie hadn't said a word about our anniversary which I took to mean that I was in deep poo. Turned the bike straight round, rode home and planted a big kiss on Jennie. "What was that for?", she said. Both of us had forgotten the date - a lucky escape! In our defence, we had already organised a trip to Rarotonga to celebrate a couple of months beforehand but that wasn't due to actually happen for another couple of weeks. We did go out to a local restaurant that evening!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYhZOJHQgTcMsDBQfevNgrXevlx_HPymmnonelVC_29ErOx-oXGu3ZjNAwXexAw3Hgy795Mclg9H-mzuYyj8istnpDa1FvGKD-VlvxhRVNg1LZ7fSbj6n527bD0PieJhF2JiWSiLU6Mv-Gjv290ZzGr9BZn3Y5pIalyH2ktJEfp8iF9PolysytQvYX4Vr/s1143/Wedding.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="843" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYhZOJHQgTcMsDBQfevNgrXevlx_HPymmnonelVC_29ErOx-oXGu3ZjNAwXexAw3Hgy795Mclg9H-mzuYyj8istnpDa1FvGKD-VlvxhRVNg1LZ7fSbj6n527bD0PieJhF2JiWSiLU6Mv-Gjv290ZzGr9BZn3Y5pIalyH2ktJEfp8iF9PolysytQvYX4Vr/w472-h640/Wedding.jpg" width="472" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">July 1972, Kent, England</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There was a bit of domestic activity having commissioned a stained glass window for one of our bedrooms which was based on a photo I took in the garden of a nectar-eating Tui on one of our succulents. Perched on a ladder whilst lifting the window into position wasn't for the faint-hearted and I was glad to complete the job without incident.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRLjc0gDds843VV2EezlCsfMiCA_vh0K0crb9mnn6KHlXB6idlQyjaEu5cUTwvJzvCeqK8CXz6SDye4DvGEaykYod2qp27SWsD_4nGOK1GaiagQYhDXKhey8x9UxUFzMET13hJDaf08gFYnYAI7KfvPHbjGPQdKvNK9k0oz3-VsSbZpG80pvH54zJoCVhF/s1379/Installed%20glass%202023%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1081" data-original-width="1379" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRLjc0gDds843VV2EezlCsfMiCA_vh0K0crb9mnn6KHlXB6idlQyjaEu5cUTwvJzvCeqK8CXz6SDye4DvGEaykYod2qp27SWsD_4nGOK1GaiagQYhDXKhey8x9UxUFzMET13hJDaf08gFYnYAI7KfvPHbjGPQdKvNK9k0oz3-VsSbZpG80pvH54zJoCVhF/w640-h502/Installed%20glass%202023%201.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A nice bit of stained glass work</span></b></div></b><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">August and September</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The long-awaited surgery to replace a knee suddenly got serious with it being scheduled for the last day of August. We'd already booked a vacation on the Pacific Island of Rarotonga which only left a few days to get organised when we got back. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The surgery took place at a private hospital in Auckland and the all-female surgical team were outstanding. I'd elected to just have a spinal block to avoid the downsides of a general anaesthetic and it worked out well. I was able to have running banter with the team throughout the procedure and also listened to music through my earbuds and phone. The surgery was completely pain-free but rehabilitation has been hard going. Jennie enjoyed making me walk up to 1 km a day on crutches as soon as we got home from hospital, the slave driver!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfGy20Y1UTqxuZihduQWAoukTrSxJ7p7g8VMcL7hh5pRDDyKr7SgnPnc3QBXYqxVOGjawjijh4FJ6evvyqeT3v7W9Z2YVZVr3sAjDaPj9-XmRbp5KMEUM-jWIWFyBxZeaRB_X-JnONUReshJLfGmueZJyde8kzCR_gaN7UfFAw7XkVmo-jdJqckRGF1oeU/s960/Rehab.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="815" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfGy20Y1UTqxuZihduQWAoukTrSxJ7p7g8VMcL7hh5pRDDyKr7SgnPnc3QBXYqxVOGjawjijh4FJ6evvyqeT3v7W9Z2YVZVr3sAjDaPj9-XmRbp5KMEUM-jWIWFyBxZeaRB_X-JnONUReshJLfGmueZJyde8kzCR_gaN7UfFAw7XkVmo-jdJqckRGF1oeU/w544-h640/Rehab.jpg" width="544" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Part of rehab by walking up and down our road!</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Four months after surgery and diligently doing flexibility exercises on a daily basis, I've regained about 90% of my original movement and it's wonderful to have a stable and pain-free knee. The pain comes from doing the exercises but that's only a short term inconvenience. I'm spending up to an hour a day on my old mountain bike in a resistance frame and I should be good to get out on the off-road trails on my e-MTB in early 2024. A little way to go yet before being 100% but it's nice to feel reasonably active again. </span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">October</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Although I could drive our modern automatic cars within 2 weeks of surgery, it was October before I could drive the MGB with its manual shift, but mainly due to it being difficult to get in and out of! It was also a busy month supporting Jennie. She's president of our local School of Mines Museum and was project managing the installation of a mid-1800's building on the site - a substantial job. A date was set for the district mayor to formally open the building, along with invited guests. The pressure was on to complete various renovations so yours truly volunteered for that and it was completed in the nick of time.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The opening was an outstanding success with plenty of great feedback. I was enormously proud of Jennie's tenacity over the many months of planning and execution. It involved dealing with government departments controlling heritage building rules, the local council, applying for grants, coordinating tradespeople (shudder) and a zillion other things. She got plenty of positive coverage in our regional news magazine and even made the cover along with the mayor!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5SeemR00HfExq_tPFX27jZX3eyGF5h4dxnLumwzq8OA48H8hfAkL2bb12AkbbzEX06AqAsN8OiHe2B1KxCkSgyhxy64-sCMZqVay8JY2mi00s_AaQxTAUmm45z4oC9pEiEgkpLS-3gtwZ5M6-vMX5dtFEAPZWWzUAcgpD7dpnqLz3auvxvulLoabn0aPi/s2325/Jennie%20Chronicle1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2325" data-original-width="1646" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5SeemR00HfExq_tPFX27jZX3eyGF5h4dxnLumwzq8OA48H8hfAkL2bb12AkbbzEX06AqAsN8OiHe2B1KxCkSgyhxy64-sCMZqVay8JY2mi00s_AaQxTAUmm45z4oC9pEiEgkpLS-3gtwZ5M6-vMX5dtFEAPZWWzUAcgpD7dpnqLz3auvxvulLoabn0aPi/w454-h640/Jennie%20Chronicle1.jpg" width="454" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Cover Girl Jennie!</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">With spring well underway, it was a good time for more bird life photography. I was particularly pleased with the photo of a Tui in our kowhai tree, which is the national flower of NZ.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk4Ev3E80DVfoDnZCwAJ6y1mKn4sLHEQoKxqeycND4eCUgL7LgUW62tKPnhlPqN-SQakl_3zR-sTV5kmMlnLn__8XU6p3oHd7MN_TspftJH5c5qvhD1c7GEYCTtprBLnBz3uiTbMkNCvCMZ5Yr3O7JWCAfq3KJ-dW_DcuOz0PFDBcdZ3ItbdHhN4hmgX9n/s3600/Tui%2014%20Oct%2023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2494" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk4Ev3E80DVfoDnZCwAJ6y1mKn4sLHEQoKxqeycND4eCUgL7LgUW62tKPnhlPqN-SQakl_3zR-sTV5kmMlnLn__8XU6p3oHd7MN_TspftJH5c5qvhD1c7GEYCTtprBLnBz3uiTbMkNCvCMZ5Yr3O7JWCAfq3KJ-dW_DcuOz0PFDBcdZ3ItbdHhN4hmgX9n/w444-h640/Tui%2014%20Oct%2023.jpg" width="444" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Tui getting nectar from a kowhai tree</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I also turned 76 but that's irrelevant as I stopped counting years ago. Jennie maintains that it's like living with a 5 year old which is further proof that chronological age means absolutely nothing!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">October also saw a change of government. The major parties in NZ don't tend to have the huge ideological gap which is often seen overseas and quite a few policies overlap. I try to avoid politics and concentrate on the things which I can have a degree of control or influence over, apart from voting of course. However, it's really disappointing to see the shortage of politicians who behave in a statesmanlike manner and with integrity among any of the parties. Much the same throughout the world, I suspect. Sigh......</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">November</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We had another outing with the Whitianga Classic Car Club to sample lunch at a newly-opened cafe on the peninsula. A great turn-out and we weren't disappointed with the venue and food quality either.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis-iR0kmO2nkERI-v1qIgiGSLY0kI0tjP_srgb5aKzjWsH2XKGILPoxmX1JlxCBjvVU5FfVJ7X79HcuWl-rBSBb5sEhBsxkRDNio81uG2-xa6M6qbiy9o6VJdrSXpsmPgGfiVohC_fF42SfWhQwn3YSKqqaCfIv3HNIZQ3S4h5lLxrYJNjhzbxBv1EJGk1/s5184/IMG_2499.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="5184" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis-iR0kmO2nkERI-v1qIgiGSLY0kI0tjP_srgb5aKzjWsH2XKGILPoxmX1JlxCBjvVU5FfVJ7X79HcuWl-rBSBb5sEhBsxkRDNio81uG2-xa6M6qbiy9o6VJdrSXpsmPgGfiVohC_fF42SfWhQwn3YSKqqaCfIv3HNIZQ3S4h5lLxrYJNjhzbxBv1EJGk1/w640-h402/IMG_2499.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Some of the assembled classic cars</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In the photo above, the nearest car is a Triumph TR4A. The owner and his wife were really nice people and we chatted about cars for some time before going our separate ways. He wore a club name badge and on the way home, I said to Jennie that his name, Keith Skilling; sounded familiar but I didn't know why. A few days later, I Googled the name and there it was! Aviation enthusiasts will know that a NZ company has restored a number of WW2 Mosquito fighter bombers to flying condition. It turns out that Keith was the test pilot for the very first one! </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="341" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lCUk2L7RTnE" width="410" youtube-src-id="lCUk2L7RTnE"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">He's also a senior Warbirds pilot and has flown a Hurricane </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="330" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dXpmN0LV50c" width="397" youtube-src-id="dXpmN0LV50c"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> Also a Corsair </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="322" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/owPMJ56VOek" width="387" youtube-src-id="owPMJ56VOek"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />It was a privilege to meet someone so exalted in aviation circles, particularly so humble and ego-free in real life. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The major blog post in November was to catalogue all the bikes I'd owned since starting motorcycling in 1964, together with the memories which each of them still stir up. Looking back, it's not hard to figure out that retirement from riding wasn't that hard after the sheer variety of 2-wheeled adventures. It's simply not possible to find a single photo which sums up motorcycling spanning 58 years but perhaps the following one comes close.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It was taken in late May 2003 in the Central North Island with the active volcanoes of the Tongariro National Park dusted in snow. I'd got up early for a day ride and there was virtually nothing else on the route I'd chosen. Solitude, me and my thoughts, the Blackbird and majestic scenery. Says it all really about why we ride.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz0k4Ybsg8elSbrmiFOGpiRmWTtfwkr6gQ2Lza3CJ5VjSeqHdHImPS9-cgaRmBT1tBomuojnC2f60PA_KQ2H9emLPCyTOUu6EdthrR8gjyvNkz7PUNiUrn86Qra5SvUkwq1S7DkBBLtI55GTPWxwa1jQC5ysfory5Re_h_pRgV_iEvg79jxHKZxXaeEyob/s1600/Blackbird%20on%20Desert%20Road.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz0k4Ybsg8elSbrmiFOGpiRmWTtfwkr6gQ2Lza3CJ5VjSeqHdHImPS9-cgaRmBT1tBomuojnC2f60PA_KQ2H9emLPCyTOUu6EdthrR8gjyvNkz7PUNiUrn86Qra5SvUkwq1S7DkBBLtI55GTPWxwa1jQC5ysfory5Re_h_pRgV_iEvg79jxHKZxXaeEyob/w640-h480/Blackbird%20on%20Desert%20Road.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Tongariro National Park, NZ</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>December</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The good weather is here and all the pohutukawa trees in our region have come into bloom. Great weather, Christmas reunions and BBQ's with the extended family and friends are all genuinely good for the soul. Celebrations with our kids and grandkids are only a day away and we'll catch up with our Melbourne-based daughter and husband in January when they return for a flying visit. We even managed to take the boat out fishing again for the first time in 2023. Uncharacteristically, I also caught the biggest fish!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Here's wishing all readers of this blog a spectacular 2024, lots of happiness and good health. May the world be a better place than it has been in 2023.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcO6xKt-F589KBLWzYzCndFvvmKEKP7mUiuDonrvsg2l9JwUbrORM0qHAMrPffwLipoJZcctJFyWzwd_KjEJdZns1qutZ_BIv_ikcn7Y6wFz32lib_hQpHyU7jCk0CJVEkZShynzCVqsHKH3a0HdZRk_2LhkKKz-DmHqpUKAj7aAR7RzjhD2Kudj3dTHVk/s2930/Te%20Kouma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2930" data-original-width="1960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcO6xKt-F589KBLWzYzCndFvvmKEKP7mUiuDonrvsg2l9JwUbrORM0qHAMrPffwLipoJZcctJFyWzwd_KjEJdZns1qutZ_BIv_ikcn7Y6wFz32lib_hQpHyU7jCk0CJVEkZShynzCVqsHKH3a0HdZRk_2LhkKKz-DmHqpUKAj7aAR7RzjhD2Kudj3dTHVk/w428-h640/Te%20Kouma.jpg" width="428" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Wicker picnic hamper and tartan rug - how very British!</b></div></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzHbuBSUEfBmatR1OgYKf8c7oLWW4ZDL114914sl5UIFRnbpO8w84X4ZzBnL-hbHyXEF_OZXycq7SLTY1LqHPbPvD2e-3sChToNqi4uTitvZ-OHnbahoVAwV2oicPzWEwVEJC_O1igZ_PGMpHueSuvJa70XC1Umufhyphenhyphenfp_D_4LMVuF2qiWYdnLZPTzZ-f/s3310/Coro%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="3310" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzHbuBSUEfBmatR1OgYKf8c7oLWW4ZDL114914sl5UIFRnbpO8w84X4ZzBnL-hbHyXEF_OZXycq7SLTY1LqHPbPvD2e-3sChToNqi4uTitvZ-OHnbahoVAwV2oicPzWEwVEJC_O1igZ_PGMpHueSuvJa70XC1Umufhyphenhyphenfp_D_4LMVuF2qiWYdnLZPTzZ-f/w640-h378/Coro%201.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>All the very best from Coromandel, NZ!</b></div></b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p>Geoff Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041523109817248619noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4341114511830074977.post-20239691082175150072023-12-08T13:15:00.003+13:002023-12-09T09:07:27.023+13:00Weird and wonderful<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">Along with bikes, classic cars and sea fishing, I like gardens; if not the actual act of gardening! Where we live in NZ, it's a very mild climate and frosts are rare. Much of the area is bush-covered including a fair bit of our property but there's still space for interesting stuff to be grown which is generally low maintenance. We're not into formal European-style gardens so in addition to various citrus trees, apples and plums, we like to grow colourful plants and have plants in flower the whole year round. As we're only a few days into summer and just for a change from things automotive, I thought I'd share some of the plants which are making a great show right now.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We overlook Coromandel Harbour and have tree ferns, succulents and native trees planted in the front garden, with lower colourful plants under and between them. The two spiky plants almost centre are Yucca Rostrata Sapphire Skies. Wonderful for impaling incautious grandchildren and unwary visitors.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1libELXmBu30C59O8Ne_9957Rr_vjUF2LTTqrDgTFR9PSWqaZPM_9typSUmbnz-oEutOUBf2XFlgTlRWsHq6RpxSiRrrHNZBD3MLUw95k_tpUOTniHtFyLiGUI_y9TFh7fCuywzp5KiErwq96rikBiZoLaV80RNsQXvIK48yDL5EFmLEDvK_ErdOgiZMj/s3206/20231206_153542.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1877" data-original-width="3206" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1libELXmBu30C59O8Ne_9957Rr_vjUF2LTTqrDgTFR9PSWqaZPM_9typSUmbnz-oEutOUBf2XFlgTlRWsHq6RpxSiRrrHNZBD3MLUw95k_tpUOTniHtFyLiGUI_y9TFh7fCuywzp5KiErwq96rikBiZoLaV80RNsQXvIK48yDL5EFmLEDvK_ErdOgiZMj/w640-h374/20231206_153542.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Looking south over the harbour</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm a big fan of bromeliads as they're relatively low maintenance and a lot of varieties prefer shade or semi-shade. Perfect for growing under taller foliage. The one below is about 70 cm across and keeps its colour all year. Most of them propagate by growing pups so there's not much work involved.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwzyLwVKDPk8o-1QpVt5nOnuzFMPkK3PF_ZjwtdVZezfGX63l2JjIklbp_XSVtSSHQVAvQ5hp7hA7A3Wl0N94Kd5tYrz250MGwApAkTRWA1ptTIavD5VdCHlGUXm9clLLivn3SDbZf6wZuMs6mOBz_WBU7FZbgNEntWVHuJ2aI42x7RDij7hSlCqCdNGm/s2635/20231206_153751.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2635" data-original-width="1960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwzyLwVKDPk8o-1QpVt5nOnuzFMPkK3PF_ZjwtdVZezfGX63l2JjIklbp_XSVtSSHQVAvQ5hp7hA7A3Wl0N94Kd5tYrz250MGwApAkTRWA1ptTIavD5VdCHlGUXm9clLLivn3SDbZf6wZuMs6mOBz_WBU7FZbgNEntWVHuJ2aI42x7RDij7hSlCqCdNGm/w476-h640/20231206_153751.jpg" width="476" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Variegated bromeliad</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The bromeliad below has old family friend status. It was on special in a pot at our local supermarket in Tokoroa about 30 years ago. It was in a wizened state which reflected the price of under $1. It remained in the pot on our deck as we got winter frosts in Tokoroa and didn't do much. We brought it to Coromandel, stuck it in the garden and it took off, producing lots of pups which have been scattered round the garden and also given to neighbours.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvUT8xM3M389k42dcG0y825rQRG074rkNUt0KgWJ9qavbn7d9UOlVfJQyJlbXVUvZoJ-YB-oxD99sO4FcRID7CSucYonBKutK5I3yEu-6PxrOYKIMfssOAi6At6dPaVtC7H8SVtCbZ2wz5QRCuUwr5Zp7PILr1oHCSOqbbieyiiCiR8rNYMYlit_mBhw6J/s4032/20231206_153808.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvUT8xM3M389k42dcG0y825rQRG074rkNUt0KgWJ9qavbn7d9UOlVfJQyJlbXVUvZoJ-YB-oxD99sO4FcRID7CSucYonBKutK5I3yEu-6PxrOYKIMfssOAi6At6dPaVtC7H8SVtCbZ2wz5QRCuUwr5Zp7PILr1oHCSOqbbieyiiCiR8rNYMYlit_mBhw6J/w312-h640/20231206_153808.jpg" width="312" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Nondescript bromeliad</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The following bromeliad is one of the really weird ones in our collection. The leaves aren't much to look at, just being green and narrow but it throws out flower spikes about 50 cm long which last for about 9 months and look like something out of a sci-fi movie! I'm terrible at keeping the name tags and can't remember what it's called. It's a prolific grower and we've divided it up and foisted it on unlucky neighbours up and down the street.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8hgOiFbnFFrCvBzMQfKkqnfBndtPyvaHHtGWfkjs-zx5fotl_KurrCHsM3Ce2lPkdUJPet5m7Ns6bsaed9kFkz7Nx3Psyuur55LBxeIPBi4EquhTBNXVa1mGEfk-V9G6dtr7zW7qUqHd5Ac4fMK4LiQT-PLNCRSWD2mVH-54rg63HQOgLy6cRG1PtAZJV/s4032/20231206_154031.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8hgOiFbnFFrCvBzMQfKkqnfBndtPyvaHHtGWfkjs-zx5fotl_KurrCHsM3Ce2lPkdUJPet5m7Ns6bsaed9kFkz7Nx3Psyuur55LBxeIPBi4EquhTBNXVa1mGEfk-V9G6dtr7zW7qUqHd5Ac4fMK4LiQT-PLNCRSWD2mVH-54rg63HQOgLy6cRG1PtAZJV/w312-h640/20231206_154031.jpg" width="312" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Not a clue what the latin name of this bromeliad is</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The Guzmania is another type of bromeliad which produces a scarlet bract about 50 cm tall with yellow flowers at the top. We call it a Triffid for anyone who is familiar with the original John Wyndham book or the movie.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPeTmm9Yk558YquqYihUEV8SttO360CKEg2p0wzB0hcQfGQqEjykI-ze4es2Jra51bxbkOfFBhGXxmZWdKgpVUPq30TaN_gYrofz71y0GELw7MZfoM9HKPoTIR3edROM_1hhchNrVGILBiqu4n_nFUqZJaQA-L2-5U0QC8MjD2lCH57-PNGLsp6oph0dTQ/s2398/20231206_153846.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2398" data-original-width="1960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPeTmm9Yk558YquqYihUEV8SttO360CKEg2p0wzB0hcQfGQqEjykI-ze4es2Jra51bxbkOfFBhGXxmZWdKgpVUPq30TaN_gYrofz71y0GELw7MZfoM9HKPoTIR3edROM_1hhchNrVGILBiqu4n_nFUqZJaQA-L2-5U0QC8MjD2lCH57-PNGLsp6oph0dTQ/w524-h640/20231206_153846.jpg" width="524" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Guzmania, aka The Triffid</span></b></div></b><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We have many more types of bromeliad in the garden but they don't flower at this time of the year. One particular type is about 1.5 metres across!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The purple-flowered ground cover is Spanish Shawl from Mexico and Guatemala. We have a number of tree fern trunks which have remained standing after they have died and provide a nice platform for Spanish Shawl to grow on. Basically zero maintenance and makes an excellent weed mat. The orange-coloured plant in the foreground is a climbing orchid. It used to climb up one of the departed tree ferns but I haven't got round to relocating it.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZUJRtbfNZ0AhGgGNlr4DIMygARtc1KM80KU_pkXSq-ZNp9dQyrNU5EuNDhyCDTToKeUKnzKEpOjO9Ic2_lg9S9rnk_xABg09bgawZkPq8JPmJkw-9ZDeVnjk85KynokCQjc9W0Dwk_VRVddfinDxrVomMnWaeiZqYx5ICS5RQHnVLBWgEFa0utrGy59J/s4032/20231206_153719.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZUJRtbfNZ0AhGgGNlr4DIMygARtc1KM80KU_pkXSq-ZNp9dQyrNU5EuNDhyCDTToKeUKnzKEpOjO9Ic2_lg9S9rnk_xABg09bgawZkPq8JPmJkw-9ZDeVnjk85KynokCQjc9W0Dwk_VRVddfinDxrVomMnWaeiZqYx5ICS5RQHnVLBWgEFa0utrGy59J/w312-h640/20231206_153719.jpg" width="312" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Spanish Shawl and a climbing orchid</span></b></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">A rather less exotic plant than those above is the Lacecap Hydrangea. We brought it as a cutting from Tokoroa nearly 20 years ago, much against Jennie's wishes as she doesn't like it. Consequently, it's in a part of the garden rarely visited by Jennie. Quite slow-growing in dry clay soil but it will eventually grow to a couple of metres. We have other hydrangea varieties which Madame approves of!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfT_NKH6UzsK891lk8KX5St_egmlfaT56YGpTqYQS9k1nn6L8SezIuULSwXnpJtATGl0BNoPYCD0sBz6rWGrDGEHXdstk8p7xFmazMOVBj8bOBoUC5H9CyydThyphenhyphen247ndFhH3vYiY0mQzrjnpwo_eG6D5qzk4ffkxD7iP8VzJG7-ufg2RT1TF9xp9RWvaoF/s4032/20231206_153828.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfT_NKH6UzsK891lk8KX5St_egmlfaT56YGpTqYQS9k1nn6L8SezIuULSwXnpJtATGl0BNoPYCD0sBz6rWGrDGEHXdstk8p7xFmazMOVBj8bOBoUC5H9CyydThyphenhyphen247ndFhH3vYiY0mQzrjnpwo_eG6D5qzk4ffkxD7iP8VzJG7-ufg2RT1TF9xp9RWvaoF/w640-h312/20231206_153828.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Hydrangea Macrophylla Lacecap</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The variegated Canna Lily is mainly grown for its foliage, although the flowers are attractive too. Like the rest of our plants, they're low maintenance and form dense clumps.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiICYjmus9J2NjpYxijg5zwt60gUeTyVeIgDO057qIi5OvlXSWaU4GDNH3tFiv22nelwViYSOx3-EbtGX0Qe144Y6qKb4V85EwWY-kI-pl99e_2aseUAN3ERyXx-E8Xu6mxPohMUNFgQNz7CPCaISMaFW-y7XJtkpBNJSTVHEdz0or7-w_K0S_JolMhOqJw/s3005/20231208_111710.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3005" data-original-width="1960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiICYjmus9J2NjpYxijg5zwt60gUeTyVeIgDO057qIi5OvlXSWaU4GDNH3tFiv22nelwViYSOx3-EbtGX0Qe144Y6qKb4V85EwWY-kI-pl99e_2aseUAN3ERyXx-E8Xu6mxPohMUNFgQNz7CPCaISMaFW-y7XJtkpBNJSTVHEdz0or7-w_K0S_JolMhOqJw/w418-h640/20231208_111710.jpg" width="418" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Variegated Canna Lily</span></b></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The Hibiscus is one of several around the garden. It's slow-growing in our more temperate climate as it's a fully tropical plant. Nonetheless, it flowers prolifically and each flower is as big as an adult handspan.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYBGlh-Oytr_B-4nMNcpkmTrn8dT7UulvZNX2VUD42Lh1VNbVikJL85SZV-x7xbzVvhgLihsjWRojF9VDnkX-O2pK7nKPWq4pHJ8xrdQXjKSNKNdzKAEjYtTPS3kVDybYa_7lratWu_QFG8LD6m5Wom4rGxakKgwKXuGjjiRtToKWEao7f2_yJVR6MgsSL/s4032/20231206_153628.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYBGlh-Oytr_B-4nMNcpkmTrn8dT7UulvZNX2VUD42Lh1VNbVikJL85SZV-x7xbzVvhgLihsjWRojF9VDnkX-O2pK7nKPWq4pHJ8xrdQXjKSNKNdzKAEjYtTPS3kVDybYa_7lratWu_QFG8LD6m5Wom4rGxakKgwKXuGjjiRtToKWEao7f2_yJVR6MgsSL/w312-h640/20231206_153628.jpg" width="312" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Tropical Hibiscus</span></b></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We have a couple of Bird of Paradise plants which form dense clumps up to nearly 2 metres tall. They've just about finished flowering for the year. Another zero maintenance plant which looks spectacular.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6POfkqQuL0TGoBfGlPfRz5kQ0Ra5DArxu-6GyAmSUWgY2zEfIm5_2fX3pdxHgkgSI9qAP9RSENXujgu45yn4sPVG-V6Xgaq4HGfQ9j2EMMJlw9eo5LV-E70WWcgh4C4i6PtYJXw_U4KDIgGEh7pJPQGEnIU5eFX4PRqgV3v4L3OtMPOWSps3YaAuSNfPn/s4032/20231206_153654.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6POfkqQuL0TGoBfGlPfRz5kQ0Ra5DArxu-6GyAmSUWgY2zEfIm5_2fX3pdxHgkgSI9qAP9RSENXujgu45yn4sPVG-V6Xgaq4HGfQ9j2EMMJlw9eo5LV-E70WWcgh4C4i6PtYJXw_U4KDIgGEh7pJPQGEnIU5eFX4PRqgV3v4L3OtMPOWSps3YaAuSNfPn/w312-h640/20231206_153654.jpg" width="312" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Bird of Paradise</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We have a number of different types and colours of Bottlebrush in the garden. Apart from the long-lasting flowers, the bees and Monarch butterflies love them. They're reasonably fast growing so pruning is a more or less annual activity.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifqZYrT9EpAlmAXr2LZCv-WOSQjXGkGRvY6cuqeLe4AkcDe3r1cKKcPV8bYSxBJDQh0XBLY2NeEPeMBm9x1R6NGUBI7NFEf0-qnyD8Zn3gRIMlCVQawI6uemKKEve7psqjpHD3LQhS8gEe0jmMsiYYdK1ys5vb7MfQndO27DvrvHICFn1Qaq7wk6h93HNw/s4032/20231206_153611.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifqZYrT9EpAlmAXr2LZCv-WOSQjXGkGRvY6cuqeLe4AkcDe3r1cKKcPV8bYSxBJDQh0XBLY2NeEPeMBm9x1R6NGUBI7NFEf0-qnyD8Zn3gRIMlCVQawI6uemKKEve7psqjpHD3LQhS8gEe0jmMsiYYdK1ys5vb7MfQndO27DvrvHICFn1Qaq7wk6h93HNw/w312-h640/20231206_153611.jpg" width="312" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Australian Bottlebrush</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We planted the Jacaranda tree back in the early 2000's not long after we'd bought the place. It's in an area of the garden with minimal topsoil and is a slow grower. It was only about 3 years ago that it flowered for the first time. I suspect that it was my threat of cutting it down which prompted action on its part. It's only 3 metres high at present but they do eventually grow into large specimens. More pruning ahead. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD8dGEQiiPyPkjHb4dIXy6goZakR1H_91rHIfcWqUfQ4m-2fnzoMTEVkCwRHl6KptfYiB8m8bTGF8ar82R3YlCLhlPdUwWXCxoMZWzVMDSSbWP2gPXlW_a1KCwEXW8NRItGXUDGCUGdxVZYzX0JOXyXgPH7F7dxuVrznkCRegCtWyhEIAE3tp-yyhb3V3M/s2614/20231208_111813.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2614" data-original-width="1960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD8dGEQiiPyPkjHb4dIXy6goZakR1H_91rHIfcWqUfQ4m-2fnzoMTEVkCwRHl6KptfYiB8m8bTGF8ar82R3YlCLhlPdUwWXCxoMZWzVMDSSbWP2gPXlW_a1KCwEXW8NRItGXUDGCUGdxVZYzX0JOXyXgPH7F7dxuVrznkCRegCtWyhEIAE3tp-yyhb3V3M/w480-h640/20231208_111813.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Jacaranda tree flower spike</span></b></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The photo below shows 2 varieties of Bougainvillea - Scarlet O'Hara and something else. They have a charmed life. We must be the only family in Coromandel that has trouble growing them and they have narrowly escaped pruning to ground level on multiple occasions. Maybe it's the threats or the fact that we had a wet 2023 but they're currently flowering well for the first time. Must try talking to plants on a regular basis.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVyaYFbDkrVtqZ5TABjhgkq4wiku-hv95hrVqlXAbZTs_OdGtLfaiZ_YsKSx7NC_7JKULKl0eN8aFQ5xDtgeedzvpy2MSmzr-4TY4FHs0ZR3X30aZllIWB3UAtKVZ-QqvrY_JdASC3UCNzH_FczKIOfaejwgaIydCnwZN3-5ZtDuUw0z0Iji00RKmwW7wF/s2614/20231207_095602.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="2614" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVyaYFbDkrVtqZ5TABjhgkq4wiku-hv95hrVqlXAbZTs_OdGtLfaiZ_YsKSx7NC_7JKULKl0eN8aFQ5xDtgeedzvpy2MSmzr-4TY4FHs0ZR3X30aZllIWB3UAtKVZ-QqvrY_JdASC3UCNzH_FczKIOfaejwgaIydCnwZN3-5ZtDuUw0z0Iji00RKmwW7wF/w640-h480/20231207_095602.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Bougainvillea species</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The NZ flax leaves (Phormium Tenax) have been traditionally used by Maori for weaving etc as the fibres are long and extremely strong. However, the flower spikes are extremely decorative as the photo below shows. They also attract the nectar-eating native Tui bird.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuPiuthWjbFjMalfo_MmFEY9qrjpvuOgK15ZWEF4JHk53nWycQ55X_VMKqY5yB42H28j0usIlaBBAVjHOqNcp_bTbGa86tIb9XEWAhI98ZheRqB6morp6qgy3AYqPjJMm7lnlPUxvY9MmM2-HJDw6W2ZlmG_LrvV4Hk5YcuqVGjJo9ou3rev7nFj-lRueo/s3374/Flax%20stalk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3374" data-original-width="1960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuPiuthWjbFjMalfo_MmFEY9qrjpvuOgK15ZWEF4JHk53nWycQ55X_VMKqY5yB42H28j0usIlaBBAVjHOqNcp_bTbGa86tIb9XEWAhI98ZheRqB6morp6qgy3AYqPjJMm7lnlPUxvY9MmM2-HJDw6W2ZlmG_LrvV4Hk5YcuqVGjJo9ou3rev7nFj-lRueo/w372-h640/Flax%20stalk.jpg" width="372" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Flax stalk</span></b></div></b><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">There are heaps of additional interesting plants in the garden but they'll flower or fruit later in the season. To finish off, we have quite a bit of garden art and my favourite one of a stylised bird was made by a local German potter, Petra Meyboden. The pottery pole it sits on is about 1.5 metres tall and the glazes she uses are really bright. Petra is an interesting character and owns a few hectares of land. All her pottery is on display around her kilns and if she's not about, there's an honesty box for payment!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhveqEgz-oOcyLEhyfVPgrWRzBfoSeeL2fdjiZjmsZbECRIyGLtClgWoyrH9tcGWKMq5PJncg8d4u6Bq_Ek0YtcE9BPiE7PqMPK1SCsDT_G4WA0QiLpTyJ1wDgFywBy8JVmSGyxyldh3udiB5bLLcS_Rc4lsZkpka0uucdlcPZifr2Cx0BgEpqoBBbkipd6/s4032/20231206_154528.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhveqEgz-oOcyLEhyfVPgrWRzBfoSeeL2fdjiZjmsZbECRIyGLtClgWoyrH9tcGWKMq5PJncg8d4u6Bq_Ek0YtcE9BPiE7PqMPK1SCsDT_G4WA0QiLpTyJ1wDgFywBy8JVmSGyxyldh3udiB5bLLcS_Rc4lsZkpka0uucdlcPZifr2Cx0BgEpqoBBbkipd6/w312-h640/20231206_154528.jpg" width="312" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Garden art</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The photos below show part of Petra's pottery for sale on her property.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhynp-4EpEWi1Ipr6lRx1r6ec6rXwK_OYBeDgY8AvwCiGPfKLjXNTZ8MFEduOGOstZnt-g_LLgUaDAh9ayVniycjRdwLTsyv9Sdg_L5jgW_A9bSMlmlA_ubV3B_DJ6WO2halan2Iw8ePWrJ6IZLsliIoQX0D6oMJvihVrK1reC-Es3rcsJAeJy4EfoT3KM/s4000/Petra1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhynp-4EpEWi1Ipr6lRx1r6ec6rXwK_OYBeDgY8AvwCiGPfKLjXNTZ8MFEduOGOstZnt-g_LLgUaDAh9ayVniycjRdwLTsyv9Sdg_L5jgW_A9bSMlmlA_ubV3B_DJ6WO2halan2Iw8ePWrJ6IZLsliIoQX0D6oMJvihVrK1reC-Es3rcsJAeJy4EfoT3KM/w640-h480/Petra1.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Petra's garden art for sale</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></span></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQzT8ySmV5afo-R4gSGmebQuADChKWQqbZga16KAzChfzqGrEmIlZJgeItjrVCfJMGb68lMhThXmLgcReH3WxJD8TlG9NjHFbl0jF3ljoiDCg3zQTSOvPKgP8x4dNJnkm7L8M0S8HqxUohtBvMziN4XtovWQGC1UNoRYtvBohRHLj5YB16zLkGNCnzemu/s4000/Petra3.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQzT8ySmV5afo-R4gSGmebQuADChKWQqbZga16KAzChfzqGrEmIlZJgeItjrVCfJMGb68lMhThXmLgcReH3WxJD8TlG9NjHFbl0jF3ljoiDCg3zQTSOvPKgP8x4dNJnkm7L8M0S8HqxUohtBvMziN4XtovWQGC1UNoRYtvBohRHLj5YB16zLkGNCnzemu/w640-h480/Petra3.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Petra's domestic pottery for sale</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I might add that we get heaps of native and non-native birds in the garden at this time of year. There are plenty of nectar-producing plants to attract the native Tui. The following photo was taken about 3 weeks ago when our kowhai tree was still flowering.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3gREpwHS8zwBz2aS65ZgczRbW51bfzfDXnbLv9xXKMcvrLei5oH8KXs6pByAB3Gf5vOLM9DKRsk_9F1dgQnrRf-ueh_B0Y3L0t3gj30NhjULbhItVAEppM258pbtdVnfiqAnfc1v7TgNQ2ijDakKCx3ctFYrWkH7LBHyDgPFYjnItJ5ivwhgFh34_-b0e/s3600/Tui%2014%20Oct%2023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2494" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3gREpwHS8zwBz2aS65ZgczRbW51bfzfDXnbLv9xXKMcvrLei5oH8KXs6pByAB3Gf5vOLM9DKRsk_9F1dgQnrRf-ueh_B0Y3L0t3gj30NhjULbhItVAEppM258pbtdVnfiqAnfc1v7TgNQ2ijDakKCx3ctFYrWkH7LBHyDgPFYjnItJ5ivwhgFh34_-b0e/w444-h640/Tui%2014%20Oct%2023.jpg" width="444" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Tui drinking nectar from the kowhai tree</b></div></b><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We also get flocks of Californian Quail in our area and they become quite tame as most people feed them in the winter when food is less plentiful. A few days ago, one of the male quail brought its babies to introduce them - awfully cute. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhDABU-sqp2SmF8OGU17BJTUH3TcC_R1oxJn9mIkbVC0QqT3Jf-VqJy0ELSU3_5144MnKGtOaxl1zwvBCtqBgKYHgY87irZbkxyn3-hIX4R543zUoUbfIxgmNq8hLeP7u4yBUvPYJaQhQ2v_d4aSo3ucMtdb1xQB6MHwjrQv5_vldFAgT5Gx1MghZWfl7c/s3794/Nov%202023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2358" data-original-width="3794" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhDABU-sqp2SmF8OGU17BJTUH3TcC_R1oxJn9mIkbVC0QqT3Jf-VqJy0ELSU3_5144MnKGtOaxl1zwvBCtqBgKYHgY87irZbkxyn3-hIX4R543zUoUbfIxgmNq8hLeP7u4yBUvPYJaQhQ2v_d4aSo3ucMtdb1xQB6MHwjrQv5_vldFAgT5Gx1MghZWfl7c/w640-h398/Nov%202023.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Pa Quail and chicks visiting for a feed</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;">I hope that you've enjoyed this diversion from the normal blog subject matter - it's a nice time of the year down south to enjoy nature.</span></div>Geoff Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041523109817248619noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4341114511830074977.post-83313567306772417652023-11-03T16:16:00.003+13:002023-11-03T16:58:43.952+13:00A lifetime of bikes<p><span style="font-size: medium;">Although we haven't actually met up for 20 years, my UK-domiciled best mate Rick and I stay in regular touch. There's little in the way of topics that don't get dissected but motorcycles and classic cars are a regular topic because of our shared interest. Of late, I've been sending him some photos of bikes that I've owned since moving to NZ in 1975, together with some ramblings about ownership.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I started this blog in a moment of boredom in 2009 and over that time, have produced a few reviews of bikes I've owned, normally at a level of technical detail which would bore the pants off most people, apart from fellow tragics and engineers. The correspondence with Rick got me thinking about putting something together which condensed total bike ownership into one place, leaving out most technical detail but including something far more important - the memories associated with them.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The reasons for buying a bike changes over time - "fitness for purpose". We spend a lot of time looking at technical specifications, performance and so on but we ignore emotional appeal at our peril and to make a good, lasting decision, it has to be a combination of both factors. In fact, the last but one bike I owned before retirement was purchased without much thought to emotional appeal, an error of judgement on my part. Despite the bike's high performance, it simply didn't light my fire. In the 3-odd years of ownership, it didn't get patted in the shed, whereas the others did. That's probably the best example of a lack of emotional appeal!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Anyway, I hope that the following memories and anecdotes strike a chord but if you're a fellow tragic, use the search bar below the header photos (desktop, laptop or tablet) to search for a few individual bike and tyre reviews etc in detail.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>1964 -1966 (I think) - Suzuki 50 M15</b>.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1swWanfgyahGspFHjNNHJRd7kiMGt3Oxgk1fPciOVR17yuyYRs4T8QvDNsXQW3tiWSBl8V8n5qWG6WKRU-IJ-kIIO0QR6sH0fyaLCNdn9s8ogH3giDS0FMfLgST9xDAwRkup-PbnIR9rHuCvo0E1Si4_1XvQCP-zKDK8kwgUIRmhZOmMiqy6PLLOXlY5L/s1000/1964%20Suzuki%2050.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1swWanfgyahGspFHjNNHJRd7kiMGt3Oxgk1fPciOVR17yuyYRs4T8QvDNsXQW3tiWSBl8V8n5qWG6WKRU-IJ-kIIO0QR6sH0fyaLCNdn9s8ogH3giDS0FMfLgST9xDAwRkup-PbnIR9rHuCvo0E1Si4_1XvQCP-zKDK8kwgUIRmhZOmMiqy6PLLOXlY5L/w640-h480/1964%20Suzuki%2050.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">Freedom to roam the highways and byways at last!</b> <i>(file photo)</i></span></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The Suzuki 50 was a gift from my maternal grandparents for passing my national school exams. They knew I loved bikes and both Granddad and Dad used to ride in their youth but from memory, I had no input into the choice of bike. A capacity of 50cc was probably their means of mitigating risk to a hormone-laden teen after them taking advice from the local motorcycle shop. Nonetheless, it represented freedom so it was a wonderful gift. They also had it fitted with leg shields and a large windscreen with the aerodynamics of a house to protect me from the elements, bless them. The downside was that with a meagre 4 or 5 horsepower, the wind resistance from the screen severely crippled its already modest performance.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">My closest mates had a Triumph Tiger Cub, a Lambretta scooter and an Ariel Arrow, so I was always wringing the throttle in an attempt to keep up. It wasn't long before the screen and leg shields were removed, which did appreciably improve things. Nonetheless, performance was hardly electric and after passing my test, it was time to look for something else.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">1966-67 (I think) - Triumph 3TA 350</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHVniYdvRnPjYdf_je9snKqlONslMJ_vax-l0BwRE51khDeQuVdL3NPiQc9w1PGf5FMWFygJuuetZVcRxAMLIT-GNPev5vVqiLxSbNweCJYf_yAIPmlckqRF4qH1jSGN4l0zkY_ZtmuEeJwqgAgGfmlVAlrwdzUyQZN2lCLa2dvFnHhd2_eM5N4v1YTAYt/s1034/1960%20Triumph%203TA.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1034" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHVniYdvRnPjYdf_je9snKqlONslMJ_vax-l0BwRE51khDeQuVdL3NPiQc9w1PGf5FMWFygJuuetZVcRxAMLIT-GNPev5vVqiLxSbNweCJYf_yAIPmlckqRF4qH1jSGN4l0zkY_ZtmuEeJwqgAgGfmlVAlrwdzUyQZN2lCLa2dvFnHhd2_eM5N4v1YTAYt/w640-h356/1960%20Triumph%203TA.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>1961 Triumph 350 twin</b><i> (file photo)</i></span></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Like virtually all of us at that stage of our motorcycling careers, buying a bike was more of an act of faith than a well-researched one. Rick owned a 350 Triumph by this stage which seemed like a decent recommendation. I traded the 1964 Suzuki in for the Triumph which was around 5 years old. The dealer was at a nearby town and went by the name of Sharp and Glover. I didn't know at the time that they were also colloquially known as Shark and Grabber, which might have provided some degree of restraint in parting with my money.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">However, it turned out to be pretty reliable, the only issue being that it would never rust due to the copious amounts of oil which it leaked. As most British bikes of that era leaked to some extent, I suppose it was just a case of largely putting up with it. I vaguely remember that trying to seal the pushrod tubes and tappet covers was an exercise in futility, particularly when using Red Hermetite sealant - terrible stuff.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Ownership only lasted a year or thereabouts. Whilst its performance was admittedly better than the Suzuki 50, its power output was only 17 bhp or thereabouts and it was quite a heavy bike. The final straw was when I tried to blow away someone riding a Yamaha 100cc 2-stroke twin. Less power but a superior power to weight ratio, not to mention infinitely better handling. The rider wiped the floor with me, a major humiliation. The 3TA had to go!</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">1968-1971 - Triumph Tiger 100, 350 Triumph drag bike and Tricati</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNjg80Jtxict7Qb2aXkCDMnJyt1DEo8T6V87My5kZbWTbruKk2PQ9aJmwouaE64xb2e4AQXWWOYdT9ZkL3D0paLaaSROmTEGOp42Nt27ZSJGiIT6OfjKK_-88wVfemWnB1a-T22IshMFxPI_9Cjwc_tnwrqxVq6NKq_qkU4mpWlVKW2HjNA-UbFykiaAYq/s806/Tiger%20100.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="806" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNjg80Jtxict7Qb2aXkCDMnJyt1DEo8T6V87My5kZbWTbruKk2PQ9aJmwouaE64xb2e4AQXWWOYdT9ZkL3D0paLaaSROmTEGOp42Nt27ZSJGiIT6OfjKK_-88wVfemWnB1a-T22IshMFxPI_9Cjwc_tnwrqxVq6NKq_qkU4mpWlVKW2HjNA-UbFykiaAYq/w640-h408/Tiger%20100.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>1955 pre-unit construction Triumph Tiger 100. <i>(</i></b><i>Photo taken 1968)</i></span></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The more I got into motorcycling, the more I seemed to be buying older bikes! I got wind of someone in the next town wanting to sell his 1955 500cc Tiger 100. It had been superbly restored in royal blue and white paint, with lots of additional chrome plating and the engine had been tuned. I had to have it!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It was capable of a little over 100 mph, at least in theory. When I bought it, it was equipped with American-spec hi-rise bars and mirrors on long stalks - shades of Marlon Brando in the Wild One. Exceeding 70mph would see the wind pressure gradually swing the mirrors rearwards, trapping me between them. The riding position wasn't comfortable at speed either and dropped "Ace" bars were subsequently fitted to give a forward lean. The bike was a lot of fun to ride and lots of miles were racked up on it. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The outstanding memory on this bike was attending the Isle of Man TT in 1969, along with Rick on his Triumph Trophy. Apart from everyday riding round the Island , Rick and I got up before dawn on a non-race day, lined up on the starting grid and went hell for leather round the entire 38 mile/60 km circuit, with a complete absence of traffic which was handy. Rick pulled out of sight fairly quickly although I knew he wasn't far away as part way round, there was a guy leaning on his gate, looking down the road. Climbing the mountain, there was further proof of his passage with seagulls having been disturbed from kipping on the road, wheeling about in disarray. We finished less than a minute apart with smoke pouring off my back brake drum. It had got so hot dropping off the mountain that some of the wheel bearing grease had melted onto the drum. The Tiger has the honour of another photo below. It was taken on the TT course with me in my civvies, along with a delightful Scottish lass I met there. I hasten to add that this was 2 years before I met my wife! Rick's Trophy is on the right.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcnue6XIlAqEjQ3DzaWKXZwuyD0RI1RGLKgkHP5GQbu04Va6vow98Nu2FPT460Ex0zWQYJ4AmlPPTWqFOo9heDYG004gu-zF29o-srP7nOu5HMHfU4zwgu4nQjytsjHqS4wW8gOaOBkWhE9cUbcolv0-DjoE4VrwZw105d0DYtkVT_wDlI65APeKiIUIfr/s1390/Geoff%20with%20Ann%20McGregor%20IOM%20TT%201969.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="939" data-original-width="1390" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcnue6XIlAqEjQ3DzaWKXZwuyD0RI1RGLKgkHP5GQbu04Va6vow98Nu2FPT460Ex0zWQYJ4AmlPPTWqFOo9heDYG004gu-zF29o-srP7nOu5HMHfU4zwgu4nQjytsjHqS4wW8gOaOBkWhE9cUbcolv0-DjoE4VrwZw105d0DYtkVT_wDlI65APeKiIUIfr/w640-h432/Geoff%20with%20Ann%20McGregor%20IOM%20TT%201969.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Isle of Man TT circuit - 1969</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I finally sold the Tiger to one of my good friends in 1971. It was getting little use as I joined the staff at Cranfield University in 1970 and there was little time for social riding or commuting on the bike.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Supercharged 350cc Triumph drag bike - Icarus</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRSwsYY8S95K4TAMAnA9WZTZ6UMzAm7L6laZwKhqCav9p-5-nsfXuz06c33rlQzq9CiqwT8VnRJXkmRTni9Hm_lZNj5EnKF0QfuNH9mezIrSdIWXeg3NqfCwdWI74XNcMoE3ufCX0Y0aszBikXB6r1cA4_eIOun0rEDfuqz-0J0j6Ny__DrK3S_Vwg7ufc/s1024/Geoff%201969.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRSwsYY8S95K4TAMAnA9WZTZ6UMzAm7L6laZwKhqCav9p-5-nsfXuz06c33rlQzq9CiqwT8VnRJXkmRTni9Hm_lZNj5EnKF0QfuNH9mezIrSdIWXeg3NqfCwdWI74XNcMoE3ufCX0Y0aszBikXB6r1cA4_eIOun0rEDfuqz-0J0j6Ny__DrK3S_Vwg7ufc/w640-h426/Geoff%201969.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Santa Pod drag strip UK, 1969. Mk2 Icarus</b> <i>(courtesy: Pete Miller)</i></span></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I was already familiar with the Triumph 350 twin motor and as there was a dragstrip close to where I lived, I thought it would be fun to build a drag bike, especially as engineering studies gave me access to machine shops and technical resources. The Mk 1 bike was a lightly tuned motor with a Shorrock supercharger, running on methanol. Whilst it performed moderately well, the piston crowns had an occasional annoying habit of departing the rest of the piston at the oil control rings due to the high revs (mean piston speed load) enabled by the supercharger.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">To cut a lengthy story short, did some calculations and it was feasible to make a short stroke version to reduce the mean piston speed and loads. I machined a solid billet short stroke crankshaft in the engineering labs and used a modified 500cc barrel and cylinder head to turn it into a very oversquare 350. Sounds easy but it was anything but, with a lot of engineering development work required. Eventually, it was one of the top 2 or 3 fastest UK 350's over the quarter mile, with a lot more performance to come. Over the standing start mile, which I only did twice at one event in 1970, it was world class. A terminal speed of 147 mph on an RAF runway with rudimentary suspension and minimal wind protection is something never forgotten!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Icarus was capable of being developed much further but a new career and the high costs and time associated with drag racing drew a curtain on further racing. I sold the rolling chassis but kept the engine and that leads on to the next bike.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Tricati</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Early Triumphs had a poor reputation for handling. It was relatively common to put a 650 Triumph engine into a Norton featherbed frame which handled well and was called a Triton. Less well known was shoehorning a smaller capacity Triumph twin into a Ducati frame to attain great handling. This was the Tricati. I'd seen an article in a motorcycle magazine on building a Tricati and thought that sticking the drag bike engine (minus supercharger) into a Ducati frame would be a fun project. A Ducati 200cc Elite rolling chassis was obtained and the build commenced. Progress was a lot slower than planned due to work commitments, getting married and buying a house. Then came the offer of a great job in New Zealand so the whole project was shelved. I'm not one for regrets but in hindsight, I should have chucked it into the shipping container rather than getting rid of it. Didn't think at the time that I'd ever return to motorcycling though.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I don't have any photos of the Tricati construction but the photo below is one of the Tricatis built by Mick Snaith, the chap whose bikes were featured in the original magazine article. Amazingly, Mick saw a more detailed article I'd written about the Tricati build and sent a whole heap of information which is <a href="https://geoffjames.blogspot.com/2011/11/past-catches-up.html"><b>HERE</b></a>. Small world!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDt2f37UL8pq-lkqcExYA6FHuBVMyl-wJqLwhtp6Ljt3h99G75rvAsU1OBX8kQDXStLqiUZg74pBW7LtBmKVK3YkwK9GQaJTW_t_RTtJwq40kEUtLjr4posKWXefpqwDavDUddoMFhHzFfwFbRCDEBe41SkzZyj6u4Kiq7qNlELVvQ5AX5YEL5xuk-4gR/s640/1967%20Tricati.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="640" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDt2f37UL8pq-lkqcExYA6FHuBVMyl-wJqLwhtp6Ljt3h99G75rvAsU1OBX8kQDXStLqiUZg74pBW7LtBmKVK3YkwK9GQaJTW_t_RTtJwq40kEUtLjr4posKWXefpqwDavDUddoMFhHzFfwFbRCDEBe41SkzZyj6u4Kiq7qNlELVvQ5AX5YEL5xuk-4gR/w640-h444/1967%20Tricati.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Mick Snaith's 1967 Tricati with a 500cc Triumph engine and Ducati Elite frame</span></b></div></b><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">1975-1987 - Yamaha 50 bucket racer</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The move to NZ in 1975 put motorcycling on the back burner what with raising a family, a challenging career and taking up competitive sailing. There was a short return to motorcycling in the 80's though (sort of)!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">One of the company departments which reported to me was the large apprentice training school. It was run by an unconventional ex-UK SAS sergeant called Len who had a deserved reputation for innovation and getting difficult things done quickly. It didn't pay to ask how on most occasions. His exploits would fill a book but we'll stick to the motorcycle narrative. At some time in the past, he'd acquired a 50cc Yamaha racing motor, complete with spares including a wicked expansion chamber. He was always vague about its provenance but clearly, possession was 9/10 of the law in this case. The engine was put into a frame made by Len and the apprentices. The original intent was to use it as a "bucket racer", an entry level race class in NZ. It sat unused in the training centre for a number of years until Len asked whether I'd like it. I entertained the thought of our sons riding it on the local go kart track but they showed little interest. This is it....</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdQ_kklTHsSS1V_sKTZEXQC7X-vAOChrjdCpAKvtKuPT9ZPbVTI4u4BVev4mQ51GKfRxkbXFoAySu8IHHIdzWx1E1H1Zis5ceLX8g7zld_E_AxiH1VnKre6qcqBdjzKJSjiAPeyh22E7-F_TtstF9RJBMC3xZbAbUi7hoiGOunqLwA2tGjnF7PYW9hn85y/s1093/Yamaha%2050%20%20bucket%20racer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="693" data-original-width="1093" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdQ_kklTHsSS1V_sKTZEXQC7X-vAOChrjdCpAKvtKuPT9ZPbVTI4u4BVev4mQ51GKfRxkbXFoAySu8IHHIdzWx1E1H1Zis5ceLX8g7zld_E_AxiH1VnKre6qcqBdjzKJSjiAPeyh22E7-F_TtstF9RJBMC3xZbAbUi7hoiGOunqLwA2tGjnF7PYW9hn85y/w640-h406/Yamaha%2050%20%20bucket%20racer.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Yamaha 50 bucket racer</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It sat in our garage for a while until I decided to try it out. It was only road legal in the sense that it had two wheels and functional brakes but the chances of getting caught on a local country road by the law was pretty slim. Starting the bike for the first time in the garden was horrific. The racing expansion chamber was unbelievably loud and had a frequency that made your teeth ache. To maintain harmony with our neighbours, Len made a small silencer to fit on the tailpipe. It bore a close resemblance to a covert weapon suppressor, which Len would presumably have had more than a passing acquaintance with in his past life. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I only had one highly illegal ride on the road which was quite enough of an experience. We lived on the edge of town but riding the few hundred metres to the open countryside still turned heads, thanks to the noise from the expansion chamber; which was mercifully less than it had been. The power band was exceedingly narrow but once coaxed up the rev range, the bike got along at a decent lick and handled tolerably well too. Wonderful fun but not wanting to get a bad name, it was returned to the shed and that was the end of it until given away to a deserving recipient many months later.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">1987-1993 - Honda GB400TT, Suzuki TS 100 and Yamaha IT 175</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Competitive sailing occupied most of what free time I had but the entry back into motorcycling happened in 1987 when I'd travelled to Auckland to pick up a new sail. A few doors from the sailmaker was a Honda dealer and a look in one window revealed a Honda GB 400 TT on a display stand. The bike was superficially reminiscent of the Tiger 100 I owned in the UK and I was hooked again! Jennie gave grudging permission for the purchase and she bought a piano as a means of squaring the account. Ummm... at almost exactly twice the cost of the bike!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The 400cc 4 valve head single was a delight to ride but after a year, I decided to add a colour-matched aftermarket fairing, partly to make it resemble a British race bike of the 50's and 60's, but also for wind and weather protection. It looked pretty good, as the photo shows.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj299eOcy4uJPJzaDvEUBAm-8QrPL_pr-2xfMH9DTfG6hknkFIXsKpSb1gcgJyxoH985XK1selRYo0MRiVgRO3hZ6OYhSjNAe4WH-213kIqBA_jzA-8WoN8bEOpeyoy2qxTpjM2wNes41oMDuxGkTX1bbGYs76T9fzZtPDIEwz8m5-DTe6ljAO7-TxEk0eL/s4800/GB%20400TT%206-SharpenAI-Standard.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3036" data-original-width="4800" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj299eOcy4uJPJzaDvEUBAm-8QrPL_pr-2xfMH9DTfG6hknkFIXsKpSb1gcgJyxoH985XK1selRYo0MRiVgRO3hZ6OYhSjNAe4WH-213kIqBA_jzA-8WoN8bEOpeyoy2qxTpjM2wNes41oMDuxGkTX1bbGYs76T9fzZtPDIEwz8m5-DTe6ljAO7-TxEk0eL/w640-h404/GB%20400TT%206-SharpenAI-Standard.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">1987 Honda GB 400 TT with aftermarket fairing</span></b></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It was a lot of fun to ride and attracted a fair amount of attention with its Midnight Blue metallic paint. It stayed in the family for around 8 years before being sold. Always fondly remembered as the bike which got me back into motorcycling.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Suzuki TS100 and Yamaha IT 175</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In the early 90's, our eldest son was interested in learning how to ride. The safest way of getting some basic handling skills was off-road in the forest fire breaks bordering our company forests. I bought a TS100 for him from a local motorcycle shop owner for next to nothing. It had been ridden Evel Knievel - style by the shop owner off Ohiwa Harbour wharf into the tide for a dare but after inspection, didn't seem any the worse for its excursion. To keep our son company, I bought an IT175 from one of our apprentices because the price was right.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">This was where my knowledge of off-road bikes was shown to be severely lacking. The IT 175 was a competition enduro bike with a narrow power band and a tendency to lift the front wheel with the application of an incautious throttle hand. I spent quite a bit of time spitting dirt out of my mouth having either gone over the bars or being flicked off from a high side or wheelie. To use a technical term, it was a bastard. Coming home covered in scrapes and walking like a 90 year old didn't impress Jennie one bit. Nonetheless, it was a lot of fun for a couple of years and both our son and I learned a lot about bike handling. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGAGols7UthVAI6B6vXPBarN8S0nbUMUFW-R3hHzm82p6g27U24tot2gF3w0K8X1_eR-qmJSbpZeSSWNdKrYpoN5ORnD4xV46XDVZKFslNC4OXZqGaeBiErXYRovbRUorwwdxVUrkvloRALNDW138Kn_y6EQpqGhDKjkqukavj3wzddrPGq4h9hIrvuMi/s2048/Off-roaders%20early%2090's.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1277" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGAGols7UthVAI6B6vXPBarN8S0nbUMUFW-R3hHzm82p6g27U24tot2gF3w0K8X1_eR-qmJSbpZeSSWNdKrYpoN5ORnD4xV46XDVZKFslNC4OXZqGaeBiErXYRovbRUorwwdxVUrkvloRALNDW138Kn_y6EQpqGhDKjkqukavj3wzddrPGq4h9hIrvuMi/w640-h400/Off-roaders%20early%2090's.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Suzuki TS 100 and Yamaha IT 175 - early 90's</span></b></div><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">1993-2003 - Suzuki X7, BMW K100 RS</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Our eldest son was keen to get his full motorcycle licence so we purchased a 1980 Suzuki X7 250cc for him to ride. This was the era of the genuine 100 mph 250cc superbikes. The X7 was up there in terms of performance but the motor was very flexible across the rev range compared with some of its rivals. There even used to be an X7 racing series in the UK. With fantastic handling due to its light weight, it was a joy to ride, whether pottering along or thrashing it down country roads. Besides, the howl of a 2 stroke and their smell was pure Viagra! </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I was looking for a bike with a bit more performance than the GB400 but hadn't considered a BMW. It so happened that the dealer I bought the GB400 from was selling a 1985 K100RS on behalf of a client who had moved overseas. It was in beautiful condition and I was offered it at a very reasonable price so the deal was done. It was a fast bike but hard work on twisty roads because of its conservative steering geometry, weight and narrow bars. Overall, it was a reliable bike but even small maintenance jobs revealed how outrageous BMW's parts prices were!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The enduring memory of ownership was doing my first ever Rusty Nuts 1000 miles/1600 km in under 24 hours organised endurance ride on it, along with some mates who were equally insane. Terrible weather, particularly through the night part of the ride and a route consisting of heaps of twisty back roads. We made it inside the allocated time but I was in a heck of a state, particularly the arms and wrists. Etched on the memory forever!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">For what I wanted at that time, the BMW ticked most of the boxes and it was kept for 10 years. Liked it a lot but didn't love it.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpXWgMBEhcoZccxRTEsl1tmX8f7R7q7rBdP1I_NXUHP-9DcIvj3MdTeiKxoBP1aCFLFu0xCEqVbv0nnlvdPeKZ6hM1FUUn-n9IUZvicIOU_FT6SwPF3Iix8vVyBrFWWYFI3v-aF72dO-UXG34vFJAYOcwSsc_hBbzJSwp2Cw5iGZUn91iZMJ8_4vKkPNLY/s705/X7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="705" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpXWgMBEhcoZccxRTEsl1tmX8f7R7q7rBdP1I_NXUHP-9DcIvj3MdTeiKxoBP1aCFLFu0xCEqVbv0nnlvdPeKZ6hM1FUUn-n9IUZvicIOU_FT6SwPF3Iix8vVyBrFWWYFI3v-aF72dO-UXG34vFJAYOcwSsc_hBbzJSwp2Cw5iGZUn91iZMJ8_4vKkPNLY/w640-h428/X7.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Suzuki X7 and BMW K100RS, circa 1993/4</span></b></div></b><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">2003-2009 - Honda Super Blackbird</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Jennie and I were in Auckland for a <strike>dirty</strike> ummm... anniversary weekend and naturally did some window-gazing in bike shops as part of the total window-gazing package. There was a blue Blackbird in the window of the Honda shop lit with spotlights and it looked stunning. I'd worshiped Blackbirds from afar for some time, especially because of the outrageous performance but the looks really appealed, especially in metallic Phoenix Blue paint. As I'd had the BMW for 10 years, Executive Permission was readily given to buy it after a test ride. Emotional appeal was well and truly part of the equation.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The first few weeks of ownership were cautious ones for several reasons. The performance was far in excess of the BMW and to make matters worse, it delivered that performance quietly with a minimum of fuss. Far too easy to exceed speed limits by some margin. Whilst the weight of the 'bird was similar to that of the BMW, the centre of gravity was higher and being somewhat vertically challenged, care had to be taken when manoeuvring at low speed. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There were 3 occasions which spring to mind when thinking back to Blackbird ownership. The first was going for a ride with friends, including one who had borrowed his daughter's Suzuki 175cc 2 stroke. After a stop, we'd send him off a few minutes before us and chase him down. We saw him down a long straight and decided to go past at warp speed. Unfortunately, we neglected to see some significant ripples in the road until it was too late and three of us became significantly airborne just as we passed hm. Fortunately, there were no adverse consequences to our moment of stupidity but it was a sobering incident. It wasn't long after this that I enrolled on a 1 day advanced riding course which was an eye-opener as well as an ego-denter. It was the start of the shape of things to come a few years down the track with my formal police roadcraft training!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Having done several 24 hour long distance events, I decided in 2005 to enter the 'bird in an event called the Southern Cross. It started at the southern tip of the south island and we had 3 days to check in at Cape Reinga at the top of the north island. From there, we had a day to check in at a lighthouse at East Cape, followed by a further day to check in at a lighthouse on the west coast. A total of around 4000 km in 5 days, right on the edge of winter. The Blackbird was built for events like this but the rider was pretty worn out at the end of it. I checked in mid-afternoon at a nearby camping ground cabin after the finish of the ride. Sat down on the edge of the bed, fell asleep on top of it still in my riding gear and woke up next morning with the cabin door still wide open and absolutely freezing!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The third memory was touring the South Island for 2 weeks in 2007 with 3 friends who also had blue Blackbirds. Jennie and a friend's partner came with us in a people-mover with our luggage and we had an absolute ball riding all the mountain passes. Four near-identical Blackbirds in convoy attracted quite a bit of attention. There's nowhere better in the world for riding bikes than NZ's south island, especially with great mates.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtXTSd9wCyNavntxj249L4sBbwNH5igEJZURD00EaVEgsqcL959xyJbqtqYrDPyqX-Je4ZTYpwc6P0aLB2UScEfb36bOWq5wnfaC8Krylhs_TS5OSMddiERy6Y5PfHRcjwLGNMmSyAi_aZR3OOa0FwLeN5BGSySQRc2iRxx7ZiLcQikRgxQBgtTy1Tormh/s1340/Arthurs%20Pass6-SharpenAI-Standard.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1340" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtXTSd9wCyNavntxj249L4sBbwNH5igEJZURD00EaVEgsqcL959xyJbqtqYrDPyqX-Je4ZTYpwc6P0aLB2UScEfb36bOWq5wnfaC8Krylhs_TS5OSMddiERy6Y5PfHRcjwLGNMmSyAi_aZR3OOa0FwLeN5BGSySQRc2iRxx7ZiLcQikRgxQBgtTy1Tormh/w640-h370/Arthurs%20Pass6-SharpenAI-Standard.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Four Blackbirds on Arthur's Pass</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I retired from work at 60 in early 2008 and we moved from Tokoroa to our holiday place at Coromandel on a permanent basis. A combination of peninsula twisty roads, the height and weight of the bike, plus my age pointed to the fact that the Blackbird wasn't really fit for purpose any more. The search for something to safely extend my riding career was about to start.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">2009-2015 - Triumph Street Triple 675</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The search for a lower, lighter bike but with excellent performance led to an unexpected purchase. The Street Triple wasn't near the top of the shortlist but less than half an hour into a test ride, I just had to buy one - a perfect example of both technical and emotional appeal. Ergonomics were perfect, handling was sublime and the power to weight ratio meant that a drop in capacity from the Blackbird wasn't a disadvantage for everyday use. The howl from the airbox at large throttle openings was pure aural (no, not oral) sex!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikWCr7qFFD3S2I296TfOtX5KYABwrwF5CH84sNuZ7K-x1PIknwJd4nL8TfzMOPxMtC0f852_05XhN1dBZP2FJa6naqKeMXXU0Dw_foWiagVjOAy-H_aKzgs1cWcbGXlodFllbj89l8675s9FEjNB6h22Au2Je7M4sUzJJja11UbwILi4N1oMLM2Hrdmfp/s2000/Kuaotunu2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1238" data-original-width="2000" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikWCr7qFFD3S2I296TfOtX5KYABwrwF5CH84sNuZ7K-x1PIknwJd4nL8TfzMOPxMtC0f852_05XhN1dBZP2FJa6naqKeMXXU0Dw_foWiagVjOAy-H_aKzgs1cWcbGXlodFllbj89l8675s9FEjNB6h22Au2Je7M4sUzJJja11UbwILi4N1oMLM2Hrdmfp/w640-h396/Kuaotunu2.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The Street Triple in its perfect playground - the Coromandel Peninsula</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It was a number of years since I'd taken part in one of the Rusty Nuts 1000 miles/1600 km in under 24 hour rides. In 2010, I got to wondering how a 63 year old body on a naked bike would cope so an entry was duly sent in. In mixed weather conditions, the Triple proved to be the most comfortable bike on any of the 5 events completed, getting no more than sore hands from hanging on in gale force winds for the last few hours of the event. However, I must admit that fitting an Airhawk seat pad before the event paid massive dividends in terms of butt comfort!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Every ride put a smile on my face and apart from a world-wide recall to change the rectifier, it was faultless for the 70,000-odd km I clocked up on it. Much of that distance was the regular 2+ hour commute to Auckland in all weathers to get my Institute of Advanced Motorists police roadcraft qualifications. Becoming a better rider in combination with the capabilities of the Triple added up to it being 6 years of the most enjoyable motorcycle ownership experience of my whole riding career.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">2015-2019 - Suzuki GSX-S 1000</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">With the 675cc Street Triple having reliably clocked up 70,000 km, thoughts turned to replacing it before it got too long in the tooth. The benefits of a light performance bike with a moderate seat height were perfect for my needs and a logical progression was to the 765 Street Triple. Frustratingly, its release into the NZ market had been delayed so it was time to look at other options. I happened to be in Auckland one day and was offered a demo ride on on the GSX-S 1000. Seat height was fine, performance great, weight was acceptable and the price was right so a deal was done.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Unfortunately, I failed to follow my own advice about emotional appeal. A relatively short test ride inside the confines of Auckland city and the motorway wasn't adequate to get a real feel for it and in hindsight, the ride didn't excite me in the way that the demo ride on the Triple did. Should have listened to my heart.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">As the bike progressed through the break-in period, the throttle response became increasingly snatchy, bordering on dangerous in wet conditions despite traction control. In defence of Suzuki NZ, they came to the party and fitted a different ECU which solved the issue (mostly). Here's the funny thing though.... although the bike had plenty of performance, it had no "character". Bland isn't quite the right word to describe it but it simply didn't touch my soul. I'm sure that other riders will have had similar experiences at some time or other. As mentioned at the start of the post, it could be summed up by saying that it didn't get patted when walking past it in the shed, whereas the Blackbird and Street Triple certainly did!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The one exception to the negative comments was attendance at a couple of trackdays, organised by IAM. The Gixxer was in its element at the track with the throttle pinned. A whole different world compared with riding on the road.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgODKOZWZoOkfyJD-XD8tYs5-hI7m5tk3zH_8FTU14bYP7m8Kg1BEKVAfSLXtaRGb5qHJd9ZCKN4YLGaTxLNIhqegYOW1Ng4FvUyexjvMORD3jPeeyMVBeKZMSstP8ULp2A9XPi5IVMZbfm8TuzwFuEFGAqN_N6lwBQuG6diFwc-MdnZ1qrbU4QfK7GStl4/s2000/Hampton%20Downs%20trackday%202016.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="777" data-original-width="2000" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgODKOZWZoOkfyJD-XD8tYs5-hI7m5tk3zH_8FTU14bYP7m8Kg1BEKVAfSLXtaRGb5qHJd9ZCKN4YLGaTxLNIhqegYOW1Ng4FvUyexjvMORD3jPeeyMVBeKZMSstP8ULp2A9XPi5IVMZbfm8TuzwFuEFGAqN_N6lwBQuG6diFwc-MdnZ1qrbU4QfK7GStl4/w640-h248/Hampton%20Downs%20trackday%202016.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The Gixxer at a Hampton Downs trackday - 2016</b> <i>(courtesy Barry Holland)</i></span></div><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">2019-2022 - KTM 790 Duke</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In 2019, I turned 72. I'd safely extended my riding career through a wonderful few years with IAM, not to mention the fantastic friendships made along the way. Nonetheless, I'd done pretty much everything I wanted to do on a motorcycle so the next bike was likely to be the last one. The obvious choice was the 765 Street Triple but reading about the new KTM 790 piqued my interest. Nicknamed "The Scalpel" because of its razor sharp handling, it went onto the shortlist despite the KTM brand not having a reputation for reliability to the extent of Japanese manufacturers.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The test ride on a demo bike from Boyd's in Hamilton sealed the deal. A sunny, hot day and Greg Boyd had fitted supersport tyres in readiness for a trackday the following weekend. I'd known Greg for years and he simply told me to bugger off and enjoy myself for a couple of hours. It's rare to laugh out loud inside one's helmet but I did multiple times on that ride. Apart from filling the bill in terms of ergonomics, handling and performance, it was an absolute hooligan of a machine, loaded with character. A deal was done as soon as I got back to the dealer and a week later, one graced the shed. A purchase clearly made with both technical and emotional appeal.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The various electronic power delivery and traction control options meant that it was capable of being ridden in whatever manner was appropriate to the occasion. A few accessories were added, including a carbon fibre exhaust can to shed a bit of weight and get rid of the ugly standard muffler. The only significant negative experience was a low speed judder when applying the brakes which got progressively worse. This was due to warping front brake rotors but they were replaced under warranty and there were no further issues.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQEFVI68Zev_mRbWvtq_0gNifEvSCTvNOApiBLyqIVbmldeJKc_j4qnUg5o-9_CHhUELdLLEdEM-4KQ0Re4IEatUzI296PfgYXJAo9MrJokoF5EYRFFwqcXvi4MnKF8GS01zcvopIbCg7CZHdM9Eva2cNalEdalkHODnKn7buj0dRLlsveb0TnF5n6qjd/s1024/IMG_1834.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQEFVI68Zev_mRbWvtq_0gNifEvSCTvNOApiBLyqIVbmldeJKc_j4qnUg5o-9_CHhUELdLLEdEM-4KQ0Re4IEatUzI296PfgYXJAo9MrJokoF5EYRFFwqcXvi4MnKF8GS01zcvopIbCg7CZHdM9Eva2cNalEdalkHODnKn7buj0dRLlsveb0TnF5n6qjd/w640-h480/IMG_1834.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The KTM 790 Duke, aka "The Scalpel"</span></b></div></b><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">What a great bike to finish my riding career on, bringing out the "inner hooligan" on the odd occasion! The best memory that comes to mind was in 2020, riding to the IAM annual conference near Wellington with treasured friends, then continuing up the east coast of the north island to make it a 6 day tour via roads made in motorcycling heaven. The KTM was perfect for touring with a small tailpack, a yachting dry bag and a small backpack. Genuinely good for the soul.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I've long advocated having a fall-back interest or two to replace a life-long passion when it's time to give up for whatever reason. Prior to the KTM being sold in early 2022, I bought an e-mountain bike for use on the Coromandel cycle trails to maintain fitness and have fun. Jennie and I also have a fishing runabout to do stuff together but bless her heart, it was her suggestion that we get a classic car to keep an interest in things automotive. After a few false starts and pouty lips, we ended up with an immaculate 1972 MGB GT. This also has special significance as it was the year we got married! The MG continues to be a lot of fun and there's no need for speed to enjoy it.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEQlW4RnWGXck6ZOO54qbwPnk_4FpaWxLOybL9efWNc9HGIl2dw-f0ho_hChqtx1y88pYu3Aur01sfsjvuCkXnwMg_7ewZ9enI3j7bxiKqfbmmkeS4QnMUIbxTnbD6WECS1HMf9oENA8G8B_ILkZPtAPn000fgAEisROU3WrklsPVgi_WXdC6TalZ0olFg/s2500/Gold%20Stamper%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1215" data-original-width="2500" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEQlW4RnWGXck6ZOO54qbwPnk_4FpaWxLOybL9efWNc9HGIl2dw-f0ho_hChqtx1y88pYu3Aur01sfsjvuCkXnwMg_7ewZ9enI3j7bxiKqfbmmkeS4QnMUIbxTnbD6WECS1HMf9oENA8G8B_ILkZPtAPn000fgAEisROU3WrklsPVgi_WXdC6TalZ0olFg/w640-h312/Gold%20Stamper%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The MGB GT at Coromandel historic gold stamper</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I hope this potted history of bike ownership over a span of 58 years has been of interest from the viewpoints of variety, fitness for purpose and the anecdotes which go with them. Some anecdotes have been left out of print to protect the guilty! I feel privileged to have enjoyed some wonderful experiences that have had a lasting impact but above all, it's the special people I've met along the way. That truly is a privilege.</span></p><p><br /></p>Geoff Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041523109817248619noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4341114511830074977.post-63964345433538229582023-10-25T14:36:00.005+13:002023-10-26T09:02:53.781+13:00Preserving local history<p><span style="font-size: medium;">This post isn't about motorcycles or cars, but a bit of local history in New Zealand which I've only had minor involvement with, but has consumed massive amounts of my wife's time. I'm enormously proud of her and her team of volunteers in achieving a wonderful conservation outcome.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Firstly, a bit of background. European settlement of the Coromandel Peninsula really started in the early to mid-1800's although sporadic visits by sailor/explorers like Capt James Cook were even earlier. Native Kauri trees were a sought-after resource for ship spars and general high quality timber. Gold was subsequently discovered which brought about a significant increase in settlers. Typically, settlers had to be resourceful and many had cattle to provide meat and dairy products. One such family owned Fir Lawn House and in the late 1870's/early 1880's, had a creamery to convert milk into dairy products. The house itself is no longer habitable but the creamery was in generally good order and had been repurposed at some stage as a spa room for a local motel. Best not delve too deeply that it had a long-standing heritage preservation order placed on it!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The motel owners no longer needed it and approached the Coromandel School of Mines and Historical Museum to see if they would like to take ownership. It so happens that Jennie was, and is the current President of the museum. The committee thought that it was an excellent way of preserving a piece of local history and accepted the offer. Like many of these excellent institutions throughout the world, they are run entirely by volunteers, mainly of a "certain age". Income comes from modest museum entry fees and occasional grants from various sources. Funds are invariably tight.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhallzq2uNFsgPoqVIwWFy_TF9ban9xALQUONl8sa_acaPP3B1n-91-nLC4JaXaKS7YihxZxpwXSAMvoUH7dR32GZkCbUmRFEnd8mxQ9DJzE-PQwKhKXD7ZZIIFtXS9IKmEzF5YQAzdWjBuKTzlO_0HlKSDo0vsXBCvIxmwgt-Ly_Wasn-bqjIeRMkH_ytu/s900/Museum%20front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="834" data-original-width="900" height="594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhallzq2uNFsgPoqVIwWFy_TF9ban9xALQUONl8sa_acaPP3B1n-91-nLC4JaXaKS7YihxZxpwXSAMvoUH7dR32GZkCbUmRFEnd8mxQ9DJzE-PQwKhKXD7ZZIIFtXS9IKmEzF5YQAzdWjBuKTzlO_0HlKSDo0vsXBCvIxmwgt-Ly_Wasn-bqjIeRMkH_ytu/w640-h594/Museum%20front.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Coromandel School of Mines and Historical Museum</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The transaction was quite complex for Jennie and her team. As well as transporting it from one site to another, substantial civil works would be required at the museum and there was the minefield of official paperwork required by the district council and national historic places administration. Fundraising/resourcing was another hurdle and direct approaches to local businesses and various authorities were made. The responses were really enthusiastic overall, which allowed the project to proceed. It's worth mentioning at this stage that despite years of professional project management, I want to live to a ripe old age so only gave advice when it was asked for (which wasn't very often)! Harmony reigns in the James household.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The first job was to remove it from the motel and deliver it to a temporary location on the museum site.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBNtM_tMnoiPCkMsOSKOHst4KxnK1zTtnGg0MnwpFFfqiBYPcJ0e5fyJaWaqtSfswb9sUupSD2kNe_sCWydW5MbVjfh3K5XAzbrhSJZJr4DPgW0vBgNQQT8ns8sUM2i9zD4J1AEz09Nm9bucyYRN059kUqQg7hezEIAk6haqjzDvVKpP5tS5DBYBe9mNz6/s1272/Removal.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1272" data-original-width="956" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBNtM_tMnoiPCkMsOSKOHst4KxnK1zTtnGg0MnwpFFfqiBYPcJ0e5fyJaWaqtSfswb9sUupSD2kNe_sCWydW5MbVjfh3K5XAzbrhSJZJr4DPgW0vBgNQQT8ns8sUM2i9zD4J1AEz09Nm9bucyYRN059kUqQg7hezEIAk6haqjzDvVKpP5tS5DBYBe9mNz6/w482-h640/Removal.jpg" width="482" /></span></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>A tricky lift from the motel</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></span></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrka00YulSzdIdxr5_ruuBeCXGKZwAdD73wX2_QWdDVWA_U-oYHfHcX32BpRL4TkzxsZR4zgCynKMfV64cvJqOku2WaWrfh5EdM1-016rRllcyTwDgflUzSafSwvrvxydby6eibZpr4H1IjwWWctu35k50X5HGTkX5Cb5pdh-nx8qnV3ywkLHTAvOqh1vy/s1800/Delivery%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1352" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrka00YulSzdIdxr5_ruuBeCXGKZwAdD73wX2_QWdDVWA_U-oYHfHcX32BpRL4TkzxsZR4zgCynKMfV64cvJqOku2WaWrfh5EdM1-016rRllcyTwDgflUzSafSwvrvxydby6eibZpr4H1IjwWWctu35k50X5HGTkX5Cb5pdh-nx8qnV3ywkLHTAvOqh1vy/w480-h640/Delivery%202.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Ready for delivery to the museum</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Although the structure was in good order considering that it is over 150 years old, some minor restoration was required. Several of the motifs on the windows were broken and that was something I could address with my woodworking tools and bits of timber carefully stored for such eventualities.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCaobIWcv_lohwkq_OLNFCdR75kUtBIMBjMEpAxOyO26OSShRuEM7COUz6jfBIhtPSWeptvd6M67mFlkLChJwCRc7e9c-kQmLbMGKx32pEHn05GPOlDQUpofJU17i3R-JG9s_nSG5BJt78ZIxb3UqyEEuPSxOC0L8F03OoT-MBojSirHvueBSQ-2H4BI7p/s2048/Creamery%20decorations.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCaobIWcv_lohwkq_OLNFCdR75kUtBIMBjMEpAxOyO26OSShRuEM7COUz6jfBIhtPSWeptvd6M67mFlkLChJwCRc7e9c-kQmLbMGKx32pEHn05GPOlDQUpofJU17i3R-JG9s_nSG5BJt78ZIxb3UqyEEuPSxOC0L8F03OoT-MBojSirHvueBSQ-2H4BI7p/w480-h640/Creamery%20decorations.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">One of several broken window motifs requiring replacement</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Getting the creamery into its final location required substantial amounts of civil work. Not only new paths but the old town jail which is part of the museum display had to be rotated at right angles and re-piled. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1R0jGMtwHMzz7l48qW38CfcC6ALxIMtYrDiisldTV9sY9DnakZToA1qv0xKfSOOK7lajPfbnaK30uviCU4Fbt_vlaHvJa0IUpKrSs9tZOGy7KsqLv6Y_yDgZYxbJk9FjKKHAMGQ7LqFZGHlZ6NxkB8JQkiWYL0VgWn7ZP1d0I1Jeyiiqv7CHG5nWUjveN/s2048/Concreting.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1R0jGMtwHMzz7l48qW38CfcC6ALxIMtYrDiisldTV9sY9DnakZToA1qv0xKfSOOK7lajPfbnaK30uviCU4Fbt_vlaHvJa0IUpKrSs9tZOGy7KsqLv6Y_yDgZYxbJk9FjKKHAMGQ7LqFZGHlZ6NxkB8JQkiWYL0VgWn7ZP1d0I1Jeyiiqv7CHG5nWUjveN/w640-h360/Concreting.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Preparatory civil work</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></span></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjngk7MJ2w8QTDG2V7jzvf9puTX_RzpFXcyZzBBF3bqtYqYF3LWBPLZMnTRA0RDxRC2GPYdlbCJ9CpqwuJ0TFrlUwhfk9vsLcWNjD3HzjwW6uRgXe_mQpqimsP3z1PYAp5Nlb_no15bfQ1h7KQP5aCVWterZBpXi8L5I73K1WBVUeusSbPPZ1MvlGLOi-pQ/s1099/Boxing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1099" data-original-width="843" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjngk7MJ2w8QTDG2V7jzvf9puTX_RzpFXcyZzBBF3bqtYqYF3LWBPLZMnTRA0RDxRC2GPYdlbCJ9CpqwuJ0TFrlUwhfk9vsLcWNjD3HzjwW6uRgXe_mQpqimsP3z1PYAp5Nlb_no15bfQ1h7KQP5aCVWterZBpXi8L5I73K1WBVUeusSbPPZ1MvlGLOi-pQ/w490-h640/Boxing.jpg" width="490" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Boxing for concrete paths</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Coromandel township (pop ~1600) is relatively isolated and to some extent, tradespeople have a captive market and are always busy. Their standard of workmanship is generally high but the one thing they fall woefully short on is their communication skills. Typical examples would be not turning up as promised or not completing work on time as agreed. Most likely not restricted to just Coromandel! However, the builder (Regan) who did all the civil work was outstanding in this respect and updates were both regular and detailed. Likewise local electrician Zephan who installed lighting in the creamery as his contribution to the museum. Both Regan and Zephan have been absolute stars and great communication skills are their competitive advantage.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">With all the work complete, last weekend saw the grand opening by the Coromandel District Mayor, Len Salt and Jennie representing the museum volunteers. A big turn-out and some great feedback from dignitaries and the public alike.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirhL6CsJot_aU0F36wG0ySYpZ5y1Hopen0busnTVn5mulTtkOgsDIxkhLRaZAwpv20sUL0p4GcTKwC0fdTiWGcjkDeWkeGFbyKh8gKf2dh4lLKZij1VY2vENdhdsBru0irErzdMpOEvsXZrIDiGZzyM9uT0BBAbbaczDRK97rv1zrPZispKOC6ae3qe37Q/s2000/Creamery%20from%20the%20outside.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirhL6CsJot_aU0F36wG0ySYpZ5y1Hopen0busnTVn5mulTtkOgsDIxkhLRaZAwpv20sUL0p4GcTKwC0fdTiWGcjkDeWkeGFbyKh8gKf2dh4lLKZij1VY2vENdhdsBru0irErzdMpOEvsXZrIDiGZzyM9uT0BBAbbaczDRK97rv1zrPZispKOC6ae3qe37Q/w640-h480/Creamery%20from%20the%20outside.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Ready for the grand opening</span></b></blockquote><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The museum already held various artifacts from that era so it was straightforward to stock the creamery with butter churns, a cream separator, ice chest and other items to bring it back to life . A sensationally good job of restoration. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJFMLeY2IhLdCo338AdBCvtZgn3bfnHvVGREhrBOSiGOfk6LutDoIXlL_NXHBToRSEWckpUpqS7MTPxFvHjwbf1jH6U5Qo-pWUlgj5-gZANs_0Xj6OJS6PJaFzyNiB_xRlAgkn8qJIJBLYGwc9r3Adls666PGiXkSuqbb6_KnmkKb_trKqbS1SlFf8JY3/s2000/Inside%20the%20Creamery.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJFMLeY2IhLdCo338AdBCvtZgn3bfnHvVGREhrBOSiGOfk6LutDoIXlL_NXHBToRSEWckpUpqS7MTPxFvHjwbf1jH6U5Qo-pWUlgj5-gZANs_0Xj6OJS6PJaFzyNiB_xRlAgkn8qJIJBLYGwc9r3Adls666PGiXkSuqbb6_KnmkKb_trKqbS1SlFf8JY3/w640-h480/Inside%20the%20Creamery.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Inside the creamery</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></span></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjB6lWU4mTHnmRakxKxapAs8nuLgpslJ2NZ-KcLPmNZ9TterVMYr8C6pnoLUWYpUz-0UDXhk5pbVXiMF2xlVbcRgBqva794VrnI7phuHvlGxttHNUBdqUvSE2i-CqwCSW6rGy99OazvH_ALPfbmz5U_tSY_NaZ8Mst8yY7ZBnB6eaUykU6j83RCVn12Wk/s2592/Jennie%20and%20the%20Mayor.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjB6lWU4mTHnmRakxKxapAs8nuLgpslJ2NZ-KcLPmNZ9TterVMYr8C6pnoLUWYpUz-0UDXhk5pbVXiMF2xlVbcRgBqva794VrnI7phuHvlGxttHNUBdqUvSE2i-CqwCSW6rGy99OazvH_ALPfbmz5U_tSY_NaZ8Mst8yY7ZBnB6eaUykU6j83RCVn12Wk/w640-h480/Jennie%20and%20the%20Mayor.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Jennie and Mayor Len Salt at the key-turning ceremony</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></span></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaUTlduer6br6o59YzcalN2cuC_ZzhA5TBJb3z-10SCsGzZKTJnX-gMvbzGiu4Uq16UgOv7ELwAagVHSnJHGv9gxLJGAUilyIuPbaNz7hRYlmzkXewCTCqFeerFudeZ8UUrOoDgtzQb1ylanYf4F7zTxLyEGVJmQ27U3UvzZPSuj2VymeI8LmBHCdoUuF/s5184/IMG_2488.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaUTlduer6br6o59YzcalN2cuC_ZzhA5TBJb3z-10SCsGzZKTJnX-gMvbzGiu4Uq16UgOv7ELwAagVHSnJHGv9gxLJGAUilyIuPbaNz7hRYlmzkXewCTCqFeerFudeZ8UUrOoDgtzQb1ylanYf4F7zTxLyEGVJmQ27U3UvzZPSuj2VymeI8LmBHCdoUuF/w640-h480/IMG_2488.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Some of the guests sampling refreshments after the ceremony</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Apart from pride in a project superbly executed, it's a great opportunity to celebrate the enormous amount of work which volunteers the world over put into their communities. It simply wouldn't be possible to get the same results through official channels alone and in this particular case, a piece of local history would have been lost forever. A big thumbs-up to members of the the local community for their enthusiastic support too.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Finally, to add to the previous post about knee replacement surgery 7 weeks ago; things are coming along well. I'm continuing to gain flexibility in the joint and can drive all our cars with no issues. A breakthrough in the past few days has seen me able to pedal my old mountain bike properly which is mounted in a resistance frame. Pushing the rehab hard is still painful but a few weeks more and I should be up in the hills again on my e-mountain bike - yippee!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW8KhDYEYy9lXouSAknv8KfxyeNJlYqZ8vyYh5vMhxSAQjPj8VJ33pRR04K2MMvNnV19pNtkKee-jcJyFxSPHvat3aO_9CI0oL5dpyAxheYMvzwNGGUZBQ66QO9yw2MYeKOs34N54LLV9jxMG4MfQ_M7KxkXiIRj8_WtnqWpE0MROO6dwL1tQ182EkbJTq/s4032/20231025_140442.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW8KhDYEYy9lXouSAknv8KfxyeNJlYqZ8vyYh5vMhxSAQjPj8VJ33pRR04K2MMvNnV19pNtkKee-jcJyFxSPHvat3aO_9CI0oL5dpyAxheYMvzwNGGUZBQ66QO9yw2MYeKOs34N54LLV9jxMG4MfQ_M7KxkXiIRj8_WtnqWpE0MROO6dwL1tQ182EkbJTq/w312-h640/20231025_140442.jpg" width="312" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A pretty tidy job!</span></b></div>Geoff Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041523109817248619noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4341114511830074977.post-13058946485469660092023-09-06T16:27:00.006+12:002023-09-30T19:39:23.305+13:00The 6 Dollar Man - we have the technology<p><span style="font-size: medium;">The title of this post goes back to Lee Major's TV series in the 1970's, adapted to reflect repairs to just one limb rather than the whole body! In other words, it's about a personal journey towards having a replacement knee fitted. The procedure seems to be increasingly common now that ummm.... "mature" people are active for longer, yet the information out there can be overly technical, impersonal and not a little alarming. I thought that documenting my personal experience of the process may assist others in making balanced decisions should they be in a future similar position.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A BIT OF HISTORY</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm 75 now and still physically active but suspect it all started when I was at senior school in the UK. I threw the discus for my school and province. The problematic left knee was the one which I used as an anchor when rotating in the throwing circle and it would occasionally flare up after competition. It was shortly after emigrating to NZ in 1975 that I took up sailing at national championship level. Hanging over the side of the boat to counterbalance it put a lot of load on the knees and this is when the problems became really apparent. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="1534" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJV9E6Lwybo58zX3J2VXDAYn4iHIV-kuTo75eNGv4RLjiyuY1wuVBlP3fPMd1gMzok66p8RB7i48IFPdeSO2Ti5ufBBrs77qOE-rKsJdxwd3ZE7liEjfG7dxTJ3mqE3AuHlTOQLb1OesREnl9j9PWdIKsuxB1kByJ7KBvYD2iNvPd0cXXkuFBEQhHJB3GU/w640-h400/School%20sports.jpg" width="640" /></span></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>1963 school team for county championships. I'm middle row, 3rd from right</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div></span></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2042" data-original-width="1452" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg64orI0YF7dG9RsZwCoUyvj2BI5sgzbxU1rO27Scgs0bVz66HNNy7IeWmQGKn6TTlbeoOXiU6RW7u7ui-3e-313V16H0GZZUv2Si6BHKLnzsrU0CENGj_DuwzbZLsak2CXjQTTkDgbWRUty4t42gor5mp2vlp6tLmWwhF3BPGfQto6nLM86noNzZAuhlL8/w456-h640/Geoff%20on%20Hooligan,%20Lake%20Ohakuri%201980.jpg" width="456" /></span></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">1980 - hanging over the side by my feet - heavily stressed knees</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In 1981, I had my first surgery to stabilise a dislocated knee and whilst the decline was relatively slow, it was becoming more painful and less stable. Like a true guy, I soldiered on until recent years when Jennie really started putting the heat on me to get something done about the problem. As mentioned in previous posts, buying an e-mountain bike and covering some 2500 km on off-road trails in the last 15 months had some real benefits, as did losing 10kg from all the cycling exercise.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">However, the time came when exercise alone wasn't enough and x-rays prompted a pronouncement from a local surgeon that they were "stuffed". The NZ public health service is pretty effective overall but some regions have long waiting lists for particular procedures, including ours. The surgeon commented that I'd done a lot to help myself and although he couldn't promise anything, he would see if the procedure could be carried out at a private hospital in another region.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">THINGS MOVE RAPIDLY</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">A few short weeks later, I received a preliminary approval from the regional health authority, then an email from Ormiston Private Hospital in the Auckland Region asking me to have new x-rays taken and to attend a preliminary consultation with an orthopaedic surgeon. This was when the nerves really started but she really put me at ease with a no-nonsense description of the procedure. Melissa also sails competitively as I once did, so that was a nice ice-breaker too.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The amount of pre-op documentation to be completed was substantial but efficiently handled by the admin team. This is where things got interesting and may be of benefit to future patients! The broad options for anaesthesia were a general anaesthetic or a spinal block, with additional sedative as appropriate. Initially, being awake during surgery with all the sawing and hammering filled me with horror but this alternative offered a much faster recovery rate and without some of the known risks of general anaesthetic. It was implicit that there would be absolutely no pain with a spinal block so that's the way I decided to go. With an absence of pain, I also thought that minimal sedation would also be good. Instead, the intent would be to play some music via my phone and earbuds as a partial distraction from noises which might resemble an engineering machine shop! Fingers metaphorically crossed, I signed the paperwork and waited for the day, not without some trepidation.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>HOW IT ALL WORKED OUT</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">An early check-in on the morning of the procedure, followed by visits from various members of the surgical and rehab team with yet more papers to sign. Jennie and I were both impressed with how clearly explained it all was and delivered with grace and good humour.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUMZNlEIiYILYdrycq3FItnDsL4XubhwaKe4Td9FhAhSlfgCNT-YYGZxJ9XD3T3ZR_ANzql5cTFyCBkbbQ5HgZ2iZXtqH99ZIvxCcoCxJ4tXnZMHFet3uFPntRBITv2cNHGX9plmqfS4MIPIjeKDMBd5k_HT_VAS9AW2B70D3zPp5RbGyBYtjjNFlNEepw/w312-h640/20230831_085324.jpg" width="312" /></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Waiting to walk to theatre - more apprehensive than I look!</b></div></b><span><p>Just a couple of minutes walk to theatre to meet the near all-female surgical team. The ones prepping me with the spinal block did their business, again clearly explaining how it all worked. As I was laid down on the operating table, I experienced the one and only surge of genuine anxiety. I was effectively paralysed from the waist down but the anxiety vanished as quickly as it had started. The anaesthetist, Natalie; helped to get my music started at low volume - a mixture of favorite pop songs and Mozart, since you ask!</p><p>I was able to hear much of the conversations between the surgical team and the noises of surgery which were not off-putting because there were no accompanying sensations thanks to the block. What impressed me the most was the relaxed, ego-free atmosphere and associated humour which is a hallmark of all genuinely high performance teams. That culture is something I've been fortunate to be associated with for much of my working life and it's less common than you might think. In what seemed like no time at all but was somewhere close to 1.5 hours, Natalie told me that they were suturing up and I'd be in the recovery ward shortly. What a truly impressive team and being fully awake, there was the opportunity to thank them personally</p><p>With no side effects, the stay in the recovery ward was a very short one but the nurse looking after me asked if I'd like an iced lolly. Wow, that lemon ice was the best ever and yet another example of the hospital team going the extra mile!</p><p>From there, it was to a private room with all mod cons including multi-channel TV, private bathroom and so on, with nursing staff making sure that I was completely looked after. Within a very short time, I was sitting up in bed, eating a delicious sandwich whilst chatting with Jennie and some members of the surgical team. I guess the intent is to normalise the situation as soon as possible and having a spinal block certainly aids that.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZrqxPoQNGDoTQ8ehwBW_e9-5IIOvxfOV1LiaEbRQbzY522AfC7RejE5MvVgIPA_U74-jFGmrECtjwqSHsm0Vhvv2T0IrPUXwfhyEsGiCurb31eNvIVU_CMy_QZZrpVUT7hKozhTG0Y-iT3Y6r-H8m8ytzkuEWugNntokvch3FjSRm0Pn7qiubwsmZ3g8/s4032/20230831_125455.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZrqxPoQNGDoTQ8ehwBW_e9-5IIOvxfOV1LiaEbRQbzY522AfC7RejE5MvVgIPA_U74-jFGmrECtjwqSHsm0Vhvv2T0IrPUXwfhyEsGiCurb31eNvIVU_CMy_QZZrpVUT7hKozhTG0Y-iT3Y6r-H8m8ytzkuEWugNntokvch3FjSRm0Pn7qiubwsmZ3g8/w312-h640/20230831_125455.jpg" width="312" /></a></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><b>Only an hour after surgery finished</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBqHBJVH-BZ7nlBgroqEYIuvGsTZvlOF0dIJHQoBpWoREWNLOF_nAl5M05ekkCdlQmzU6OBfKjtW6Il2Rlm-q-eMYLCKbn2zrFMjrZsZ9kuwHs_BgAJoiCZtWbPHjVjZtnCXxBIIYjHw8RRHibweCFJZuR4zwMx1DiI9Zp0p3tWlCFQ0VOejAviqZUb0I3/s3428/20230831_213743.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3428" data-original-width="1926" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBqHBJVH-BZ7nlBgroqEYIuvGsTZvlOF0dIJHQoBpWoREWNLOF_nAl5M05ekkCdlQmzU6OBfKjtW6Il2Rlm-q-eMYLCKbn2zrFMjrZsZ9kuwHs_BgAJoiCZtWbPHjVjZtnCXxBIIYjHw8RRHibweCFJZuR4zwMx1DiI9Zp0p3tWlCFQ0VOejAviqZUb0I3/w360-h640/20230831_213743.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><b>Ice water circulating round my knee and pressure cuffs on my f</b>eet</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">All the meals were extraordinarily good, with an excellent range of options - something I wasn't expecting at all.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEituk6xvJc2B2vSdVzAY5iFew49Cki5BDugdIChuufnQEyk1mVYt1G54Wzv-i5dfAoBqUpm2YfNHdiFoUSnqEWYVEAeRYiRwYcT85LcvXyfGCuWaUsfOcfHcQ6on6Yb8KLSBXx-jXRcE-o32vQmXx_XNLVZHfcd9nbHvK2zODOyYtlOKDxDDfnW55Cu6KNE/w312-h640/20230831_181326.jpg" width="312" /></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>A beautiful fresh fish fillet and roast vegetable meal</b></div></b><span><p>After dinner, it was time to get out of bed for the first time, only a bit over 6 hours since surgery was completed. A slightly worrying time but pain relief took care of that. Just a short stroll up the corridor supported by a walking frame to build confidence. The care by the nursing team at all hours of the day and night couldn't be faulted.</p></span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlw6Yi1zfupXw5C15XTB-kBG3tLNz8K1JkW0mCd3f74IRxzSbx4GGz8uerrml6KUCNH3T5cPPLP_3GPLp2gz45byXaeWfhF2NqZQI789g4ljujBuflwAX_oepzc1fqCM8JFa_jVlrgXlTC9xMoskINQszWuBqwh5_BiCy-8KF-T65cNbXrUewGlVB0KvRp/s4032/20230831_195412.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlw6Yi1zfupXw5C15XTB-kBG3tLNz8K1JkW0mCd3f74IRxzSbx4GGz8uerrml6KUCNH3T5cPPLP_3GPLp2gz45byXaeWfhF2NqZQI789g4ljujBuflwAX_oepzc1fqCM8JFa_jVlrgXlTC9xMoskINQszWuBqwh5_BiCy-8KF-T65cNbXrUewGlVB0KvRp/w312-h640/20230831_195412.jpg" width="312" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Not exactly elegant but pain-free!</span></b></div></b><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">After breakfast the following morning, I was disconnected from the pressure cuffs etc and allowed to visit the bathroom for a shave etc - another milestone. Seeing the surgical dressing for the first time was quite a surprise. A very neat incision considering that it was a whole knee replacement.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwVUYa-cn3sFt0TrZq2HrKb-2_h706PKubG27jXvBkZgkhdM4U-KAQwZg4FfG-ETnYoGdNeTFTwDZNt54RrYSnd8aG1t8Bz207BDx56Qdb6NyQn-4EOr_NSr8juk80nAIqWA3lQY06OAbdzNyPSj9LugDgfC5gB5eX-tZuL2BNBUJtCxXIa6NS2T8FoAi5/s4032/20230901_085841.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwVUYa-cn3sFt0TrZq2HrKb-2_h706PKubG27jXvBkZgkhdM4U-KAQwZg4FfG-ETnYoGdNeTFTwDZNt54RrYSnd8aG1t8Bz207BDx56Qdb6NyQn-4EOr_NSr8juk80nAIqWA3lQY06OAbdzNyPSj9LugDgfC5gB5eX-tZuL2BNBUJtCxXIa6NS2T8FoAi5/w312-h640/20230901_085841.jpg" width="312" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A surprisingly small dressing</span></b></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It was then time for a visit by the physiotherapist and walking the corridors with the aid of crutches. Surprisingly tiring and walks were interspersed with naps and watching TV. Helen, the physio; thought I'd acquitted myself well and we worked through the various rehab exercises that I'd need to do on discharge. The photo below shows the use of a mini skateboard to improve knee flexibility - works a treat!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpk4cVZaZm9XY5IYVA8gk4bpLAyD6sJNgk0tscm5MFE83GjtyGi5DP4OWdbq5fN6pRe_l9Y4iR1wWtmBKsu8s50aNk8ijWC3SNYpMzSfVp5dbZxE0rfKGgSRg4XqMrrQ2U7B3huil_ragtYlhVFNMfGzu3u1rVgmv0RdMJBVn52mvoCitLRAGC4WPceYHc/s4032/20230902_095100.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpk4cVZaZm9XY5IYVA8gk4bpLAyD6sJNgk0tscm5MFE83GjtyGi5DP4OWdbq5fN6pRe_l9Y4iR1wWtmBKsu8s50aNk8ijWC3SNYpMzSfVp5dbZxE0rfKGgSRg4XqMrrQ2U7B3huil_ragtYlhVFNMfGzu3u1rVgmv0RdMJBVn52mvoCitLRAGC4WPceYHc/w312-h640/20230902_095100.jpg" width="312" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Skateboarding whilst sitting down!</b></div></b><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Thursday was the day of surgery and it was now Saturday morning. Before discharge, Helen needed proof that I could negotiate stairs, especially as we have a 2 storey house with both internal and external stairs. She was a great teacher and going up and down the stairs between hospital floors was done safely, although I wouldn't be breaking any speed records. With this last task accomplished, the paperwork was signed off and time to make the 2 1/2 hour journey home. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>THE REHAB JOURNEY</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">This brings us up to date. Rehab involves exercises that can be uncomfortable, painful even but that pain can be managed. After 3 days, I'm able to do without the stronger pain relief but they're available if required. Exercise is tiring but I'm not sleeping particularly well, mainly due to lying in a position which is not my normal one. Not a big deal in the scheme of things but this recovery phase is going to be tough. My wife Jennie won't put up with any slacking on my part which ensures that I stick with the plan. She also regards it as payback for when the roles were reversed a few years ago when she had a hip replacement!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>SUMMARISING</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The entire team at Ormiston Hospital are worth their weight in gold. Consummately professional, conduct themselves with humility and no egos on display - easy to relate to. Systems and processes are absolutely top notch. It was the American productivity improvement guru W Edwards Deming who said, "If you have great people and poor systems, the poor systems will win every time". The Ormiston Team have got it right and I owe them a big debt of gratitude.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">For anyone facing surgery now or at a future date, I hope that my personal experience shows that it doesn't have to be a scary process and that options like a spinal block for some types of surgery offers substantial advantages.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnCELi4H04enrh6lNhqa3-yfdLehQ7WuYnNEOINJ7uFKdYgf6MaR0chL5wz9ebWkCuEtGZv6gkPcbhdxu5W-MOE0XmcONngScwmEwZZrfMrJdO3qycHqBRocSAeOPlChbtruE56E5ImQNYSZEq6rNn6bY1mUS7cGdRXFI3jUPMrNy2gTVn5YFhR8YOtnHB/s3108/20230906_125840.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3108" data-original-width="1748" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnCELi4H04enrh6lNhqa3-yfdLehQ7WuYnNEOINJ7uFKdYgf6MaR0chL5wz9ebWkCuEtGZv6gkPcbhdxu5W-MOE0XmcONngScwmEwZZrfMrJdO3qycHqBRocSAeOPlChbtruE56E5ImQNYSZEq6rNn6bY1mUS7cGdRXFI3jUPMrNy2gTVn5YFhR8YOtnHB/w360-h640/20230906_125840.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>On the road to recovery - stair runs</b></div></b><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></span><p></p>Geoff Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041523109817248619noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4341114511830074977.post-16226148470035709392023-08-15T10:42:00.006+12:002023-08-16T12:59:31.504+12:00Travels in the Tropics<p><span style="font-size: medium;">After an uncharacteristically wet NZ summer which continued into winter, Jennie and I were looking for a midwinter break somewhere warm and sunny. One of our favourite places is the island of Rarotonga in the Cook Islands, approximately 3200 km NE of NZ. It's only 70 sq km in area without the commercialisation of places like Hawaii or Tahiti. A great place to just chill and eat fresh food. The Cook Islanders themselves are wonderful - laid back, great humoured and really friendly. They have a long association with NZ and are free to travel and work in NZ. Money is the NZ$, English and Cook Island Maori spoken so it's easy to fit right in. Flying time is a bit either side of the 4 hour mark depending on conditions.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuaaVWUTmixRv1-7mK2RRuMoY1wb5ccmud20uDJgf1jWFDdd4tlxnzJj-fr-s-35Q5Sbw5XKZFAz2DjCgw4d51EGZvUNwaROFdnNDKTmpWHl5QsRTZmVqPQdcvAygSDWjL_DrvWqS28zqcKw0MkuoOKAl_rqAQeF7Tl-szw5F30zKsk4AV5A45jqNmKwOX/s1500/Rarotonga.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1500" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuaaVWUTmixRv1-7mK2RRuMoY1wb5ccmud20uDJgf1jWFDdd4tlxnzJj-fr-s-35Q5Sbw5XKZFAz2DjCgw4d51EGZvUNwaROFdnNDKTmpWHl5QsRTZmVqPQdcvAygSDWjL_DrvWqS28zqcKw0MkuoOKAl_rqAQeF7Tl-szw5F30zKsk4AV5A45jqNmKwOX/w640-h342/Rarotonga.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Rarotonga - Muri Lagoon in the foreground</b> (file photo)</span></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It's been 10 years since our last trip there and 5 years prior to that, we made friends with a couple from Wellington in Rarotonga. Since then, we've stayed in touch annually and spent a long weekend doing stuff together somewhere in NZ. Meeting up in Rarotonga seemed appropriate this time. A nice, comfortable flight in an Air NZ 777-ER, pick up a Mitsubishi Colt rental car and head for our accommodation at Muri Lagoon, less than 30 minutes from the airport. Most of the vehicles are second hand "grey imports" from Japan and the Colt was no exception. The Colt is hardly a design classic but it is surprisingly roomy and absolutely miserly in its fuel consumption. You'd swear it was actually making gas! The national open road speed limit is only 50 km/hr which also contributes to good economy. The only downside was an in-built GPS with a map of Japan and a rather strident female voice in Japanese. It took some time to figure out how to disable it without resorting to beating it to death!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-VEt2T0EVfcRv6uKOTOjWgMRTz7krMvllL-UKccHWQ6lKOZ8zKEnLPSTiWqjTwcSKw_iROlFSMuGjAhl9WbIXl3yt6RPPGCmENH-96D9CawqRRLFsoqJe8t6w9hHBBVIQYVqf9QOJcAXR8Q9FDmPnJVd1BADFePQeWPF_4rPdyXhsuQ3OjS2MfRoPXKru/s2000/IMG_2458.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-VEt2T0EVfcRv6uKOTOjWgMRTz7krMvllL-UKccHWQ6lKOZ8zKEnLPSTiWqjTwcSKw_iROlFSMuGjAhl9WbIXl3yt6RPPGCmENH-96D9CawqRRLFsoqJe8t6w9hHBBVIQYVqf9QOJcAXR8Q9FDmPnJVd1BADFePQeWPF_4rPdyXhsuQ3OjS2MfRoPXKru/w640-h480/IMG_2458.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Mitsubishi Colt - hardly a design classic but incredibly economical</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Our friends were picked up from the airport and ferried to different accommodation about 20 minutes drive away from us so the first afternoon there was spent exploring our immediate surroundings and chilling in the loungers on our waterfront villa.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7KnGMbqG6o7cl1S6arhajcgDNL1zmubWwLd-J61Eivri2UIcNRV6MJBgnAFwVevhFYw2j_6DrO1SQ_92hUKuIYZyxKCclgZwcUl912Hv6kE3PhpP6kA06LbfbOgS2k-aBRm_yRQZ9Ae6h-jq3PCZwm_6t3YZyj6zyKzbacwFGb9RkUSziDKebPUGo40u/s2000/20230802_172113.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="2000" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7KnGMbqG6o7cl1S6arhajcgDNL1zmubWwLd-J61Eivri2UIcNRV6MJBgnAFwVevhFYw2j_6DrO1SQ_92hUKuIYZyxKCclgZwcUl912Hv6kE3PhpP6kA06LbfbOgS2k-aBRm_yRQZ9Ae6h-jq3PCZwm_6t3YZyj6zyKzbacwFGb9RkUSziDKebPUGo40u/w640-h312/20230802_172113.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Evening view from our lawn - tough but someone has to do it!</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The effects of Covid on Rarotonga's economy were still apparent. Lockdown in NZ, Australia and other countries meant that virtually all their income dried up at a stroke. The sealed roads round the island were in quite poor condition in many places, almost certainly due to austerity measures . However, crews were out patching the worst craters whilst we were there. I guess that the heavy rains in the Southern Hemisphere thanks to the <i>La Nina</i> weather condition didn't help either. Our villa was advertised as "de luxe" accommodation. It was located in million dollar surroundings but could best be described as "tired". Nothing seriously wrong but suspect that there had been a lot of deferred maintenance. It was still acceptable, but certainly didn't meet our expectations of a de luxe experience.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw1PZTm0Jl-inixZZNazz8DC-UV3t1yodE3_QwU4OWqhPljMGs7AqYWCcTgvtERAgwmDBNTH9BVY7REV3EMU7JKZ58pie02qU6GOMj6LoPeJ6V7oq2m_oyORPk0X6n_74wApvymb8pjpGTBgl6QjRcHcbpfQLfBonbIhrN9PhNZAz4fkcDzaKHFscOxUt7/s2000/20230807_091045.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="2000" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw1PZTm0Jl-inixZZNazz8DC-UV3t1yodE3_QwU4OWqhPljMGs7AqYWCcTgvtERAgwmDBNTH9BVY7REV3EMU7JKZ58pie02qU6GOMj6LoPeJ6V7oq2m_oyORPk0X6n_74wApvymb8pjpGTBgl6QjRcHcbpfQLfBonbIhrN9PhNZAz4fkcDzaKHFscOxUt7/w640-h312/20230807_091045.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Dawn from the lawn - watch out for falling coconuts!</span></b></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The next morning didn't start well with me taking a tumble on uneven ground and twisting my knee which is already scheduled for a bionic replacement. However, it wasn't as bad as it could have been although kayaking, swimming and longer walks were wisely removed from the plan.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We caught up daily with our friends to do some exploring, or simply to eat, drink and be merry. Fresh fruit and fish on the island is absolutely delicious. Imagine plain old fish and chips being made with Albacore tuna - absolute heaven! The cocktails, both alcoholic and alcohol free were pretty special too.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-KO574cqdnKn7A4NBpeKL2z4AVDhc4IWX8VcsloZd-p9DFLvZ6XpKAyHRmeFxmtu5W8SyvhAvsnm69RQlfMKJYw6uZSKjR61ew6thUFGgZif3GX3Lue1stk5yk1uhPgNF_uOxO6ly_TJt7SA6UErVOgiz5z5-BH3akhYi_IvA4p_HITo95kgtnZB0Bw-/s2000/20230802_180617.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="2000" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-KO574cqdnKn7A4NBpeKL2z4AVDhc4IWX8VcsloZd-p9DFLvZ6XpKAyHRmeFxmtu5W8SyvhAvsnm69RQlfMKJYw6uZSKjR61ew6thUFGgZif3GX3Lue1stk5yk1uhPgNF_uOxO6ly_TJt7SA6UErVOgiz5z5-BH3akhYi_IvA4p_HITo95kgtnZB0Bw-/w640-h312/20230802_180617.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Happy Hour in so many ways! Mike, me, Georgina and Jennie</span></b></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">No trip to Rarotonga is complete without a visit to the Muri Night Market to eat locally prepared food of all types. Great value for money in terms of quality, quantity and price.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixno-jfEcBhB-lTggq2Qx1kwOmC6DoBL4U62iWGv5THGyGpCXxrLIh1I-YAUrM4NRtOUQK2sq8XGw3nT7h6mmCDO_EmPJ1IRpbFqXCRtrd8SQeyh-FFMKQvtiBnT--kZ1BPm9yb_l7HpPRdIxDs3wLxjhNKrk9CaOBQk5BpPiOV-P4BnTrGkG8d0GWJF0q/s2000/20230808_171616.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="2000" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixno-jfEcBhB-lTggq2Qx1kwOmC6DoBL4U62iWGv5THGyGpCXxrLIh1I-YAUrM4NRtOUQK2sq8XGw3nT7h6mmCDO_EmPJ1IRpbFqXCRtrd8SQeyh-FFMKQvtiBnT--kZ1BPm9yb_l7HpPRdIxDs3wLxjhNKrk9CaOBQk5BpPiOV-P4BnTrGkG8d0GWJF0q/w640-h312/20230808_171616.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></p><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Getting in early at the night market for a feed</span></b></div></b><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLpoUI-qDhnaLzEWxmFml6Xny2__NKnDUSusPlQp0f7R3sM527q9fMiLvGZfnXIED9moZt8Lk2H3zol5qgs0Sn0EPbvrmCne3LiRsap7fCA8S-SA1IEZhPQA7FaWNTNcS5CCaYN57zyPRKFoqeSPzBgdKt6bVmtbA9tCFdLsbl5EBoMsATPrC3iZpNjhBJ/s2000/20230808_175615.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="2000" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLpoUI-qDhnaLzEWxmFml6Xny2__NKnDUSusPlQp0f7R3sM527q9fMiLvGZfnXIED9moZt8Lk2H3zol5qgs0Sn0EPbvrmCne3LiRsap7fCA8S-SA1IEZhPQA7FaWNTNcS5CCaYN57zyPRKFoqeSPzBgdKt6bVmtbA9tCFdLsbl5EBoMsATPrC3iZpNjhBJ/w640-h312/20230808_175615.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Jennie enjoying chicken satay with rice and salad</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Y5daN1vkoCbLYNHmUEWX9j2JJAxZl_3Kz8FYN7bl6R337-CYJP96karCHwul6mc2F1I-RswUD1KSjVh1h1G0NJgzxitqeebisTBeuu9ViFjLipmtNG1vbIVJ1WvXmA2-WGHp97W41rUW1U2xp0olJeLHO9K8xNzWrHG9jT2zYEySqfc7ORrngGdyRp44/s2000/20230808_173723.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="2000" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Y5daN1vkoCbLYNHmUEWX9j2JJAxZl_3Kz8FYN7bl6R337-CYJP96karCHwul6mc2F1I-RswUD1KSjVh1h1G0NJgzxitqeebisTBeuu9ViFjLipmtNG1vbIVJ1WvXmA2-WGHp97W41rUW1U2xp0olJeLHO9K8xNzWrHG9jT2zYEySqfc7ORrngGdyRp44/w640-h312/20230808_173723.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">My spiced prawns with mango rice and salad. Almost too many prawns to eat (almost!)</span></b></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">During lunch at a cafe in the main town of Avarua, we spied a sign on the wall of the restrooms which was delightful. Perhaps it was gently poking fun at all the oh too serious and politically correct nonsense about diverse gender recognition or whatever it's called. For goodness sake, we're all human beings, whatever our persuasion!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfU5dl4Jy-YpWAzF3Lou8ToaopU0ejbQ2n4jUYMKQ7wLO6BDccTyRM1Gjl9nsEV-qXGmaFkfl4NIcfYkMz8lH4pR8txFQHufBXX-p9Y5H-sOlxOvbp1ZRC5Koqh-1cg8PmaE-ydWGDmaWg2TSUfUAMJHjqbkplJrES-ekYa0Npv_GM0wqhLyKQX6OMpzA/s2000/20230807_142234.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1121" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfU5dl4Jy-YpWAzF3Lou8ToaopU0ejbQ2n4jUYMKQ7wLO6BDccTyRM1Gjl9nsEV-qXGmaFkfl4NIcfYkMz8lH4pR8txFQHufBXX-p9Y5H-sOlxOvbp1ZRC5Koqh-1cg8PmaE-ydWGDmaWg2TSUfUAMJHjqbkplJrES-ekYa0Npv_GM0wqhLyKQX6OMpzA/w358-h640/20230807_142234.jpg" width="358" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Nailed it!</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Driving round the island one afternoon, we saw a bunch of people gathered by a sea wall. Wondered whether there was a pod of whales passing by so pulled over. It turned out that they were waiting to see the afternoon inbound flight from NZ as the runway end was just metres away It wasn't quite as low as the YouTube videos showing landings at St. Maarten but I did manage to get a couple of shots.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK_XAlZHaHerW8qSiTs4U6sxpJEcJjuN4Shd5_esa34YOPpGrVEiJqeNS6uXJnHjYAjcRwisvoKrQPsDE4G_ChNwnzhf4fWXa7BVcHarkyAxjnwFXmZlToDuD1rYlywx_-IzGJ8GoOHiW5-a8qvizea76t7yah-c6gRk3UpWfBH7M9eG1RIbccFjsmc-ON/s2000/IMG_2444.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK_XAlZHaHerW8qSiTs4U6sxpJEcJjuN4Shd5_esa34YOPpGrVEiJqeNS6uXJnHjYAjcRwisvoKrQPsDE4G_ChNwnzhf4fWXa7BVcHarkyAxjnwFXmZlToDuD1rYlywx_-IzGJ8GoOHiW5-a8qvizea76t7yah-c6gRk3UpWfBH7M9eG1RIbccFjsmc-ON/w640-h480/IMG_2444.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Incoming.....</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></span></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWGp48SgIwEFTCcjzdL8WjrA7jKYn2yq4zzaLDmqGb8YdJLktzIPS9D3se9rMe1spwT9GNRlM4pqh7Pttu1CwM0Nxvd_2-QBT81GfxYq3nsG_hVB9nSadEcBS0zb66DZEDVOF4FTpWyDD7pnACwizVMnRWsQcE5BM1p-vcQbQuR0adZGrcgY8GqoEKy0JF/s2000/IMG_2445.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWGp48SgIwEFTCcjzdL8WjrA7jKYn2yq4zzaLDmqGb8YdJLktzIPS9D3se9rMe1spwT9GNRlM4pqh7Pttu1CwM0Nxvd_2-QBT81GfxYq3nsG_hVB9nSadEcBS0zb66DZEDVOF4FTpWyDD7pnACwizVMnRWsQcE5BM1p-vcQbQuR0adZGrcgY8GqoEKy0JF/w640-h480/IMG_2445.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Not far off the deck at all!</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">A trip to the local museum was worthwhile and the displays were really informative. I was really taken with a huge mural of a Polynesian voyaging canoe of the type used when the South Pacific, including NZ, was first being settled. Those early settlers had supreme navigation skills, as well as big balls! What is slightly concerning though is that the population is suffering a current annual net loss of 2.88%, presumably young people heading to NZ for better job prospects.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc0TcOuAKahSiq9hgaltImu_0P4RBZpaeMsg-Z8F3Vl8Qkkb3wgPOxx8FFIPQXycFxq2szdKN9GVZn1YeKCPELt-hfAlJHufDLGgsTZi-ua7JEHJUFqCq7Daxa5H3vBlz3Hj1wg52kR8ypJfDdXIE7z-xjjW2lV0lfzJlcxCWpqxUh-vVjkzlo0CZBD3TY/s2000/20230809_103110.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="2000" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc0TcOuAKahSiq9hgaltImu_0P4RBZpaeMsg-Z8F3Vl8Qkkb3wgPOxx8FFIPQXycFxq2szdKN9GVZn1YeKCPELt-hfAlJHufDLGgsTZi-ua7JEHJUFqCq7Daxa5H3vBlz3Hj1wg52kR8ypJfDdXIE7z-xjjW2lV0lfzJlcxCWpqxUh-vVjkzlo0CZBD3TY/w640-h312/20230809_103110.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Early Polynesian voyaging canoe</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There was also a smaller sailing canoe on display, presumably just for coastal waters. I just loved the colour of the timber it was built from, its lines and the bird carving. I wondered whether the carving might be a stylised Frigate Bird which is one of the indicators which the Polynesian sailors used for navigation and land over the horizon.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQbOOvoSzBJMmUTQmSaNeIsRNuhhdquegVHmAj84PzFvBbpXc1CkQsYsjUg3vvJQpW2zdDOsHRV14saXOlCR1RqYiHAGstxEjrldhFbxej19DlqE-MJVwbT5drgOPxgrPkbE6s9pPWR0zqiibw9SUL9KtBr_j9tYmmq3v73jBiXWOaR6U8lhbLMLVQ6PU/s2000/20230809_105748.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="2000" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQbOOvoSzBJMmUTQmSaNeIsRNuhhdquegVHmAj84PzFvBbpXc1CkQsYsjUg3vvJQpW2zdDOsHRV14saXOlCR1RqYiHAGstxEjrldhFbxej19DlqE-MJVwbT5drgOPxgrPkbE6s9pPWR0zqiibw9SUL9KtBr_j9tYmmq3v73jBiXWOaR6U8lhbLMLVQ6PU/w640-h312/20230809_105748.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">One of the ornate hulls of a small(ish) sailing canoe</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjisWeQs5PeFWHbsC0kYvJ_Nd8A4qsNJHfbPmq2XpgS1llV-y7Ysl5xf5L1mNdjBjSrsxMEVKf7ycc-NVzEGZeuU450ImH3t2rpzSYHLah_g2B3Qubuevxp6M-vRSUVuYaj-j7fsWJCr-jp-zgSepz3cVHEz-xkU3NyiYIpBwvT2NvSARNsuRYozIAQNwOo/s2000/20230809_105535.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="972" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjisWeQs5PeFWHbsC0kYvJ_Nd8A4qsNJHfbPmq2XpgS1llV-y7Ysl5xf5L1mNdjBjSrsxMEVKf7ycc-NVzEGZeuU450ImH3t2rpzSYHLah_g2B3Qubuevxp6M-vRSUVuYaj-j7fsWJCr-jp-zgSepz3cVHEz-xkU3NyiYIpBwvT2NvSARNsuRYozIAQNwOo/w312-h640/20230809_105535.jpg" width="312" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Gorgeous bird carving</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Sitting on a bench in Avarua's main street is great for people-watching. The most common form of transport are step-through mopeds of Chinese or Japanese origin. Until 2020, helmets weren't mandatory but that's now changed although we did see a few ladies with elaborate hair styles avoiding their use!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBF5qtC4EJwQTnn9dn8G0PYghvAXjuChm38IfEWnLSGDPmJd6k3CweVtnUEPPeRhhJbTbBmPh8idjJUCJjgFvE6KcEmSAVkXa-K3li0P2pV-0PymbmR1rGvdMB41lzEssEMY3mt7o49LrcR2DeQ-g80eUSjIuVKtVpkhTFVwj5Y0NMwMxP1M3HFURM-VNI/s2000/IMG_2457.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBF5qtC4EJwQTnn9dn8G0PYghvAXjuChm38IfEWnLSGDPmJd6k3CweVtnUEPPeRhhJbTbBmPh8idjJUCJjgFvE6KcEmSAVkXa-K3li0P2pV-0PymbmR1rGvdMB41lzEssEMY3mt7o49LrcR2DeQ-g80eUSjIuVKtVpkhTFVwj5Y0NMwMxP1M3HFURM-VNI/w640-h480/IMG_2457.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The most common transport mode on Rarotonga</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We stopped off briefly at Avarua port to see what was going on but it was pretty quiet. However, there was one inter-island workboat with a massive crane at the stern which seemed out of proportion to the rest of the vessel. I guess versatility is the key word for work in the islands.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr1vW_1R80NivQ2wscHI0bqMlXFEkpkpvAuPv8sy_c93i_mkNc5mo4jkKFUSt8MtWwFogk_SiugaTqUHWHI-Hph30JGQfzn3aTg0QlXH2CYt_k1Ji8cub94zZTQQVu22r6iN6JtvGu8z62I6pbm8o9VKM-OaItQHJCG6tKTwKGbBGtpJ45JUR-r7YK7hW_/s2000/IMG_2441.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr1vW_1R80NivQ2wscHI0bqMlXFEkpkpvAuPv8sy_c93i_mkNc5mo4jkKFUSt8MtWwFogk_SiugaTqUHWHI-Hph30JGQfzn3aTg0QlXH2CYt_k1Ji8cub94zZTQQVu22r6iN6JtvGu8z62I6pbm8o9VKM-OaItQHJCG6tKTwKGbBGtpJ45JUR-r7YK7hW_/w640-h480/IMG_2441.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A seriously large crane on this workboat</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">As you might expect in a tropical environment, plants grow like crazy and the variety of attractive plants is bewildering. Here are a couple of examples.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPMrqPcfLmIBzWwgNDIw4bQR7izUhhNNfwk08xkg3kEAw0U374bWcL0GiVhOyfxwSdYufHRGxtKaheCluxop2w3AKpX2uC-U2TTIHXFyf1T_1sX-lyiOQ54SkdZ7dEEDWsqvucVuPe01ipj1dxk1l-q-82o5atVSD1PTy_FPznGd6Pa-4IyIPWpMPzfmlX/s2667/IMG_2461.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2667" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPMrqPcfLmIBzWwgNDIw4bQR7izUhhNNfwk08xkg3kEAw0U374bWcL0GiVhOyfxwSdYufHRGxtKaheCluxop2w3AKpX2uC-U2TTIHXFyf1T_1sX-lyiOQ54SkdZ7dEEDWsqvucVuPe01ipj1dxk1l-q-82o5atVSD1PTy_FPznGd6Pa-4IyIPWpMPzfmlX/w480-h640/IMG_2461.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Cordyline variety (I think)</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRfV1hphdsp8IRntWglzhl4i5QsUHoZbcxh4THkpzCuLFM2-TqDtSZMUvEQuRsk7M_oY7-ojRks6wq8J2tibZBQ4uUID5zLlL4R3gO8RzOPAVtY5Ha3SUaaJJ3PrGsG6PYS0PmnbZBN3SmT2cdKfV96t0P8bKZyiu6ScJEHYFshiosps_PJqq3RH8TergK/s2000/20230806_184746.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="2000" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRfV1hphdsp8IRntWglzhl4i5QsUHoZbcxh4THkpzCuLFM2-TqDtSZMUvEQuRsk7M_oY7-ojRks6wq8J2tibZBQ4uUID5zLlL4R3gO8RzOPAVtY5Ha3SUaaJJ3PrGsG6PYS0PmnbZBN3SmT2cdKfV96t0P8bKZyiu6ScJEHYFshiosps_PJqq3RH8TergK/w640-h312/20230806_184746.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Mixed varieties</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Despite Rarotonga being a tourist mecca for NZ and Australia, it's not over-run with people. There are plenty of deserted beaches like the one below with safe swimming inside the reef.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYM4a7ecIjhTD_1lRay9xDOTec0M5rHY8xzO7jGo6-dXML_3TaUjsF6Itf9-YD2G8ZDyfNZEogmKqs4Ze_WhbZ53Hf0iyBbRnx6v-J8C4ZzJ5WvqYpIkkXw_2ERiATiOUHAbV8fJrzQFCs_9UsD2Y9rFVMSH4aFdow5DnviaR6sdGMx_Skin6Zodfiwjq2/s2000/20230809_113328.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="2000" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYM4a7ecIjhTD_1lRay9xDOTec0M5rHY8xzO7jGo6-dXML_3TaUjsF6Itf9-YD2G8ZDyfNZEogmKqs4Ze_WhbZ53Hf0iyBbRnx6v-J8C4ZzJ5WvqYpIkkXw_2ERiATiOUHAbV8fJrzQFCs_9UsD2Y9rFVMSH4aFdow5DnviaR6sdGMx_Skin6Zodfiwjq2/w640-h312/20230809_113328.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Idyllic surroundings</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></span></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDer6O9mdk-zzgC0Y_a7CWI1TcV4uV-yZOvwt73eASiGhdmYiI8waIOAgP-7aPUizvsOFNne0Nu5B5Fkc9jtudh7caN-KpJSr1xxpmYp_xoPD5acB3bNLbUK-U9vMPcy9iCCQLFMWbC-3JpLqD04YSDAFio4P0SkjlDkkyx7Ohowy2mQsUxILZukPn5Mej/s2000/IMG_2454.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDer6O9mdk-zzgC0Y_a7CWI1TcV4uV-yZOvwt73eASiGhdmYiI8waIOAgP-7aPUizvsOFNne0Nu5B5Fkc9jtudh7caN-KpJSr1xxpmYp_xoPD5acB3bNLbUK-U9vMPcy9iCCQLFMWbC-3JpLqD04YSDAFio4P0SkjlDkkyx7Ohowy2mQsUxILZukPn5Mej/w640-h480/IMG_2454.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Local store and laundry in one of the villages</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">All to soon, it was time to return to NZ. With my injured knee, boarding the Boeing 777 in Rarotonga wasn't going to be a major issue as it was only a short walk to the plane but one of the Rarotongan Air NZ employees noticed that I was using a walking pole and arranged priority treatment. This involved being pushed in a wheelchair across the tarmac and up a ramp. Wonderful service although I felt a bit self-conscious! They also arranged for us to be met at Auckland where it's quite a haul from the gate to baggage reclaim. There was an electric buggy waiting for us which helped no end.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqvOQFDZvgyUc7szq7RzW_yj7RQfjpzv0fWztbHa1UYioHjWc8_jDh2AiBb0597uZBv-E83P06Qkr8Hkr2DtgCSno2yWz8cNCXdAVMt0MfFGRG_Cf0W0rDBKM-ni0gsr-Vgw4dXoyA7u2NJkNnrCZClOt1FIKiIvy8m9UO_qa04Esm1Y1cfuIe32y0AEk/s2000/20230809_152743.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="2000" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqvOQFDZvgyUc7szq7RzW_yj7RQfjpzv0fWztbHa1UYioHjWc8_jDh2AiBb0597uZBv-E83P06Qkr8Hkr2DtgCSno2yWz8cNCXdAVMt0MfFGRG_Cf0W0rDBKM-ni0gsr-Vgw4dXoyA7u2NJkNnrCZClOt1FIKiIvy8m9UO_qa04Esm1Y1cfuIe32y0AEk/w640-h312/20230809_152743.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>In a wheelchair waiting to be wheeled to the plane</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></span></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrZQeY8MFYls4CO3Q2Ma5YasY5LSmaiFY6HFbGE5IQYngcbRcM4H-CG59S3VowfO7qmJxgXgCLPYSd73jCUm9M5sTqTKjK1AB4oKspxpoUkASXYaplG1jT8Da_1vo4ghMsH-j09o7n6r3Fr46-ssSEpDkZyelyZBEeUoP6DfQoQ32WY7em1KSH1Cozgag1/s2000/20230809_163259.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="972" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrZQeY8MFYls4CO3Q2Ma5YasY5LSmaiFY6HFbGE5IQYngcbRcM4H-CG59S3VowfO7qmJxgXgCLPYSd73jCUm9M5sTqTKjK1AB4oKspxpoUkASXYaplG1jT8Da_1vo4ghMsH-j09o7n6r3Fr46-ssSEpDkZyelyZBEeUoP6DfQoQ32WY7em1KSH1Cozgag1/w312-h640/20230809_163259.jpg" width="312" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Aere ra (goodbye) Rarotonga!</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">That's all our travels done for the time being as a long overdue knee replacement is scheduled for the end of the month. With the warmer months coming, the focus will be on rehabilitating as soon as possible so that we can be out doing cool stuff asap. Jennie is really looking forward to making me walk decent distances on crutches on a daily basis as payback for when I made her do the same after her hip replacement a few years back. Sigh.... </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It's being done at a private hospital but you can still call me the Six Dollar Man 😄</span></p><p><br /></p>Geoff Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041523109817248619noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4341114511830074977.post-91183574035083403312023-07-30T15:56:00.001+12:002023-08-02T09:57:13.650+12:00A near miss and some good stuff<p><span style="font-size: medium;">NZ has had more than its share of bad weather in 2023 and the peninsula we live on has been directly in the firing line for most of the storms. Although there has been an improvement in recent years, power cuts often occur due to trees falling on the power lines. Outages these days typically last from as little as a few minutes to half a day or more. We have a gas BBQ on our covered deck which is handy for cooking when we lose power and have various gas and battery lights so that we can see ok at night.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">One backup power source we've used for a few years is a 12v sealed lead acid battery which is about half the size of a motorcycle battery. We keep it in the basement garage, connected to a small solar panel fixed to the outside wall so that it's always fully charged.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxhEukl990BDgKEwbtlOEdEnX90soXdrFEovhi83nCuahGjgxG0eygJ--B0oUbNUw5Mmnqlcs4-oc0TV7WW5gFzFC2kRAc-0gsKlvGLHwiN9AzPUfuPyLLqsJsQZH0YGDRXP7Cl_YxvXGNamN5qeH3bxbzJSCtm-le-aaWjwv_CIjoSycs_XHKLFQsVgm/s2480/20230727_164705.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="2480" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxhEukl990BDgKEwbtlOEdEnX90soXdrFEovhi83nCuahGjgxG0eygJ--B0oUbNUw5Mmnqlcs4-oc0TV7WW5gFzFC2kRAc-0gsKlvGLHwiN9AzPUfuPyLLqsJsQZH0YGDRXP7Cl_YxvXGNamN5qeH3bxbzJSCtm-le-aaWjwv_CIjoSycs_XHKLFQsVgm/w640-h506/20230727_164705.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Solar panel supplying power to the 12v battery</span></b></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The battery is light and easily transportable with many uses. Typically, we use it with an inflator for our vehicle and cycle tyres (don't trust gas station pump accuracy!), fish finder power on the boat, attaching to an LED panel as a handy portable light source and charging phones via an USB connection when the power is out. Sure enough, we lost power during the last storm which coincided with me being low on mobile phone charge.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYc1B84vqbe26FdlmYw5aMK2vCQpE_w_C1gkczWfewXsOKLWF-fBAgu7EwzaEuKho07-y5Lo9XWsemFzYS0upb5WMpd_xH39MfPyHs6bigVMCfwXeY0yRLqr8jgOEKvZwERAS212jU7B1KHregDXV3nUC5hg3FF5tPTgfyOTK2hjzQOFHc8sS__c-PxPAb/s2810/20230727_164731.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="2810" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYc1B84vqbe26FdlmYw5aMK2vCQpE_w_C1gkczWfewXsOKLWF-fBAgu7EwzaEuKho07-y5Lo9XWsemFzYS0upb5WMpd_xH39MfPyHs6bigVMCfwXeY0yRLqr8jgOEKvZwERAS212jU7B1KHregDXV3nUC5hg3FF5tPTgfyOTK2hjzQOFHc8sS__c-PxPAb/w640-h446/20230727_164731.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">12v 7AHr replacement battery and phone charging lead with better connectors</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">A quick trip to the garage with a torch and connected the phone to the battery via the lead. At that time, the battery connection was via crocodile clips. A few minutes later, there was an odd smell and I went to investigate. The battery was hissing and smoking, with the casing horribly buckled. One of the crocodile clips had shifted, causing a dead short across the terminals. A lucky break to have smelled something amiss and the outcome could have been a lot worse.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It was a salutary lesson to make more reliable connections and after buying a replacement battery, all the connections were changed to shielded bayonet types with heat shrink reinforcement.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">On a more positive note, I recently mentioned the design and commissioning of more stained glass windows for our house at the end of <a href="https://geoffjames.blogspot.com/2023/05/flushed-with-success.html"><b>THIS POST</b></a> . The subject was a native Tui drinking nectar from a plant in our garden that I'd taken a photo of. We'd engaged a local craftsman to make a window in stained glass from the photo and last week, it was ready for collection.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO_Qt11GP06JXJHnjYNHrdMBr3cMitNH0x4oKk_7V9VchkmPFuWPdBBEdGLaUt8I1fOZ-kcQoJZ1r-LLicp614p01DyRKFD_edonco_eRzC7R661Rn07-8kAVu5IIs8M5ChI17TyPFiY86npyafIKkvQ4a7Mh15EuFQsJZxp2J6eRJ-2ihXUAPSjHyooWt/s2000/Installed%20glass%202023%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="2000" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO_Qt11GP06JXJHnjYNHrdMBr3cMitNH0x4oKk_7V9VchkmPFuWPdBBEdGLaUt8I1fOZ-kcQoJZ1r-LLicp614p01DyRKFD_edonco_eRzC7R661Rn07-8kAVu5IIs8M5ChI17TyPFiY86npyafIKkvQ4a7Mh15EuFQsJZxp2J6eRJ-2ihXUAPSjHyooWt/w640-h312/Installed%20glass%202023%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The glass ready to install in a bedroom</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It's not designed to replace the clear glass already in the window, but to nestle up to it, leaving a small air gap. I'd made a template for the craftsman to build it on but it was still an anxious time in case it was a fraction too large. Needn't have worried though - a perfect fit. The only worry was teetering on a stepladder and holding it in situ whilst fixing it permanently in place. It looks absolutely fantastic, both in sunlight and moonlight. It's wonderful that there are still people around who practice the traditional crafts.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4woat_ZzdFfhTIVY1qSEfEXver3BzO8o5qDhLzB6N_ltxnVVZHcERjOv5_9FnE5MRJsC2pDRogy3AnoE88xt9KE9qk3E3dv9iXo4hLyjmt68OamKsoykBSS7OZy18H67-Rxr1j7laL3nw-e3rpDAbb74K6GQQGwZXe5nQXszVlYYwQYS5DQ7Dn4fNqGCV/s3678/20230728_103630.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3678" data-original-width="1849" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4woat_ZzdFfhTIVY1qSEfEXver3BzO8o5qDhLzB6N_ltxnVVZHcERjOv5_9FnE5MRJsC2pDRogy3AnoE88xt9KE9qk3E3dv9iXo4hLyjmt68OamKsoykBSS7OZy18H67-Rxr1j7laL3nw-e3rpDAbb74K6GQQGwZXe5nQXszVlYYwQYS5DQ7Dn4fNqGCV/w322-h640/20230728_103630.jpg" width="322" /></span></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Safely installed with no glitches</span></b></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The week concluded with a pleasant Sunday run with members of the Whitianga classic car club to a beachside restaurant for lunch. A great bunch of people with a wide age range of cars.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxpI8n9dxQ6Ot8c2342CIHbQq69qT-tqvvQCPC-8sqRNgLzs9N7fG1kQmtzTQ9fQlzD-94FvCJNlj5OSkHE8dXRGxF5fF8xrvfJijOEFzopjfWLU9MO-Hi5nSJoO1fIFRf2AGTHaocXd6Hk_MLPk2KUHOX0tCfWCYI-49w6Ar0_0H3dmyhLorjQLHM0gR/s3084/20230730_124651.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1503" data-original-width="3084" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxpI8n9dxQ6Ot8c2342CIHbQq69qT-tqvvQCPC-8sqRNgLzs9N7fG1kQmtzTQ9fQlzD-94FvCJNlj5OSkHE8dXRGxF5fF8xrvfJijOEFzopjfWLU9MO-Hi5nSJoO1fIFRf2AGTHaocXd6Hk_MLPk2KUHOX0tCfWCYI-49w6Ar0_0H3dmyhLorjQLHM0gR/w640-h312/20230730_124651.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>A good spread of ages</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></span></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEietm-bvhCp1YTAY1OvN4tfw8A0OQT4Sg3BUECB7o63d1zSEyAl9t1Tv0xp37-umHKBXWakdarsD4_097ND3fI3WNlQma9-8xWOItA0afgZk_szR21ZAJrMRYxvC93Dae4EJXAFK0bRpWUSzCj0jqdOor9YMd6vu5XlHzGfWEGNVI0OnbckfhffzMV0wqDU/s3913/20230730_153956.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1959" data-original-width="3913" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEietm-bvhCp1YTAY1OvN4tfw8A0OQT4Sg3BUECB7o63d1zSEyAl9t1Tv0xp37-umHKBXWakdarsD4_097ND3fI3WNlQma9-8xWOItA0afgZk_szR21ZAJrMRYxvC93Dae4EJXAFK0bRpWUSzCj0jqdOor9YMd6vu5XlHzGfWEGNVI0OnbckfhffzMV0wqDU/w640-h320/20230730_153956.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Parked up for lunch</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>Geoff Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041523109817248619noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4341114511830074977.post-17991047392828869112023-07-05T16:05:00.008+12:002023-07-08T16:08:42.488+12:00The reality of classic car maintenance<div class="separator"></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We bought the MG nearly 2 years ago to actually drive, as opposed to spend time restoring it. This was particularly relevant with both Jennie and I being in our mid-70's. The excessive but enjoyable time spent building drag bike engines a lifetime ago is best not revisited to maintain matrimonial harmony. Buying a car with most of the restoration done has really paid off. The upside of most classics is that that they're not all that complicated to work on, don't need too many special tools or computer-based diagnostic equipment. The downside is that they need a bit more maintenance than modern vehicles. Much of that work will be D-I-Y as most main line auto shops won't want to touch them as they all have their quirks or special requirements. Even our village garage owner who is "old school" and a near neighbour makes a sign of the cross when I drop in, even for a social chat. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Ever since we took ownership, the engine has had a slight oil weep from one of two tappet/pushrod covers. Slight enough for just an occasional drip onto the strip of vinyl sheet I have under the car in the garage to protect the carpet. Yes, our basement garage has carpet, albeit the proper heavy duty industrial grade. I can see the shaking of heads now but the garage was a once handy place to stick the multiple mates of our kids and similar when they were looking for a place to lay their bodies overnight. Even grandkids when they all descended at the same time. Invasions of that magnitude are largely a thing of the past now.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Right, getting back on track with the oil weep......</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It wasn't a big deal but being an anal retired professional engineer, it was like a slight itch that you couldn't scratch. It would have been fixed earlier but for the fact that the carbs, heat shield, inlet manifold and exhaust manifold all have to be removed, then replaced for what is an hour's work at most to replace the leaking gasket. Having never done the job previously and not wanting to cock it up big time, I reckoned that would take up to a couple of days being ultra-cautious. A poor return on my time when I could be out driving it. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimjvslNoDgwiRNaS8WO_-zHZDxhl-Cn2OjbbCFz9I31F0qYHd80T-HV0gg2k-A-wzh_swHfFui3yj7xOI1ffmcWjJgJ0ZZQZOk_BF-CrHZIYnUcDObhfsPUcd4lx7JYIu728HIgLCWhIXcKqxsdvYzo7vIQ4kMGDY3CeauBxhtT05E2IJTi4m-bgnDr97k/s1500/Carbs%20Jul%202023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1JEZ0F_zqQMaKZKyreyCO0rQ3zj_wohfTidSzF48GwT3_Ad0t2NCMALY_rC9qNGnKUUCr41RFDNTMFxGtij9ZasFfZyEyZ7ev5oTJ8cVKUP94vOsjfhtsQ078yihCzzFouY3lrX3IAWDjzSDQCiSnmbM6noqorsXi4J5I6xNRNbSPY2nxjHHmbJQQ1CR/s1500/Carbs%20Jul%202023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="729" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1JEZ0F_zqQMaKZKyreyCO0rQ3zj_wohfTidSzF48GwT3_Ad0t2NCMALY_rC9qNGnKUUCr41RFDNTMFxGtij9ZasFfZyEyZ7ev5oTJ8cVKUP94vOsjfhtsQ078yihCzzFouY3lrX3IAWDjzSDQCiSnmbM6noqorsXi4J5I6xNRNbSPY2nxjHHmbJQQ1CR/w312-h640/Carbs%20Jul%202023.jpg" width="312" /></span></a></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The leak is buried under all this plumbing - bloody typical!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The North Island has suffered an extremely wet autumn and winter thanks to the <i>La Nina</i> weather system so it was an opportune time to bite the bullet and prepare to do the job in the face of an indifferent weather forecast. Both of my repair manuals gloss over the job, but the MG Experience website forum had multiple posts on how to avoid further leaks so clearly, a bit of care was needed. All relevant parts were purchased online, including some contingency materials just in case. The good thing about owning an MG is that parts are relatively inexpensive and available.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">First job was to remove the air cleaners and carbs. I'd done this before to get the carbs rebuilt, including making a simple jig to stop carb linkages and springs from flying off and disappearing into dark recesses. Removal of the heat shield and inlet manifold was also straightforward, even though it was uncharted territory. Nuts, bolts, spacers and washers all went into labelled ex-catfood plastic containers to stop the Garage Elves from making them disappear without trace.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAaEs4FXTF67DoCxxH1RKNqrrxHqhsy7f0OY_eGn49O9v0eop0-q3AYU7DgdzlnGMR_OOqC18pMibWNwd0DTECweywqFuWcCzSoUpmRh2P4UXuB25nLHJMzsrfMeC0qIRZfzqFOARq0iEe0xwKcK3liOf4nv6sg-UNjrEVhzxnVdZ_aumQXFoURP4dFQ8u/s1500/4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="729" data-original-width="1500" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAaEs4FXTF67DoCxxH1RKNqrrxHqhsy7f0OY_eGn49O9v0eop0-q3AYU7DgdzlnGMR_OOqC18pMibWNwd0DTECweywqFuWcCzSoUpmRh2P4UXuB25nLHJMzsrfMeC0qIRZfzqFOARq0iEe0xwKcK3liOf4nv6sg-UNjrEVhzxnVdZ_aumQXFoURP4dFQ8u/w640-h312/4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Carbs and inlet manifold off, just the exhaust manifold to pull clear</b></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I wasn't looking forward to disconnecting the manifold from the rest of the exhaust system as access to the retaining nuts was a hassle, best accomplished from under the car. Fortunately, the whole assembly could be pulled clear by a few centimetres and supported with a jack under the car.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6F1fk40g8n3gol_AGEzfGbQRVASWvzL8Roc4eGLHIf-pfJDC3TMmREp_O9M5-xAuHeNV-v0Il5rCg7EVpxRxLq4ArQ4emK69suY1DLaJawUFisyysNrn_U3xFCyx6C-RQh8ous80Okzpa7w95Gi_sXFu8IMrw3VxA2o2iWuMoENZODkzICZdMmkXqI1A0/s1500/10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="729" data-original-width="1500" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6F1fk40g8n3gol_AGEzfGbQRVASWvzL8Roc4eGLHIf-pfJDC3TMmREp_O9M5-xAuHeNV-v0Il5rCg7EVpxRxLq4ArQ4emK69suY1DLaJawUFisyysNrn_U3xFCyx6C-RQh8ous80Okzpa7w95Gi_sXFu8IMrw3VxA2o2iWuMoENZODkzICZdMmkXqI1A0/w640-h312/10.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The weeping tappet cover ready for removal</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: medium;">The front tappet cover was weeping from both the retaining bolt and from the joint surface with the engine block. It virtually fell off once the bolt was removed, indicating poor adhesion between the mating surfaces. The red sealant (see photo below) looked suspiciously like a previous owner had used Red Hermetite. I remember using this on Triumph motorcycles back in the 1960's. Triumphs of that era were notorious for oil leaks and the use of Hermetite did little to improve the situation. To use a succinct and somewhat unambiguous description, the properties of snot as a sealant would have been an improvement.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVCTGzy3gJdcwXtMWGqS6kNsPJcWMpaI5luxxpi2zJQukk-Una9ZKjkuId2PhC_5aJYJMHOSMXNhmcGY1uXaxdNtfh0us9HwfqHEuxCpTJ5zHMNoEOt6ez6rO6pRRCCLOxTVO0V8xiH-9Ssqm3IEX3jFCVrvKTGk8FH1TjbYIyPmPVdHE4eQYd3KyUryZZ/s1500/11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="729" data-original-width="1500" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVCTGzy3gJdcwXtMWGqS6kNsPJcWMpaI5luxxpi2zJQukk-Una9ZKjkuId2PhC_5aJYJMHOSMXNhmcGY1uXaxdNtfh0us9HwfqHEuxCpTJ5zHMNoEOt6ez6rO6pRRCCLOxTVO0V8xiH-9Ssqm3IEX3jFCVrvKTGk8FH1TjbYIyPmPVdHE4eQYd3KyUryZZ/w640-h312/11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Not much adhesion or sealing on display.........</span></b></div></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUi5YmpAdrxLyKpP6gfIq5zi0QOJUqImhPphxy-p6OqQ_ryCIwh-mJfguzXr4jmjM6o7GV54j7lo1gawHfPvAo2bqZM-ktRu9A2Ojtj5KozXcg5zCTdk7dqHFECbpN_vxUlvzim6e3O_bg1_vN15KLiz7wZolRXeEQk4wAV97cITcv_yr7StMegtB9Wjy/s1500/12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="729" data-original-width="1500" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUi5YmpAdrxLyKpP6gfIq5zi0QOJUqImhPphxy-p6OqQ_ryCIwh-mJfguzXr4jmjM6o7GV54j7lo1gawHfPvAo2bqZM-ktRu9A2Ojtj5KozXcg5zCTdk7dqHFECbpN_vxUlvzim6e3O_bg1_vN15KLiz7wZolRXeEQk4wAV97cITcv_yr7StMegtB9Wjy/w640-h312/12.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The mating face on the engine block</span></b></div></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Fortunately, members of the website forum previously mentioned had extolled the virtues of Hylomar Universal Blue jointing compound. Developed by Rolls Royce for aircraft and turbine applications, it has a serious pedigree. Not cheap, but a tube was purchased in advance.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It can be seen in the photo above that what remains of the cork gasket is narrower than the flange of the cover and the mating face on the engine block. Several forum members recommended not using the official gasket and making a wider one from rubberised cork sheet. Which is exactly what I did......</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozWSL5AdbkwrC1lyU2AwqN5V1mpw6uMHTFYnPzjNBIJ-QOr-K4L8MNQ9oYh6zxPs8CdwaUXF-EaXFd5dQhqTVr7_7a8ZiTZQt_V3jCB6HG1XBklazzr9xLoQsvZUtxNyAM8Xws_Y4XHZ7VAiNPqOOe2YIxiavo9rRPs4RiUbkX_V5EHVkorGH2OXz8Vrv/s1500/13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1099" data-original-width="1500" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozWSL5AdbkwrC1lyU2AwqN5V1mpw6uMHTFYnPzjNBIJ-QOr-K4L8MNQ9oYh6zxPs8CdwaUXF-EaXFd5dQhqTVr7_7a8ZiTZQt_V3jCB6HG1XBklazzr9xLoQsvZUtxNyAM8Xws_Y4XHZ7VAiNPqOOe2YIxiavo9rRPs4RiUbkX_V5EHVkorGH2OXz8Vrv/w640-h468/13.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A pristine gasket cut from rubberised cork sheet</span></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">All mating surfaces were wiped with methylated spirits to remove any oil contamination and Hylomar was applied to all surfaces. The torque setting for the retaining bolt was a miniscule 5 lb ft - well below the minimum setting of most torque wrenches. However, an approximation given by one of the forum members was to gently tighten the bolt whilst grasping and gently pulling the vent pipe on the cover. When the cover no longer moved about, that was pretty much spot on. Easy peasy - worked a treat.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqBY0QKTCizQZYDlv9W6JQdjtBPljBvbZB19Tu1_G4jTo2IWKSc1rPsZXbJL6Z2QMwtvvedKpTWKGmzx1vwGgJt2dgNrFOgDc08QfHNMCJPoStimjevfDM_4v-XvuRl7UCnOtd6QwK_2vJFgDCZ1TLHyH0QhF3ZJ44Y9qImCrCurZUlUNEuW8zuxCReA-/s1500/14.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="729" data-original-width="1500" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqBY0QKTCizQZYDlv9W6JQdjtBPljBvbZB19Tu1_G4jTo2IWKSc1rPsZXbJL6Z2QMwtvvedKpTWKGmzx1vwGgJt2dgNrFOgDc08QfHNMCJPoStimjevfDM_4v-XvuRl7UCnOtd6QwK_2vJFgDCZ1TLHyH0QhF3ZJ44Y9qImCrCurZUlUNEuW8zuxCReA-/w640-h312/14.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Front tappet cover in place with new gasket</span></b></div></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The rear tappet cover showed no sign of weeping. I spent a moment or two wondering whether to replace that as well but decided to leave well alone in case Murphy's Law decided to put in an appearance. Reassembly of the plumbing and fuel system was simply a reversal of disassembly, with the proper torque settings and use of Hylomar on critical mating faces. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3DKlbboBSBq9_ZosnMZUCRnoHrjL8qpLD-ehRmMflrnvmy6JHhqL3g-aouuUVVkclwX2T8WTYgY6Wx0uftpVSTWJ0hXvqr_62kVs6WAuLaq8UpwborubotdJVMHl02tSdVjUJNL2cfy-A6BHBdOHZAHpoX5eauRQyJQnTT2XWSMKGnsBpftfKGUqjKN6/s1500/Engine%20Bay%20jul%202023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="729" data-original-width="1500" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3DKlbboBSBq9_ZosnMZUCRnoHrjL8qpLD-ehRmMflrnvmy6JHhqL3g-aouuUVVkclwX2T8WTYgY6Wx0uftpVSTWJ0hXvqr_62kVs6WAuLaq8UpwborubotdJVMHl02tSdVjUJNL2cfy-A6BHBdOHZAHpoX5eauRQyJQnTT2XWSMKGnsBpftfKGUqjKN6/w640-h312/Engine%20Bay%20jul%202023.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">All assembled and ready for a test drive</span></b></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A 40 km test drive revealed no weeping at all and interestingly, there was little or no smell of hot oil. Even though it was a weep rather than a leak, the proximity relative to the exhaust manifold must have previously carried the odour back into the cabin. The real test will be over the next few hundred km but there's no reason to think that the weep hasn't been fixed. There's also a slight weep from the overdrive unit but as that involves grovelling under the car, the inclination to fix that hasn't reached the "scratching the itch" stage yet.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Although the 1 hour basic task took most of the weekend to accomplish because of all the disassembly and reassembly involved, not to mention an abundance of caution; it was nonetheless an enjoyable experience gaining more knowledge. Every day is a school day!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There's actually another reason I wanted to get the MG in pristine condition for the warmer months ahead. In a few weeks, I'll be having a replacement knee joint which will keep me out of action for a while. Not looking forward to it one bit but it should address something which has become increasingly problematic over several decades. New horizons beckon!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfa03f8QSx_pz8AgK3Yt57v5NaDYFY8bDWcT5ajGb7ssNIp5Xn7wOwT9RyCZaErAo1GNJNWr1BPT-NCouVLdDkOTAxGM1ZuX7KK-cjNysfhGOJ44sI5-dPe6eMEpDyel8OjwImGGlWPFtpKgOjSLv3iUbgpi0XZF7uPP473_vc0RT-uTaI-QbcBfPE-APx/s3849/20220803_152042.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2165" data-original-width="3849" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfa03f8QSx_pz8AgK3Yt57v5NaDYFY8bDWcT5ajGb7ssNIp5Xn7wOwT9RyCZaErAo1GNJNWr1BPT-NCouVLdDkOTAxGM1ZuX7KK-cjNysfhGOJ44sI5-dPe6eMEpDyel8OjwImGGlWPFtpKgOjSLv3iUbgpi0XZF7uPP473_vc0RT-uTaI-QbcBfPE-APx/w640-h360/20220803_152042.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Test drive - Oamaru Bay, Coromandel Peninsula. Someone has to do it!</span></b></div></b><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Geoff Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041523109817248619noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4341114511830074977.post-52518536166226337092023-05-30T17:36:00.006+12:002023-07-01T11:59:48.664+12:00And now for something completely different....<p><span style="font-size: medium;">It's funny how statements which you make come back with a vengeance and bite you again! The last photo on my May 9th post showed a banner which was a tongue in cheek version of John F Kennedy's speech about going to the moon. The banner read "We do this not because it was easy, but because we thought it would be easy". This certainly applied to a recent activity!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Our 11 year old granddaughter Georgia started intermediate school this year. She's a smart cookie and is in an accelerated class where the work is set up to challenge them. Each student was recently asked to come up with a project, implement it and report the results. Georgia had seen something on power generation using a waterwheel and thought it would be cool to see how power output changed with water flow and gearing. All this because they have a small stream passing through their property! She asked her dad Kerryn (our youngest son) what he knew about the subject and the answer was very little. As the lead time for completing the project was only a couple of weeks or thereabouts, he was straight on to me to see what I knew about the topic. The answer was Sweet Fanny Adams, apart from understanding the physics and engineering principles. The short time deadline was going to be quite a challenge.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">A brief discussion was had over the phone with Kerryn, with the thought that the 3 generations could work together as well as Georgia conducting the experiments and writing the report. Wherever possible, everyday recycled materials could be used. How hard could it be? And then the catch.... would Nana and Granddad mind doing the 400 km round trip this coming weekend to help make it all happen? Immediate thoughts went back to the first paragraph of this post - no pressure then!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The best part of day one after the phone call was spent on YouTube and other sources learning about different types of waterwheel and it became quickly apparent that an undershot wheel was the only practical option because their stream was relatively shallow. Next step was to see what resources we already had which might be useful for constructing a waterwheel.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Jennie had an old bicycle which had been unloved and not ridden for 3 or 4 decades. That might be a useful source of big sprockets and maybe a chain. I had an alloy bike rim which we inherited with the house decades ago and a quick bit of dismantling got underway. I also dug out some threaded bar, stainless tube and other bits and pieces which Jennie previously referred to as hoarded junk, sigh... I also requisitioned one of Jennie's nylon chopping boards to make thrust washers for new axles. It wasn't strictly theft as it had been re-purposed some time ago as a fishing bait board for the boat!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir84BUR2c1Q-UjVejbz0F50sAjdY8s0T4KJSFfSzCmXsgPQynK4hzn_EpJ_ewGLFXuXttbynQQQBSWx72cNEVf4TE1SBbzRwR24WyUrgAwMDJyeCVuBJh36yWQEU_cbetaLI_cTgtEeFwyWheb5bdu2XkpLX5qu20iHWJIckJ2aE1WyMwfjbiu9Ac0dQ/s1500/Waterwheel1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="869" data-original-width="1500" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir84BUR2c1Q-UjVejbz0F50sAjdY8s0T4KJSFfSzCmXsgPQynK4hzn_EpJ_ewGLFXuXttbynQQQBSWx72cNEVf4TE1SBbzRwR24WyUrgAwMDJyeCVuBJh36yWQEU_cbetaLI_cTgtEeFwyWheb5bdu2XkpLX5qu20iHWJIckJ2aE1WyMwfjbiu9Ac0dQ/w640-h370/Waterwheel1.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Collecting possible components with only a vague design plan at this stage</span></b></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Next step was to head to the village transfer station and see if there were any old bikes with sprockets of various sizes. One was spotted under sheets of corrugated iron in a pool of disgusting water. Quite a job pulling it out in those unsanitary conditions. Good value for a couple of bucks! A quick bit of hacksaw work to get the sprocket and chain off, followed by soaking the chain in kerosene to loosen up the rust.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg61VQfZqM83Wn_QlWmBT98FjgdHnAgXmjREWoSXmFy2hYrEqBspz0-MMpmh7kOvdjvq4VqRE6j4AFIOZ49QifaZPvBUbfp_MHOxBeP5KFA5s30ICRTF8UWlYQp9fS2srrbqV8HKg4nXOOkaQnILGPWtfhJpZpa6cmSBUxhRbdg_1eGLyoVrr49evMqrg/s1500/Waterwheel3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="949" data-original-width="1500" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg61VQfZqM83Wn_QlWmBT98FjgdHnAgXmjREWoSXmFy2hYrEqBspz0-MMpmh7kOvdjvq4VqRE6j4AFIOZ49QifaZPvBUbfp_MHOxBeP5KFA5s30ICRTF8UWlYQp9fS2srrbqV8HKg4nXOOkaQnILGPWtfhJpZpa6cmSBUxhRbdg_1eGLyoVrr49evMqrg/w640-h404/Waterwheel3.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Raiding the village dump for more sprockets and chain</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A call with Kerryn revealed that he had some plastic downpipe which could be made into vanes for the undershot waterwheel. He built a shopping list of bolts and other fittings, plus our one and only purchase of a new piece of equipment. We had intended to use a car generator from a wreckers yard but found a brand new mini-generator online at much the same price we would have paid for a car component.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK6xYM2e2-IKBa88UvDTi6ToJSy1EMgOjad3JyT1CpXkqc_Tv3I7cW6r1CXW-v53V_60c2z1oJgRW_5eQG9AQMuiLie6IBleOZkRNcaNsuLDqdL1J12ocv-vIHH8UuL5_d_udzAdV3huRuZRXfDmsHL-u7-HScOqTEpn2CG0_r6dlbWFzNmPARpmt-5A/s767/DC%20generatorjpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="767" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK6xYM2e2-IKBa88UvDTi6ToJSy1EMgOjad3JyT1CpXkqc_Tv3I7cW6r1CXW-v53V_60c2z1oJgRW_5eQG9AQMuiLie6IBleOZkRNcaNsuLDqdL1J12ocv-vIHH8UuL5_d_udzAdV3huRuZRXfDmsHL-u7-HScOqTEpn2CG0_r6dlbWFzNmPARpmt-5A/w640-h522/DC%20generatorjpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Mini 12/24v DC generator</span></b></div></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Armed with tools, boxes of bits and fingers crossed, we set off on the 200 km trip. I got stuck in and made a large sprocket carrier to the bike rim which was going to carry the vanes whilst everyone else departed for Georgia's Friday night hockey match. Next morning, another family departure for our grandson's rugby match whilst Georgia and I measured and cut up the piping for the vanes. She'd never used a jigsaw before so we had a short practice and then onto the real thing. She was outstanding and made beautifully straight cuts.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtoej9yROdoIgqbdQe9NfNi4u3wo2ZpxSRusmyFsFQsdN_GceNxdnYsCCrv9zkATrdokZkMaPwGm-UC0OV1gWhlw8ssQuGcq84OtG0sW0VcZTnGTK2ycvVIEl8pOr6m-XkWUc2qXyHIY8or14izY_PSdr75R6bbQZv5LAERhg75jpU-oPQPrUBOELhCg/s2016/Cutting%20pipe%20for%20blades.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="980" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtoej9yROdoIgqbdQe9NfNi4u3wo2ZpxSRusmyFsFQsdN_GceNxdnYsCCrv9zkATrdokZkMaPwGm-UC0OV1gWhlw8ssQuGcq84OtG0sW0VcZTnGTK2ycvVIEl8pOr6m-XkWUc2qXyHIY8or14izY_PSdr75R6bbQZv5LAERhg75jpU-oPQPrUBOELhCg/w312-h640/Cutting%20pipe%20for%20blades.jpg" width="312" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Georgia splitting the piping with a jigsaw</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">After splitting the pipe, she then marked the halves up for cutting into individual vanes. The width was a pure judgement call on our part, having seen the professional wheels on YouTube for serious domestic power generation. Let's call it an educated guess.....</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ZViSRsdmcPnBCSESik_QMDhSr4jE1cNSnQEV0ufnFIwQk_4QoCnVw2Zx-wvc47Yp90qiBALGGpjW3MhP7E1eMF_vcSTvRvQA7_-PYTt4SUYZQZ9yen_yC58Pmz8TxHvCAIouuadfmQMBw2ahrQ1Ltvww027rr9sGWlR6_aW8QoDt850Ob8rNhkoEnw/s1238/Marking%20out%20for%20the%20blades.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="1238" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ZViSRsdmcPnBCSESik_QMDhSr4jE1cNSnQEV0ufnFIwQk_4QoCnVw2Zx-wvc47Yp90qiBALGGpjW3MhP7E1eMF_vcSTvRvQA7_-PYTt4SUYZQZ9yen_yC58Pmz8TxHvCAIouuadfmQMBw2ahrQ1Ltvww027rr9sGWlR6_aW8QoDt850Ob8rNhkoEnw/w640-h506/Marking%20out%20for%20the%20blades.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Using a jig for marking out the individual vanes</span></b></div></b><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">With weekend school sport taken care of, I made up the axle assembly whilst Georgia and her dad mounted the waterwheel sprocket then drilled the wheel rim and vanes and bolted them up. Another judgement call about how many to use, just using years of accumulated engineering experience and the obligatory crossing of fingers.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizERX4-1V4AeY8mNrCdnmyAokF-rRnlN2JHwadPUTJ4t4fl1mEWCw_cPaGRQ7YnmPTzO2QrRc8wj2XHFVaOJAhJzy96dDv7s8cLa8yTw52LtaUZ85U0XQ4bAUlsnmLXiixnP2guzjlekoW9J9VG_6O9YUM97HlmS1oqt-5TNO-sku03rKGJGngos6ajA/s1500/Sprocket%20work.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="934" data-original-width="1500" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizERX4-1V4AeY8mNrCdnmyAokF-rRnlN2JHwadPUTJ4t4fl1mEWCw_cPaGRQ7YnmPTzO2QrRc8wj2XHFVaOJAhJzy96dDv7s8cLa8yTw52LtaUZ85U0XQ4bAUlsnmLXiixnP2guzjlekoW9J9VG_6O9YUM97HlmS1oqt-5TNO-sku03rKGJGngos6ajA/w640-h398/Sprocket%20work.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Bolting the sprocket to the carrier</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-FTXkQCbTOPFQNBmrXm2pRSWhJablwTHDYmtjQn_3xAbzcruivd-4Zjgwlj9iEDa8IeijSS0wLvogsU92xw6L56XjInqP7y71dZ02YTXBGsgjE5edIiwga5V-AyKDZjc3h-dCpIfDPLkXfxXpbdP7FGDjlVNWBTt-MtG6Pe2NoVRXM7wtee_cZuXktA/s1500/Wheel%20assembly.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="893" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-FTXkQCbTOPFQNBmrXm2pRSWhJablwTHDYmtjQn_3xAbzcruivd-4Zjgwlj9iEDa8IeijSS0wLvogsU92xw6L56XjInqP7y71dZ02YTXBGsgjE5edIiwga5V-AyKDZjc3h-dCpIfDPLkXfxXpbdP7FGDjlVNWBTt-MtG6Pe2NoVRXM7wtee_cZuXktA/w382-h640/Wheel%20assembly.jpg" width="382" /></span></a></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Fitting the vanes</span></b></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaRntpyjZWuPmKHoaGtL7sq1AxFt6uVAXXoXbPahLzwwo7rlVlM_v3w5F04ABDxOrVOq8TrKFmT2NUkrDicRezLKKANxGJBHDbKqBLWKMyRoF1szsECY0lqHsdX-YQpkgZGMtSLNMsUfFik0Kd6KkmQysmmZCBjzwBZZZ_790wOAP0MfkUj8DaCqvKoQ/s1500/Waterwheel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="729" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaRntpyjZWuPmKHoaGtL7sq1AxFt6uVAXXoXbPahLzwwo7rlVlM_v3w5F04ABDxOrVOq8TrKFmT2NUkrDicRezLKKANxGJBHDbKqBLWKMyRoF1szsECY0lqHsdX-YQpkgZGMtSLNMsUfFik0Kd6KkmQysmmZCBjzwBZZZ_790wOAP0MfkUj8DaCqvKoQ/w312-h640/Waterwheel.jpg" width="312" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">The completed wheel</span></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;">With the axle in place and the wheel spinning freely, a support frame was made from timber by Georgia and her dad, with adjustable legs from threaded bar, then carrying it to the stream to see if it actually worked - the real acid test! A brilliant outcome with 60 rpm being attained in a faster part of the stream. I should mention that the stream is at the bottom of a steep gully so getting all the kit there and back wasn't a straightforward exercise by any means!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyJBK2h0UpJ28OzJMLdaqvANYTCTScXWXEtEnaXXHmX949WEW13acsuqssh5KDLjzyYo3X99dofdAUmhM_PVg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Happiness is a spinning wheel</span></b></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Sunday dawned with the main goal of hooking up the generator. It was spun up at various rpm using an electric drill to obtain voltage output characteristics, particularly at speeds that the waterwheel would rotate at. A good confidence boost as it worked just fine. A mount for the generator was made, using clamps for chain alignment and tensioning. With time being a precious commodity, a rudimentary coupling was made to mount the generator sprocket. Not a perfect solution but adequate for the experiments to be run.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8hwir3VCemltSsA1SGAv6B6tlDe8vjNIzLIRRa0oxChpD7WAhU9n6e-5z9D0gi_hHOO55Wa03DlDqlE-7wVepMM8MxdWPqhgR5Nh96Dn8mSQ0P_ZWu7gz8OBmXB6EEWSoB-_XqMm9VXwYxGk-r1eYP3h-R1YZce557Ym2oQFbElZVicUxkGcTBNIdg/s1500/Dry%20run.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="729" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8hwir3VCemltSsA1SGAv6B6tlDe8vjNIzLIRRa0oxChpD7WAhU9n6e-5z9D0gi_hHOO55Wa03DlDqlE-7wVepMM8MxdWPqhgR5Nh96Dn8mSQ0P_ZWu7gz8OBmXB6EEWSoB-_XqMm9VXwYxGk-r1eYP3h-R1YZce557Ym2oQFbElZVicUxkGcTBNIdg/w312-h640/Dry%20run.jpg" width="312" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Setting it all up</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">With time getting on, Jennie and I had to make the 3 hour trip home whilst Georgia and her parents headed for the stream again to test how the completed rig worked. Very much in our thoughts on the way home and a hope that I hadn't lost any engineering mojo with that dodgy coupling!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Got a message soon after we arrived home, complete with videos and photos - an outstanding success in every respect, apart from the chain periodically jumping off the sprockets.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyNKsEUf_hhcj-znDQUFqHHlK6cimY3q7BxVSAlWfCQhV1c9vC2UPdDTyQ5iQ3PMFTXHW_bg3FwR6AARXhHKQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Measuring the output voltage with different sprockets</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></span></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6b0Il6SZlOXdYZzrEqbvs3BVfxOh_WNSn72hlW8gvwWKkbbuChny9_BDgSuEAhhphZlNqhbQ10RGRTTwTzmJN9IEMqRc-qtyFXpHHWYG4c0QrtOqXZ0Z5TushEFRJY0CN4HYZ_3mG58NDDi3JVs49mxigX5Q_w0KM_YrffhqK46XB0DSKMTCYa4g2A/s1024/Documenting%20results.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6b0Il6SZlOXdYZzrEqbvs3BVfxOh_WNSn72hlW8gvwWKkbbuChny9_BDgSuEAhhphZlNqhbQ10RGRTTwTzmJN9IEMqRc-qtyFXpHHWYG4c0QrtOqXZ0Z5TushEFRJY0CN4HYZ_3mG58NDDi3JVs49mxigX5Q_w0KM_YrffhqK46XB0DSKMTCYa4g2A/w480-h640/Documenting%20results.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Documenting the results</span></b></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzNEhLjrZ4zniAbljqiLRx6sIJaapf2ZN9nh9Nl5jgpXpvz6Gqf3Ml56FuMxYSL9C4uWEzPB0juiljCVxo9gg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Georgia hooked up with fairly lights!</span></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;">An immensely satisfying weekend for multiple reasons. The pleasure and fun of the family working brilliantly together across 3 generations, pride in seeing how hard Georgia worked and her focus, overcoming problems on the run with very tight timelines plus all of us learning new stuff. None of us are ever too old to learn new things, it's what keeps us alive. It really doesn't get any better than that! The future is in good hands with young folk like Georgia around.</span></div><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Postscript</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Georgia has to complete her report and submit it this week. Her parents and grandparents might be a teensy bit biased but when it's finally assessed, it's hard to imagine that the outcome will be a poor one!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: red;">Addendum late June</span></b>: Georgia has just given her oral presentation at school and was given an "exceeded expectations" result. The project also won a silver rosette at the regional science fair. So darned proud of that young lady!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqDCjxebc8gE42ciM8dBAuEnIZZd5njNYtoAwa0hW6MkUH0GT1YL7CvYSbqCPNs-jPfttJbtaAeNRo-KnfFKomBqCTkwLWCg_O-sbqjpjrX6SEFM9w_dRMFJY2ZUB5E0UG-gOwMWECkE9Kgw0NYORq-ink_TMwMccEDAq59IxmdHZvikgjW0CAWlVtCQ/s1024/Practical%20test1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqDCjxebc8gE42ciM8dBAuEnIZZd5njNYtoAwa0hW6MkUH0GT1YL7CvYSbqCPNs-jPfttJbtaAeNRo-KnfFKomBqCTkwLWCg_O-sbqjpjrX6SEFM9w_dRMFJY2ZUB5E0UG-gOwMWECkE9Kgw0NYORq-ink_TMwMccEDAq59IxmdHZvikgjW0CAWlVtCQ/w480-h640/Practical%20test1.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Proud Dad and daughter</span></b></div></b><p><br /></p>Geoff Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041523109817248619noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4341114511830074977.post-87246758773955130582023-05-13T16:24:00.001+12:002023-05-13T16:24:09.091+12:00Flushed with success<p><span style="font-size: medium;">I apologise in advance for the title which is an appalling pun, but please bear with me as I'm in engineering heaven! <a href="https://2wheelersrevisited.blogspot.com/">Sonja</a>, your husband will fully understand!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3JI5jJpy57zwrXU5gIwMJjJmw6KyqANckKSnY0vQXvJ3wRuIhQua6g2uD0S6ZDi50lPBy27I0eEY292sLG0QBVNNpIZWHDStmYPbbDP_X70-LfoKVRLKmaI5uH9gup-XoRAYEuNiIr_mzBC99zgEgbtY34KQ74a_isBaylL0L1cFV53TmqavFdRg1bQ/s2016/Our%20MG.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="2016" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3JI5jJpy57zwrXU5gIwMJjJmw6KyqANckKSnY0vQXvJ3wRuIhQua6g2uD0S6ZDi50lPBy27I0eEY292sLG0QBVNNpIZWHDStmYPbbDP_X70-LfoKVRLKmaI5uH9gup-XoRAYEuNiIr_mzBC99zgEgbtY34KQ74a_isBaylL0L1cFV53TmqavFdRg1bQ/w640-h360/Our%20MG.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">MGB 60th anniversary meeting, Auckland 2022</span></b></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Since purchasing the MGB GT just short of 2 years ago, the emphasis has been on setting up a planned maintenance schedule. The previous owner was meticulous in keeping records of the restoration in 2017/18, but there was no record of subsequent maintenance. To a professional engineer this was sacrilege (cue eye-rolling and sighing from Jennie). Besides, record-keeping for a classic car is an essential part of sales strategy should we ever wish to sell it. An Excel spreadsheet was duly set up to track expenditure and maintenance activity. (More eye-rolling and sighing).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Everything is pretty much up to date now with just a couple of small(ish) jobs scheduled before Spring with another having been ticked off the list this week. Let me introduce you to the murky world of the cooling system. Most modern car and bike owners don't give the cooling system a second thought, apart from occasionally looking at the level in the radiator or overflow bottle. With classic cars, the cooling system requires rather more attention. In our climate, antifreeze properties of coolant aren't an issue but a good glycol-based coolant raises the boiling point which can be helpful in adverse conditions. Of most interest to protect our investment is the anti-corrosion property, particularly with a cast iron engine.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Early on in the ownership, I drained the existing coolant which was rust-coloured and with a small amount of sludge in the radiator. No flushing or anything at that stage, just refilled it with some Prestone premix which was on special locally. I figured that it would give better protection whilst some of the other priorities were attended to. Fast forward to the current time. I was ready to do a thorough job and saw an article on a Castrol coolant called 4Life. The interesting bit in the article was that it offered superior corrosion protection than cheaper alternatives over a longer period. Another interesting feature is that it detects head gasket leaks by changing colour! Product duly purchased, along with a flushing agent to do a proper job.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheywv9FUGTzb6_Ur8JdFaXeR2u42akj_SLlC8Ch_fqD9iwPC0vm2XDrTh3KhnPAOrSdy1L0UJnDI-SFdySJhl5RifjfkztNZbd06thf6P5N7n-Wps8Y9goQ_GLM1KP1MQjL5AfDYn7PnOmL0VKS6hBip4os-QBDcCQJ0n8Dop7YgYzOCxYwjnqU0TxrQ/s1500/Castrol%204%20Life.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="729" data-original-width="1500" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheywv9FUGTzb6_Ur8JdFaXeR2u42akj_SLlC8Ch_fqD9iwPC0vm2XDrTh3KhnPAOrSdy1L0UJnDI-SFdySJhl5RifjfkztNZbd06thf6P5N7n-Wps8Y9goQ_GLM1KP1MQjL5AfDYn7PnOmL0VKS6hBip4os-QBDcCQJ0n8Dop7YgYzOCxYwjnqU0TxrQ/w640-h312/Castrol%204%20Life.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Castrol 4Life long lasting coolant, plus coolant flush</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Take the car for a short drive to warm the old coolant up, then drain it. Still a bright fluorescent green, it was in good order with relatively little rust contamination, just a bit cloudy.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhUhLNCqqpTW8N2V8-DdbAJdLZK1OtAzgLDmocyOr9Y7qwFHf8znTTdnti9o3ciRDUh51PnC3uw1p8vQpfjzISda1lrthP5coV2qLn6nFDhjU5-yg1LyF1Sb5tF3Hw89uAorvdtjtoB4j1NAbpplPM6wtySfos2_1zOkcwf7m5sI1IH2bCGhaXPzxiQ/s1500/1st%20radiator%20drain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1060" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhUhLNCqqpTW8N2V8-DdbAJdLZK1OtAzgLDmocyOr9Y7qwFHf8znTTdnti9o3ciRDUh51PnC3uw1p8vQpfjzISda1lrthP5coV2qLn6nFDhjU5-yg1LyF1Sb5tF3Hw89uAorvdtjtoB4j1NAbpplPM6wtySfos2_1zOkcwf7m5sI1IH2bCGhaXPzxiQ/w452-h640/1st%20radiator%20drain.jpg" width="452" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Old coolant. Still in good order, at least visually</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Next step was to refill the system with filtered rainwater, adding Penrite radiator flush and then heading out for a 20 minute drive to circulate it.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNK6i4sMeHdb8kcLle_5JH9sGhc5g1rwWB93boxZnSAskjO0zQSprAGOEj4g3HZMCf-zjhux5bDxTAG5BLkaxxE_KJ-xxcml7Ivuw-273WNDg8fcVZ54a32pIeLpzK1buY4jYADDMPUBMsCBLC0b4f1QhorlRWRN7H4mFwAAXEn0KCibfJFGVkYHNpnQ/s1500/Radiator%20flush.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="729" data-original-width="1500" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNK6i4sMeHdb8kcLle_5JH9sGhc5g1rwWB93boxZnSAskjO0zQSprAGOEj4g3HZMCf-zjhux5bDxTAG5BLkaxxE_KJ-xxcml7Ivuw-273WNDg8fcVZ54a32pIeLpzK1buY4jYADDMPUBMsCBLC0b4f1QhorlRWRN7H4mFwAAXEn0KCibfJFGVkYHNpnQ/w640-h312/Radiator%20flush.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Adding radiator flush - good for up to 15 litres of coolant</span></b></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The radiator flush clearly did its intended job on the cooling system with quite a bit of discolouration in the drained coolant. The surprise was that it was still quite green, indicating that there was quite a bit of old fluid lurking in the nooks and crannies of the engine, radiator, heater and pipework. Shining a torch inside the radiator filler cap showed a nice clean radiator core - result! Two more repeats until the water ran clear, taking temperature readings with a heat gun to make sure that nothing untoward was happening. I call it an essential tool. Jennie calls it "just another toy", sigh..... Cool to see the red laser aiming dots shown in the photo though.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFEsNjCULxuaJcCOD09SaKfWKWkktNHuruIEbUv1MUx2nMkYqg2V6lkXHz-tlFjLOG4zALw9o2p9AvB5DiinhELUYv3y_xCvPr8GkkhYr_j0ZrcI68MxjJMTTsFjmqVQG-_Txlyzp9DtFZNCRVNYkywEjDyE5sFfjC3ryyPTAyAZgZ8TPlpPbpCRrXg/s1500/Block%20temperature%20-%20Copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="729" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFEsNjCULxuaJcCOD09SaKfWKWkktNHuruIEbUv1MUx2nMkYqg2V6lkXHz-tlFjLOG4zALw9o2p9AvB5DiinhELUYv3y_xCvPr8GkkhYr_j0ZrcI68MxjJMTTsFjmqVQG-_Txlyzp9DtFZNCRVNYkywEjDyE5sFfjC3ryyPTAyAZgZ8TPlpPbpCRrXg/w312-h640/Block%20temperature%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="312" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">All good, temperature-wise</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">With the flushing water in the cooling system now running clear, it was time to fill up with the premixed 4Life coolant which looks like translucent cherryade. A straightforward job, take it out for a run, check for leaks and job done. The engine has never run hot and the new coolant seems pretty much the same as the old one in that respect. However, by thoroughly cleaning the system this time before adding new coolant, it's something which should now be fine for many years. Half a day well spent.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg38sKLoUCSpHkmk_sKvc_zoj2mSzzQWvej8ZtDUYnFOZ76JI5N1H5oAxHd7M7DtiyjOPiF4wRJNkHOUnPfhu37VV5KOP5jH4zBm3v4LjIYN1i6LRrEu2_kq70Um3MQoJzTDaUJ5Ow0JLbsjM2Pi65sQQIVj43ht4KhTNPAoDjWRA6S3SUA-Die0h7Lmg/s1500/New%20Castrol%204%20Life.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="968" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg38sKLoUCSpHkmk_sKvc_zoj2mSzzQWvej8ZtDUYnFOZ76JI5N1H5oAxHd7M7DtiyjOPiF4wRJNkHOUnPfhu37VV5KOP5jH4zBm3v4LjIYN1i6LRrEu2_kq70Um3MQoJzTDaUJ5Ow0JLbsjM2Pi65sQQIVj43ht4KhTNPAoDjWRA6S3SUA-Die0h7Lmg/w414-h640/New%20Castrol%204%20Life.jpg" width="414" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Adding the new coolant</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Just to prove that I'm not a complete automotive tragic, another little project is underway. A few years ago, we had stained glass windows made for our upstairs lounge by a neighbour who was a real renaissance man when it came to anything arty. The high level windows depicted scenes based on where we live - the Coromandel Peninsula.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8rCgyXJ0_z8iOGfbPSXmulYvano7G4d7FVQ8QTbRYP_jE_auR9s89f-w9IcQ06nD8nXmSdas3moV0AWbtJDUZWiJyp63d1_CddRW5hjtgD_UaMrJ7FU4iRpiB8_5xB0_uAPS-L7uoRO5BeeTBjU6v08SmF6MtMY9hlOhaYyTj2SCPwhl56cngf3Nvg/s2278/20230505_145350.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1519" data-original-width="2278" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8rCgyXJ0_z8iOGfbPSXmulYvano7G4d7FVQ8QTbRYP_jE_auR9s89f-w9IcQ06nD8nXmSdas3moV0AWbtJDUZWiJyp63d1_CddRW5hjtgD_UaMrJ7FU4iRpiB8_5xB0_uAPS-L7uoRO5BeeTBjU6v08SmF6MtMY9hlOhaYyTj2SCPwhl56cngf3Nvg/w640-h426/20230505_145350.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Stained glass windows - upstairs lounge</span></b></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We also have a tapered high level window in one of our bedrooms which is a pain to clean and near-impossible to curtain. A stained glass insert would be a perfect decorative solution. Based on a photo I took in the garden of a Tui nectar-eating bird on one of our plants, a preliminary computer sketch was generated to see how it would translate. Pretty good as it happens.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF9JF1Dcsf99h0tcuQbpGODax7wvJV06y9c9FnoXmYiuUt4wFxjEbBv-aPZZ71PHN_GBEQ-uEAE24rdPMQ7FzvdeMkwwxwCvK2fsfoGyjuk9QtK9l24PKL9e2dwoWveb7LZPoHIMBgVapMzQMMbOJf4Kd7zqefVOb1LrLwU8SW_p96cKr3bAY6yb_0xA/s5184/IMG_2154.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF9JF1Dcsf99h0tcuQbpGODax7wvJV06y9c9FnoXmYiuUt4wFxjEbBv-aPZZ71PHN_GBEQ-uEAE24rdPMQ7FzvdeMkwwxwCvK2fsfoGyjuk9QtK9l24PKL9e2dwoWveb7LZPoHIMBgVapMzQMMbOJf4Kd7zqefVOb1LrLwU8SW_p96cKr3bAY6yb_0xA/w640-h480/IMG_2154.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The original photo of a Tui in the garden</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></span></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5mr0JSzvFpTG8MBoMoKo8c9yfztvazG8mwZS-QW4VMYDcIrAWUORmLLHcT_Kzca6MRg2TW4cy1i5t_rGnXatDNNhfPKsQVBHQBwVvJFWyuiEX3adkzYh_BPvPbzRuyfIwTCqlC_QRMpvpbd0Fv4pv32SYE4mq1oIT6nAibFkW6QLVz76UrYa_ppIFpw/s1069/James%2023%2005%2008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1069" data-original-width="1002" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5mr0JSzvFpTG8MBoMoKo8c9yfztvazG8mwZS-QW4VMYDcIrAWUORmLLHcT_Kzca6MRg2TW4cy1i5t_rGnXatDNNhfPKsQVBHQBwVvJFWyuiEX3adkzYh_BPvPbzRuyfIwTCqlC_QRMpvpbd0Fv4pv32SYE4mq1oIT6nAibFkW6QLVz76UrYa_ppIFpw/w600-h640/James%2023%2005%2008.jpg" width="600" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Mock-up of stained glass window based on the photo (about 0.75 metre square)</span></b></div></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Tui will be in iridescent blues and green on the real thing. Sadly, our neighbour has since passed but we found another craftsman on the Peninsula who will make it for us. Inevitably, his skills are in great demand so we have to join the queue for his services.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Plenty of variety to keep me occupied in retirement!<br /></span><p><br /></p>Geoff Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041523109817248619noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4341114511830074977.post-24466828140540840002023-04-09T13:13:00.011+12:002023-07-29T11:33:43.920+12:0012 months since retiring from riding - how has it gone?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7G5hW6WnHIftU6amIvZNi4IXsVg7m4-ViL0D4X4qYe4g1Bxoy9YUq1z6gHV7HP5BnwHhL-iofle52dVyviTZcnmIImpIcbCIazFmofijm07Yl2j1JxYKTvCr9A37RKmJNFyJE3wU-7Dbeb8pbW1tXimTLfx-vvgpM2UsH5U9utEP2O4mI3MgJjYIYpA/s3072/Taiurua.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="3072" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7G5hW6WnHIftU6amIvZNi4IXsVg7m4-ViL0D4X4qYe4g1Bxoy9YUq1z6gHV7HP5BnwHhL-iofle52dVyviTZcnmIImpIcbCIazFmofijm07Yl2j1JxYKTvCr9A37RKmJNFyJE3wU-7Dbeb8pbW1tXimTLfx-vvgpM2UsH5U9utEP2O4mI3MgJjYIYpA/w640-h426/Taiurua.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">In my early 60's on the Blackbird - a tad light on good skills</span></b></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Regular readers will remember that I made a series of posts in 2010 and 2011 about motorcycling, the ageing rider and what steps might be useful to prolong one's riding in a competent manner. I was in my early 60's at the time. The posts attracted the attention of well-known U.S - based motorcycle author David Hough and some lively correspondence followed. In a direct but constructive manner, David called me out to actually do something concrete about future-proofing my own riding. The first step was to sell the heavy, tall Blackbird and get a lower, lighter bike in the shape of a Triumph Street Triple. No loss in performance for the type of riding I did and many benefits.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgreeVBQdl9NiOXO2nxQrElAcF6HBkLD11D3kZWdAtnti4zX0wI70rjT_CxCuopUS-aMqfCPWfYviaSSVHwe5Fz1cojQChzWjURxwfCdX981kBCCGkPXAajCPF_nDAXvofA560Q9tUEeIhEhPUmKA1pDYh5H1Shan5_o3ulON6wkwDsq3eSOaP0PSwiw/s1600/Grand%20Challenge.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgreeVBQdl9NiOXO2nxQrElAcF6HBkLD11D3kZWdAtnti4zX0wI70rjT_CxCuopUS-aMqfCPWfYviaSSVHwe5Fz1cojQChzWjURxwfCdX981kBCCGkPXAajCPF_nDAXvofA560Q9tUEeIhEhPUmKA1pDYh5H1Shan5_o3ulON6wkwDsq3eSOaP0PSwiw/w640-h480/Grand%20Challenge.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Leaving for the 1600 km in under 24 hours Grand Challenge event - 2010 </span></b></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">From occasional incidents over the years, there was clear room for skills improvement. I'd never had an independent assessment of my riding and to cut a long story short, I decided to enroll with the NZ branch of IAM RoadSmart UK, which uses Police Roadcraft as the basis of its advanced training. The initial assessment in early 2011 was quite a shock to the ego but I stuck with it and passed my Advanced Test in late 2011. The total benefits from taking this option can't be understated and they were detailed <a href="https://geoffjames.blogspot.com/2011/11/raising-my-riding-skills-some.html"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">HERE</span></b></a> . The journey of upskilling continued, eventually becoming a mentor and Examiner. As well as a massive increase in my skillset to keep me safe, other benefits such as the value of humility and helping to upskill others had a much wider personal impact and will continue to do so. Making lifelong friends with people on the same journey was a genuine privilege too. Without doubt, continuous upskilling enabled me to keep riding longer than it would have otherwise done. I still find myself informally assessing other road users which is a good means of remaining sharp and staying out of trouble. You will understand that my wife is excluded from assessment as I don't want to be sucking hospital food through a straw.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYg7NVZQvLdCKrv1QEDjVdZd_oOP3heYZJKzEJL4TrNhvfMpJHb_0Amk975cJNj_NHXsMpEvIm776pLsmImShpM0nbbFyGD-zdo-WiH8--osF1vHjLBH3pQEBhyxncYBfuk0b0HymU4t8vWRHS08t_YQlBhYok3pC4eMQfT8Q39kRP8JmDRLsKgIWTw/s3888/Hampton.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1510" data-original-width="3888" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYg7NVZQvLdCKrv1QEDjVdZd_oOP3heYZJKzEJL4TrNhvfMpJHb_0Amk975cJNj_NHXsMpEvIm776pLsmImShpM0nbbFyGD-zdo-WiH8--osF1vHjLBH3pQEBhyxncYBfuk0b0HymU4t8vWRHS08t_YQlBhYok3pC4eMQfT8Q39kRP8JmDRLsKgIWTw/w640-h248/Hampton.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>IAM trackday 2016 on the GSX-S 1000 </b><i>(courtesy Barry Holland)</i></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The other critical part of discussions with David Hough and others was about the difficult decision of when it's time to consider retiring from riding. In hindsight, this discussion was to be incredibly useful because there was plenty of time to plan for an angst-free retirement from riding at a future point in time. Reaching that point very much depends on the individual rider and their circumstances but sooner or later, it's something that all of us are going to face. Surely it's better to plan for that eventuality than suddenly being faced with the end of a lifetime's passion?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In a nutshell, having a fallback interest or two seems to be the most appropriate means of softening the inevitable change. In my case, owning a runabout for sea fishing was to become one of the options as it was a pastime which Jennie enjoys too. Ok, let's be honest .... she's actually better at it than I am! Travel is another interest which we both share although that has been partially screwed up by the global impact of Covid. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFx91BbNhlqiE_gr9zqm84sg_5OTiDEwW1cCDRfVq-YZno93U05rS45K1IOvKqNA1DpV31OUCt3O3qSNnzLaavhJ6rmnv_ElR_VgOGZ0ZqPhQ0CSjO3aSpCfa9BKs-cqrIdjYxUlv0_QFHXePgUohwNFGOJ3x0K_2fMzDAICVBgqGl-lPBBwqVUEC0Q/s4032/20220506_152821.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFx91BbNhlqiE_gr9zqm84sg_5OTiDEwW1cCDRfVq-YZno93U05rS45K1IOvKqNA1DpV31OUCt3O3qSNnzLaavhJ6rmnv_ElR_VgOGZ0ZqPhQ0CSjO3aSpCfa9BKs-cqrIdjYxUlv0_QFHXePgUohwNFGOJ3x0K_2fMzDAICVBgqGl-lPBBwqVUEC0Q/w640-h360/20220506_152821.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Ready for another day of being out-fished by Jennie</span></b></div></b><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">However, Covid lockdowns were also largely responsible for some serious thought about retiring from riding sooner rather than later. There wasn't a "lightbulb" moment but a dawning realisation that I'd achieved all I wanted from a 58 year riding career. Enjoying a series of challenges during that time through competitive drag racing, long distance endurance events, track days, occasional trail riding and formal upskilling had largely satisfied the urge. My role as an IAM Examiner often required 500 km days in all weathers and they were becoming less attractive - the one downside of living in a remote rural area. Also at the back of my mind was the fact that if I did have an accident, a body in its 70's wasn't going to recover quickly. A serious consideration not only for me but the potential impact on the wider family. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqW9bNWnVUdAwiqn3yFYKEiqeYvPSGVBKj0zTnb7OI8qejeeWaxVcl3z8fSMcK7oGj6CvGK-52vFJ9_xjjoBqzXS9knxyaavBFlF-YYAZfq3h30U47LgTQHdaHJ6yeV4-GOWAf530RmnPJtN7kUnyWwP63drMVNLf68nuumdAyC2ekKyxYMnrxtSBi-g/s5184/IMG_2145.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqW9bNWnVUdAwiqn3yFYKEiqeYvPSGVBKj0zTnb7OI8qejeeWaxVcl3z8fSMcK7oGj6CvGK-52vFJ9_xjjoBqzXS9knxyaavBFlF-YYAZfq3h30U47LgTQHdaHJ6yeV4-GOWAf530RmnPJtN7kUnyWwP63drMVNLf68nuumdAyC2ekKyxYMnrxtSBi-g/w640-h480/IMG_2145.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Out with fellow IAM member Tony and his wicked MT10 SP</span></b></div></b><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Having some fallback interests meant that I could now seriously entertain the thought of stopping riding with no regrets and perhaps surprisingly, the prospect didn't feel like a big deal at long last. I'd like to think that was largely due to the planning mentioned above. It was made even easier by an almost throwaway comment by</span><span> Jennie that we should look at buying a classic car so that we could have even more fun together. My best friend in the UK is a classic car owner as well as a motorcyclist and after some conversations with him, it seemed like a great way to keep occupied, given my interests and background. Bloody hell, actually choosing something which appealed to both the CEO and me was a major mission, resulting in sulks and pouty lips for a few months but we finally settled on an MGB GT, a choice never regretted. The difficult background to that acquisition has been detailed in previous posts but it was serendipitous in one respect. 1972 was the year of manufacture and also the year we got married!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLuKZnmNHBzMN7eOCv3WU-djNxXkf8VDcci_Z6vZ43C6H-SqwUQeYE_4GWqc77iJULb0gvglJv-XIAgjW-frm0NJz5gGWbxJuQPuLvluy31hSjKo1J59dw4I97aopNtf25eTTsHxb5KA62mkV5mxWXep6zhDEfgJDYbBuSyR_YFcXLQOwc6zuKg8wEtIkA/s2500/Gold%20Stamper%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1215" data-original-width="2500" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLuKZnmNHBzMN7eOCv3WU-djNxXkf8VDcci_Z6vZ43C6H-SqwUQeYE_4GWqc77iJULb0gvglJv-XIAgjW-frm0NJz5gGWbxJuQPuLvluy31hSjKo1J59dw4I97aopNtf25eTTsHxb5KA62mkV5mxWXep6zhDEfgJDYbBuSyR_YFcXLQOwc6zuKg8wEtIkA/w640-h312/Gold%20Stamper%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: large;">A fine day on the Coromandel Peninsula with the MGB GT</b></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">With the decision having been made, the KTM was advertised for sale and the delivery ride to the new owner was surprisingly unsentimental. I guess this was due to all the prior preparation for retirement, even if the actual endpoint wasn't known. After retirement, another potential interest also popped up, partially as a means of staying fit as I got older. I had owned an old road bicycle for at least 30 years but the steep hills in our area combined with age was an issue. What about an e-mountain bike which would enable me to use it on the many bike trails in our area whilst being kind to my damaged knees? I took delivery of the Giant E+1 in June 2022 and it's been huge fun, having covered just under 2000 km since then. Ummm.... we'll skip over falling off and breaking a rib just after taking ownership due to getting a shoelace caught on a pedal. That won't happen again due to a change of shoes and pedals! Riding motorcycles has been a real bonus for riding an MTB though, despite the mishap. Situational awareness, balance and braking to name but 3 benefits.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ROBhwn8xYcXXVKZx9OzJK91IUwYtMd-uLmEIyZZO-oa3lSm5sFwekgqt-8tN_oO_XnrpYoRklBLHTd0v_tWC7WPxf5oPJBeX4nuXP68RlszrWWC14EwbyH3WOxifLhVJXjSsJtwIB0pSX-sde6xfQUTZNxhOb1jKhFbapIuVnavH6gUBaaQNyLSIPw/s2937/The%20Medlock%20Trail.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1427" data-original-width="2937" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ROBhwn8xYcXXVKZx9OzJK91IUwYtMd-uLmEIyZZO-oa3lSm5sFwekgqt-8tN_oO_XnrpYoRklBLHTd0v_tWC7WPxf5oPJBeX4nuXP68RlszrWWC14EwbyH3WOxifLhVJXjSsJtwIB0pSX-sde6xfQUTZNxhOb1jKhFbapIuVnavH6gUBaaQNyLSIPw/w640-h310/The%20Medlock%20Trail.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The Medlock MTB trail, Coromandel</span></b></div></b><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So in summary, giving up a passion (an obsession according to Jennie) hasn't been as difficult as it might otherwise have been, thanks to a bit of planning which effectively started a decade ago. The year since selling the bike has passed quickly with plenty of interests to keep occupied. I'm still interested in motorcycles but quite happy not to own one. Not the slightest regret and I guess that it's as close to a perfect outcome as one could hope for! Still have most of my riding gear, but I'll get round to selling that in due course.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I hope that this post has been of interest to anyone else who has similar decisions to make in due course.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi42QwS7va6cGZyDf7lscrDn8fY6pXDYlrFuoGCgiYHCvmCCR6AsgNl9Do9P7AEOq3v2LZd7hZhZT3v8fuVns3zbVOwre5gfa9GIM5VggZJXgXI3mG1uT8iWuN_foyz0nJSyaAb3cDdC7ZjW6QDEFPXdBbqPx5Tnz0nVyljJCWOk53b1EnvCq4tmbp1Ng/s1268/Easy%20banner.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1051" data-original-width="1268" height="530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi42QwS7va6cGZyDf7lscrDn8fY6pXDYlrFuoGCgiYHCvmCCR6AsgNl9Do9P7AEOq3v2LZd7hZhZT3v8fuVns3zbVOwre5gfa9GIM5VggZJXgXI3mG1uT8iWuN_foyz0nJSyaAb3cDdC7ZjW6QDEFPXdBbqPx5Tnz0nVyljJCWOk53b1EnvCq4tmbp1Ng/w640-h530/Easy%20banner.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">How new challenges normally start!</span></b></div></b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p>Geoff Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041523109817248619noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4341114511830074977.post-85782655133990356542023-02-27T14:32:00.004+13:002023-02-27T14:37:06.083+13:00Some nice Americana (and other vehicles)<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">I saw that the local classic car club was having an afternoon get-together this weekend. We're not members but as it was open to the public, it was a good opportunity to take the MG along. Ownership was predominantly classic American, with a smaller number of classics from other countries. It never ceases to amaze me just how many classic cars are owned in NZ considering a population of around 5 million. The other amazing thing is the extremely high standard of restoration considering that most of them would be a huge money pit! </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Here are some photos of the cars that caught my eye:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The early 60's white Ford Thunderbird was just so representative of that era. The interior looked like a cross between an American diner and a showy jukebox with all the chrome trim. It wasn't to my taste but could still appreciate the kitsch styling as a statement of those times. Metallic sky blue vinyl seats!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-IbAunNcIYJuhahCOMt_5WXfYSBVIKoJqwHhN9pNui-a1BLY4pXySQd4Aog3mwdqR2yPkRYlk1kWXM8DXCO206du3UUBO4-genc2998zlACYiCsyj0nYaJFtrtmPcFe4Y6LncZhWy15d4rhMn_qfxPFteSAsyxfqMFLqlqmSQo3XnaCaab3d4DkihA/s4032/20230226_150354.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-IbAunNcIYJuhahCOMt_5WXfYSBVIKoJqwHhN9pNui-a1BLY4pXySQd4Aog3mwdqR2yPkRYlk1kWXM8DXCO206du3UUBO4-genc2998zlACYiCsyj0nYaJFtrtmPcFe4Y6LncZhWy15d4rhMn_qfxPFteSAsyxfqMFLqlqmSQo3XnaCaab3d4DkihA/w640-h312/20230226_150354.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Early 60's Thunderbird alongside a bare bones hotrod</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUI-MogyO_LXCko7dZeNrIXfxhM8iZzWIqTWeKkU6o_mEQIiKKxh2TlJT7NJtivdNomDDE1RDBoo2riCIM7e-1TQbfWN9M8ocIzeo3OkPJc8iO3GKh40Lpt4YKXA42kri1fkXrPoR3p9OCSSkrWmMCJieyuYfiJMuKuBXdISAIheMR_LElk0NmK7xrvA/s4032/20230226_150325.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUI-MogyO_LXCko7dZeNrIXfxhM8iZzWIqTWeKkU6o_mEQIiKKxh2TlJT7NJtivdNomDDE1RDBoo2riCIM7e-1TQbfWN9M8ocIzeo3OkPJc8iO3GKh40Lpt4YKXA42kri1fkXrPoR3p9OCSSkrWmMCJieyuYfiJMuKuBXdISAIheMR_LElk0NmK7xrvA/w640-h312/20230226_150325.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The Thunderbird interior. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As you might expect, Mustangs were well represented. It's interesting how influences from younger years get carried through to adulthood. In my case, it was the Mustang fastback which Steve McQueen drove in Bullitt. I've seen the movie in more recent times and it's utter crap but the car chase with the baddies in the Charger is still great fun!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhPXYO59747F1qyGTv-TsVY3GSH1IAbNlMgp3r2w8WjgyolxQ-v3k_hG10tnBzlYPXyOtZHDq-nmSuHBocFrnZH9ywsasHyen-VwexJ3G2Fn-aVn5ItqtS0vg21fJOtUFksXKppAAM2MoXhWaVjFyfwZZkhvF2K217anRch6ImcyOBC5PR5GiqP45yIg/s4032/20230226_150644.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhPXYO59747F1qyGTv-TsVY3GSH1IAbNlMgp3r2w8WjgyolxQ-v3k_hG10tnBzlYPXyOtZHDq-nmSuHBocFrnZH9ywsasHyen-VwexJ3G2Fn-aVn5ItqtS0vg21fJOtUFksXKppAAM2MoXhWaVjFyfwZZkhvF2K217anRch6ImcyOBC5PR5GiqP45yIg/w640-h312/20230226_150644.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><b>Late 60's Mustang GT</b></div><div style="font-size: large; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Moving forward to the early 70's, the Mach1 fastback was also a real looker. The Mach 1 convertible at the gathering was also pretty nice.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpAM1WcIabGeoHpClkTVB_lGGuzhLPssg8UethZWt-Qs3ax9BLyHiyCErBoB6SBOh3_S0566-aVTAtHiPJwlpd0jNOBEnj9XB4mUL07FD55NEUCrmm9MZ0hc14VV4XoN-4hKHe9iiUiaFOXHAp9R2zVl399jBLmk2qceHVzYK3Uvh3Q0lBPUXi4JHzDw/s4032/20230226_150554.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpAM1WcIabGeoHpClkTVB_lGGuzhLPssg8UethZWt-Qs3ax9BLyHiyCErBoB6SBOh3_S0566-aVTAtHiPJwlpd0jNOBEnj9XB4mUL07FD55NEUCrmm9MZ0hc14VV4XoN-4hKHe9iiUiaFOXHAp9R2zVl399jBLmk2qceHVzYK3Uvh3Q0lBPUXi4JHzDw/w640-h312/20230226_150554.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Mach 1 convertible - nice personalised plate</span></b></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The modern Mustangs lack the character of the genuine classics but the 5 litre version in the photo below with all the fruit looks pretty good.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggaTLPtzhv8V90619PeFqII5mBCDNdqwLcGD5Fau5ksjMjxHPyHRiYVhkTW4MkUSy5Xk2-7sbY-f2tdJxAtAMmTKJ0ViuelnlqaMYWU1l56WriiETlsO-OOYEYD2tJQMCM9lqcocdHaZFxvDym8Kbxq19PclNFHV0sOlQsHBL2tREG0GVs4l6I1Lr4ng/s4032/20230226_150703.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggaTLPtzhv8V90619PeFqII5mBCDNdqwLcGD5Fau5ksjMjxHPyHRiYVhkTW4MkUSy5Xk2-7sbY-f2tdJxAtAMmTKJ0ViuelnlqaMYWU1l56WriiETlsO-OOYEYD2tJQMCM9lqcocdHaZFxvDym8Kbxq19PclNFHV0sOlQsHBL2tREG0GVs4l6I1Lr4ng/w640-h312/20230226_150703.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Modern 445 5 litre Mustang with all the bells and whistles</span></b></div></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The 1936 Ford V8 was a magnificent restoration, finished in a deep cherry red metallic paint.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcYoh70rWf1Yb13jGNiGOAgxU_7ptw-ndA7AInbWAD1sqeTdheC1_zIpOtRqNNM9i5jzBezMq-XArnLQwETTqabOG3Q3tP4YfD9tPI3kRKIu0L6Ykwk7mBLxOufNUd3f_tDviMeJmwqgEe1vR8UUkLlYKEk-bFvu6oNmzTpQl5ud19ttZ85L-jUy9nRA/s2445/20230226_150728.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2445" data-original-width="1959" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcYoh70rWf1Yb13jGNiGOAgxU_7ptw-ndA7AInbWAD1sqeTdheC1_zIpOtRqNNM9i5jzBezMq-XArnLQwETTqabOG3Q3tP4YfD9tPI3kRKIu0L6Ykwk7mBLxOufNUd3f_tDviMeJmwqgEe1vR8UUkLlYKEk-bFvu6oNmzTpQl5ud19ttZ85L-jUy9nRA/w512-h640/20230226_150728.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">1936 Flathead Ford V8</span></b></div></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I thought that the Z28 Camaro in the photo below had received a sympathetic restoration, not overdone. The late 60's Z28 with this body shape is my favourite Camaro anyway.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiveOj2KW86APvK3PKOM7Nw9uVv8ZdXPnR1Z_BdrnsVK90VNfn2Q_x0u2EuFyoL2sdOOaFJAB8KIMbhVUSRYt8C_XJQ-f_KPFsJbROkuiw7tiblL_d-sKDCrFCPBJdC88XPqi0U9Sq7cC3dpetnb4Sujr7pb4CrXRmVPXPJGYi1h_aWfZhj4jUaKBwflQ/s4032/20230226_150747.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiveOj2KW86APvK3PKOM7Nw9uVv8ZdXPnR1Z_BdrnsVK90VNfn2Q_x0u2EuFyoL2sdOOaFJAB8KIMbhVUSRYt8C_XJQ-f_KPFsJbROkuiw7tiblL_d-sKDCrFCPBJdC88XPqi0U9Sq7cC3dpetnb4Sujr7pb4CrXRmVPXPJGYi1h_aWfZhj4jUaKBwflQ/w640-h312/20230226_150747.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Z28 Camaro - all muscle</b></div></b> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This late 50's Chevy Bel Air attracted a lot of attention when it drove in. The whistle of the supercharger was distinctive even above the exhaust note. Wonder how it got through its fitness warrant without extra muffling?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1yD5Qx310NcBReu4WAYbXY8pD_jaPvezwBjkqBaS_cmdB0GqZOiNaSLbiBXVQnVdXyoYsWDeXAuNB4pdzlJXFPbg62SVTl97KQHHLrhHzowiNm5U473AqaiM7Qm7hf8xVyAslBmCsR7cLvaIvxpSxlSO6UMBhmsuexQK_YypCIvzk9fhBsFJm9Y333g/s4032/20230226_150503.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1yD5Qx310NcBReu4WAYbXY8pD_jaPvezwBjkqBaS_cmdB0GqZOiNaSLbiBXVQnVdXyoYsWDeXAuNB4pdzlJXFPbg62SVTl97KQHHLrhHzowiNm5U473AqaiM7Qm7hf8xVyAslBmCsR7cLvaIvxpSxlSO6UMBhmsuexQK_YypCIvzk9fhBsFJm9Y333g/w640-h312/20230226_150503.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">An automotive wet dream</span></b></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw8xyOLTftioVLmpKeL6U0sWGGnTumTu_NrVWB2QumXvu8QJHAoqpRMGn0qxptE36iZTbTlBm5QbbfXyWcOG7npHlyOAL1EIpOD39KP4Z66dqXC5oFCf-uykkPBGQWm4-vDakEJSJrKuUdp7sWZG0uqPBBFKn_eUB393m5MukMWywbRPRhayi7Ufnajg/s4032/20230226_150415.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw8xyOLTftioVLmpKeL6U0sWGGnTumTu_NrVWB2QumXvu8QJHAoqpRMGn0qxptE36iZTbTlBm5QbbfXyWcOG7npHlyOAL1EIpOD39KP4Z66dqXC5oFCf-uykkPBGQWm4-vDakEJSJrKuUdp7sWZG0uqPBBFKn_eUB393m5MukMWywbRPRhayi7Ufnajg/w640-h312/20230226_150415.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">There are an awful lot of $$$$$ invested under the hood</span></b></div></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Chev engine was impressively engineered but the engineering shown in the next photo was even more impressive - a twin turbo Buick-engined dragster. Not a speck of dust or fingerprint to be seen anywhere.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisHiYlKNDUnFTUvfYGArr_5w2LEmzEFZ1j0GXhmYrPAXUof7ZfXgIKbhYsHF7ryM-Ct97494yzzguK2PXkX3ImShBe2O9rPgGfAVlbM7JKHpJ6VuGBqx-dVAogkPLqDtO-ecP3P8WhiL-yXVzs8LJ8a4HZnALJSEMnmhlYSS03Xdn80KVYTnHUn_6moQ/s4032/20230226_150848.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisHiYlKNDUnFTUvfYGArr_5w2LEmzEFZ1j0GXhmYrPAXUof7ZfXgIKbhYsHF7ryM-Ct97494yzzguK2PXkX3ImShBe2O9rPgGfAVlbM7JKHpJ6VuGBqx-dVAogkPLqDtO-ecP3P8WhiL-yXVzs8LJ8a4HZnALJSEMnmhlYSS03Xdn80KVYTnHUn_6moQ/w640-h312/20230226_150848.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A demonstration of excess!</span></b></div></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIqhEqsjbrFIZrnLTQedFb6xaY_7LXt0qTfplAMxx7-1B6VorTobtXH65mPbocdyXvnSfAqB-Cl-MrUFWIw1nrWSwUmNqmtrYuHF8fEuHnODqBURCiZlSIpwCOrMNOqla83TALmGLs4ulTyTxYu0Zd3O53w2xSQ5FuYvFhkYysm_iREvnq2rUwyELUfg/s4032/20230226_150804.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIqhEqsjbrFIZrnLTQedFb6xaY_7LXt0qTfplAMxx7-1B6VorTobtXH65mPbocdyXvnSfAqB-Cl-MrUFWIw1nrWSwUmNqmtrYuHF8fEuHnODqBURCiZlSIpwCOrMNOqla83TALmGLs4ulTyTxYu0Zd3O53w2xSQ5FuYvFhkYysm_iREvnq2rUwyELUfg/w640-h312/20230226_150804.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Some of the parked vehicles</span></b></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCmUjvc6ENx5bFUdvRSQzTFehskw1nileJz3_QwqshxQoAdXZtwkuOrZlBAJ9Xd4GH5obS3-tEP0s3Id9lmYS3zZQmgeIPaoU5FlY2H9eKcQgIsIEc-9IN4LFrnG9D_Kmw4fEroWC0kolwoEMbMGYUkzMpz0nBsQNqsPGmpJGmIGKRgRarupAoPt1SLw/s4032/20230226_150439.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCmUjvc6ENx5bFUdvRSQzTFehskw1nileJz3_QwqshxQoAdXZtwkuOrZlBAJ9Xd4GH5obS3-tEP0s3Id9lmYS3zZQmgeIPaoU5FlY2H9eKcQgIsIEc-9IN4LFrnG9D_Kmw4fEroWC0kolwoEMbMGYUkzMpz0nBsQNqsPGmpJGmIGKRgRarupAoPt1SLw/w640-h312/20230226_150439.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">More parked vehicles including a certain Blaze Orange MGB GT</span></b></div></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Although American classics were in the majority, there were still a few interesting Australian and European vehicles.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I've seen several vintage Morgan 3-wheelers in NZ with V twin JAP or Matchless motorcycle engines out front but this one with a 933cc side valve Ford engine was a first.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrR1eDM9EM6BoyxeixtbTlvYmZr10-vtfRqpnidYGgRocXP1HlGMAldbR22RVX66ND_GGVQmEhYWcdjVUT0L6fk-KcfXwhyVRQ7VnegLEJ9eBc0DDYZe7vZdNQfbuVFpjEKNpvgTO8nWKFtwMj0W0xTXjuQmLP8cmp721m7nVTBrS3qlAcRHDFnDe9Zg/s4032/20230226_150908.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrR1eDM9EM6BoyxeixtbTlvYmZr10-vtfRqpnidYGgRocXP1HlGMAldbR22RVX66ND_GGVQmEhYWcdjVUT0L6fk-KcfXwhyVRQ7VnegLEJ9eBc0DDYZe7vZdNQfbuVFpjEKNpvgTO8nWKFtwMj0W0xTXjuQmLP8cmp721m7nVTBrS3qlAcRHDFnDe9Zg/w640-h312/20230226_150908.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">1936 Morgan 3-wheeler</span></b></div></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This early 60's Aussie EH Holden wagon was restored by the local chap who was hosting the event. Prior to the restoration, it had been locally owned by one person for multiple decades.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZOCJhQ5Lspr9HqB9WBC1n0SFErr38VuPtIu0q3ADMevFCbZ4YvyQj50b-ziIYPc9wYKdYlY--LPP2Wvanf_rYO-bKeSbrIfbrOb9bOQnGlmmmE1p-coxhExqrroLMcHVf1NhC9zx5iOGV6R6uGwxLhweIyI58uPDe-ONAxVvp2Z8ByjwR0VO-xFPhQ/s4032/20230226_150306.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZOCJhQ5Lspr9HqB9WBC1n0SFErr38VuPtIu0q3ADMevFCbZ4YvyQj50b-ziIYPc9wYKdYlY--LPP2Wvanf_rYO-bKeSbrIfbrOb9bOQnGlmmmE1p-coxhExqrroLMcHVf1NhC9zx5iOGV6R6uGwxLhweIyI58uPDe-ONAxVvp2Z8ByjwR0VO-xFPhQ/w640-h312/20230226_150306.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Early 60's EH Holden wagon</span></b></div></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A nicely restored Aussie V8 Ford Falcon which sounded wonderful. An affordable option as the genuine GT's or GTHO's are in the $millions bracket now.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEUjnndRTVnX7iBUcfWigDuGp-msJLecOEHGCQ0GCiDxXNPpbv4kgXwufwx3VH-Z6DSB3PyXTYRGBHuBY5Ew-AnscRVY-T8W4Avats4ZJroo_fOkPZ0xY2FuOZwJBIevZFXgW5ewuKOYOCKa5OtfVuyH7GKPme_VL2gqmzJWZmgpmKseOYNohsOenl1g/s4032/20230226_150617.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEUjnndRTVnX7iBUcfWigDuGp-msJLecOEHGCQ0GCiDxXNPpbv4kgXwufwx3VH-Z6DSB3PyXTYRGBHuBY5Ew-AnscRVY-T8W4Avats4ZJroo_fOkPZ0xY2FuOZwJBIevZFXgW5ewuKOYOCKa5OtfVuyH7GKPme_VL2gqmzJWZmgpmKseOYNohsOenl1g/w640-h312/20230226_150617.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Ford Falcon V8</span></b></div></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Last but by no means least is the Aussie Chrysler Valiant Charger from the early 1970's. Available as a straight 6 or V8, they cost serious money now. Specification impacts on what you have to shell out but a quick peruse of a NZ website shows several for sale between NZ$90,000 $175,000. I'd be very happy to own one (subject to CEO permission which will not be forthcoming!)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEids13Uiz2-OQgITjf4OOgPXjh5Ui3LaZmFM6_4oFSBArP-umicismxFKV2druxU7QOL26a-voj1rN00FZAQAII1GKaKLSduLhUO2XzoRwIXV4Q47Wr4ITUPmXdUx-9gVMxDc4VLJnC_WC9wpmOuqmocS-7H5a3DDIOy6dqD3Q_XkrO0-dexjCkGDKqcA/s4032/20230226_150244.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEids13Uiz2-OQgITjf4OOgPXjh5Ui3LaZmFM6_4oFSBArP-umicismxFKV2druxU7QOL26a-voj1rN00FZAQAII1GKaKLSduLhUO2XzoRwIXV4Q47Wr4ITUPmXdUx-9gVMxDc4VLJnC_WC9wpmOuqmocS-7H5a3DDIOy6dqD3Q_XkrO0-dexjCkGDKqcA/w640-h312/20230226_150244.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Valiant Charger R/T</span></b></div></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Geoff Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041523109817248619noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4341114511830074977.post-67810158922322501552023-02-14T12:00:00.006+13:002023-02-15T10:23:12.758+13:00Classic cars and a wild lady called Gabrielle<p><span style="font-size: medium;">Oh dear, after the previous post moaning about the succession of storms hitting NZ and our area in particular, I clearly offended the weather gods with Cyclone Gabrielle having just come to visit us - unbelievable! More on that later.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Coinciding with Gabrielle's visit was the annual Brits at the Beach car festival held on the south eastern side of our peninsula at Whangamata. We'd entered for this event and booked accommodation months ago and with Gabrielle forming up in the Pacific, we weren't sure whether to pull out of the event. However, looking at the forecast a few days beforehand , it looked like we might just about make it before the weather turned to custard big time.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The event started on Friday with a limited numbers charity drive round the Coromandel Peninsula. I took part in that whilst Jennie and her sister Sue travelled separately as our MG isn't set up for more than 2 adults. A nice 2 hour drive from home to the venue half way round the peninsula in hot, sunny conditions.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh81h9uo3_Hr7pjUIsoi7DIMnaVqvTYbWn3ZEfS1PDSA_BKhIyuZxOImY1AG2_VPN7NEBw8Vxh6Q1vtsq6PzkVKXG9-srNyWFBfMoioaIAgV561ex4neyq3-4zpi3QwDc69qS_t9o_kLE1QMVrb1PJBZ5LWidhxyDv0kSBHPBQjv6gUl1HGwzzE3uQeEg/s4032/20230210_150633.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh81h9uo3_Hr7pjUIsoi7DIMnaVqvTYbWn3ZEfS1PDSA_BKhIyuZxOImY1AG2_VPN7NEBw8Vxh6Q1vtsq6PzkVKXG9-srNyWFBfMoioaIAgV561ex4neyq3-4zpi3QwDc69qS_t9o_kLE1QMVrb1PJBZ5LWidhxyDv0kSBHPBQjv6gUl1HGwzzE3uQeEg/w640-h312/20230210_150633.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Our '72 GT in the company of fellow entrant Mike's '65 Roadster with factory hardtop</b></div></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Checked into our accommodation, registered for the event and a nice drive round town at dusk with a few of the 160-odd entrants. A number of entrants had cancelled because of the weather forecast. Next morning, we all met at a local park and mustered in lines by make of vehicle so we we would park in the same order at the public display venue on the waterfront. It was warm and overcast with a stiff breeze. MG's were bracketed by Land Rover on one side and Austin Healey and Rolls Royce Rolls Royce on the other. No snobbery at all, everyone was totally approachable and chilled.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSumUZGwlmYQ3fgNVnsNRK5M_yOWzjFXRmsTY8yG5PEFVOyTySyzdZATRzxcgblijdLeQLQ-qa4e0D-tQxvcEYrx0citfcitWhOvqrUD5yH5lNGnAA7lVWfhyDXSNJShXkkI_gvZnckwZbQwVNNHIkYbim3nk7wMVsERHnVoHVT0qZUOciHjdX8DU1uw/s2048/Mustering.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSumUZGwlmYQ3fgNVnsNRK5M_yOWzjFXRmsTY8yG5PEFVOyTySyzdZATRzxcgblijdLeQLQ-qa4e0D-tQxvcEYrx0citfcitWhOvqrUD5yH5lNGnAA7lVWfhyDXSNJShXkkI_gvZnckwZbQwVNNHIkYbim3nk7wMVsERHnVoHVT0qZUOciHjdX8DU1uw/w640-h480/Mustering.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>A goodly mix of British classics</b> (courtesy: Brits at the Beach)</div></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjERbRjj6QW7k48xuZIfOUfX4vG6Oj54Hn_XYN1ruCKjpRlxHIW-_AANWwFp2N7qaWpxIA_-TPBO-Ts03V0Q_TgpijWU4gl9mmGK5XyhKKf6k0v8uCQJZQyfAZ0jd0F9bg8lJXyPL_ZricvZe0Qma7a8iTULtL6efkdwTECFwoI8VQN4vXgYFLyROo5WQ/s5157/IMG_2294.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2947" data-original-width="5157" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjERbRjj6QW7k48xuZIfOUfX4vG6Oj54Hn_XYN1ruCKjpRlxHIW-_AANWwFp2N7qaWpxIA_-TPBO-Ts03V0Q_TgpijWU4gl9mmGK5XyhKKf6k0v8uCQJZQyfAZ0jd0F9bg8lJXyPL_ZricvZe0Qma7a8iTULtL6efkdwTECFwoI8VQN4vXgYFLyROo5WQ/w640-h366/IMG_2294.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Fords and Minis</span></b></div></b><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There were quite a number of Land Rovers, most of which had been heavily modified by their owners. The first one below was a V8 version which had a camper body made by the owner with a scooter on the rear for local travel. a sign in the rear window says "Sorry for driving SO CLOSE in front of you"!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlJ7kIv--ssuDx7KkMoBRf_lUlIOzmWNNDBrf9onDtFOCl83spmp8ay9JEAKcasToc53AjsPFnIaJXNbt-RXFF1wcv6RhX3P5cdp_-kZplXa2xiqqqSDj3oKTvvtBW0gCNy7uhlooKR17GOEoWTq8Yp3I8CQ-TgIfs-3gOWgU_mgAFx82mbnLHJMXig/s5184/IMG_2307.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3888" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlJ7kIv--ssuDx7KkMoBRf_lUlIOzmWNNDBrf9onDtFOCl83spmp8ay9JEAKcasToc53AjsPFnIaJXNbt-RXFF1wcv6RhX3P5cdp_-kZplXa2xiqqqSDj3oKTvvtBW0gCNy7uhlooKR17GOEoWTq8Yp3I8CQ-TgIfs-3gOWgU_mgAFx82mbnLHJMXig/w480-h640/IMG_2307.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Land Rover camper van conversion</b></div></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCV9EGxTLWmPYAhzDdImEztuyLGNP7MUDC18GOwqWNWoMnMJKWnJG_FVf43Rr4JliSbFeRiFyFARfg0GqFw_krZOdGrL5RFhd327yxOb5dRnw4XtAatri6lhdJChoMrY1Rk-j0nkQpi4voDF3qkcQEqYC7NYhRTfcnLgD_2WoEm8iWRrYAZYJ0QFIc4g/s5169/IMG_2295.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3253" data-original-width="5169" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCV9EGxTLWmPYAhzDdImEztuyLGNP7MUDC18GOwqWNWoMnMJKWnJG_FVf43Rr4JliSbFeRiFyFARfg0GqFw_krZOdGrL5RFhd327yxOb5dRnw4XtAatri6lhdJChoMrY1Rk-j0nkQpi4voDF3qkcQEqYC7NYhRTfcnLgD_2WoEm8iWRrYAZYJ0QFIc4g/w640-h402/IMG_2295.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Built for serious back country work</b></div></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj978jfh7V4YQiLEwuqx60u2ECR2itqvcuIJGyP2W-ugJ5IxkP26wPbeTJGXAD7pU9ObOTenRYJPMxS0nZAyMz90I0Bi3BFfv2_VdbeFWCSFgzo1b96bl3wVVofPH6buqgjthLzLJf6I_NmjmueRMKN7HZQzrsdQD03LRag_w4UD_GKnCYoOEvksFpDrA/s5121/IMG_2301.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3242" data-original-width="5121" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj978jfh7V4YQiLEwuqx60u2ECR2itqvcuIJGyP2W-ugJ5IxkP26wPbeTJGXAD7pU9ObOTenRYJPMxS0nZAyMz90I0Bi3BFfv2_VdbeFWCSFgzo1b96bl3wVVofPH6buqgjthLzLJf6I_NmjmueRMKN7HZQzrsdQD03LRag_w4UD_GKnCYoOEvksFpDrA/w640-h406/IMG_2301.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-align: left;">A line for the unusual or ex</span><span style="text-align: left;">otic</span></span></b></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">With everyone assembled, a London taxi lead off for a parade through town to the display area on the estuary waterfront. Unlike some of the older cars, our MG showed no sign of overheating at the slow pace which was a relief.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhaf7erWByIqAjnPzGhffCwuYN4LODQc0m5RS8o6E8AS-4syKn3KDLJc57m3qUcztPa2p1Bz2LMkien5BMb0c_XGrwft2ffbRsI54Mv_W24b2_6b_KO3MMUcprNsJnwd7M5qmlKp4VjhZ5PIlGyAUBG2Q6sevpmSMn9ZDslLw4F09HaqtDUKWM5sE1eg/s5167/IMG_2314.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3107" data-original-width="5167" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhaf7erWByIqAjnPzGhffCwuYN4LODQc0m5RS8o6E8AS-4syKn3KDLJc57m3qUcztPa2p1Bz2LMkien5BMb0c_XGrwft2ffbRsI54Mv_W24b2_6b_KO3MMUcprNsJnwd7M5qmlKp4VjhZ5PIlGyAUBG2Q6sevpmSMn9ZDslLw4F09HaqtDUKWM5sE1eg/w640-h384/IMG_2314.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>A line up of MG's</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The Scimitar below is what I would have chosen for our classic car but Jennie thought that they were pig ugly, sigh..... No regrets about owning the MG though.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbpf5jGVVj4kMsx28Bj3KzQQdn-7pIqelek9U-I0zr5Vpoe2933S35so43LC5YLq1RiZ9uQ2HQfpOQmIfNyJ92aWoKiWb_L8QavUmb8ll5046oCKoUnH9hx7PnS7HM8378JNaDYWL8WEaF9fcsaj3rQW16PBd6Ms8swdBoeUZfORtG-qqvOxLXGtPu1A/s5156/IMG_2316.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3198" data-original-width="5156" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbpf5jGVVj4kMsx28Bj3KzQQdn-7pIqelek9U-I0zr5Vpoe2933S35so43LC5YLq1RiZ9uQ2HQfpOQmIfNyJ92aWoKiWb_L8QavUmb8ll5046oCKoUnH9hx7PnS7HM8378JNaDYWL8WEaF9fcsaj3rQW16PBd6Ms8swdBoeUZfORtG-qqvOxLXGtPu1A/w640-h396/IMG_2316.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Reliant Scimitar GTE with the Ford 3 litre V6 powerplant</span></b></div></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBjzuVIPI-wCcySmO8dUS3zdDt3QQcR6UPMFfog3byjj1Be4_riCVrreOJO6X8J3tzDDsbpugiH_OC0ssIixJP7eGcHVLlrk-KCKGNBGdoV1BlQ4Rrxy6MDg_OIDG8YYFCPvNavbvr0TL0IjiESbkP1xMot5qORbE7VNS_meoRlyAxjNnVR6Ft7EJuOQ/s5095/IMG_2317.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3229" data-original-width="5095" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBjzuVIPI-wCcySmO8dUS3zdDt3QQcR6UPMFfog3byjj1Be4_riCVrreOJO6X8J3tzDDsbpugiH_OC0ssIixJP7eGcHVLlrk-KCKGNBGdoV1BlQ4Rrxy6MDg_OIDG8YYFCPvNavbvr0TL0IjiESbkP1xMot5qORbE7VNS_meoRlyAxjNnVR6Ft7EJuOQ/w640-h406/IMG_2317.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Fords and original Minis</span></b></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfuWEqqd1CqaE0K5kvNEsYIhZhJvJgsTyPNqPvGqgJgDj3QBRia_e-aHuGZBlpJ6qHJUJSoJ3v_KoRdcXtLOKOKr87dtxGfgjJflQjiK8KtS6jGL2LearapwSZect2CPqv53rwyb8El3QzNrMM6ZwmdzfNG4iVcQNd-mhzUctE0wK4SSrJFagawyD_Zw/s5184/IMG_2300.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3178" data-original-width="5184" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfuWEqqd1CqaE0K5kvNEsYIhZhJvJgsTyPNqPvGqgJgDj3QBRia_e-aHuGZBlpJ6qHJUJSoJ3v_KoRdcXtLOKOKr87dtxGfgjJflQjiK8KtS6jGL2LearapwSZect2CPqv53rwyb8El3QzNrMM6ZwmdzfNG4iVcQNd-mhzUctE0wK4SSrJFagawyD_Zw/w640-h392/IMG_2300.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A Morris delivery van - notice the Ace of Spades cutouts on the mags!</b></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXW6cUHXgXzc3bfIXCdioCReKAHOHCKUXPwhOGozjimwsFqWfWY0FJlqdKxeLDB-e9I_VPl4oTgSqcOIdTBq1Vtgp8vulJ27wNWJVwQyHK3Eyf3ly8z_K6OH9ryumEqYHVDDUIM6Bi2Apm52AFyEJYWYhvZ066H3iBj4TwwUFB2wh5dc6bO36KlXYEw/s5127/IMG_2319.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2964" data-original-width="5127" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXW6cUHXgXzc3bfIXCdioCReKAHOHCKUXPwhOGozjimwsFqWfWY0FJlqdKxeLDB-e9I_VPl4oTgSqcOIdTBq1Vtgp8vulJ27wNWJVwQyHK3Eyf3ly8z_K6OH9ryumEqYHVDDUIM6Bi2Apm52AFyEJYWYhvZ066H3iBj4TwwUFB2wh5dc6bO36KlXYEw/w640-h370/IMG_2319.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A Bristol and Jowett Javelin</b></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfBqkhxxW2SzUv9qc-7AaYTVG3ypVKaraUOE81YUTEociuecrliWlfXZ6YJx_wuzBuKJOy8pgyk_1nlFKnQ6tXKwkJcZxceQVIHu4hg82BhpMPM6MB3MschQaeKeXLlGL1668priaINPOnrdW2O2d65LML_Ysrjr8QCICYKoFItVXcYC1PVzmUdj8JoQ/s4924/IMG_2322.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4924" data-original-width="3545" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfBqkhxxW2SzUv9qc-7AaYTVG3ypVKaraUOE81YUTEociuecrliWlfXZ6YJx_wuzBuKJOy8pgyk_1nlFKnQ6tXKwkJcZxceQVIHu4hg82BhpMPM6MB3MschQaeKeXLlGL1668priaINPOnrdW2O2d65LML_Ysrjr8QCICYKoFItVXcYC1PVzmUdj8JoQ/w460-h640/IMG_2322.JPG" width="460" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Alvis TC21 Grey Lady - a stunning restoration</b></div></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKCtWKV_q3CP3TniZt3jvyfy7qQz-Pnw3TbD_qwqOP5reWa06JahkvxqvQMLTeCirGXKFhIdfRbgO7hbzleRm-CleFr-IlR_wYKPsB7vTRLS026gyIfa4m8YlT6NGMKnf4Wwtk30vMckSfY0QVhKa6IFnzJesUUIJULyN2DYsf26KyHqq2yh2o0g8OEw/s5156/IMG_2325.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3251" data-original-width="5156" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKCtWKV_q3CP3TniZt3jvyfy7qQz-Pnw3TbD_qwqOP5reWa06JahkvxqvQMLTeCirGXKFhIdfRbgO7hbzleRm-CleFr-IlR_wYKPsB7vTRLS026gyIfa4m8YlT6NGMKnf4Wwtk30vMckSfY0QVhKa6IFnzJesUUIJULyN2DYsf26KyHqq2yh2o0g8OEw/w640-h404/IMG_2325.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Rover P5B - one of my personal favourites</b></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The following car won the "best classic restoration" popular vote. It's a Daimler SP250 with the V8 Daimler 2.5 litre motor. The restoration was breathtaking and I'd hate to think about the total restoration cost. It would be easy to say that it looked brand new but it wasn't. Nothing that came off a mass production line could look that good.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6t-MNc_9sfUpDlRXwPM5UbcoJx2WxT_OMQI7qiubhf3EU0liVLn1_-pLkbtTSJ2KnlsWEEko-JtFm0mPmOulw9SvP31tqHdAndirquNUAyAVugRmJR--PN85bOdk_Qt5UZBFxExacKYf8JwqfjG_LXBfehc2KLhXa0J2_ffqKDevE5AC2vdlF1apAg/s4716/IMG_2321.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4716" data-original-width="3830" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6t-MNc_9sfUpDlRXwPM5UbcoJx2WxT_OMQI7qiubhf3EU0liVLn1_-pLkbtTSJ2KnlsWEEko-JtFm0mPmOulw9SvP31tqHdAndirquNUAyAVugRmJR--PN85bOdk_Qt5UZBFxExacKYf8JwqfjG_LXBfehc2KLhXa0J2_ffqKDevE5AC2vdlF1apAg/w520-h640/IMG_2321.JPG" width="520" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Daimler SP250</span></b></div></b><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The following photo was taken in front of the vintage Rolls Royce. The owners had 4 Rolls of different ages and were an absolute delight. They were staying at the same motel as us and offered to take Jennie and Sue for a drive in it but unfortunately, time was against us.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtJOWNOu_MeR9DauDSy50oLsFiSMnFDhSEeRZFWWOUp5x8yfWkpG2-7gDkgfp7mZ5h4syHNrAbnSHmrSe3OQGTNdqjNo3JPU5VxMlhr0fzzAedX09P0nxg_hQphkZa8yPexj5g_Rx9XlI48lMh_naVY_aNqUCSkcsNtwpXy-ARE4Pmdqf9eK-8uleog/s2592/IMG_2323.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1561" data-original-width="2592" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtJOWNOu_MeR9DauDSy50oLsFiSMnFDhSEeRZFWWOUp5x8yfWkpG2-7gDkgfp7mZ5h4syHNrAbnSHmrSe3OQGTNdqjNo3JPU5VxMlhr0fzzAedX09P0nxg_hQphkZa8yPexj5g_Rx9XlI48lMh_naVY_aNqUCSkcsNtwpXy-ARE4Pmdqf9eK-8uleog/w640-h386/IMG_2323.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Jennie, me and Jennie's sister Sue going upmarket with the Rollers</span></b></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><p>That's just a sample of the many photos taken. We were really impressed with the organisation and the laid back atmosphere. Other owners were totally approachable and no cliques. I guess that's the Kiwi way. That evening, there was to be a live music show and the following morning, a "bonnets up" followed by fish and chips. However, with the cyclone approaching and a real risk of not being able to get home due to landslips and flooding, we decided to head straight home. A memorable couple of days though. The following photo is part of a road we travelled on to drive home from the car festival. Less than 24 hours later, this is what it looked like. The couple in the photo had just had their car break down.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKFWbxbMtPPUnN-5mE5-lZs7Ue5EAZSjaL6UBpdJTTiThLHQ2yZdBYe7_LMknViNpIeeL_E0cpatVp8mnju5CDJ_UaYw-vqvbUGWNJR0USkDhN1VDSqU--ocpR704JsC28-946e_PDO5tVU1PQAFhtY4PaK5pN2DOC3HbOXISRFvIc7WqC_RyDkwYqg/s1737/Coromandel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1737" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKFWbxbMtPPUnN-5mE5-lZs7Ue5EAZSjaL6UBpdJTTiThLHQ2yZdBYe7_LMknViNpIeeL_E0cpatVp8mnju5CDJ_UaYw-vqvbUGWNJR0USkDhN1VDSqU--ocpR704JsC28-946e_PDO5tVU1PQAFhtY4PaK5pN2DOC3HbOXISRFvIc7WqC_RyDkwYqg/w640-h298/Coromandel.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Floodwaters on the Coromandel Peninsula</b> (source: NZ Herald)</div><p>Well, Gabrielle has passed over us and you can read in the mainline press about the devastation it's caused to parts of the north island. From a personal viewpoint, I guess you could say that we dodged a bullet. Our decision to skip the final half day of the car festival was the right one as heavy winds and rain started not long after getting home and some of the roads we travelled on became impassable in the night due to slips and floods. We're currently cut off from the rest of the north island as are many other peninsula communities. Plenty of food and work to do clearing wind-borne debris so that's ok.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPld395F6L8LK8XUp8VjqXCKbUbsnMZ34qmg_Fge2k9H1PIRtEnbOJtnRcevS4zdUW2qk96OIRspSSt3wFk48TU3XSX6atWlPBqKb3hiZ7AVdh11o_Rhc_KD3Oh9GpLEvbfJQC42z9dMzPgSgi_OEiv-NZdIS9Mbn7Usf8DoRTwNmDX7j8BzQxLXAuXA/s5184/IMG_2330.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPld395F6L8LK8XUp8VjqXCKbUbsnMZ34qmg_Fge2k9H1PIRtEnbOJtnRcevS4zdUW2qk96OIRspSSt3wFk48TU3XSX6atWlPBqKb3hiZ7AVdh11o_Rhc_KD3Oh9GpLEvbfJQC42z9dMzPgSgi_OEiv-NZdIS9Mbn7Usf8DoRTwNmDX7j8BzQxLXAuXA/w640-h480/IMG_2330.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Wind starting to knock our neighbour's palm trees around</b></div> <p></p><p>Yesterday was pretty scary as Gabrielle approached with high winds and torrential rain. During a lull and having no power for over 12 hours, I ventured out in the 4x4 to get a feel for what was happening in our locality. Had to negotiate 2 downed trees not far from our driveway.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-F1DJNPSSHIZJ6ArDEk4ix2SXwQ9fo1RKpww4WTxQEmjnavhrUTXkYFP9HGkzYy-HAWmeyQjYniUaR10r1F_ZdL3H__WBm-jqGqdPTFfTMwVb8H2la0hmsrOI0yGKMgQy6o7bzv2X8TrY_0InSJDmBJcMfnWAgjtnTcxbg1K-J4omVXEhCnOuXWGZQ/s5184/IMG_2331.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-F1DJNPSSHIZJ6ArDEk4ix2SXwQ9fo1RKpww4WTxQEmjnavhrUTXkYFP9HGkzYy-HAWmeyQjYniUaR10r1F_ZdL3H__WBm-jqGqdPTFfTMwVb8H2la0hmsrOI0yGKMgQy6o7bzv2X8TrY_0InSJDmBJcMfnWAgjtnTcxbg1K-J4omVXEhCnOuXWGZQ/w640-h480/IMG_2331.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Just hoping that the rest of the tree doesn't land on me</b></div><p>At the end of the road where we launch our boat was the sight of our friend's (and fellow classic car owners) yacht having broken its mooring and ending up on the beach. Fortunately, it doesn't appear to have been badly damaged but will need to be slipped to do a proper examination.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuhzGL9HDIVHrkUsV_s9mza8lCTAxtlCNObfDB0v0GR-pCO59Jy76K8O16r_8iv4RZqYDTBDGgj5o26UDNFr6uDnihOUkyZKBJSE7ZvdoDC0Kzb62ZOP-ORhSILE4Z52WwvpOXf8zeojHT-A4pr8pySuiahT3RfDfs827yM9BKq51TckSb1sVU30K1Eg/s4901/IMG_2333.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3143" data-original-width="4901" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuhzGL9HDIVHrkUsV_s9mza8lCTAxtlCNObfDB0v0GR-pCO59Jy76K8O16r_8iv4RZqYDTBDGgj5o26UDNFr6uDnihOUkyZKBJSE7ZvdoDC0Kzb62ZOP-ORhSILE4Z52WwvpOXf8zeojHT-A4pr8pySuiahT3RfDfs827yM9BKq51TckSb1sVU30K1Eg/w640-h410/IMG_2333.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Not a sight that anyone wants to see - a beached keel boat</b></div></b><p>The next photo maybe shows that an arty shot is possible despite the conditions. A row of mailboxes on our street with waves piling in from behind.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7GC0CAEPpSVansktpOX2mnAhR0HRE8lzsNLOdSe3l7Fc2ANAKW9SHJcrK5pxwyFYk11P_DMFpEqG6Rx58Lj9__W14cgnt2gkheNW_t4k-qem4_ORsQnlIIED6knwpFFUBYGE7AJ3SDMEiXX1GAFMiLxO-3rN0IxHkAfaG_W57qOs5cif5e62S9mrnfw/s4440/IMG_2336.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2873" data-original-width="4440" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7GC0CAEPpSVansktpOX2mnAhR0HRE8lzsNLOdSe3l7Fc2ANAKW9SHJcrK5pxwyFYk11P_DMFpEqG6Rx58Lj9__W14cgnt2gkheNW_t4k-qem4_ORsQnlIIED6knwpFFUBYGE7AJ3SDMEiXX1GAFMiLxO-3rN0IxHkAfaG_W57qOs5cif5e62S9mrnfw/w640-h414/IMG_2336.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Murky conditions</b></div><p>Next, it was round to the village wharf which is just a few hundred metres from home as the crow flies. There was a local yacht with the jib torn to pieces. I'm wondering whether the wind was so strong that it unfurled itself and just flogged itself to bits. Not cheap to replace.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC-0Lbne6kr9n_HcpSyZHa-NcRi7S39llQBen1YcrOY0Mz9XZn9fmbDDBaJSqmy7R72XTFL3JJEO3FNHb6b8D7DkYgor4yAZQKp-CpeUH53lyrdybFyit9wbGbPTlRLjkZ-SW6boRHYUr7nA7zjNAx0Kzh0arGDgYQy2TZya3NSY6UMTk7lKfncK9Xuw/s4752/IMG_2337.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3875" data-original-width="4752" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC-0Lbne6kr9n_HcpSyZHa-NcRi7S39llQBen1YcrOY0Mz9XZn9fmbDDBaJSqmy7R72XTFL3JJEO3FNHb6b8D7DkYgor4yAZQKp-CpeUH53lyrdybFyit9wbGbPTlRLjkZ-SW6boRHYUr7nA7zjNAx0Kzh0arGDgYQy2TZya3NSY6UMTk7lKfncK9Xuw/w640-h522/IMG_2337.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Yet more damage to local yachts</b></div><p>I was going to drive to the end of the wharf but the wind had picked up and was driving waves over the wharf so discretion was the better part of valour. One of the mussel harvesting boats was getting pounded by the beam-on wind and rain.</p></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSNjnto2b2t_26xZIt-9oyqrifaNXSW7_xJCbvPf8nElKALhgi0Kuh4yyF0f2TA0SbTLhsDf9n3AJi0fe_3gj9WXkGca2A9vQLYxPF429GcbuRlC92smza4YWI-VMAfkioVAUcxg4cDXsGvsD6rNxQVKhc06bz1rLkAsiqPJv9BEjy2MjYx9vGfuav1A/s3174/IMG_2338.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2512" data-original-width="3174" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSNjnto2b2t_26xZIt-9oyqrifaNXSW7_xJCbvPf8nElKALhgi0Kuh4yyF0f2TA0SbTLhsDf9n3AJi0fe_3gj9WXkGca2A9vQLYxPF429GcbuRlC92smza4YWI-VMAfkioVAUcxg4cDXsGvsD6rNxQVKhc06bz1rLkAsiqPJv9BEjy2MjYx9vGfuav1A/w640-h506/IMG_2338.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The Phoenix getting hammered</span></b></div></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">A quick return home to prepare for the worst part of Gabrielle. I must admit that the main worry was losing our roof but fortunately, our neighbour's trees helped to diffuse the worst of the gusts. We live on the side of a hill so flooding wasn't a concern apart from the risk of flooding in the basement garage if the drain outside couldn't handle biblical bursts of rain.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">At 2am today, I woke to howling winds and the aforementioned biblical rain. A quick inspection revealed that some rain had got in but dumping a load of towels inside the garage door took care of that. A mad dash outside clad only in boxers to remove wind-blown vegetation from the drain mouth resulted in a good soaking which really wakes one up at that time of the morning! Probably a sight best unseen. At least the drainage improvements in the garden after the last garage flooding fiasco several years ago has clearly worked. With 400 mm of rain having fallen in the last 24 hours, we got off lightly by comparison with many in the north of the North Island.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Mother Nature always has the capacity to remind us of who calls the shots but whether mankind will do anything to live in a more sustainable manner is anyone's guess.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCpAvFWvm6pY7Tts3cbsNgbjjMHD0wwTXxxLwKRMX3T2o1qCUZFKCQZ2MNNJHSHRGMV36nYG9zpcFAAd58JxKKUQL-kxP7wsHWNrsXbH1nnU6EMC9H00URGu-nKUql56msQy2XRNKP_94VVDAzjpV8TsI2g_NSnvMs41g3_FfiE6cIbwglgNDrY6HsoQ/s3027/20230214_112109.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1953" data-original-width="3027" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCpAvFWvm6pY7Tts3cbsNgbjjMHD0wwTXxxLwKRMX3T2o1qCUZFKCQZ2MNNJHSHRGMV36nYG9zpcFAAd58JxKKUQL-kxP7wsHWNrsXbH1nnU6EMC9H00URGu-nKUql56msQy2XRNKP_94VVDAzjpV8TsI2g_NSnvMs41g3_FfiE6cIbwglgNDrY6HsoQ/w640-h412/20230214_112109.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Sodden towels, anyone?</span></b></div></b><p></p><p><br /></p>Geoff Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041523109817248619noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4341114511830074977.post-16278074533906184532023-02-06T16:01:00.005+13:002023-02-06T16:02:21.689+13:00The shape of things to come<p><span style="font-size: medium;">Since we returned from a holiday in Australia just before New Year, the north island of New Zealand has copped 3 biblical-sized storms causing widespread flooding, damage from landslides and sadly, loss of life. Australia's east coast has been similarly affected in previous years. The La Nina weather phenomenon has added to the problem by channeling "atmospheric rivers" of moisture from the already-warm oceans in the tropics to our shores.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We live on the Coromandel Peninsula east of Auckland. It has a relatively small population and is noted for its natural beauty with stunning beaches and an inland mountain range. The 200-odd km long road which runs along the edge of the peninsula, State Highway 25; is also known as the Coro Loop. It's a paradise for motorcyclists - twisty and technical.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBeTJHqh50oRAVbdUVlRwDbh75J5gr0jPQgv08RPpkU85MSiy3VA_fm0kQmF_CS9X9TCL_N07l8IU99X9airBh93N0iVFx6rUHBKfNjq25rpW_r6xQSQSYQ1pe2E7z2Hv0ScdH1h3KAPvkTn30baSLsqhYJ6gYnL-_j6jtiYvsuKmfXyhE0gY1tJk-yw/s1266/Coromandel%20map.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1266" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBeTJHqh50oRAVbdUVlRwDbh75J5gr0jPQgv08RPpkU85MSiy3VA_fm0kQmF_CS9X9TCL_N07l8IU99X9airBh93N0iVFx6rUHBKfNjq25rpW_r6xQSQSYQ1pe2E7z2Hv0ScdH1h3KAPvkTn30baSLsqhYJ6gYnL-_j6jtiYvsuKmfXyhE0gY1tJk-yw/w640-h524/Coromandel%20map.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Coromandel Peninsula</b></div></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">As well as flooding, the Coromandel roads are also subject to landslides and we've been cut off from the rest of the north island for a day or two each time a big storm hits. A few years ago, it was for 2 weeks. The storm a few days ago wreaked absolute havoc on both Auckland and Coromandel. From memory, about 300mm of rain fell in the Coromandel area during the first week of February, breaking all kinds of records.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The most serious road damage was to the road at the southern end of the peninsula which essentially runs west-east between Kopu and Hikuai, south of Tairua. It also happens to be the main route for both commercial traffic and the public needing access to and from the eastern seaboard. Here's a photo of the damage - the whole hillside has slipped into the valley. Deciding how to repair or divert the road is not going to have an easy solution and will take months at the very least. The significantly longer, slow alternative access route will carry a heavy economic and social cost.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwkuw1XkD0tPnvNXqkGw1macjCYUp4hhSN98Yt9adKU1HklU0jAIyMP7M3KiyDvZPErPRAQxfUF_-UjObL_-SHxdUPZxfSRB1LN6UXkUQzgln8A2rryn2sezKHAEXkK0BwGr3A2RuHDVyi7lzgXQvfRaTspVqXOb_wnBtkKYtoPlFw9QWuaFU1MZllwA/s1536/SH25A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1048" data-original-width="1536" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwkuw1XkD0tPnvNXqkGw1macjCYUp4hhSN98Yt9adKU1HklU0jAIyMP7M3KiyDvZPErPRAQxfUF_-UjObL_-SHxdUPZxfSRB1LN6UXkUQzgln8A2rryn2sezKHAEXkK0BwGr3A2RuHDVyi7lzgXQvfRaTspVqXOb_wnBtkKYtoPlFw9QWuaFU1MZllwA/w640-h436/SH25A.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">State Highway 25A - Coromandel Peninsula</b> (NZTA)</div> </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivtM4pszWPnlx7HhhQLahjopMah2xulH3QzDEAtnQDzPChbso1riZe1PRq0Zb1eB2NtdNkQJS1dDrvgeSxNNBwqSpret8Biz6m2RQjlN2WdRqw5cpAtLKmNjCs5O4AAYzj1lzXu7djC97sw7UeR12wdRl5LBn9KQqLruQq_39NmRIWxAPnZ7pHOdtGAA/s1420/25%20a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="1420" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivtM4pszWPnlx7HhhQLahjopMah2xulH3QzDEAtnQDzPChbso1riZe1PRq0Zb1eB2NtdNkQJS1dDrvgeSxNNBwqSpret8Biz6m2RQjlN2WdRqw5cpAtLKmNjCs5O4AAYzj1lzXu7djC97sw7UeR12wdRl5LBn9KQqLruQq_39NmRIWxAPnZ7pHOdtGAA/w640-h360/25%20a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The landslide on SH 25A gets bigger</b> (NZTA)</div></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Although I rode this road regularly on my motorcycle, we don't need to travel on it to get off the peninsula, using the western coast road to Thames instead. This is where everything recently turned to custard!</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The western road runs along the shoreline of the Firth of Thames with the mountains rising directly from the road edge in many places. We regularly get small slips in wet weather but they normally don't have a major impact. This time, it was a beauty at Ruamahanga Bay which cut us off for several days. Here are the photos and a video link showing part of the landslide. The traffic was a bit close to it for my liking!</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYOYjOA_sJbqCHEmFB8Z8Hp2N7afk5CKN2S3GW3mNRhoi0iTUipQ08YSXXZgJaL56IT7lm9dM8rruMdfvehoABfpLNPMTg4u7vA595FVEsk2oDOp9a4xAJDZojOPqteOX1Il4qNNJ2KHNp7E1QYPQX2OBVH7x06ga_oKnRXOUKJmD6--jTcMIWDts16A/s1856/Thames%20coast%203.jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1272" data-original-width="1856" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYOYjOA_sJbqCHEmFB8Z8Hp2N7afk5CKN2S3GW3mNRhoi0iTUipQ08YSXXZgJaL56IT7lm9dM8rruMdfvehoABfpLNPMTg4u7vA595FVEsk2oDOp9a4xAJDZojOPqteOX1Il4qNNJ2KHNp7E1QYPQX2OBVH7x06ga_oKnRXOUKJmD6--jTcMIWDts16A/w640-h438/Thames%20coast%203.jpg.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Landslide blocking the Thames-Coromandel Coast Road </b></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Snapper Express Fishing Charters)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuT-_cf50Mw_IAWAIba78xs9xANauEGWHS4kpLcyngUqDm856JiucS-de9R50ZUGX-GmO03AqCJUNYN_oGqI_4p-gIBTB27mWszW__tHNc85FSoyQjyAqzUDqSHdorJaYDva42k8mRMWIIi9cb3e8aoFK6M-Jt6QptG8m-x6GeyJDb7bUVIro3drdbmA/s1024/Thames%20coast%20road%201-gigapixel-standard-scale-0_50x.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="857" data-original-width="1024" height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuT-_cf50Mw_IAWAIba78xs9xANauEGWHS4kpLcyngUqDm856JiucS-de9R50ZUGX-GmO03AqCJUNYN_oGqI_4p-gIBTB27mWszW__tHNc85FSoyQjyAqzUDqSHdorJaYDva42k8mRMWIIi9cb3e8aoFK6M-Jt6QptG8m-x6GeyJDb7bUVIro3drdbmA/w640-h536/Thames%20coast%20road%201-gigapixel-standard-scale-0_50x.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">Clearing the debris</b> (press photo)</div><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Y9Ynfyh27O4" width="320" youtube-src-id="Y9Ynfyh27O4"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Rockfall live (NZ Herald)</span></b></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The cleanup crews did a fantastic job which is just as well as we had to pick up my sister in law at Auckland airport. The only alternative route via the east of the peninsula would have stretched the travel time from 2.5 hours to 4.5 hours! </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Our property is on a hill overlooking Coromandel Harbour. We're safe from flooding but there's probably a small risk of us sliding into the harbour as part of a landslide. In the coming years but hopefully not in our lifetime, we stand a good chance of being cut off from the village because the causeway leading to the property isn't much above sea level. Coastal erosion is a world wide issue. Sadly, there aren't any strong indications of urgency by any of the world governments in taking the tough but necessary steps to address the matter. It's a bitter enough pill to swallow for my generation but the future impact on our kids and grandkids doesn't bear contemplating. Let's hope that they have a better focus on ensuring a good future for mankind than our current leaders do. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Oh, and watch this space...... there's another tropical cyclone brewing in the South Pacific which might drift down this way in about a week. In the meantime, we'll look forward to a few days of sun!</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>Geoff Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041523109817248619noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4341114511830074977.post-51013862636509507162022-12-31T12:57:00.007+13:002023-04-11T09:01:13.230+12:002022 - Ringing the changes<p><span style="font-size: medium;">It's the time of the year when many moto bloggers traditionally review the previous 12 months. For me, it was a significant time for several reasons - stopping motorcycling and meeting some people for the first time that I'd corresponded with for well over a decade to name but a couple of things. I've noted some items which had the greatest personal impact, accompanied by previously unpublished photos where appropriate. </span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">January</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Retirement as an Examiner with the Institute of Advanced Motorists was on 1st January 2022 after joining in early 2011. My standard of riding when first joining fell woefully short of the UK Police Roadcraft standard which was used to assess my skills at that time. The Chief Examiner called them "Opportunities for Improvement". He was right, but he could have said that I was crap and put myself at risk - I wouldn't have been offended as that's what joining was for. Passing my Advanced Test, then the Observer (mentor/instructor) Test and finally becoming an Examiner over those years were all something I didn't think I was capable of. Awarded Life Membership of IAM in 2021 which still doesn't sit particularly comfortably. Being able to pass those skills on to others gave enormous satisfaction and has also enabled me to safely extend my driving as I age - all part of the plan. No downside at all. I still find myself assessing other road users which is a useful way of staying safe. Unless of course, it's a loved one. In that case, better to keep one's mouth shut or risk death.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRoxBEgn-8jNlEkBTFlZcmEhMuimPK82Zq6_u5Gt7GSoFMSGOC7xQh2jJy24HIpI2kPLnS_o7wtUCy2rpLBuzdftiqk1d8E-WaFolb1w67AWSq3ID7ZTkbotHWU5Wqc9MukT_ZnzagoUMM2zz8uJn-T_RbaapPTS8pACklqKbWHqXUx0kP98w9a2QcKQ/s3997/IMG_1891.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3997" data-original-width="3074" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRoxBEgn-8jNlEkBTFlZcmEhMuimPK82Zq6_u5Gt7GSoFMSGOC7xQh2jJy24HIpI2kPLnS_o7wtUCy2rpLBuzdftiqk1d8E-WaFolb1w67AWSq3ID7ZTkbotHWU5Wqc9MukT_ZnzagoUMM2zz8uJn-T_RbaapPTS8pACklqKbWHqXUx0kP98w9a2QcKQ/w492-h640/IMG_1891.JPG" width="492" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The KTM 790 - a real hoot!</span></b></div></b><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>February/March</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Near as dammit to 58 years since riding my first motorcycle. During that time, I'd done tons of road riding, successfully campaigned a drag bike, enjoyed some track days, done some trail riding and raised my personal riding competence. Still loved riding but there was nothing new I wanted to achieve. For some years, I'd had highly productive discussions with Australian moto blogger Jules Pearce of <a href="https://tarsnakes.net/">Tarsnakes</a> fame and eminent American motorcycle safety author David Hough about the ageing motorcyclist and appropriate strategies. Approaching 75, I decided to retire from motorcycling whilst near the top of my game, rather than being forced to by declining health or competence. All the planning over the previous decade made the decision surprisingly easy. </span>It might have been different if motorcycling was the only passion but I had some strong fallback interests to build on plus a new one in the wings, so to speak.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSWDJrAFlNGb4jebatnqpljU1dt8yYXLZ4KXps_0CE7hBiSavFi-z3rC3HlUsGBxmkyrPWn5RQqDeh9kBPYwp5cJqkHw9-3nfA06WW6zN3dnZyI6eMM0K2w9ptOgzp1mvXCBq0xQsSlPJX8ElNQOp-K13xGLW36fPl04-Z1QL5Ls1oQq-55ZLA-Dh_aQ/s2016/IAM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="2016" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSWDJrAFlNGb4jebatnqpljU1dt8yYXLZ4KXps_0CE7hBiSavFi-z3rC3HlUsGBxmkyrPWn5RQqDeh9kBPYwp5cJqkHw9-3nfA06WW6zN3dnZyI6eMM0K2w9ptOgzp1mvXCBq0xQsSlPJX8ElNQOp-K13xGLW36fPl04-Z1QL5Ls1oQq-55ZLA-Dh_aQ/w640-h360/IAM.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A social outing with great friends</span></b></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><p>In early March, the KTM was advertised for sale and I was amazed at the considerable positive demand. The first caller was the owner of a motorcycle business I'd used to service my bikes for decades. International supply chain issues were impacting on their ability to procure bikes for sale. He offered what I was asking and the deal was done. That last ride to the dealer was unsentimental, probably because of all the preparatory thinking and planning for retirement over multiple years. All done and onto the next stage of life. Well, I still have my riding gear, helmet, comms units and so on to get rid of but no urgency!</p><p><b>April</b></p><p>With the bike gone, it was time to put some effort into the maintenance of our 1972 MGB GT. Overall, it was in superb condition but the twin SU carbs were showing their age. They were sent to an Auckland classic car specialist for a full rebuild. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP6bOFPW-kEP68KqEE2sA6xncV802vO1wEgwqiO9X7d1_1a4brfu6sZUJx4kKcNYKl9ohNeZASGchOsO3GEr2xuEp7eZrfsLve25O32CHrxBXfB0oJ0_gJpRsfqdHEyh35A_r4BzzCshh-MKiL8kJvBnqSrOmhVjFtqYAAy85X2Bbn4W5IdboG2pvePQ/s2016/SU%20carb%20brace.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="2016" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP6bOFPW-kEP68KqEE2sA6xncV802vO1wEgwqiO9X7d1_1a4brfu6sZUJx4kKcNYKl9ohNeZASGchOsO3GEr2xuEp7eZrfsLve25O32CHrxBXfB0oJ0_gJpRsfqdHEyh35A_r4BzzCshh-MKiL8kJvBnqSrOmhVjFtqYAAy85X2Bbn4W5IdboG2pvePQ/w640-h360/SU%20carb%20brace.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Carbs locked together to stop linkages flying apart during removal</b></div></b><p>The rebuild was a tad over NZ$1000 - would it be value for money? The difference was like night and day! Much easier to start and heaps more bottom end and mid-range power - great result!</p><p>A nice photo opportunity also presented itself. My mate Paul had successfully bid on a 1971 Seeley G50 Matchless ultra lightweight racebike being auctioned online by Bonhams in the UK during the pandemic. It had been raced by well-known UK rider Dave Croxford. Shipping delays and then having it restored in NZ meant that he had only recently taken delivery of the finished bike. Here's a photo of Paul's 51 year old Seeley Matchless alongside our 50 year old MGB GT.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH9Zjbb4MEEWLXtcWo4bTFgjs7Jtj3jlYxwjhBQe9Ye7_V4wMfAtAgLWnnutQ_DLxlyWQArdg1dxGqPbqiOQthm-9u3eHRzgZI7B74MKBPBuVYhdH_EDZAxLP5lsh6U7KXpY9DGAsWz5R5QqrFLgra7Rewv7LlW1nZQh1KSHISluy-q9G76N86NOjV0w/s4032/Paul%20Seeley%20Apr%2022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH9Zjbb4MEEWLXtcWo4bTFgjs7Jtj3jlYxwjhBQe9Ye7_V4wMfAtAgLWnnutQ_DLxlyWQArdg1dxGqPbqiOQthm-9u3eHRzgZI7B74MKBPBuVYhdH_EDZAxLP5lsh6U7KXpY9DGAsWz5R5QqrFLgra7Rewv7LlW1nZQh1KSHISluy-q9G76N86NOjV0w/w640-h360/Paul%20Seeley%20Apr%2022.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Two classics from the same era</b></div></b></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><p><b>May</b></p><p>Good weather offered Jennie and I the chance for some fishing from our runabout and we were able to re-stock the freezer with some nice snapper. Honours were even for a change, even though she traditionally catches more. Gracious about it? No way!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi09kqKxv6jLQvzBy_puQz-XV91WlwWqKIs3ouuypkWKcp-b9Fm1V-jEVXI0t6JK2vdygCZawSesrDAW5B6oOiK-bExBpStBALt52nFVR2OMGCpHbLghf1MyuG_meKfy8ba0Bbs6RKTAKUr5g42S4UdA4fcw2AMJvKkfYsp5C080fcEQrXjRBDVv43e9Q/s2016/Fishing1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="2016" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi09kqKxv6jLQvzBy_puQz-XV91WlwWqKIs3ouuypkWKcp-b9Fm1V-jEVXI0t6JK2vdygCZawSesrDAW5B6oOiK-bExBpStBALt52nFVR2OMGCpHbLghf1MyuG_meKfy8ba0Bbs6RKTAKUr5g42S4UdA4fcw2AMJvKkfYsp5C080fcEQrXjRBDVv43e9Q/w640-h360/Fishing1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>A spectacular day just outside Coromandel Harbour</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj785_a8E0gudeWNEfmmzh-iE9DuvF_RGRn3Exo73zuyklcggPl9HVp4K3hoJYod84NOyrmhKG8kqxua3bIwG-zNQoOnZdmE2GM7xqq9aezbd2mTW7-cPXoagRXC437F2kuupkcMF_HiOlfXTgyR_a8y6MpEEwsDoWQyWUuFA1ltj50nMR4tzyyZiqOjA/s2016/Fishing%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="2016" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj785_a8E0gudeWNEfmmzh-iE9DuvF_RGRn3Exo73zuyklcggPl9HVp4K3hoJYod84NOyrmhKG8kqxua3bIwG-zNQoOnZdmE2GM7xqq9aezbd2mTW7-cPXoagRXC437F2kuupkcMF_HiOlfXTgyR_a8y6MpEEwsDoWQyWUuFA1ltj50nMR4tzyyZiqOjA/w640-h360/Fishing%204.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>That's dinner taken care of!</b></div></b><p>I'd procrastinated for decades about having a couple of watches restored which sat at the bottom of a drawer. One was an Omega wristwatch owned since I was 21. The other was a pocket watch and chain given to me by my maternal grandfather. Time to spring into action as we'd recently discovered an elderly watchmaker who was prepared to restore them. There was quite an international search to find parts which were no longer manufactured but finally, they were both ready. Collection was surprisingly emotional because of the memories associated with them. Wonderful how inanimate objects trigger forgotten memories eh? An unexpected surprise was the valuation which the watchmaker put on them. Quite a shock actually and they'll be heirloom items for our adult kids. Hopefully, not for a good many years!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifvztirO5uxneL4SJqiaRw633Q7RKSo9J02-bTW699u7UzbFT3aJv8WGa-dcleUbhA1s10xOAU8T4LJayRU-Q-kECniUf_RQ0u59LXo3RDQ3xeKWUpYI0a95IVa14VNFqP10d2hEIP1Ya2pIq-ttNncFWPvcJnGSM6UBHnxnJ4E-itzz9cLQeFk6G-8w/s640/Watches.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifvztirO5uxneL4SJqiaRw633Q7RKSo9J02-bTW699u7UzbFT3aJv8WGa-dcleUbhA1s10xOAU8T4LJayRU-Q-kECniUf_RQ0u59LXo3RDQ3xeKWUpYI0a95IVa14VNFqP10d2hEIP1Ya2pIq-ttNncFWPvcJnGSM6UBHnxnJ4E-itzz9cLQeFk6G-8w/w400-h640/Watches.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Memories are made of these....</b></div></b><p><b>June</b></p><p>In March, I ordered an e-mountain bike which was delayed due to international supply chain issues. Ordinary cycling (at least to this old geezer) is a challenge on the Coromandel Peninsula as there's stuff-all flat land near us. Getting an e-mountain bike would give access to the many off-road trails and help to maintain my fitness. Not everything went to plan though. Although fairly proficient on the dirt, I displayed stunning incompetence on our property. Returning from a ride and catching a shoelace on a serrated pedal right outside our garage saw me hit the deck and break a rib - bugger! No sympathy from Jennie, ego damage for me and no riding for a few weeks.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39ve8A0-Rn9mfah3r3T3p7my7SG9dCNv64p1C2HdrjnL4C7xfdqegynd6WruEwNJgoROjA6qWcpcXpZAs3iZ8ahqU61n3H2rEMk3p57K9aLovwdI98MHkE_avb5k165nZDu-mlljUU3976cDDPxF5UwihpmqQRxOjiZO9CBUcDOaNQ0-XgS5dIVv7Sg/s4032/Tokatea%20Sept%2022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39ve8A0-Rn9mfah3r3T3p7my7SG9dCNv64p1C2HdrjnL4C7xfdqegynd6WruEwNJgoROjA6qWcpcXpZAs3iZ8ahqU61n3H2rEMk3p57K9aLovwdI98MHkE_avb5k165nZDu-mlljUU3976cDDPxF5UwihpmqQRxOjiZO9CBUcDOaNQ0-XgS5dIVv7Sg/w640-h360/Tokatea%20Sept%2022.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Hill climbing on the Giant Talon e+1</b></div></b><p><b>July/August</b></p></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">July saw both high and low achievements. The high was very high - our Golden (50th) wedding anniversary. Still can't believe what a lucky guy I am, not least for Jennie's tolerance and our 3 wonderful adult kids who have clearly inherited their mother's brains and looks.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikH70x2t4tkvgVk128bKubXfavJybBw5sqzvID_95OPnSZFzU2t4Z-PckZHUxaViGOn3Orcy3z2jTf_CRYXzRa-Z1cmEbAv4s_dPAr9lSSIU7_wa6o6Ck6pyPh94IIs2vS_tOhsTT6wjztedShY8th3rVB8hfcNhnDwqhTQVKWtbNJdGysKfZu2wS0PQ/s982/1972-2022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="982" height="514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikH70x2t4tkvgVk128bKubXfavJybBw5sqzvID_95OPnSZFzU2t4Z-PckZHUxaViGOn3Orcy3z2jTf_CRYXzRa-Z1cmEbAv4s_dPAr9lSSIU7_wa6o6Ck6pyPh94IIs2vS_tOhsTT6wjztedShY8th3rVB8hfcNhnDwqhTQVKWtbNJdGysKfZu2wS0PQ/w640-h514/1972-2022.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span> 1972 - Morris 1100 2022 - 1972 MGB GT </span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span>Something special about 1972!</span></b></div></span></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The day after our anniversary celebration lunch with friends and neighbours, I tested positive for Covid and Jennie tested positive the following day. Apparently, we'd picked it up at a pub quiz a few days beforehand. Embarrassingly, about half the people attending the lunch became infected but fortunately, none of us were seriously affected. We had to cancel celebrations with our family scheduled for the following weekend but were able to hold them shortly afterwards. Much of August was spent taking it fairly easy, recovering from Covid and my damaged rib before tackling anything too strenuous.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>September</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It is 60 years since the MGB was first manufactured and there were international celebrations to mark the occasion. We drove to Auckland to take part in a gathering of around 100 cars, representing virtually every year and model type. A great day.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRVOGKpCooX3DjDm88JE2LVfkRF40kDcB8JbMtznGl9cDtRoksKjG3ArCFs8RtLQK4trPL8Ds0r8vekydN8O1WMzgBIA2SKpt_4dM5gg7YsQ8Uv-WGGEme90VkUdHQ_PP9T5V1Gsrus2oO-SkvFfktqF3zRpshIyK7Pc2uHnFBj4FHbcDR7VrPVSUf1w/s1500/20220925_114133.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="1500" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRVOGKpCooX3DjDm88JE2LVfkRF40kDcB8JbMtznGl9cDtRoksKjG3ArCFs8RtLQK4trPL8Ds0r8vekydN8O1WMzgBIA2SKpt_4dM5gg7YsQ8Uv-WGGEme90VkUdHQ_PP9T5V1Gsrus2oO-SkvFfktqF3zRpshIyK7Pc2uHnFBj4FHbcDR7VrPVSUf1w/w640-h360/20220925_114133.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Some of the MGB's on display in Auckland</b></div></span><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I also belong to an international MG internet forum and was told that a photo of our car had been selected for their 2023 MGB calendar, October to be precise. An unexpected and humbling result. This is the photo they chose.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTIhF-l1AKwreiQfBA98egrqd0u5VVy-yJlIcy5JcBKOaUhCX-y5D2BSBbObz3f0vRAr9oWGxwuyoA55cNbHtOrwm52-OTSVfveOb5dyMTxNVZcdkI1JE8Sjx0BKXKf4du_AX_mNYY9Ot7OHlqOy453VlSFtMQVCRc0JFFIqVExu8ZmpyaOaljmO3gYg/s4032/Thames%20coast%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTIhF-l1AKwreiQfBA98egrqd0u5VVy-yJlIcy5JcBKOaUhCX-y5D2BSBbObz3f0vRAr9oWGxwuyoA55cNbHtOrwm52-OTSVfveOb5dyMTxNVZcdkI1JE8Sjx0BKXKf4du_AX_mNYY9Ot7OHlqOy453VlSFtMQVCRc0JFFIqVExu8ZmpyaOaljmO3gYg/w640-h360/Thames%20coast%201.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Miss October" 2023</b></div></span><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>October</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Three notable events this month. The first was that I turned 75 - eek... 3/4 of a century! I guess you're as young as you feel. Jennie once said that it was like living with a 5 year old but I don't think she was referring to youthful looks! I'm just glad that we both enjoy pretty good health and are still active. Also associated with my birthday was a present from my closest friend, Rick in the UK. We'd grown up on motorcycles and Rick is also a classic car owner. He'd managed to find a genuine service and repair manual issued to dealerships for our MGB. So much better than the Haynes manuals in every respect and I was extremely moved to receive such a rare and useful gift.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGaydBnEa7BOwFwhBhhyAi1Btm_UFMDx92G1TKEJz5BG3lk41dO8tPHH734X_V3GkLQkpmGiHBPjbe_nVGnb-O2MZKH0VlbCWXrB86QMroBl3p7v__XdJrcmNbe0Ge4o8BIa-wNh-Y5bKrnW4EP1XjZdZTIE-NhWMLn6EAWASGLTe4dIrkGTxSedWWoQ/s1301/20221230_171258-gigapixel-standard-scale-0_50x.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1301" data-original-width="980" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGaydBnEa7BOwFwhBhhyAi1Btm_UFMDx92G1TKEJz5BG3lk41dO8tPHH734X_V3GkLQkpmGiHBPjbe_nVGnb-O2MZKH0VlbCWXrB86QMroBl3p7v__XdJrcmNbe0Ge4o8BIa-wNh-Y5bKrnW4EP1XjZdZTIE-NhWMLn6EAWASGLTe4dIrkGTxSedWWoQ/w482-h640/20221230_171258-gigapixel-standard-scale-0_50x.jpg" width="482" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Engineering porn - an official MGB service manual </span></b></div></b><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The other noteworthy event was meeting someone from the UK for the first time whom I'd corresponded with for over a decade. A keen motorcyclist, Roy Blunt had been a spectator at drag race meetings back in the 60's which I'd competed in. After coming across the blog, he got in touch and we'd corresponded ever since. Roy and his wife Dawn are classic car enthusiasts, owning a Hillman Imp and a Triumph Spitfire. Covid disrupted their plans to tour NZ but this year, they finally managed an organised tour of Australia and NZ. There was a narrow window in their schedule which allowed us to get together for a few hours mid-point between Coromandel and Auckland, thanks to a member of the NZ Hillman Car Club, Brian Baylis. Brian drove them to the meeting point in his classic Sunbeam Rapier and we all hit it off together with much laughter and irreverence. Wonderful that we'd finally been able to meet and get along so well.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz3PAQTJGD1fJQ0bdcZcJXi22ask5PmYDsBRwI33BxbylHGZm0Iv5t3jfGLtDd-7xnMit6qssSNKkWSJhlZySYCXzg572KHNKMeOlfQn9v_QlBbNhZMGLwOOIpp6RrohaIUg6vEAupfE7Q5prHYzErkEWB1pdSnpNok87I2zSRohiw80h62kO-fNg6jQ/s4032/Kaiaua%20Oct%202022%20large.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz3PAQTJGD1fJQ0bdcZcJXi22ask5PmYDsBRwI33BxbylHGZm0Iv5t3jfGLtDd-7xnMit6qssSNKkWSJhlZySYCXzg572KHNKMeOlfQn9v_QlBbNhZMGLwOOIpp6RrohaIUg6vEAupfE7Q5prHYzErkEWB1pdSnpNok87I2zSRohiw80h62kO-fNg6jQ/w640-h360/Kaiaua%20Oct%202022%20large.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Jennie, Dawn, Roy and Brian at Kaiaua</b></div></span><p><span style="font-size: medium;">A while back, Roy sent me a photo of him sitting on a supercharged Hillman Imp-engined drag bike called Impulse. I knew the original owner from competing at the same meetings. Impulse held a number of records back in the 60's and has recently been restored to its former glory by new owners. Here it is:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Lms6z6ZJldgddQbfR-DnooIXtaS9szlykxcr6O2K76G72hKoz_ptxFl5fEpdjv4zLfnmiNq-OEbIP2wx5l3TIAo2fG_O1jn67EyLkAKg6luWfvwnUqhP9h-YtB3_cdZMRzHrD-whz2IZlhOOhlHPcTjgtwxXNWJjEYw47sIsPDTTdsPmEiAx6AXb6A/s2816/Roy%20Blunt%20on%20Impulse.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2112" data-original-width="2816" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Lms6z6ZJldgddQbfR-DnooIXtaS9szlykxcr6O2K76G72hKoz_ptxFl5fEpdjv4zLfnmiNq-OEbIP2wx5l3TIAo2fG_O1jn67EyLkAKg6luWfvwnUqhP9h-YtB3_cdZMRzHrD-whz2IZlhOOhlHPcTjgtwxXNWJjEYw47sIsPDTTdsPmEiAx6AXb6A/w640-h480/Roy%20Blunt%20on%20Impulse.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">Roy on Impulse</b> <i>(courtesy: Roy Blunt)</i></span></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>November</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Cycling on the e-mountain bike has been a lot of fun, giving access to a lot of out of the way places and keeping me fit, progressively using less power assistance. Despite the enforced layoff due to a broken rib, Covid and a horrendously wet winter; I racked up over 1000 km since the purchase in June. Farkle purchase has been limited to higher quality pedals and a carbon fibre drink holder (just 'cos it looks cool) but need some better cycling shoes for longer rides over summer.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXJuvO25kSgkbkam0-J6iZMByU3yUv8lYz33DWOks46OaGF8reTaGUYSPeWyJ311VWZs7-08CiqbXQdTY2ZUbuM7jSe7GEtAa9ABzrdK6uhNlfpi-sgejc8IbW7i6zSCEQ_h-trhHwjhmyN1hAX_U6z8UZmH1lno1LZl4pM4ddZ4lAQa598mNBdzWXRw/s1719/Buffalo%20Rd%20ford%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1129" data-original-width="1719" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXJuvO25kSgkbkam0-J6iZMByU3yUv8lYz33DWOks46OaGF8reTaGUYSPeWyJ311VWZs7-08CiqbXQdTY2ZUbuM7jSe7GEtAa9ABzrdK6uhNlfpi-sgejc8IbW7i6zSCEQ_h-trhHwjhmyN1hAX_U6z8UZmH1lno1LZl4pM4ddZ4lAQa598mNBdzWXRw/w640-h420/Buffalo%20Rd%20ford%202.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>About to cross a ford in the bush and get a wet arse</b></div></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>December</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Everything seems to have happened in December! We celebrated Jennie's 75th birthday which has stopped her calling me "Old Man" since my 75th in October. Whilst on the classic car theme, here's a photo taken in 1971 with her first car, a Morris Minor. Wonder if it's still about? Probably not, given winter salt on the roads in the UK.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4uloj9-1ZSKDN39GkazUyy_nQhud8JOq1WAmkFDgnwstYxBxLj1iLpCBAoBiwof-SA3Fb2HNXgBzfysAaCDiCJVSR8IBNKIIj3DEV7tdUerHE8S4Q441gqruLsUF-dVYA6XqT-sOhAudF5cXTCkozGLg9CkYjD22_IIAGG2aNo-JKODZq_xqQGKrNzA/s2048/Jennie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1852" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4uloj9-1ZSKDN39GkazUyy_nQhud8JOq1WAmkFDgnwstYxBxLj1iLpCBAoBiwof-SA3Fb2HNXgBzfysAaCDiCJVSR8IBNKIIj3DEV7tdUerHE8S4Q441gqruLsUF-dVYA6XqT-sOhAudF5cXTCkozGLg9CkYjD22_IIAGG2aNo-JKODZq_xqQGKrNzA/w578-h640/Jennie.jpg" width="578" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span>Arty (so 70's!) pose at sunset on Jennie's Morris Minor</span></b></div></b><span><p>We spent the Christmas period in Australia with our daughter and her husband. Video calls excluded, we hadn't seen them for 18 months so it was a special reunion. Visiting a wildlife sanctuary north east of Melbourne, I had a close encounter with a wedge-tailed eagle. These are seriously big birds with a wingspan of up to 2.8 metres. Trying to take a photo whilst it was approaching a tree perch right behind me, it actually brushed my hat. Seeing huge talons and a large beak at that range is something best avoided but got a cool shot!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT2jGXc_gGF3QAdFm7-Gwi4nadKP0vgKGTfO7EJSBBMH532MjRFOox3vlla4t-448UzGgcUJz_475TRl7MYGraH85FrpHjGKA7LvT2j5d1JHvLjTVt7YXHLotbJvZHSvPZUlRTMNwd1UQtsQsO2NRlRoo1P_crEXnUOebK0zNo4ROKHBsdXJHPkXPYRg/s2228/20221221_182606-SharpenAI-Standard.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2228" data-original-width="1954" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT2jGXc_gGF3QAdFm7-Gwi4nadKP0vgKGTfO7EJSBBMH532MjRFOox3vlla4t-448UzGgcUJz_475TRl7MYGraH85FrpHjGKA7LvT2j5d1JHvLjTVt7YXHLotbJvZHSvPZUlRTMNwd1UQtsQsO2NRlRoo1P_crEXnUOebK0zNo4ROKHBsdXJHPkXPYRg/w562-h640/20221221_182606-SharpenAI-Standard.jpg" width="562" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Preparing to duck!</b></div></b><p>One of the "must do" summer events is to attend the Boxing Day international cricket test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, aka the MCG or "The G". Australia was playing South Africa and with nearly 69,000 spectators, it was quite an occasion. On the downside, the heat was brutal and despite all normal precautions, I felt rather seedy that night. However, a spectacle not to be missed.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwMd_UhVMFn7JM9x6KFXYQmNnBmfeMAzWx9leluX73tV_8XvKoQMs5clwVetdNKuLBY_HRpHX3t-zqZgTce1ZHxkBrHOGWexnPPMkOOh02TXf8azxZqyOmfesl0cp77g_8C5JQSihoesPEe87dGNuzhFoJRM2j7XgMeG1vAHQ1kyQgY7kg5I5FukuZQ/s1143/MCG.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="1143" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwMd_UhVMFn7JM9x6KFXYQmNnBmfeMAzWx9leluX73tV_8XvKoQMs5clwVetdNKuLBY_HRpHX3t-zqZgTce1ZHxkBrHOGWexnPPMkOOh02TXf8azxZqyOmfesl0cp77g_8C5JQSihoesPEe87dGNuzhFoJRM2j7XgMeG1vAHQ1kyQgY7kg5I5FukuZQ/w640-h256/MCG.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>A great occasion</b></div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4mXUdwy7TzUei6OAT_OXEl69cpnyfTCMiw0gx4ivX8-gNB9eX3kLgduDzrjatky0urCnzDGBcen4XUSJk9UsQeTgf1d01_dvwNjubBdD_LyR8sES6HYAbRyIEhbOcmKDH8x17nQ8dBkZiQ2sPEaeoTymhlVDkKUsJkfwuqoDn2HhWU0Q4kRZ6_0pUWw/s4032/20221226_102135.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4mXUdwy7TzUei6OAT_OXEl69cpnyfTCMiw0gx4ivX8-gNB9eX3kLgduDzrjatky0urCnzDGBcen4XUSJk9UsQeTgf1d01_dvwNjubBdD_LyR8sES6HYAbRyIEhbOcmKDH8x17nQ8dBkZiQ2sPEaeoTymhlVDkKUsJkfwuqoDn2HhWU0Q4kRZ6_0pUWw/w640-h312/20221226_102135.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Pre-match activity at the MCG</b></div><p>One genuine privilege of our visit to Australia was meeting another moto-blogger in person for the first time. Jules Pearce writes the <a href="https://tarsnakes.net/"><b>Tarsnakes</b></a> blog and rides a wicked Kawasaki ZX (ZZR)1400. We've corresponded for well over a decade and as mentioned earlier, we had some very productive sessions with US motorcycle safety author David Hough on strategies for the ageing rider. Jules has also done some motorcycle trips in NZ but we've never met in person......... until now. </p><p>The day before flying back to NZ, Jennie, daughter Victoria and I booked a ferry trip across Port Phillip Bay to Jules' home city of Geelong. What a wonderful day it turned out to be. Spectacular weather, a great ferry trip and finally meeting Jules. A lovely lunch all together, then Jules and I sat under a palm tree and set the world to rights whilst the girls went into town. It was like we'd known each other forever, with relaxed, delightful conversation and was over far too quickly in order to return to Melbourne. Jules, thanks for a very special day mate and there will be good food, a comfy bed and dodgy company whenever you cross the Ditch!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSKnlOhvvmuHANdY8fLsatDOzzYJ3WkqQyEdL1Msboqbb412ig6A743a8NC3vYtSyg86BGkpAGJ9PpgsWq_6-H8CMz2t_H5xIqVqeKgQG4vprnFtMOV1y-f-FCTV3to8rL8nX5ZBS51sHL5obEaGBJ8uhG4h-xwnJSmK9ungSHPS8ILcJcjA080r8jzA/s1258/20221227_155157-gigapixel-standard-scale-0_50x.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1258" data-original-width="974" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSKnlOhvvmuHANdY8fLsatDOzzYJ3WkqQyEdL1Msboqbb412ig6A743a8NC3vYtSyg86BGkpAGJ9PpgsWq_6-H8CMz2t_H5xIqVqeKgQG4vprnFtMOV1y-f-FCTV3to8rL8nX5ZBS51sHL5obEaGBJ8uhG4h-xwnJSmK9ungSHPS8ILcJcjA080r8jzA/w496-h640/20221227_155157-gigapixel-standard-scale-0_50x.jpg" width="496" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Jules Pearce and yours truly at Geelong</b></div></b><p>So that concludes the year. Fifty eight years of motorcycling now over, no regrets and lots of other interests to look forward to over the coming years. Meeting old friends in person for the first time, celebrating a special anniversary, catching up with family and more besides. Hasn't been a bad year, despite all the international doom and gloom.</p><p>Looking over what I've written and despite the deeply unpleasant things which are happening in the world, it's still possible to have a positive spin on life and try to pay it forward and help others. I wish everyone who reads this blog a wonderful and safe 2023. May it be the light at the end of the tunnel!</p></span></span></div>Geoff Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041523109817248619noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4341114511830074977.post-45273484522083285452022-11-14T11:17:00.003+13:002022-11-14T14:39:12.265+13:00Pedal power!<p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span><span>I stopped riding motorcycles on my own terms in March as the time felt right for a bunch of reasons. It was made much easier because of other fallback interests. Having turned 75 in October, maintaining fitness is a significant consideration. I enjoy generally good health apart from damaged knees from old sporting injuries. Walking any decent distance is problematic but cycling is good for them. </span></span>The next step in cycling enjoyment and to walk longer distances in comfort is to hopefully get a knee replacement 2023. Not exactly looking forward to it but it should help in the long run.<span> One issue is that </span>(to use a colourful phrase) <span>there is bugger-all flat land </span><span>where we live and some serious hills which are an almost insurmountable issue on my 30+ year old road bike. Hence the purchase of an e-mountain bike </span><span>in June to help with the hills and also to ride on many of the off-road trails in our region (but not the challenging ones).</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuM34eJOE_T7Bp3JLBmRP9yGrkKUyLSyFSM7DLHIfqR8U8QnJgs1-yof8YvQnf20QE2biXUmgdcmDudiScr20bODdLppXT6rjo_xfRBWJCuiAWVOt5TvF2b0OUkIxsSNl6BRZCK5BTGeGVT815UwWVM4dPAFejj14Jp9mccMZo9kChjgEesDtnF1jAQw/s4032/Tokatea%20Sept%2022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuM34eJOE_T7Bp3JLBmRP9yGrkKUyLSyFSM7DLHIfqR8U8QnJgs1-yof8YvQnf20QE2biXUmgdcmDudiScr20bODdLppXT6rjo_xfRBWJCuiAWVOt5TvF2b0OUkIxsSNl6BRZCK5BTGeGVT815UwWVM4dPAFejj14Jp9mccMZo9kChjgEesDtnF1jAQw/w640-h360/Tokatea%20Sept%2022.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Tokatea Hiil - a climb of around 450 metres</b></div></b><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Riding the MTB has been a lot of fun and as fitness has increased, reliance on the higher power options has decreased apart from a few killer climbs. It's enabled access to places never previously explored. With the better weather here, more off-road riding awaits. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">A broken rib (blush) and Covid meant no riding for 6 weeks, plus the occasional burst of winter weather but a few days ago, a milestone of 1000 km was reached - yayy!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigmXUQfz0k5DrCoNZtA3JtNFKHEv3KOuew3rM0XxBlaF-y9xyqJ_QJrGAb2l0gII1wK79ovX2N23CfjUnZqrKAUgXXU0yU1mpekSIsqJ-ajfu5Mw94r2_jZAhMkbxvIZarVtYv2aSKHFj6Z2vxdhKOOzp0_jsENuu0xTnALmBz753sfX40ZoLX348mMw/s2187/20221109_110929.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2187" data-original-width="2041" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigmXUQfz0k5DrCoNZtA3JtNFKHEv3KOuew3rM0XxBlaF-y9xyqJ_QJrGAb2l0gII1wK79ovX2N23CfjUnZqrKAUgXXU0yU1mpekSIsqJ-ajfu5Mw94r2_jZAhMkbxvIZarVtYv2aSKHFj6Z2vxdhKOOzp0_jsENuu0xTnALmBz753sfX40ZoLX348mMw/w598-h640/20221109_110929.jpg" width="598" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">A decent milestone, all things considered!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Considering the minimalist plank that masquerades as a saddle, my arse has survived remarkably well, mainly thanks to a gel insert in the riding pants. Haven't needed to use the camelback much for hydration yet but the water in the bladder tastes like it comes from a chemical plant. Guess I should fill and flush a few times before I really need it. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Whilst cycle farkles are generally cheaper than motorcycle accessories, they're certainly not cheap. In a nod to technology but mostly to look cool, I did fork out for a carbon fibre drink bottle holder. Jennie just rolled her eyes and sighed in that manner which we males know so well. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRAzE338t8a7oGTnGLQJHjFG930zEuGXLk4aOt0LH1qM7XtyJqvZdi2kIjDU6Aht0jKEEwNkcfmdDn5oSdYbg9CgbMVM1uLUfncvVVbJQQipqjeRTDtoiWX3HobTHMZ-lsPSwo-cO4fUOVRqhu2BX0MpCDvaKeSAkJzkEophhqxi_g4GdX8rbtAsMYRg/s2153/20221113_145124.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2153" height="586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRAzE338t8a7oGTnGLQJHjFG930zEuGXLk4aOt0LH1qM7XtyJqvZdi2kIjDU6Aht0jKEEwNkcfmdDn5oSdYbg9CgbMVM1uLUfncvVVbJQQipqjeRTDtoiWX3HobTHMZ-lsPSwo-cO4fUOVRqhu2BX0MpCDvaKeSAkJzkEophhqxi_g4GdX8rbtAsMYRg/w640-h586/20221113_145124.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Overpriced but way cool carbon fibre drink bottle holder</span></b></div></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">The standard OEM flat pedals were small, serrated and generally uncomfortable. I needed a bigger, better pair. Our Australia-based daughter has surprisingly developed a love of cycling and for my birthday, gave me a voucher for a UK cycle accessory supplier she deals with, bless her! Cool-looking high end pedals were duly ordered and they arrived last week.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNjiZVVqv16Svt92PXfXM3pZAbd07FlUvu_yG2-MI6bw37VmTfVnuL8F4sjj8cfPq_1jhaJPa2esEnEpNVDBrrSALZdgtHzs5L5b348uEoPbdMnqwUfByawF-9O7Mzhfztc_wOZCXgB8hzKn10ik6zCeiwHRxG178bFHnEXO4TNFpqn0Cg6-dRhCPBFA/s4032/Pedals1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNjiZVVqv16Svt92PXfXM3pZAbd07FlUvu_yG2-MI6bw37VmTfVnuL8F4sjj8cfPq_1jhaJPa2esEnEpNVDBrrSALZdgtHzs5L5b348uEoPbdMnqwUfByawF-9O7Mzhfztc_wOZCXgB8hzKn10ik6zCeiwHRxG178bFHnEXO4TNFpqn0Cg6-dRhCPBFA/w640-h360/Pedals1.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Everyone loves cool farkles</b></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">I didn't think that the change in comfort levels from swapping pedals would be so dramatic but it certainly is. Better pressure distribution and superior grip. It's still going to hurt if you rake your shin or calf down them if you slip off a pedal in an incautious moment but not as much as the serrated OEM versions. Happy camper!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">As well as road riding and the many gravel trails on the Coromandel Peninsula, a mountain bike park recently opened at Coromandel Town for use at no cost to riders - how neat is that? All ages from small children to old farts like me are catered for with a sealed pump track, skills training area, jump track and official grades 2-4 cross-country trails. Link: <a href="https://www.ridecoromandel.com/">Coromandel Bike Park</a> .</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxDwJPSFHqOIksAqBd_2p_miJcadMdyWy8NGrL-l7mvkaDVZEHCQGZFJJV93t_UJDbWQWgb6DkkUuxHuzYUsoesWkNId0ECWqeQcGytomnOHJugn08Sm4CuZngq9y4jyxpEb92070vuES-esW4Y0PQAhJNP0PUNUamL2hLU4U9dTdDtWdSejyqje7HSQ/s750/Coro%20bike%20park%20from%20above.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxDwJPSFHqOIksAqBd_2p_miJcadMdyWy8NGrL-l7mvkaDVZEHCQGZFJJV93t_UJDbWQWgb6DkkUuxHuzYUsoesWkNId0ECWqeQcGytomnOHJugn08Sm4CuZngq9y4jyxpEb92070vuES-esW4Y0PQAhJNP0PUNUamL2hLU4U9dTdDtWdSejyqje7HSQ/w640-h640/Coro%20bike%20park%20from%20above.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span>Part of the bike park (source: Ride Coromandel)</span></b></div></b><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjno_P5BdGjVh3359mI7NjwBkygg3ZwCV9rjakSQYuHVW5MmftM1cDAQdLapOtCsa1H-k73M015krPBfPddw0gIh_K4i0jSb9xcpFLRRAj_N2uZRz1lvym1Ei_69FtlQprlkM4kQ34-V_HwqY5YcZ96fe4Up6x-U4OtMgog2411cDruv1SlUVgxcKOSIg/s1600/ride%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjno_P5BdGjVh3359mI7NjwBkygg3ZwCV9rjakSQYuHVW5MmftM1cDAQdLapOtCsa1H-k73M015krPBfPddw0gIh_K4i0jSb9xcpFLRRAj_N2uZRz1lvym1Ei_69FtlQprlkM4kQ34-V_HwqY5YcZ96fe4Up6x-U4OtMgog2411cDruv1SlUVgxcKOSIg/w640-h426/ride%205.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Fast riders having fun - I am not one of them </b><b><span>(source: Ride Coromandel)</span></b></div></span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWLJoszDzE__K9g-SHpT2Ps-LMmLs_YArvJSdK2ZsfcAvmyDoHhBB4OhVpgoQconM19qUBk0gs2tsPgP2BpLCyZEVN3HZpj-TVfT_lQ6iaqiCkuoXsIlrvR3A7eZLIKICReQRHNUpqzy1ZhwSi9_E3PagvXIzkYOKU8_6iIM_FyfD6nXUM50i3xORvoA/s4032/20221109_111017.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWLJoszDzE__K9g-SHpT2Ps-LMmLs_YArvJSdK2ZsfcAvmyDoHhBB4OhVpgoQconM19qUBk0gs2tsPgP2BpLCyZEVN3HZpj-TVfT_lQ6iaqiCkuoXsIlrvR3A7eZLIKICReQRHNUpqzy1ZhwSi9_E3PagvXIzkYOKU8_6iIM_FyfD6nXUM50i3xORvoA/w640-h360/20221109_111017.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">My trusty steed at the start of the Grade 2 trail</span></b></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">The bike park is less than 10 minutes from home. You will note that the photo above shows a deserted park which is the only time when I make an appearance. With a skill level bordering on zero, I really don't need a 5 year old (plus parents) laughing at a spectacular face plant. The grade 2 trail is just fine to sharpen my bike handling in relative safety. Unfortunately, I recently took a wrong turn and ended up on a section of the grade 4 trail. I didn't know this until unexpectedly facing a short, steep drop-off. Trying to stop would have posed more risk than continuing, so shouting a profanity into the wind; I shoved my butt as far back as I could go and prepared for a world of hurt. That I made it with no repercussions is thanks to Aussie blogger, mountain biker extraordinaire and motorcyclist Dave Hoswell of <a href="https://dave-livingthedream.blogspot.com/">A View From Above</a> fame. When I first bought the bike, Dave gave me some advice on body position which clearly got lodged in muscle memory. Thanks a million, Dave!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE7ukbJyk6DYcVeXZaEB15FT4fk6U7E33ahhj7SzuVdw9ntfbPcchaRlzvEbvDC6C55GvniJl-XOtfLZkKOyl7jh8-bfo8tVLPhV4COUhmQOdNkjQ1MiewQA7jpMckj-uUrWraPEf0thDqrFERqJV4i1jVKgYhgD8rmb2vqkA824bAljTYwxrJg4WTaA/s4032/Buffalo%20Rd%20Sept%2022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE7ukbJyk6DYcVeXZaEB15FT4fk6U7E33ahhj7SzuVdw9ntfbPcchaRlzvEbvDC6C55GvniJl-XOtfLZkKOyl7jh8-bfo8tVLPhV4COUhmQOdNkjQ1MiewQA7jpMckj-uUrWraPEf0thDqrFERqJV4i1jVKgYhgD8rmb2vqkA824bAljTYwxrJg4WTaA/w640-h360/Buffalo%20Rd%20Sept%2022.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>A gentler gravel ride - Coromandel Peninsula</b></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p>Geoff Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041523109817248619noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4341114511830074977.post-44834056823074539302022-10-29T11:20:00.010+13:002022-11-07T15:12:05.063+13:00Back to the future again<span style="font-size: medium;">Back in the early 90's, I rode a BMW K100 RS. It was a heavy old beast but handled well and was pretty quick. Reliability was excellent which was just as well given the outrageous cost of parts. By way of a minor example, a BMW replacement accessory port (much like a cigar lighter socket) was over twice the price of one marketed by Hella. Probably manufactured by the same company as the only visual difference was the packaging.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEGIoC3PrfDOX2wgp5LMfAaT8GwZ214NrIxPibzJka1fS-n8u_m1YG7VaahCucZqxPrbTrseWQQPo10Fa8illAA1LLoP7P7-EC0luTsH7fdK2rNCFPSrErAVSAvUXfcNxVsUJSjE4L61vFmWM7kQAD6At0bOmQ6L5B8s0o7Bflr_ozC-infbTzhswxw/s1280/Taranaki-SharpenAI-Standard.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="866" data-original-width="1280" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEGIoC3PrfDOX2wgp5LMfAaT8GwZ214NrIxPibzJka1fS-n8u_m1YG7VaahCucZqxPrbTrseWQQPo10Fa8illAA1LLoP7P7-EC0luTsH7fdK2rNCFPSrErAVSAvUXfcNxVsUJSjE4L61vFmWM7kQAD6At0bOmQ6L5B8s0o7Bflr_ozC-infbTzhswxw/w640-h434/Taranaki-SharpenAI-Standard.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: large;">BMW K100RS, circa 1994, Taranaki Province</b></div><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In 8 years of ownership, the only significant problem showed up on my first ever Rusty Nuts 1000 miles/1600 km in under 24 hours event I took part in. That was 1996. Late in the ride when giving it fairly large amounts of throttle, it felt sluggish but at lesser amounts of throttle, it behaved normally. Over the following weeks, it got progressively worse. Starting a ride, it behaved normally for half an hour or so then the symptoms started appearing, not responding properly to more than half throttle. Leave it for a while and it was fine for a short while and then it started all over again.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">I failed dismally in finding the cause and ended up taking it to a BMW dealer I knew and trusted. It took them a while to find the cause but they discovered that the relatively new in-line fuel filter was full of a fine powdery substance. Their theory was that when the bike wasn't running, the powder sat in the bottom of the filter but when it was running with high fuel flows, it gradually got stirred up and attached itself to the filter medium, partially blocking fuel flow. A filter change completely solved the problem, but where did the powder come from? It so happened that not long before I did the big ride, leaded fuel was discontinued in NZ and it was suggested that vehicles which relied on lead to prevent valve seat recession used a substitute called Valvemaster. This was a viscous liquid which was squirted into a fuel tank via a syringe. Many vehicles at this time were carbureted but fuel injected ones like the BMW used filters with an exceedingly fine mesh. It was pretty clear that some of the particulates in Valvemaster were too big to pass through the mesh and that's what caused the performance issues. After talking to the BMW national service manager, I discontinued using the additive and there were no further problems. His contention was that the 30,000 km I'd already covered on the bike would have work hardened the valve seats. A really odd problem but one that I've never forgotten and is relevant to the current time.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Moving forward to the present, we've owned our 1972 MGB GT for a little over a year. The previous owner kept meticulous records of the 2017/8 restoration but nothing of consequence in terms of routine maintenance. Most of my efforts have been directed at undertaking and recording preventive maintenance, including dates and mileages. Harking back to the BMW problem, the 50 year old MG uses a fuel additive as a lead substitute so this week, I changed the in-line fuel filter as there was no record of when it was last done. I also took to it with a hacksaw to have a look at the internals. Here's a photo.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinbdDI27AC-vWHRCCM_sb8n3-45TvLWOECpnVHGw-vh47CnfXWsEUpD35ToLY2Vy0FolPYfnBfgJf5zgxs85c89vkb4ZtrDYGINfmLsj-cILNKs9V2SdSyGqtcyjq3_H0T7p7RMwTletK33Gz8BdzpzzeQ5rxrb93QptyBsU7nFdRdVXChyEwLfk9tYw/s1448/20221027_103700.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1448" data-original-width="1448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinbdDI27AC-vWHRCCM_sb8n3-45TvLWOECpnVHGw-vh47CnfXWsEUpD35ToLY2Vy0FolPYfnBfgJf5zgxs85c89vkb4ZtrDYGINfmLsj-cILNKs9V2SdSyGqtcyjq3_H0T7p7RMwTletK33Gz8BdzpzzeQ5rxrb93QptyBsU7nFdRdVXChyEwLfk9tYw/w640-h640/20221027_103700.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Sectioned in-line Fram fuel filter</span></b></div></b><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The paper element has a considerable amount of gritty substance in it which doesn't appear to be ferrous (i.e. rust from the fuel tank). Not sure whether it allows particulate matter from the modern lead substitute to pass through but in any event, fuel starvation hasn't been an issue. There was a small amount of crap sitting in the casing itself which drained out when I cut it. Difficult to know how long it took to accumulate with no maintenance history but it does serve to show the value of a fuel filter in preventing blockages and wear and tear to a vehicle fuel system. Its replacement has a clear casing so I should be able to monitor condition from now on.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC5vOUVOcPcMcERVYL3um-XgdilZ6HCuCFJNiudQfFMZoJO9DI_uS1rd0gqkjXEk6cmDn5AcV69s3EnA8HMW-lyQMizdfaGRPrq46AO-BxIeq3_z2qETgLlbgh_6xsImr8tSzYMVdWQkKCNDY753S05_DrM7i9Fl9gaxqPkyXHRXsuD64Fq90SaVACPQ/s1298/Fitted%2088017%20miles.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="1298" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC5vOUVOcPcMcERVYL3um-XgdilZ6HCuCFJNiudQfFMZoJO9DI_uS1rd0gqkjXEk6cmDn5AcV69s3EnA8HMW-lyQMizdfaGRPrq46AO-BxIeq3_z2qETgLlbgh_6xsImr8tSzYMVdWQkKCNDY753S05_DrM7i9Fl9gaxqPkyXHRXsuD64Fq90SaVACPQ/w640-h472/Fitted%2088017%20miles.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The new Repco fuel filter on the MG</span></b></div></b><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">My mate Rick in the UK and I have been exchanging emails about engine temperatures, particularly with respect to classic cars. Rick has a Morgan V8 and a Jensen CV8 and over the years, has experienced overheating; particularly in slow, heavy traffic. Fitting electric fans and modern alloy radiators has alleviated the problems somewhat. It's not a problem I've experienced to date with the MG, particularly as a new radiator was fitted during restoration. That's assuming that the temperature gauge is accurate of course! Having been sucked into the discussion, my engineering background was keen to get objective data as a baseline. What should show up recently on my AliExpress news feed but a digital infrared thermometer. Oh goody, another <strike>toy,</strike> err... essential tool for the garage! It arrived today and here it is:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3nJqFjoOZAVyuVuPHS5mIYZFprD5zA2R4GgJ8IbuJdv0FeLWX6FE0q8_hr3Vuv8GZCT3KjmKyO73QQa0fkisz2hdHd-2I3u1uwrKpMw2vEH7az_Ltejd9vU5kcW1bU8O4MZnSmbl19IabUE6Q22UjtZTCPRk0uLjpvtKCsKDlZji-ksOw40mxW00KyQ/s1617/20221027_103611.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1296" data-original-width="1617" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3nJqFjoOZAVyuVuPHS5mIYZFprD5zA2R4GgJ8IbuJdv0FeLWX6FE0q8_hr3Vuv8GZCT3KjmKyO73QQa0fkisz2hdHd-2I3u1uwrKpMw2vEH7az_Ltejd9vU5kcW1bU8O4MZnSmbl19IabUE6Q22UjtZTCPRk0uLjpvtKCsKDlZji-ksOw40mxW00KyQ/w640-h512/20221027_103611.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Infra red thermometer</span></b></div></b><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtIPobKVBr2NtBtnx1cFPx5njIB4fyULcnFcyt9FKBhvyX8oi-mmKa205Rl9-0bTbwnQcqzSJPCdq53DWVBkd9lxVbEbmUNTscwn2PowaTZmJJvHg81MebyJ_b0WxezHX4IF5O6ldkK7skppycfP_VksEMVxhiPpeBO31ua6JxDl7AJpIpOfBMpRaKfg/s1930/20221027_115446.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="1930" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtIPobKVBr2NtBtnx1cFPx5njIB4fyULcnFcyt9FKBhvyX8oi-mmKa205Rl9-0bTbwnQcqzSJPCdq53DWVBkd9lxVbEbmUNTscwn2PowaTZmJJvHg81MebyJ_b0WxezHX4IF5O6ldkK7skppycfP_VksEMVxhiPpeBO31ua6JxDl7AJpIpOfBMpRaKfg/w640-h360/20221027_115446.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Note the awesome laser dots on the top right of the cold MG radiator!</span></b></div></b><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">As well as recording objective data for our MG, Honda and Toyota cars, I can check the accuracy of our oven, the temperature of beer in our beer fridge and even Jennie's rising temperature when she finds out that I've bought one! Like great mates everywhere, I can even blame it on Rick for raising the whole subject. Happy days ahead!</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Finally, a serendipitous encounter. About 10 years ago, I had an email from a chap called Roy in the UK who had seen a post on the blog about the drag bike I campaigned in the late 60's. Although we'd never met, he'd been at Santa Pod Dragway meetings I'd competed at and was a keen motorcyclist. That was the start of correspondence over the years. We also both lived in Northamptonshire at that time and had similar professional career paths, albeit in different organisations. Roy and his wife Dawn are also classic car enthusiasts and have a Hillman Imp which featured on a UK TV programme, plus a Triumph Spitfire.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Roy and Dawn had planned an overdue organised tour of Australia and NZ. Their schedule was tight but the plan was for them to spend the day with us in Coromandel, travelling via the ferry from Auckland. Unfortunately, the ferry company recently announced that there would be no sailings this summer due to staff shortages. Bugger - the legacy of Covid strikes again and time for a Plan B! It so happened that Roy already had contact with Brian, an Imp and Sunbeam Rapier owner in Auckland who was a committee member of the NZ Humber/Hillman car club. A plan was hatched for Brian to drive Roy and Dawn to a mid-point rendezvous for lunch at Kaiaua on the western shores of the Firth of Thames and all have lunch together.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">That happened yesterday and was a rip-roaring success and we all got on famously, with the same cynical sense of humour and attitude to life. We chatted for several hours with much laughter and it was over way too soon, but we'll carry and cherish those memories. Isn't it fantastic when you get to meet wonderful new people? That's happened a number of times over the decades and what a great part of life!</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkCB1QYYp1JPBdVz_4nqYXHMg3C9NHdIAtrhE6fXU4Xfh64Y0Fs65tDrBS2A6lNiAJENXQX0Pehxh7s8MqPC7ZWL0KwMAnZ8Un87WQqM-bmvQR5deuZWX6wXOgEZcXqwehJ7HRSDQIBuhUgj4kyZYuJCCUUxP_7MQetJeCBImJTBFSpKlI5j--2SZTVw/s4032/Kaiaua%20Oct%202022%20large.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkCB1QYYp1JPBdVz_4nqYXHMg3C9NHdIAtrhE6fXU4Xfh64Y0Fs65tDrBS2A6lNiAJENXQX0Pehxh7s8MqPC7ZWL0KwMAnZ8Un87WQqM-bmvQR5deuZWX6wXOgEZcXqwehJ7HRSDQIBuhUgj4kyZYuJCCUUxP_7MQetJeCBImJTBFSpKlI5j--2SZTVw/w640-h360/Kaiaua%20Oct%202022%20large.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Jennie, Dawn, Roy and Brian at Kaiaua with our MG and Brian's Rapier</span></b></div></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Geoff Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041523109817248619noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4341114511830074977.post-11267302489718223812022-09-26T13:20:00.000+13:002022-09-26T13:20:41.082+13:00The MGB - 60 years young!<p><span style="font-size: medium;">Last week was 60 years since the first MGB rolled off the production line. The Auckland chapter of the MG Car Club marked the occasion yesterday with a drive-in for MGB owners with the hope of having at least one car of each year and variation - MGB Roadster, GT, 1800cc, V8 etc. Jennie and I decided to do the 360 km round trip to represent 1972 and to meet other members, seeing as we live out in the boondocks!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">A great drive to Auckland using twisty country roads, with city driving for the last 15-20 minutes - perfect! In lovely spring weather, close to 100 MGB's turned up, plus a handful of older models from the 1940's and 50's - amazing! </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi57MKa8GjVJxlRTiM-dyqUtYJ9IV_8SNviUJmN7AuYZysI0mR8IsvMqDdZCH2vGWvUTMCs7N0aWi2vEHbt-EmQjcp_2GMtAK1dE11sCkMU3Xy2mrutcmpwWllC5rGfEPjIrpUjE-vzlerKeBFB7pvhQY9tpr_Mt0QlxMzl6CW4mCy15cIQPLuKqoVNMw/s2016/Our%20MG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="2016" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi57MKa8GjVJxlRTiM-dyqUtYJ9IV_8SNviUJmN7AuYZysI0mR8IsvMqDdZCH2vGWvUTMCs7N0aWi2vEHbt-EmQjcp_2GMtAK1dE11sCkMU3Xy2mrutcmpwWllC5rGfEPjIrpUjE-vzlerKeBFB7pvhQY9tpr_Mt0QlxMzl6CW4mCy15cIQPLuKqoVNMw/w640-h360/Our%20MG.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Our 1972 GT in Blaze Orange</span></b></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There was even a vary rare Costello MGB V8 in attendance. Back in the 1960's, enthusiasts pushed hard for a V8 version to complement the 1.8 litre 4 and the 3 litre straight 6. Senior executives at British Leyland were adamant that this was not feasible. Enter Ken Costello who was an engineer and successful race car driver. In 1969, he shoehorned a Rover P6 V8 into an MGB chassis which was favourably reviewed by the motoring press. He decided to put it into production which inevitably attracted the attention of British Leyland. BL started producing their own version in 1973 which effectively killed off the engine supply to Ken Costello. Incredibly, BL didn't consider selling the V8 to the US market which I guess was a good example of poor decision-making endemic in the British motor and motorcycle industry at that time.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi--nLnsHGC1-T1lMVZfxpc6ET0xYrJflSXD55b8-61i8pyPUAwzOPPz7RQ72dAK-0fVuJCtViFp3uXKkJjsYW3QHpQs1-KxBgMmMOuqW3fEUTaBrS_ShOAWW0gN9wlpLjLh5ycOKwUullqW61z2Mt-OYVQ6IDI1Elww-oHhN4-bjxCzpUvfewV53S_Vw/s1500/MGV8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1500" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi--nLnsHGC1-T1lMVZfxpc6ET0xYrJflSXD55b8-61i8pyPUAwzOPPz7RQ72dAK-0fVuJCtViFp3uXKkJjsYW3QHpQs1-KxBgMmMOuqW3fEUTaBrS_ShOAWW0gN9wlpLjLh5ycOKwUullqW61z2Mt-OYVQ6IDI1Elww-oHhN4-bjxCzpUvfewV53S_Vw/w640-h480/MGV8.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A V8 example</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The 3 litre straight 6 was somewhat problematic because of indifferent handling when it was first launched and production only lasted for a couple of years.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxorDKE4Achg8h0_NN-96zxfk324ejlDeGr1TzUtpQsxojSsbElxbUTCG7r8234DZNKNHPa232cSk_a-GVznS__oWyMXVoSd4ncmAQkK0gUdwyApFdKFjV8bfb3-655-wsJBpQQhMB0GDK5sVJsf7UBQzACwidotYztPg4Uj8Ke70ihd6G-pNglu2oMQ/s1500/MGC.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1500" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxorDKE4Achg8h0_NN-96zxfk324ejlDeGr1TzUtpQsxojSsbElxbUTCG7r8234DZNKNHPa232cSk_a-GVznS__oWyMXVoSd4ncmAQkK0gUdwyApFdKFjV8bfb3-655-wsJBpQQhMB0GDK5sVJsf7UBQzACwidotYztPg4Uj8Ke70ihd6G-pNglu2oMQ/w640-h480/MGC.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The MGC 3 litre straight 6</span></b></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The following photo shows a metallic blue V8 which I wish I'd paid a bit more attention to the detail of in retrospect. It had clearly undergone a major (and phenomenally expensive) ground-up rebuild with the interior completely modernised as shown by glimpses of the bucket seats and roll cages. Everything under the bonnet was polished alloy and chrome and someone remarked that the engine put out about 380 bhp. Not a classic restoration but it was a real work of art.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipKCbOghCZlqIv6vpPyhA8t3w9A33-aX1zuzRgIAfuekaPziwcfiB8TC43PzvcpUk51_iiP-oxziyPpyJLZwl26SI1KsFiT_o5OW1dvJjoDiRBJ7mLia4dWN6HJLE8H1ztSfd7gepLv4qS5buleTjoa3Qr4BGzXGToK_UjjMFPf_Fz_6CTE396zuQElg/s1538/Blue%20V8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1538" data-original-width="1369" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipKCbOghCZlqIv6vpPyhA8t3w9A33-aX1zuzRgIAfuekaPziwcfiB8TC43PzvcpUk51_iiP-oxziyPpyJLZwl26SI1KsFiT_o5OW1dvJjoDiRBJ7mLia4dWN6HJLE8H1ztSfd7gepLv4qS5buleTjoa3Qr4BGzXGToK_UjjMFPf_Fz_6CTE396zuQElg/w570-h640/Blue%20V8.jpg" width="570" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Electric blue MGB V8 special (photo: Roger Fleming)</span></b></div></b><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9zHZJqNxl8vW8vvsxupaDxzwjpKpak32c-hClk7iGWWfUBXTQPG3lD6B8LO9JQe7cZ6w4C4cx_vpJhAYL4dHSlKfyr6Y0GvN1iVHGtnYx7-3Mmq8BEQucL5145zdA--nPrKolUEsN4aLj090pngm1jnoQ-7iTIw4zKU1JvpXrVBffqRuKFmKhDCMiw/s1500/20220925_112837.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="1500" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9zHZJqNxl8vW8vvsxupaDxzwjpKpak32c-hClk7iGWWfUBXTQPG3lD6B8LO9JQe7cZ6w4C4cx_vpJhAYL4dHSlKfyr6Y0GvN1iVHGtnYx7-3Mmq8BEQucL5145zdA--nPrKolUEsN4aLj090pngm1jnoQ-7iTIw4zKU1JvpXrVBffqRuKFmKhDCMiw/w640-h360/20220925_112837.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Some of the MGB's on display</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">MGB's of all sorts are active in classic racing and in the photo below, a number of them are on display at the left end of the line-up.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-h8L8jwbBRmexJjv3EDxffDDLh_qKIBZ9GjgABeE7YxCdUaw4c_Bt0l6bfMsgeDprQi8Rz4HEe5I-CTfph_-XEjRWr3o4QzKlr-EoQEUnAF98DzLoVSUS4wDGaMQz5vU4y1n1p6UcqySXGL9uV7XP3QZfstc7u4WHj5eTPO-zlZNBo5_L17n4nmbtxQ/s4766/IMG_2275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2431" data-original-width="4766" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-h8L8jwbBRmexJjv3EDxffDDLh_qKIBZ9GjgABeE7YxCdUaw4c_Bt0l6bfMsgeDprQi8Rz4HEe5I-CTfph_-XEjRWr3o4QzKlr-EoQEUnAF98DzLoVSUS4wDGaMQz5vU4y1n1p6UcqySXGL9uV7XP3QZfstc7u4WHj5eTPO-zlZNBo5_L17n4nmbtxQ/w640-h326/IMG_2275.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Part of the line-up including race-prepped versions</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Other members of the MG car club turned up in their MGA's and older T-series cars which made for a colourful spectacle. Considering that there are branches of the MG Car Club in many other regions of NZ, it looks like the future of this make is in good hands.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYiCIqtvYG7XCgT2cclpVAvpdXLIYsNRWerNy-rpEJFDA9HUrTHRjMcCXEaj8IagAhyQDVhHflQGegO9i0Rw-Kwk7UeXkgp3xA0tMDU1YeQ9uENZixg_uzLKYFSRI0XKKAI2YIzLtrhyzxyxLii9FT6HLByACCrrpFD455n-DH_HYYcxIqXZxJU3biRA/s1500/20220925_112711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="1500" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYiCIqtvYG7XCgT2cclpVAvpdXLIYsNRWerNy-rpEJFDA9HUrTHRjMcCXEaj8IagAhyQDVhHflQGegO9i0Rw-Kwk7UeXkgp3xA0tMDU1YeQ9uENZixg_uzLKYFSRI0XKKAI2YIzLtrhyzxyxLii9FT6HLByACCrrpFD455n-DH_HYYcxIqXZxJU3biRA/w640-h360/20220925_112711.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">T-series MG's and MGA's - beautifully restored</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Just as we were about to head home, who should turn up to have a look but my Institute of Advanced Motorists mentor Philip McDaid, who coached me from someone who thought he could ride but couldn't, through to an IAM Examiner in the space of 6 years. As well as his voluntary work with IAM, Philip runs the renowned <a href="https://www.riderskills.co.nz/">Riderskills</a> motorcycle training school in Auckland. Unquestionably, the best rider and coach I've ever encountered, as well as the most ego-free. All in all, a wonderful day and kudos to the organisers for putting it on.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-b9NrKcboSzrCTXAnkWC6Kg5ZQx3ncmZ3vLTuf3B6atjSrL_o7YWCNobmWBLXez2De23KSR4DK78wgDq4ovJvgoRKdbio8vClzr6ANN_mEBvtPuActe8LfEb6ufC33qD29RhqqCfJNlW8QfI12WpOh2SspX8PLYwAd1PqO5dspSHcY-vlmvvCn_AgQ/s2048/Geoff%20and%20Philip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-b9NrKcboSzrCTXAnkWC6Kg5ZQx3ncmZ3vLTuf3B6atjSrL_o7YWCNobmWBLXez2De23KSR4DK78wgDq4ovJvgoRKdbio8vClzr6ANN_mEBvtPuActe8LfEb6ufC33qD29RhqqCfJNlW8QfI12WpOh2SspX8PLYwAd1PqO5dspSHcY-vlmvvCn_AgQ/w640-h480/Geoff%20and%20Philip.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Yours truly and Philip McDaid</span></b></div></b><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Geoff Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041523109817248619noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4341114511830074977.post-29664359051474164872022-09-08T16:00:00.007+12:002022-11-02T11:17:18.941+13:00Classic car ownership - the first 12 months<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">As the title says, it's been 12 months since finally taking ownership of the MGB GT. It's good to take stock of how it's gone and might be of interest to anyone who entertains the thought of classic car ownership at some stage.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Regular readers will be familiar with the thought processes which helped to decide what to buy <b><a href="https://geoffjames.blogspot.com/2021/07/a-breakthrough-at-last.html">HERE</a> </b>and the handover problems we had with an unhelpful government transport agency <a href="https://geoffjames.blogspot.com/2021/10/halleluja.html"><b>HERE</b></a> . The purchase of a vehicle in good condition was the primary consideration as I didn't want to spend vast amounts of time and money stuck in the shed doing a major rebuild. I had enough of that building and campaigning a drag bike decades ago and it wouldn't be fair to Jennie who's suggestion that we buy a classic car kicked the hunt off. Hitting 75 next month meant that actually getting out on the road and using it was the priority although routine tinkering is just fine (and fun, although the CEO just rolls her eyes).</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgosVsbwupdgl6_kujN9kjXVRjS-IcML94amQPTY_9fo6rBfXV2Mnxm7v_DZQGZyhGi6HOA_ZL1DOm6Uizs0mfkl-IbxBMwogrs9iPGb_HoUnfqfXoR8UttTKjP7rdm2zwDjcqEmS7iYQrS5QpoOARUPA-3_VLowoxJk-JbBdyOjZaSRly6crGIg1hRAA/s4032/Te%20Kouma2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgosVsbwupdgl6_kujN9kjXVRjS-IcML94amQPTY_9fo6rBfXV2Mnxm7v_DZQGZyhGi6HOA_ZL1DOm6Uizs0mfkl-IbxBMwogrs9iPGb_HoUnfqfXoR8UttTKjP7rdm2zwDjcqEmS7iYQrS5QpoOARUPA-3_VLowoxJk-JbBdyOjZaSRly6crGIg1hRAA/w640-h360/Te%20Kouma2.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The 1972 MGB GT on a sunny day at Te Kouma</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Making the purchase</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>My close friend Rick in the UK and an acquaintance in NZ both recommended an MG as they were generally reliable and parts available internationally at reasonable prices. It also appealed emotionally in terms of looks - an important factor. The car was spotted for sale online and had been restored by the previous owner in 2017/18 with all receipts available for the work undertaken. It was in pretty much stock trim apart from 185 section tyres which were standard on the V8 version. It also had Spax adjustable rear shocks and electronic ignition to improve reliability. There was no rust whatsoever, it had been rustproofed and the original Blaze Orange livery respray used an expensive 2 pack lacquer. We paid NZ$22,500 for it </span><span><span>(</span>Approx.<span> USD/EUR 14,000, GBP 12,000, AUD 20,000) </span></span><span>which we thought was a very reasonable price for something so beautifully restored. The interior is flawless and is like new.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHvdsWELDvbY_cMozu5AvHopRC6YPUUBLawcCuQpCU_yhJyceN0nRLBzxwTS_z77j4wOINrxqRkGuoyIiC8DFXijO4ft9D04dtEiHFTHL9nSmhrY3Icd2ggFZPMducun7D9JVtiUzDjtBVkHtbNdG-9lPNhjxf3mbsloJ6PpM9f03fZhVgzlgcy1HHSQ/s4032/20220908_140042.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHvdsWELDvbY_cMozu5AvHopRC6YPUUBLawcCuQpCU_yhJyceN0nRLBzxwTS_z77j4wOINrxqRkGuoyIiC8DFXijO4ft9D04dtEiHFTHL9nSmhrY3Icd2ggFZPMducun7D9JVtiUzDjtBVkHtbNdG-9lPNhjxf3mbsloJ6PpM9f03fZhVgzlgcy1HHSQ/w640-h360/20220908_140042.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Immaculate interior</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWXYs3_F95-9rcDmq3TWAIBhl71Tn7LctDqvFBABGyLAEGTYV4ZZBEvSc7OVa-t5eZjo_KiUxavcdLBUbhgtDF5mLzt-WkHU54y2e_Ir4dEjFi-ivTAZtkFyyYuzaEfsuRP6S15hNpDw4X64wxJLhp3XjMYGDK_T1CTo9UMIp8NnRGW2Nrb7-gx2zyg/s4032/20220908_140020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWXYs3_F95-9rcDmq3TWAIBhl71Tn7LctDqvFBABGyLAEGTYV4ZZBEvSc7OVa-t5eZjo_KiUxavcdLBUbhgtDF5mLzt-WkHU54y2e_Ir4dEjFi-ivTAZtkFyyYuzaEfsuRP6S15hNpDw4X64wxJLhp3XjMYGDK_T1CTo9UMIp8NnRGW2Nrb7-gx2zyg/w640-h360/20220908_140020.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">New carpets and interior linings throughout</span></b></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></span><div><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Building up knowledge</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In terms of reading material, it came with a Haynes manual and a full parts list from an MG specialist in Auckland. YouTube is a fantastic source of knowledge for MGB's and there's nothing like watching someone doing a job to avoid all the potential pitfalls through just reading about it. However, it didn't stop me spilling oil from the upright filter on my first oil change all over the concrete drive! Fortunately, it cleaned up ok. Another awesome source of knowledge is the <a href="https://www.mgexp.com/">MG Experience</a> international website forum. The members have decades of experience and go out of their way to help. The NZ MG Owners Car Club is also a great source of knowledge. Chewing the fat with my classic car and bike-owning mate Rick in the UK has also given valuable insights.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRioi0pxnrxrR_rVUwu0AX4r9rxhyoSS4NbkdtrZKuvYnE9xqDLKKmNQ4BIoj69u6rZEUSUSfXahmzUATa9W78MnL9uvVZasqHPucCb_dfRDghKwwm86Kn5cXfpSiHXIZ-qsQgbDFSxaiJ-80dz_c0ekFaDNw9aFveH55B6ICF5TzJhXr6ePt38y1FXA/s3034/20220908_152821.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2013" data-original-width="3034" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRioi0pxnrxrR_rVUwu0AX4r9rxhyoSS4NbkdtrZKuvYnE9xqDLKKmNQ4BIoj69u6rZEUSUSfXahmzUATa9W78MnL9uvVZasqHPucCb_dfRDghKwwm86Kn5cXfpSiHXIZ-qsQgbDFSxaiJ-80dz_c0ekFaDNw9aFveH55B6ICF5TzJhXr6ePt38y1FXA/w640-h424/20220908_152821.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">An engineer's porn - a parts catalogue</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Part of the knowledge-building is the ability to have a good poke around in the car and underneath it. A normal roadside jack isn't a safe option for grovelling under the car so I bought a good quality 3 tonne trolley jack, not an el cheapo from popular auto store chains. I also bought some good quality adjustable axle stands for further confidence. If greater access is required, then it's off to our village garage owner and his hoists for the price of a few beers.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG9bgQjOofQ-FANbgdjlQyZes1E_yh41oqIiBQ6-CUHydJaBLxzzD5F1aC7GFDTbGf_7tKtzchKfxsenBcgUbB-ngrChcK9kuLYCJ86PviWA7cPvce6hxtpY2zGuSN00n1FwpQjPzH0p0mz5XpFlULKkS8YrdjPgjjtnZMcBSikbg6FFJfsSe75KACgw/s1024/20211126_131031.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG9bgQjOofQ-FANbgdjlQyZes1E_yh41oqIiBQ6-CUHydJaBLxzzD5F1aC7GFDTbGf_7tKtzchKfxsenBcgUbB-ngrChcK9kuLYCJ86PviWA7cPvce6hxtpY2zGuSN00n1FwpQjPzH0p0mz5XpFlULKkS8YrdjPgjjtnZMcBSikbg6FFJfsSe75KACgw/w640-h360/20211126_131031.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>The 3 tonne trolley jack</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Maintenance</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Any classic car is going to require more maintenance than a modern one but one of the positive aspects is that much of it can be done by the owner without too many special tools or an electronics degree! I ended up supplementing my meagre collection of Imperial spanners and sockets plus one or two other odds and ends which didn't involve much expense.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The previous owner mainly relied on one of his local garages for routine maintenance. I can't be sure whether he got value for money or not because the Zerk grease nipples on the suspension and driveshaft looked dirty and dry of grease. Based on these observations, I started keeping records of the maintenance I performed to set up a baseline maintenance schedule - all done on an Excel spreadsheet, sad bugger that I am.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Many (most?) classic vehicle engines require a high zinc content non-synthetic oil and the priority was to find a reliable local source, which was less challenging than expected. The oil was changed just after initial purchase as part of a routine maintenance timeframe, along with the filter. Part of the reason why I dumped oil on the driveway when removing the filter was that with its vertical orientation, the anti-drain back device didn't appear to work properly. It was replaced with a filter which received favourable reviews from MG owners. We'll see how good it is when the oil gets changed in the very near future. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgolLLBQe7nYMwmW4vYePn94OQFElhPI-lpp3YeDma727up-FdvsCf3KziusA3c3mVzif9fj1yutv6sUrJ88GfJL3Dx_VxhPuH5Sd8Zt9ktMU1Qw1yct9U1-847LTkGcvZrHSH9go1ldYHRaNHqVMTEGy_aNHKmbNsNJEnO8BFXr3VMl1h2Ffx80KPsvg/s5184/IMG_2213.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgolLLBQe7nYMwmW4vYePn94OQFElhPI-lpp3YeDma727up-FdvsCf3KziusA3c3mVzif9fj1yutv6sUrJ88GfJL3Dx_VxhPuH5Sd8Zt9ktMU1Qw1yct9U1-847LTkGcvZrHSH9go1ldYHRaNHqVMTEGy_aNHKmbNsNJEnO8BFXr3VMl1h2Ffx80KPsvg/w640-h480/IMG_2213.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Easy access under the bonnet</b></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Incidentally, the car has covered a little over 3000 miles/5000 km in the last 12 months. In that time, I've topped up the oil with ~300 ml, which is fine. There's a slight weep from a pushrod access cover but overall, it's pretty good. There's also a very slight weep from a cover on the overdrive and steering rack but neither require my immediate attention. All part of classic car ownership!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In the last 12 months, we've spent a little under NZ$2000 on the car. This includes oil, filter, antifreeze, spark plugs and other items required for scheduled maintenance, plus a USB port for phone charging. The biggest single expense has been a complete rebuild of the SU carbs by a specialist in Auckland. This was prompted by a constant slight smell of petrol and evidence of leakage on the overflow pipes. The rebuild cost was a shade over NZ$1000 and was worth every cent. Far more bottom end and mid-range performance than previously. The photo below shows the carbs cunningly braced together for removal and replacement to stop the linkages flying apart!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOLZhq5kt1rurR0nlNvqqrOy61topswTNwkp5yGIeWVtPT1w2fWkvwxNj5VHY6jR65pScqg-UbbgbyYwyFN2j7UBLtNQZkkShbUXWeyfsiHpc_eZsi1LKTGqbCHer1YKsS-h3pyy4bFQVNivFMAh5m5YRqhZkWR6_wAQQuwA1FI-J5_ARxrGY0vCIz2A/s2016/SU%20carb%20brace.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="2016" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOLZhq5kt1rurR0nlNvqqrOy61topswTNwkp5yGIeWVtPT1w2fWkvwxNj5VHY6jR65pScqg-UbbgbyYwyFN2j7UBLtNQZkkShbUXWeyfsiHpc_eZsi1LKTGqbCHer1YKsS-h3pyy4bFQVNivFMAh5m5YRqhZkWR6_wAQQuwA1FI-J5_ARxrGY0vCIz2A/w640-h360/SU%20carb%20brace.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A strategic bit of fencing to stop the carb linkages falling apart</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Now that we have a routine, maintenance shouldn't be too onerous in future. There's one job which is being left for the Auckland MG specialist but isn't urgent. Changing the diff oil revealed some small amounts of copper/bronze swarf. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyiuAT34fsEU1zDjCRH3-JqzBydgyiR-rA5-dSgjlWcLeAK3z-oQ_DwQZ8dWTDiIIjkEqV17jOtxxZJW_Q3O6r1ESDHAuswwaBSuzDi2YjF7UfLYmmozIxKZZ9iPWpriR_9fDxv0J48JwALCD7uUbGjq5-1EcPhhOfuG-79xsoTXa46ZtqnY9O3emKVw/s3115/MG%20Diff%20oil%2015%20Dec%202021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="3115" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyiuAT34fsEU1zDjCRH3-JqzBydgyiR-rA5-dSgjlWcLeAK3z-oQ_DwQZ8dWTDiIIjkEqV17jOtxxZJW_Q3O6r1ESDHAuswwaBSuzDi2YjF7UfLYmmozIxKZZ9iPWpriR_9fDxv0J48JwALCD7uUbGjq5-1EcPhhOfuG-79xsoTXa46ZtqnY9O3emKVw/w640-h466/MG%20Diff%20oil%2015%20Dec%202021.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Diff thrust washer bits</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It's common for diff thrust washers to progressively wear out. With the aid of a proper vehicle hoist, they can be changed in about 4 hours by someone who knows what they're doing so I'll be taking the easy way out!</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>The choke cable didn't lock out and a replacement was purchased at a very modest cost. The manual simply says "remove choke cable from the dashboard". No mention that you need hands of a 5 year old and that you're going to bleed profusely whilst attempting to loosen the locknut. Fortunately, one of the MG Experience forum members posted a photo of a tool he adapted from a cranked ring spanner. </span><span> </span><span>I made one too and e</span><span>ven at one flat per movement, it made life so much easier. Told you they were great people!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpT0zZu07MqURH0-ttneRvkGj2NpiqlnCM3quhxlkB1a2zKm6aV5sFe97UrcIE5aFB8ka3vIkhbgRz1tVL4bicuc-IEDZY7E0cALYIZfAdgau9st3v1C0r65d2TVYK5P2I0hdjl5bqDlHU3l5rl2yOUqvPusJMXHuKbGx9YKHFkViCaQln69hEdYo9mw/s4032/20220703_133433.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpT0zZu07MqURH0-ttneRvkGj2NpiqlnCM3quhxlkB1a2zKm6aV5sFe97UrcIE5aFB8ka3vIkhbgRz1tVL4bicuc-IEDZY7E0cALYIZfAdgau9st3v1C0r65d2TVYK5P2I0hdjl5bqDlHU3l5rl2yOUqvPusJMXHuKbGx9YKHFkViCaQln69hEdYo9mw/w360-h640/20220703_133433.jpg" width="360" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Special choke cable locknut removing tool - easy peasy!</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A few minor improvement opportunities have also been implemented. The battery on the MGB GT is a bugger to get at (a technical term). I've made up a power supply attached to the battery which can be easily accessed from inside the car for trickle charging if the car isn't going to be used for some time. I've also made up a funnel attached to a length of fuel line for filling the gearbox on some future occasion. Access is behind the lower part of the dashboard in a cramped position which is perfect for spilling oil everywhere. Far better to have the funnel tied to the steering wheel with clear access!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0RlRwAtIOCbjuoRhTW1xHKlm4gqQnjNYcXYJZT4ehFJGDegoiOPZZESDdaSu9uUbCSUw1z4ed4Tgr6ETfj_Zd6zxkt3b-BIsx5nKoELZbt5wIqKd7VH1fEAD5n1sRr9gdFDvhE4NsIbKt0drG64_Wvow3vPWwx0uyQwKk29ITQk4j112KHgsrxlRZw/s4032/Gearbox%20top-up.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0RlRwAtIOCbjuoRhTW1xHKlm4gqQnjNYcXYJZT4ehFJGDegoiOPZZESDdaSu9uUbCSUw1z4ed4Tgr6ETfj_Zd6zxkt3b-BIsx5nKoELZbt5wIqKd7VH1fEAD5n1sRr9gdFDvhE4NsIbKt0drG64_Wvow3vPWwx0uyQwKk29ITQk4j112KHgsrxlRZw/w360-h640/Gearbox%20top-up.jpg" width="360" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Ready for future gearbox lubrication</span></b></div></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>So what's it like to drive?</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The million dollar question, seeing that we bought it to drive and not be worked on. In short, it's great fun and brings back waves of nostalgia. The steering effort is ok when you're on the move but the lack of power steering makes it hard to park in restricted spaces. Not a big deal though. As you might expect, handling is harsher than modern cars but roadholding is surprisingly good. I had to stiffen the damping of the Spax aftermarket rear shocks but it's good now. The brakes don't have power assist and were initially a bit daunting. However, it didn't take long to learn to leave a bigger gap when following other traffic! The motor has a reasonable amount of grunt and there's no issue keeping up with traffic and tackling decent gradients, especially with the electrically-operated 2 speed overdrive. It's a car that rewards well-considered driver situational awareness, just like a motorcycle and is a lot of fun to drive. Absolutely no regrets buying it. Mind you, in another 5 years, I'm not sure that an 80 year old body will find getting in and out of it a piece of cake. Better keep up my fitness routine!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The MG was originally designed to run on 100 octane leaded fuel. It runs just fine on 95 octane with a small amount (1ml per litre ) of lead replacement additive added to the fuel tank every time it's filled up. No hassle at all.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Where to from here?</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">At present, Jennie isn't keen to drive it because of the extra physical effort required in combination with a manual gearbox but is more than happy to be a passenger so that's ok. We have near-neighbours who own classic cars and the Coromandel Peninsula is a perfect venue for impromptu runs. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggfwRISzK1Mc4VBWTBSlyyLIS6eNeBOH8bZotncAj8xyMP_acej4FK_xXUbglDNs9KE0mJ71jiqrayxukyRSC6oV8h-BytDSX01U77TrEhVXQCCzFrZ9Y9bncKv-BvFkMCNaPYnVnNq-kpSyP01FemlWzp4GcgD6qWciyOPJww9u2uqwC4Qngl2E1uOw/s1500/Cooks%20Beach2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1500" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggfwRISzK1Mc4VBWTBSlyyLIS6eNeBOH8bZotncAj8xyMP_acej4FK_xXUbglDNs9KE0mJ71jiqrayxukyRSC6oV8h-BytDSX01U77TrEhVXQCCzFrZ9Y9bncKv-BvFkMCNaPYnVnNq-kpSyP01FemlWzp4GcgD6qWciyOPJww9u2uqwC4Qngl2E1uOw/w640-h410/Cooks%20Beach2.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Social run to Cook's Beach with neighbours Vic and Denise</span></b></div></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The MG Car Club run regular events and later this month, it's the 60th anniversary of the MGB. We'll be attending a gathering/photo shoot in Auckland of around 100 MGB's representing every year and model variation. In February next year, we'll also be attending the Brits at the Beach 3 day weekend. Should be a lot of fun!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DUSgNtrHmLQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="DUSgNtrHmLQ"></iframe></div><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">As a final remark, insuring the "B" was extremely reasonable. Fully comprehensive insurance for any driver over 25, limited to no more than 10,000 km annually was approximately NZ$250.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">So that's the journey so far - plenty to keep occupied after a lifetime of motorcycling. I also hope it's been of interest to anyone who might be considering a classic car purchase at some stage.</span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><br /></div></div></div>Geoff Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041523109817248619noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4341114511830074977.post-35628830688384135022022-07-28T11:12:00.004+12:002022-07-28T12:59:43.031+12:00When life hands you lemons.....<p><span style="font-size: medium;">Fate has a funny way of dealing the cards sometimes. I've been really enjoying the new e-mountain bike. Fresh air, getting fitter - what's not to like? I haven't been on any demanding trails but felt quite comfortable on the ones I've tackled. It's much closer to home where skill improvements are clearly required.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Coming home from a ride 3 weeks ago, I went to dismount right outside our garage and the elastic lace on one of my cycling shoes caught on one of the serrated pedals. Time slowed down whilst I slowly toppled over and smacked into the garage door opening and felt a rib let go. Pain and a lot of bad words! It's not been as bad as expected, just a bit uncomfortable in bed, with sneezes and coughs to be avoided. Under normal circumstances, I'd be chomping at the bit to get out again but for the last few weeks, the NZ winter has been horrendously wet so some enforced chilling hasn't been a big deal. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOJZF0yEmUgPr5M8Qca1C269gyeOeJ5sGn7SJasOwzLNlOP75knueHRt2lGNZB0Y94H_5T9NDTjW69oCqVyQYYJheT7lv1afMBUTVczS-GHM_AQeBOqGZcExQO1qfXKSY_6A8i0efsDNRiPZtXRmH5S5jKBAQY7kMSUjwFhtpw4J0wHXyYwzSVCLITA/s3911/Oamaru%20Bay.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2201" data-original-width="3911" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOJZF0yEmUgPr5M8Qca1C269gyeOeJ5sGn7SJasOwzLNlOP75knueHRt2lGNZB0Y94H_5T9NDTjW69oCqVyQYYJheT7lv1afMBUTVczS-GHM_AQeBOqGZcExQO1qfXKSY_6A8i0efsDNRiPZtXRmH5S5jKBAQY7kMSUjwFhtpw4J0wHXyYwzSVCLITA/w640-h360/Oamaru%20Bay.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>A ride along the coast on the fateful day</b></div></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">As mentioned in a recent blog, Jennie and I are celebrating our Golden Wedding anniversary (actually tomorrow) and as part of those celebrations we invited our friends to lunch at a local restaurant last weekend. It was a wonderful occasion, full of laughter and irreverence. Not that we needed reminding, but we're genuinely blessed to have such great friends.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7qTQXmmsR1wwDMwkh9KO0pCvfrz37ZOVnDFxSdme3KT_vVQy5uTe78tYy9D0XU-klJCJBJqpSTDZILkGGVc3UTp1RP3DPg56J56BmwkKAOVpEufCRX7nDDDYd_tIpH-vzzoRyRT1V3HFW3ELR5jMh5Scub6YTfErtOAUtdiIIJsK4SoFpMbd3nUwqw/s4032/20220723_144248.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7qTQXmmsR1wwDMwkh9KO0pCvfrz37ZOVnDFxSdme3KT_vVQy5uTe78tYy9D0XU-klJCJBJqpSTDZILkGGVc3UTp1RP3DPg56J56BmwkKAOVpEufCRX7nDDDYd_tIpH-vzzoRyRT1V3HFW3ELR5jMh5Scub6YTfErtOAUtdiIIJsK4SoFpMbd3nUwqw/w480-h640/20220723_144248.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Mercifully short speeches</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></span></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRFgi9WVWsvztqsONuBzxQg5okS35B_QXf7NfA4b5ygSHRJfVx8WJaNOCotgR4MB6usJG1SRr-ZXKope6rm7C-JGh9Upz4JpqVFprBYWeqV4M4K5DiIfy3v9kUevgCYR1gVZHBNTMytnZ3H41hlq04Pw20OJyGMkgcjUGkMSoDQkUNHNXNl7NZ6KFx0A/s4032/20220723_144415.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRFgi9WVWsvztqsONuBzxQg5okS35B_QXf7NfA4b5ygSHRJfVx8WJaNOCotgR4MB6usJG1SRr-ZXKope6rm7C-JGh9Upz4JpqVFprBYWeqV4M4K5DiIfy3v9kUevgCYR1gVZHBNTMytnZ3H41hlq04Pw20OJyGMkgcjUGkMSoDQkUNHNXNl7NZ6KFx0A/w480-h640/20220723_144415.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Cutting the cake, 50 years after the last one!</span></b></div></b><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">From that high point, things went downhill the next day with me testing positive for Covid. Couldn't believe how quickly it came on. Jennie tested positive shortly after. Fortunately, the symptoms have been relatively mild with fatigue being the biggest issue. Very sad that a number of our friends also became unwell although not seriously so. It would appear that we became infected at a pub quiz earlier in the week but at least we won the quiz! We've had to postpone a family gathering this weekend but not a big deal in the scheme of things as we'll get together again quite soon.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We had an email from friends in the UK who married a few weeks after us in 1972. They attached a photo which we hadn't previously seen which was taken at their wedding. It has Jennie standing with some mutual friends, Roberta and John; and it has special significance. Roberta and Jennie were good friends at uni and John and I were mates at school. They married the previous year and Roberta decided that Jennie and I would be good together. We only found out later that Roberta pulled a number of devious tricks to make sure that it happened. Pretty good judgment on Roberta's part!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMfZTJWJUq_CSadN-mf4chksCVxf33Pu2ifIR7o1piZYOFe6c8DDV3pqLUSgKbB3k0ZegrRJcAnIlZ3y6ZkWX2hXWLYpN5qSmgbs8jB5HI8M7TkTwq9X12np32QoVKm6JExmUWP6_AWcTrzGXsbsjOt3Tg5ugR2zxP0hkxC9RTv-WD6ZrXSmE6Mswr3A/s1044/Jennie,%20Roberta%20and%20John.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1044" data-original-width="818" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMfZTJWJUq_CSadN-mf4chksCVxf33Pu2ifIR7o1piZYOFe6c8DDV3pqLUSgKbB3k0ZegrRJcAnIlZ3y6ZkWX2hXWLYpN5qSmgbs8jB5HI8M7TkTwq9X12np32QoVKm6JExmUWP6_AWcTrzGXsbsjOt3Tg5ugR2zxP0hkxC9RTv-WD6ZrXSmE6Mswr3A/w502-h640/Jennie,%20Roberta%20and%20John.jpg" width="502" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Roberta, John and Jennie - 1970's fashion icons!</span></b></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So there we are, a bit of serendipity to offset the curse of Covid!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">And in a non-relevant moment yesterday, we were blessed with a flock of Royal Spoonbills feeding in the harbour at the front of our house. That's the first time we've seen them since we bought the place in 2003. Absolutely majestic birds.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAGhqT09z-T0aTovNW7dsqL7D8DTMa0gqs0Dhjzj78XKnWJLe2yjPnYA2Mj_GqEVBFkgfTLtWWSvIYob9pp-h0p1ul9JG98Z4Y2D6P_tu4AlJg7ySw-AmVJ4hG3KjiGVWQtULBIlCNX9KmBtnCMUPqzhn9OL6wknm4j_Lkt6ooORZnyUh5bnfGdHIT0g/s2048/295860122_5986104678070700_8007423954071858084_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1581" data-original-width="2048" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAGhqT09z-T0aTovNW7dsqL7D8DTMa0gqs0Dhjzj78XKnWJLe2yjPnYA2Mj_GqEVBFkgfTLtWWSvIYob9pp-h0p1ul9JG98Z4Y2D6P_tu4AlJg7ySw-AmVJ4hG3KjiGVWQtULBIlCNX9KmBtnCMUPqzhn9OL6wknm4j_Lkt6ooORZnyUh5bnfGdHIT0g/w640-h494/295860122_5986104678070700_8007423954071858084_n.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Royal Spoonbills - Coromandel Harbour</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Geoff Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041523109817248619noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4341114511830074977.post-47227672287758750122022-07-02T16:47:00.004+12:002022-07-03T11:00:09.438+12:00Where did the time go?<p><span style="font-size: medium;">Well, 2022 has been a year of different events so far including retiring from motorcycling and buying an e-mountain bike to explore the cycle trails, both in our area and in other scenic locations. However, the most important event of all is celebrating our Golden Wedding anniversary at the end of this month. Fifty years together without me being stabbed or disposed of in any other way is a minor miracle. It speaks volumes about Jennie's tolerance! Mind you, it's probably been a close-run thing as I recently said to Jennie that I don't know what she saw in me all those years ago and she said she didn't either. That's me firmly put in my place then, sigh..... She once said that it was like living with a 5 year old but I put that down to her being a primary school teacher and me doing "guy stuff" at the time.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">With all the Covid lockdowns, one of the things we did to keep occupied was to scan and digitize about 2000-odd photos, 35mm slides and negatives which were scattered around the house in various boxes. If only I could find the 1969 Isle of Man TT photos and 1970 Transatlantic Match Race Series which I took, but I digress. We decided as part of our anniversary celebrations to select about 50 photos from 1972 to 2022 and have them printed as a coffee table book. This has come out impressively well so I thought I'd share just a small selection of them here. My dress sense in the early days is a bit cringe-worthy but how come that Jennie always manages to look so elegant? Maybe that's guys for you!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We met in 1971. A mutual friend thought we'd be good together and as part of her cunning plan, she organised me to take Jennie to her upcoming wedding in Wales. Here's Jennie in her "flower power" finery at the wedding. The scheming to get us together didn't stop there and the rest is history....</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkxnkwe_pA0s-gwjzYs4cNRCWyNxACyoruJK-6goJOJe0hlxGcrWGXWZDJJOm7r2mLpQ7mon6cF8-xvMRjsctQBI-mJzS3-Uuro3MtkhEADs4BUBzsc4TJqH1gMgqeP45kSMc9KqrjpcoMXwhEdPUkKa7-JCglEcmIPOpfASe7Ty_wLr9JLMU4vYBDjg/s2644/1.%20Jennie%20at%20Roberta's%20wedding,%201971.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2644" data-original-width="2348" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkxnkwe_pA0s-gwjzYs4cNRCWyNxACyoruJK-6goJOJe0hlxGcrWGXWZDJJOm7r2mLpQ7mon6cF8-xvMRjsctQBI-mJzS3-Uuro3MtkhEADs4BUBzsc4TJqH1gMgqeP45kSMc9KqrjpcoMXwhEdPUkKa7-JCglEcmIPOpfASe7Ty_wLr9JLMU4vYBDjg/w568-h640/1.%20Jennie%20at%20Roberta's%20wedding,%201971.jpg" width="568" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">1971 - the days of Flower Power</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We were married the following year. I caught a stomach bug the day before the wedding and it was touch and go but everything worked out ok.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Ba5_H41Ohv5PtTzrxejoZ5z3ly7C5OGZ7UZy_8PiC85lZTdLSycJ0Ty2Umfc3bBWxjTK6y_J0a9soapmHLxA8kM7Mw_kr9ZpCLRfhtwMcEMLtHnhr8uMRcy8wzk3YwVlGMcXhflHnktz_fNHJKJfKgs_NV0diSlKQv8JS48GwXYL5MdASqK3r-M74A/s3102/2.%2029%20July%201972.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2787" data-original-width="3102" height="576" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Ba5_H41Ohv5PtTzrxejoZ5z3ly7C5OGZ7UZy_8PiC85lZTdLSycJ0Ty2Umfc3bBWxjTK6y_J0a9soapmHLxA8kM7Mw_kr9ZpCLRfhtwMcEMLtHnhr8uMRcy8wzk3YwVlGMcXhflHnktz_fNHJKJfKgs_NV0diSlKQv8JS48GwXYL5MdASqK3r-M74A/w640-h576/2.%2029%20July%201972.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Cutting the cake</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We honeymooned in Yugoslavia and Venice. This was at a time when Yugoslavia was ruled by a communist government, albeit with a very light hand. The local airport was a dual civilian/military base with strictly no cameras in the vicinity. Rows of MiG fighters parked on the taxiway.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwIut-4xKC7vJtrGuuX1zepU0xAtDSH2wGJupQ69RlFeC1JcTO_gE3O-nIqoh-NmTvSf_ST0-IfvCpHw-Brlh1c2lxpdwLNdnNdiHOrfoeACMLDUOmLhXBpdOfM2yiv9z_LcJtCBE-TPbsOvKdlxVBQvlLOTP_qwRfo8yH3q9HD_srpqPh1obpCU8-SQ/s2576/6.%20Jennie%20and%20Geoff,%20Yugoslavia,%201972.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1884" data-original-width="2576" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwIut-4xKC7vJtrGuuX1zepU0xAtDSH2wGJupQ69RlFeC1JcTO_gE3O-nIqoh-NmTvSf_ST0-IfvCpHw-Brlh1c2lxpdwLNdnNdiHOrfoeACMLDUOmLhXBpdOfM2yiv9z_LcJtCBE-TPbsOvKdlxVBQvlLOTP_qwRfo8yH3q9HD_srpqPh1obpCU8-SQ/w640-h468/6.%20Jennie%20and%20Geoff,%20Yugoslavia,%201972.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">At a Roman Amphitheatre in Yugoslavia</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipx3R-EwuMW8ISHI9zR6sdolrTKjwhLwuJAsXt9Nc3BaLB4S7UH_Ekq2ZjYwYOjOvNLvzHhDES38dDYMrrtly9dkHtASPd1xCTwYRbIeiU5xp4xeeX4B-pl_D6TbhUIPwKxU_AlMH35-JtCuXvX11WpveSB5oPRS-Be3YWLzrvAyTL6Z0GvrD3sZg56Q/s1548/4.%20Jennie,%201972,%20Venice.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1548" data-original-width="1027" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipx3R-EwuMW8ISHI9zR6sdolrTKjwhLwuJAsXt9Nc3BaLB4S7UH_Ekq2ZjYwYOjOvNLvzHhDES38dDYMrrtly9dkHtASPd1xCTwYRbIeiU5xp4xeeX4B-pl_D6TbhUIPwKxU_AlMH35-JtCuXvX11WpveSB5oPRS-Be3YWLzrvAyTL6Z0GvrD3sZg56Q/w424-h640/4.%20Jennie,%201972,%20Venice.jpg" width="424" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Piazza San Marco, Venice</span></b></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We emigrated to NZ in 1975 and bought a bright orange Mk 1 Ford Escort which carried us reliably all round the north island. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkngkP-1hIqOug-6os7CUD3W_ZkJE98CH2HGUcKW-Y0qozQsVztu_XuvlA8dfGkt3UJ5dY52aky_CwgZuETilYi8HPVYghxFP4BI2zuCkPfM_C0GSn-9XNdOFbqWoY8t5DsSRAZBLjIcs6722ziqKy7yz8EAUG2QmBMd7N6O5RkSkkJjoRlJrQjQEgwA/s2528/7.%20G,%20J%20and%20Ford%20Escort%20-%20Waiotapu-1975.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2138" data-original-width="2528" height="542" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkngkP-1hIqOug-6os7CUD3W_ZkJE98CH2HGUcKW-Y0qozQsVztu_XuvlA8dfGkt3UJ5dY52aky_CwgZuETilYi8HPVYghxFP4BI2zuCkPfM_C0GSn-9XNdOFbqWoY8t5DsSRAZBLjIcs6722ziqKy7yz8EAUG2QmBMd7N6O5RkSkkJjoRlJrQjQEgwA/w640-h542/7.%20G,%20J%20and%20Ford%20Escort%20-%20Waiotapu-1975.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Geothermal area near Rotorua. The era of flared trousers and sleeveless sweaters - ewww....</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Sailing at the local yacht club became a passion and I switched to single handed yachts when we started to raise a family. Haven't sailed for many years but still retain a strong interest in the Americas Cup.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRW9suiDi_y5LtJea8U46rE7nwPoBNlWKiAWMbNcSR95vKbcydM4CAbytOrwk5cURETFjktXO13NYTQiHUGa8bQoglXGyZ3c42cexJ94RjQc8RKI7P5P_PuC36zV21Qta44h0LLICLxoyXA5DnZIcvwuKOMQ2AXPq_hu8Ha_ji5P-5U7nd6l8pPA_juw/s3905/8.%20Geoff%20Jennie%20Frostply%201976.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3905" data-original-width="2605" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRW9suiDi_y5LtJea8U46rE7nwPoBNlWKiAWMbNcSR95vKbcydM4CAbytOrwk5cURETFjktXO13NYTQiHUGa8bQoglXGyZ3c42cexJ94RjQc8RKI7P5P_PuC36zV21Qta44h0LLICLxoyXA5DnZIcvwuKOMQ2AXPq_hu8Ha_ji5P-5U7nd6l8pPA_juw/w426-h640/8.%20Geoff%20Jennie%20Frostply%201976.jpg" width="426" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Our first yacht in NZ - Frostply class</span></b></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Raising a family and building a career were the priorities. The next photo was taken at a friend's party in 1982. Noteworthy only for my appalling taste in beer shirts and for Jennie condescending to be seen in public with me.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii2m29VlhCWOz1wPQhFQ1TH-KbcPyMAp2A1cVI5gWoQAYTeLOj5ehZzsh298YLWufrhZgewdEF0nNE3H75l7R_LbPXKGHYFt0Uc0PD2XDQVK-h9tsxxIjUNBGd-JGi_QqkOr2EMsbsSMWHHlKVFl4N_OQJFqmd9kQcVt3tqTWsl8D4qHCtp7bPoaM_pw/s800/10.%20Neighbour%20party%201982.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="657" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii2m29VlhCWOz1wPQhFQ1TH-KbcPyMAp2A1cVI5gWoQAYTeLOj5ehZzsh298YLWufrhZgewdEF0nNE3H75l7R_LbPXKGHYFt0Uc0PD2XDQVK-h9tsxxIjUNBGd-JGi_QqkOr2EMsbsSMWHHlKVFl4N_OQJFqmd9kQcVt3tqTWsl8D4qHCtp7bPoaM_pw/w526-h640/10.%20Neighbour%20party%201982.jpg" width="526" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">That shirt - oh dear......</span></b></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Skipping forward to 1998 which was the year the first of our 3 children graduated. The last of them completed her postgrad qualifications not that many years ago and I'd hate to total up how much their education cost. Well worth it though to see highly motivated and caring young individuals succeeding and contributing back to society.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipG6t207QxGQh55xQDIess5c7wbdVMa7HtFzHvWjqo08kk8H9Cw64kruT9SqRme2n7HAbopHziR2h2vUO4jfqdmGVqvKczNmXvg4RSaViQvLcfUxJSGw5OOrB6bWJqGlRbDRSQntd4mQbLKZfeMrwv5-CMa7BEizuo7-qwh0gqLLrehLPu4HXL7h83oA/s1785/15.%20Lyndon%20graduation%201998.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1172" data-original-width="1785" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipG6t207QxGQh55xQDIess5c7wbdVMa7HtFzHvWjqo08kk8H9Cw64kruT9SqRme2n7HAbopHziR2h2vUO4jfqdmGVqvKczNmXvg4RSaViQvLcfUxJSGw5OOrB6bWJqGlRbDRSQntd4mQbLKZfeMrwv5-CMa7BEizuo7-qwh0gqLLrehLPu4HXL7h83oA/w640-h420/15.%20Lyndon%20graduation%201998.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Proud Mum and Dad with the first of three to graduate</span></b></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">When the last of our kids headed off to varsity in the south island in 2001, we took a month off to tour down south in the first of Jennie's MX 5's. One memorable activity was riding quads into the foothills of the Remarkables mountain range on 2 stroke Polaris "screamers". Jennie took to it like a duck to water and left me for dead on a rock-strewn downhill section. Massive pride in her giving me a riding lesson!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0pO73QFxZEO23WTHT3ytRGBVRODN-BySl47ACGzeZOOofOUem0Wq3_cd3FEprmm9x7VczWfmA104Fs0Zn4FDUunEG3aafPjjmoRY45HuVj6VHH1K_zuSRQA5FRKUjkbmIi8SWkb_rytPu4AoRybiZvoXONralOajX6OaohsB1YPxzypJ_w88cuA0VVg/s1772/16.%20Quads%20in%20Queenstown%202001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1208" data-original-width="1772" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0pO73QFxZEO23WTHT3ytRGBVRODN-BySl47ACGzeZOOofOUem0Wq3_cd3FEprmm9x7VczWfmA104Fs0Zn4FDUunEG3aafPjjmoRY45HuVj6VHH1K_zuSRQA5FRKUjkbmIi8SWkb_rytPu4AoRybiZvoXONralOajX6OaohsB1YPxzypJ_w88cuA0VVg/w640-h436/16.%20Quads%20in%20Queenstown%202001.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Riding quads near Queenstown in 2001</span></b></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Jennie was a regular pillion on my bikes. In 2003, I sold the BMW K100 RS and bought a Honda Blackbird. A friend from the UK was visiting and the mate I sold the Beemer to loaned it back for the friend to use during his visit. Here we are at Wairakei near Taupo.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHfN7_XncF0RTXlYhh_xE51g1PJxngpiWncs1ozSZgIOmhDLa_tqykknVPPgceLErcNMAh2sGxyLRAYcxzZc611Q0WqgdXtYCLnRcNmRXSS29saljm5AZ-iedT48_mPP1Pk09XlYzYsdCxpvqPxZIhUTrYBG8PAY2Xo-IEBVNKgMEeEuHVXy79jPGYUQ/s800/18.%20G%20&%20J%202003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHfN7_XncF0RTXlYhh_xE51g1PJxngpiWncs1ozSZgIOmhDLa_tqykknVPPgceLErcNMAh2sGxyLRAYcxzZc611Q0WqgdXtYCLnRcNmRXSS29saljm5AZ-iedT48_mPP1Pk09XlYzYsdCxpvqPxZIhUTrYBG8PAY2Xo-IEBVNKgMEeEuHVXy79jPGYUQ/w640-h480/18.%20G%20&%20J%202003.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">With the K100RS and Blackbird in 2003</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In 2012, we were driving past the Warbirds base just outside Auckland. They were closed to the public on that particular day but we were invited in anyway which was great. They were preparing a P51 Mustang for flight and we were allowed to park Jennie's limited edition MX5 alongside for a memorable photo! </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_W1hM1Tctvz1Oel-ZCuD7gpNfE-_81TTn3LrUqZa3b8IeHnIetwbPa0HZ3OYJ-1zmi0kLRbBtiXJaZykqeYXdXSqznZTMp8AsfB5aFOZhdIJ3gJ3eTyr2lFtYjHFrrJxb7G1sBb_iqNXtKJkslMe4CI6MlSjTk1p0wvxOZ2ea_VE7R_Gqv01MkMuPA/s4000/32.%20Warbirds%20NZ%202012.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_W1hM1Tctvz1Oel-ZCuD7gpNfE-_81TTn3LrUqZa3b8IeHnIetwbPa0HZ3OYJ-1zmi0kLRbBtiXJaZykqeYXdXSqznZTMp8AsfB5aFOZhdIJ3gJ3eTyr2lFtYjHFrrJxb7G1sBb_iqNXtKJkslMe4CI6MlSjTk1p0wvxOZ2ea_VE7R_Gqv01MkMuPA/w640-h480/32.%20Warbirds%20NZ%202012.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A great shot with a P51 on the tarmac</span></b></div></b><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Retirement at 60 in 2008 gave us the opportunity to travel extensively and we had some fabulous trips through Australia and the Pacific islands, Canada, Alaska, Africa and much of Asia. As they were all so different and enjoyable, it's genuinely hard to pick a favourite which is as it should be. Everywhere we went, people were really friendly and helpful, just wanting to get by. I guess it shows that most of the world's troubles are largely caused by a tiny percentage of the population, not pointing the finger at politicians :-). On our China trip, we were in Wuhan not long before Covid was first reported - a lucky let-off!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYags97JvJwH9-nLcyehQ1nbpam2-VS05FkOGW4iKxojxBj7Z-TycyuWh_xgaso31uHlMEefBDBj1Gujq4NpnS228A2pMgUxNHU39UGICLWly3JZhBDMAPqrQO3ui9cxTwBFqluoJ0EzvRYsJLPgiXo6NhR-nfZGQ_sb8kkfmCYFA8j7pOQ1QtD0Cpog/s5472/39.%20Kenya%20Equator%202016.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3080" data-original-width="5472" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYags97JvJwH9-nLcyehQ1nbpam2-VS05FkOGW4iKxojxBj7Z-TycyuWh_xgaso31uHlMEefBDBj1Gujq4NpnS228A2pMgUxNHU39UGICLWly3JZhBDMAPqrQO3ui9cxTwBFqluoJ0EzvRYsJLPgiXo6NhR-nfZGQ_sb8kkfmCYFA8j7pOQ1QtD0Cpog/w640-h360/39.%20Kenya%20Equator%202016.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">2016, standing either side of the Equator near the Rift Valley in Kenya</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTSq7EIq35TklYJG3bf3JUXlSVjj-fahQBv_6HMYFA8H-RRyQV6H-ArX-AdKwI_aw8H3JENnwJswof4cITdeP0kK0FiC-JTyVIItOY0lNxVoNEv7K1pPlKtBmf5kmrK1c2uU_kwWRPUrutRQ3WTc1REiM8hyikNQNYbqFbSnhd8cZWwIbu3QWvQqX77Q/s5184/IMG_0992.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTSq7EIq35TklYJG3bf3JUXlSVjj-fahQBv_6HMYFA8H-RRyQV6H-ArX-AdKwI_aw8H3JENnwJswof4cITdeP0kK0FiC-JTyVIItOY0lNxVoNEv7K1pPlKtBmf5kmrK1c2uU_kwWRPUrutRQ3WTc1REiM8hyikNQNYbqFbSnhd8cZWwIbu3QWvQqX77Q/w640-h480/IMG_0992.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The Great Wall, China in 2019. Temperatures in the high 30's C</span></b></div></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In 2019 before the pandemic brought travels to a shuddering halt, we were travelling around the top of the south island of NZ and stopped off at a motor museum in Nelson. They have an amazing range of vehicles but the one which meant the most to us was a Wolseley 6/110. This is the car we did our "courting" in (such a quaint term). Ahhhh.... happy days. The wheel had come full circle, so to speak.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJta_mN6pGQBRUgnCMu5tlc7l57UtEDLWqheHqO_bFZ7IxZS4v1AcnCHRxXQ0uAhXorIhoGtthDqbnVSdYl2cCRn4lkwP7P_piEWFhLiBbT4IYm0g-CwbSVhHSX1BfcrPqcsfI5s-jcgMo1BVtwr3-QrV3h-Mzv-r-PkStFQTViFCYY-LFyUl3EePaiw/s5472/45.%20Nelson%202019.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3080" data-original-width="5472" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJta_mN6pGQBRUgnCMu5tlc7l57UtEDLWqheHqO_bFZ7IxZS4v1AcnCHRxXQ0uAhXorIhoGtthDqbnVSdYl2cCRn4lkwP7P_piEWFhLiBbT4IYm0g-CwbSVhHSX1BfcrPqcsfI5s-jcgMo1BVtwr3-QrV3h-Mzv-r-PkStFQTViFCYY-LFyUl3EePaiw/w640-h360/45.%20Nelson%202019.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Wolseley 6/110 - much merriment over the memories</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">As already mentioned, 2022 is the year that I hung up my motorcycle helmet. Absolutely no regrets as I'd done everything I wanted to during a 58 year riding career and figured that it was better to stop on my terms than be forced to due to health or other reasons. I suspect that Jennie is secretly relieved. I still retain a strong interest in bikes though. It is perhaps fitting that the KTM 790 made me laugh more than any other bike I've owned.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIoosU04ZJOBd6jXrKs55EmaX9BsazGGFBTkHBwfChNS26lb5qneOfi5FrL1nz-zC_rlQHCZy79HymRBNfrDUeuS-VsVHIz4QfVFd_OEOATTKGpsaPlSCbyv-n6u-hy9g11KEiJbe9wL3D1pcyNb4v3aK-wDyyArtcUOzdAEtVIxl0nHC9pEu90BHI1A/s4282/IMG_1894.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4282" data-original-width="3100" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIoosU04ZJOBd6jXrKs55EmaX9BsazGGFBTkHBwfChNS26lb5qneOfi5FrL1nz-zC_rlQHCZy79HymRBNfrDUeuS-VsVHIz4QfVFd_OEOATTKGpsaPlSCbyv-n6u-hy9g11KEiJbe9wL3D1pcyNb4v3aK-wDyyArtcUOzdAEtVIxl0nHC9pEu90BHI1A/w464-h640/IMG_1894.JPG" width="464" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Yours truly and the KTM 790</span></b></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-size: medium;">With the bike gone, Jennie and I spend time together sea fishing from our boat and exploring the back roads in our 50 year old classic MGB GT - a fitting way to celebrate 50 years of marriage. May there be many more years of action-packed adventure.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-3hUctENyXbOT0miu10_RTK_xwl8MWKDW1I0m49FC3frZeGDQt21TypGonOch0Q0W0g6_xK2xIi2E-43HJo_MPeUZw2AjcnABeyAzRet-oGgRRz7pq4tIlzAFJLoFMgNJLIgUvY3vffyNXMcWF2ko3OhgOtWdJ71YC56rCiDwriSMWeqrv2z4AlObYw/s4032/53.Waitete%20Bay%20Apr%2022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-3hUctENyXbOT0miu10_RTK_xwl8MWKDW1I0m49FC3frZeGDQt21TypGonOch0Q0W0g6_xK2xIi2E-43HJo_MPeUZw2AjcnABeyAzRet-oGgRRz7pq4tIlzAFJLoFMgNJLIgUvY3vffyNXMcWF2ko3OhgOtWdJ71YC56rCiDwriSMWeqrv2z4AlObYw/w640-h360/53.Waitete%20Bay%20Apr%2022.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Waitete Bay - Coromandel Peninsula</span></b></div></b><p><br /></p></div>Geoff Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041523109817248619noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4341114511830074977.post-63517333098246925652022-06-15T17:39:00.008+12:002022-06-18T09:18:10.794+12:00Back on 2 wheels - first impressions<p> Well after a 4 month wait due to international supply chain problems, I'm back on 2 wheels of the powered variety (sort of!). I picked up my Giant Talon e+1 mountain bike a couple of days ago and have spent a few hours getting used to it. Already, there have been various learnings, some unexpected; so I thought it would be worthwhile documenting some of them from the viewpoint of a complete newbie.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGHz1oOlWMSnaDVv5eRHshuQjDRyZRupDk8oDnp7kwYi3IH4GHHmFV1xTDGp6O599xVTgJjubVQRIPYgHxmzhHy3PSXYtAzk11mzaKS5QDLyXiNPrzh4QCz9YOAA9RATtL4CPvuugUIVNpl_4kJ1aaXlh6nOzWgxUzbqrYR3fwxS5SGUsqcCzxGl93Pw/s4031/20220614_133253.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4031" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGHz1oOlWMSnaDVv5eRHshuQjDRyZRupDk8oDnp7kwYi3IH4GHHmFV1xTDGp6O599xVTgJjubVQRIPYgHxmzhHy3PSXYtAzk11mzaKS5QDLyXiNPrzh4QCz9YOAA9RATtL4CPvuugUIVNpl_4kJ1aaXlh6nOzWgxUzbqrYR3fwxS5SGUsqcCzxGl93Pw/w640-h360/20220614_133253.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The 2022 Giant Talon e+1 mountain bike</b></div><p><b>Why an e-bike and why a mountain bike?</b></p><p>I already have a 30 year old Diamondback mountain bike which was purchased for road riding before retirement and way before moving to the Coromandel Peninsula. In our area, there's very little flat terrain which makes it hard on a 74 year old body with pedal power alone. Also, there are some fantastic mountain biking trails on the Peninsula, both of the family scenic flattish gravel type and and proper graded MTB trails of varying skill level requirements. After lots of reading and watching YouTube videos, it appeared that an e-MTB offered the best "fit for purpose" option. The Talon e+1 offered a good specification against what I was happy to pay (~NZD 4400/USD 2700/AUD 3970/GBP 2280). I bought the bike from a family business in a nearby town (The Bike Man, Whitianga) because they have a well-deserved reputation for great service. Sure enough, they threw in a brand new helmet and a quality adjustable stand as part of the deal. Unexpected and very generous. </p><p><b>Some of the features</b></p><p>I'm not about to get all nerdy and trot out all the specifications, just the things which caught my interest as a complete beginner. It's easy to find full details on the internet. Firstly, it's an alloy frame and even with the lump of a battery, the weight isn't too bad at all. It has a 500Wh battery, ensuring a decent range. Giant claim that in the eco mode, it could deliver around 150 km on a single charge. A balls-out challenging MTB course will drop it down to 50-60km. The powerplant is made by Yamaha with a 10 speed rear cluster - that's good enough for me!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUy4JcITS3eU9QYCEip9IuhHr44HaKHin1Yl63aIBH8YOjdeu-fQghtf-ln8MGl7vjPZ6Cm2cdTWUHSX7sSvKnAurFaHMTmi-Bz1Bf8-88NsSslGCPQxAShQMIN7LFyrKQXKoo9H8quXmjzaIBA7i36GTEf0ghGbJV8xJBaFbsPzi_3NGBvku3UsTTNA/s4032/20220615_131816.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUy4JcITS3eU9QYCEip9IuhHr44HaKHin1Yl63aIBH8YOjdeu-fQghtf-ln8MGl7vjPZ6Cm2cdTWUHSX7sSvKnAurFaHMTmi-Bz1Bf8-88NsSslGCPQxAShQMIN7LFyrKQXKoo9H8quXmjzaIBA7i36GTEf0ghGbJV8xJBaFbsPzi_3NGBvku3UsTTNA/w360-h640/20220615_131816.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Yamaha hub drive</b></div><p>The controller has a colour TFT display, new on the 2022 model. As well as the normal speed and distance data, battery state etc, there are various power modes which can be selected on the move. The default is Smart Assist which basically measures the effort a rider is putting in at any given time and uses an algorithm to supply the ideal power delivery. It also has walk assist, presumably to help if you need to dismount and push the bike any distance. You can also link it to a phone app for monitoring other data such as heart rate etc. Something for another time, methinks. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS19TN_X26DgetvkpuTHoaqhP6Tl5zrtPj59N6BVIi85TebDZ2d0hRGPiL89vTh0QMNgfXb4uaSCB58Ej3-UCZJWSqUI23nivAWFCDRBcoewFcf0dRHY291YaHrhg1R1tJNou7kFwVZeZu1o-d1yb3anh_4VcR-lcJhirIwHNVi7WJUyNhkBS0-Q6R6Q/s4032/20220614_121812.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS19TN_X26DgetvkpuTHoaqhP6Tl5zrtPj59N6BVIi85TebDZ2d0hRGPiL89vTh0QMNgfXb4uaSCB58Ej3-UCZJWSqUI23nivAWFCDRBcoewFcf0dRHY291YaHrhg1R1tJNou7kFwVZeZu1o-d1yb3anh_4VcR-lcJhirIwHNVi7WJUyNhkBS0-Q6R6Q/w640-h360/20220614_121812.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Controller with colour TFT display</b></div><p>The bike has a solid rear end but fully adjustable 100mm travel front forks in terms of preload and rebound rate.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCIcPVUpjfTkcQyNb3DrfE4MzuGqXbJOOugs-am5Zc3j0KmVbEt-mQCq7LyZ_zrV4SUo9m85LmoW3CKH9-oBJM812i19e4-xeixum7L75Sox0mWvC-oBrzTfHn_X-HpfD_40j68AczKp-8SpCQ5v6tyS8xvbAqTMCjOoQKvOWUQCnIWP82iNxPjCAwkw/s3304/20220615_155715.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="3304" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCIcPVUpjfTkcQyNb3DrfE4MzuGqXbJOOugs-am5Zc3j0KmVbEt-mQCq7LyZ_zrV4SUo9m85LmoW3CKH9-oBJM812i19e4-xeixum7L75Sox0mWvC-oBrzTfHn_X-HpfD_40j68AczKp-8SpCQ5v6tyS8xvbAqTMCjOoQKvOWUQCnIWP82iNxPjCAwkw/w640-h440/20220615_155715.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Fork adjusters for preload and damping</b></div></b><p>There are heaps of other features but they currently mean little or nothing to me as a newbie and possibly nothing later in ownership either. I chose to go for conventional pedals as with stuffed knees, I have no desire to be cleated onto the bike during a mishap!</p><p><b>First impressions</b></p><p>In terms of frame size, I chose a Medium. At 170cm (5'7"), I was on the crossover between small and medium. Like off-road motorcycles, MTB's are quite tall and with the correct seat height, I can't touch the ground whilst the bike is vertical. This lead to a certain amount of embarrassment on the first ride when I rode round to show a mate. My technique for coming to a stop was found wanting and I ended up sitting in his driveway with the bike on top of me. No damage apart from ego. Like mates everywhere, he laughed long and loud - bastard! I've since developed a better dismount technique which works just fine.</p><p>So far, I've tried Eco Mode and it works fine by providing a minimal level of assistance. Probably ideal for longer flat riding. I haven't tried Tour, Active or Sport Modes yet. The default Smart Assist is great, providing as much or as little power as required. We have a steep concrete drive around 50 metres long. In bottom gear with Smart Assist, climbing it is fine. I did have one anxious moment riding over a green patch which the sun doesn't reach in winter where wheelspin actually set in. Fortunately, it quickly gripped again so there were no ungainly dismounts. First time out, I walked the bike downhill to the bottom of our drive as I wasn't sure how the disc brakes would perform in those conditions. I remember an incident on my old MTB with caliper brakes where I applied a bit too much front brake and had the rear end come a long way off the ground. Not to be repeated. Just like motorcycle disc brakes, they improve with use and towards the end of the first day, they were noticeably more powerful and progressive. No problem riding down the drive now!</p><p>In terms of ergonomics, the bike feels pretty good. My wrists ache a bit after about an hour of continuous riding, as does my butt but neither are show stoppers. I've still got to fully adjust seat height and position but it may simply be a case of putting in the hours and getting used to it. Easing the fork preload might help too.</p><p>The manuals which come with the bike are surprisingly light on the level of detail I was expecting both as a professional engineer and motorcyclist. I'll be spending a bit more time researching on the internet and building practical experience. Maybe it's just me. Jennie would say it's definitely just me, sigh.....</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_lHtgDtIrFRknOOrIW3Zo3yGDKtbN5coltWyJXuWWQaPuX7RXNy_bcvTgtBXBliQ0QRji0XWG1QwwE64_X44VoMF4T41ggHuXZr6NQX0nZxyQOATvhbmu1wkWNZg8Vnu_7v71hBZhtJI0wxJcbKvF2NZ2JU5JjWE8jNNrtGWbmOYG0rRbd0R_IfafA/s4032/20220615_134938.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_lHtgDtIrFRknOOrIW3Zo3yGDKtbN5coltWyJXuWWQaPuX7RXNy_bcvTgtBXBliQ0QRji0XWG1QwwE64_X44VoMF4T41ggHuXZr6NQX0nZxyQOATvhbmu1wkWNZg8Vnu_7v71hBZhtJI0wxJcbKvF2NZ2JU5JjWE8jNNrtGWbmOYG0rRbd0R_IfafA/w360-h640/20220615_134938.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Outside a 100 year old working gold ore stamper battery in Coromandel Town</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmdHVhfiUwaEOJPbmkFPh7JPGhBnKXppoUS4AtkFbLn21leZI8EbtuvfIe9WpeDVkgEHXaAVagQf0ZgImB1ASqzuAdKu1NhabDQHYfCv93o2MTLgzLxe-jWfip2Mh1fca4bLfcO0qEDdIw9zZFe2beLrPuf95C4nLgnyG6FhRUsIfPcGzVhu-LD9lQmw/s4032/20220615_135129.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmdHVhfiUwaEOJPbmkFPh7JPGhBnKXppoUS4AtkFbLn21leZI8EbtuvfIe9WpeDVkgEHXaAVagQf0ZgImB1ASqzuAdKu1NhabDQHYfCv93o2MTLgzLxe-jWfip2Mh1fca4bLfcO0qEDdIw9zZFe2beLrPuf95C4nLgnyG6FhRUsIfPcGzVhu-LD9lQmw/w640-h360/20220615_135129.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><b>The large wooden overshot water wheel at the gold stamper</b></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyN4w52pOVHG-zDjtupOfIodrjN8zMNSP_wDj08e7CztseFUE4fSLQ0-iUf8KC7w71OyfzCTAToIpab6N0-8E6269ljFbuNvhnqu0Kozl_SZbEyDDDQF7oSH8doklaCCVE6BDIA32DF85lxESIP-SloBKgvrMGb-NOP_kUGYQS2QSnQJoGuoLoQhqHyw/s4032/20220617_141102.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyN4w52pOVHG-zDjtupOfIodrjN8zMNSP_wDj08e7CztseFUE4fSLQ0-iUf8KC7w71OyfzCTAToIpab6N0-8E6269ljFbuNvhnqu0Kozl_SZbEyDDDQF7oSH8doklaCCVE6BDIA32DF85lxESIP-SloBKgvrMGb-NOP_kUGYQS2QSnQJoGuoLoQhqHyw/w640-h360/20220617_141102.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b>A big climb from sea level</b><br /><b style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></b></div><p>In summary, I'm delighted with the purchase and it ticks all the boxes in terms of both road riding and modest off-road trails, which is all I want. Perfect for staying fit as long as there aren't too many face plants and cycling will definitely be kind to my damaged knees.</p><p>Recent early winter weather in NZ has been mild in our area but the rainfall has been biblical, accompanied by very high winds. This has meant that our classic MGB GT has stayed in the shed. On its last outing, the rear SU HIF carburettor was overflowing slightly and a cursory inspection didn't reveal the problem . Because of the weather and as the carbs hadn't been serviced at the time the previous owner restored the car in 2018, I decided to have them inspected by an Auckland MG specialist. He reported back that there was considerable wear so I asked for a full restoration for peace of mind, particularly as we live out in the countryside. The cost was NZD 1044/AUD 941/USD 650/GBP 541. Didn't think that this was too bad for a full restoration. All that remains is to put the carbs back on and tune them in anticipation of better weather. Plenty to keep this retiree busy!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmGSvbPYIIaBeo9G0EzmVoYgDcCaFLjlvtzBW2RUasZSS013H5DsbssybCGrwegPK4XKpPjWKATCUbyVeIcm_6DFBZzabm-D5kasPj3yY9g2trgA-AUy6LXqXaw_PchX9Tp93Nw6vT5Nmbosl8D-r0MCKjcfV1XlTMI_TXD9XIJ6QPNqLGSaEJX3esjg/s885/Job%20sheet.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="732" data-original-width="885" height="530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmGSvbPYIIaBeo9G0EzmVoYgDcCaFLjlvtzBW2RUasZSS013H5DsbssybCGrwegPK4XKpPjWKATCUbyVeIcm_6DFBZzabm-D5kasPj3yY9g2trgA-AUy6LXqXaw_PchX9Tp93Nw6vT5Nmbosl8D-r0MCKjcfV1XlTMI_TXD9XIJ6QPNqLGSaEJX3esjg/w640-h530/Job%20sheet.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2zH0YGvvQrkQzrI8XtkqwamWhZYUoPsvNls9c0W04OSojaLq5tEXfLX2pr2db1DIjvTmcqEA3XXzfs-qur7FgT4-l_HH24jolhdrc1e1Cjbzdgexxjl5M-IMe9164DH61YrRapai6uKbZBip9lzhJCjLyskXWA5qVSA4athqs_58XAJHYmYWrXvN7rg/s927/Carb%20Invoice.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="927" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2zH0YGvvQrkQzrI8XtkqwamWhZYUoPsvNls9c0W04OSojaLq5tEXfLX2pr2db1DIjvTmcqEA3XXzfs-qur7FgT4-l_HH24jolhdrc1e1Cjbzdgexxjl5M-IMe9164DH61YrRapai6uKbZBip9lzhJCjLyskXWA5qVSA4athqs_58XAJHYmYWrXvN7rg/w640-h452/Carb%20Invoice.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3VE5oxaOW8hLFWtYz0-RVaQ7FT_P-nXhS_YYEMj9epW4fiS69VZGDW09JBj5BDtfFSVS2aRmwDtS1oAzt8aMwzdpBPIL9bFWmh8jDGH58lTEpXFHvH_uVZRCIkyQhdpo2Hiq2BtMg7X834vS6Cx_wHDAOamLK8uj8nE9eZxjiQHtvk4WAwCDmexiGxg/s4032/MGB%20GT%20Coromandel%20Wharf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3VE5oxaOW8hLFWtYz0-RVaQ7FT_P-nXhS_YYEMj9epW4fiS69VZGDW09JBj5BDtfFSVS2aRmwDtS1oAzt8aMwzdpBPIL9bFWmh8jDGH58lTEpXFHvH_uVZRCIkyQhdpo2Hiq2BtMg7X834vS6Cx_wHDAOamLK8uj8nE9eZxjiQHtvk4WAwCDmexiGxg/w640-h360/MGB%20GT%20Coromandel%20Wharf.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>MGB GT and mussel harvesting boat at the town wharf</b></div><p><br /></p>Geoff Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041523109817248619noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4341114511830074977.post-79892728242090067372022-05-22T12:31:00.002+12:002022-05-22T13:06:50.042+12:00Spit and polish<p>For as long as I can remember, carnauba wax has been my go-to for our cars and my road bikes. Gives a good shine and is relatively long-lasting. Having recently run out and wanting to give a bit of pre-winter protection to our fleet, I popped into our local Repco store to get some more. However, perusing the shelves, I came across this:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXXNZa1Qz_25wYiwh3h2IC7A9aXHZ_36WmL03wAdUEHvnV2Sbrhhz_8O1Ff-ALWV6UZXPxspiU8Wh4Y19QVZ5xcAKlo6UIMN9z6o8OOTvkFdecbTBTuGFz2d_gPlw7B2xZH4r5RTyXiZQsohuDHJpR7-gaPhAH3WzeH6_huVXbq0b5rFngTcPZziGgg/s4032/20220522_110927.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXXNZa1Qz_25wYiwh3h2IC7A9aXHZ_36WmL03wAdUEHvnV2Sbrhhz_8O1Ff-ALWV6UZXPxspiU8Wh4Y19QVZ5xcAKlo6UIMN9z6o8OOTvkFdecbTBTuGFz2d_gPlw7B2xZH4r5RTyXiZQsohuDHJpR7-gaPhAH3WzeH6_huVXbq0b5rFngTcPZziGgg/w360-h640/20220522_110927.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Meguiars Hybrid Ceramic Wax</b></div><p>Pure ceramic coatings have been around for quite a while but they require a high degree of surface preparation. The instructions on the this hybrid looked pretty straightforward so thought I'd give it a go. The instructions said that for the first time up, wash your vehicle in the normal way and straight after you've applied clean water, squirt on some ceramic wax, then spread with a soft cloth and buff with a microfibre towel until dry. I followed the procedure and here's the result: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0P8S3yd4vpiyLI-G0tOE-U4gD--QeFD6cqsrmJFomhh0xdeHivfhdNuMAc3aI1ImSTHlRb12HX2J7CqXP8kAVPBhu_e034d8tJRyB7q181ggO4CfNs2FDyrcEepHvcPAOPvM6k14ea99tycf9rxzV59xAvVOteudm0Tq1-sKQ_eV_VwD0jm_KKtVAqg/s4032/20220518_114647.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0P8S3yd4vpiyLI-G0tOE-U4gD--QeFD6cqsrmJFomhh0xdeHivfhdNuMAc3aI1ImSTHlRb12HX2J7CqXP8kAVPBhu_e034d8tJRyB7q181ggO4CfNs2FDyrcEepHvcPAOPvM6k14ea99tycf9rxzV59xAvVOteudm0Tq1-sKQ_eV_VwD0jm_KKtVAqg/w640-h360/20220518_114647.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><b>A real mirror finish</b></blockquote><p>The finish is superb and it gives a really slippery feel. Really easy to apply too. That slippery feel translates to less dust sticking than a pure wax finish. It's too early to comment on how easy it is to clean off accumulated road dirt. However, water is still beading then running off even gentle slopes on the car after 3 weeks of use as shown below. It pretty much runs straight off vertical panels.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7vWAROLXPy6PfRSKZWe78FmeASB3CETqZ3hdLS7AYt689HPF4F0ANm5q1l97q9RgcLJ0Uw4XnXEIZrk79qItWqrS6D6jygdq7hK5PyVOkOzyqXvNgwM_LjzySaMc98dpzfkLZcenm81OCZ1gguxjupM9IeyVTshZS1-n9rfWypFMxwsPgOLz8ro8ozA/s4032/20220522_111650.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7vWAROLXPy6PfRSKZWe78FmeASB3CETqZ3hdLS7AYt689HPF4F0ANm5q1l97q9RgcLJ0Uw4XnXEIZrk79qItWqrS6D6jygdq7hK5PyVOkOzyqXvNgwM_LjzySaMc98dpzfkLZcenm81OCZ1gguxjupM9IeyVTshZS1-n9rfWypFMxwsPgOLz8ro8ozA/w640-h360/20220522_111650.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Good beading and run-off after 3 weeks of use</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The photo below shows beading on our 4x4 roof straight after a shower. The coating is 3 weeks old and the vehicle lives outside. So far so good although it's too early to predict longevity.</div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiibzhDuwgYQBFYhG93M4_IEbi1c-VUNJMJpWX7qu2Z4VlmpWCCdtgM37z9zB4ks857cPE1_uSQ0YQlq5NqhvmapoEnAf6WYsLvQ4b-gNPY2RO0gUbTV2tW08oe53pS-ZY1qGhu1-L4chGc_YLmBLnivgrVF4GRIygguzj2BOheDLROhxYSM7mlbY5b2g/s4032/20220522_115626.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiibzhDuwgYQBFYhG93M4_IEbi1c-VUNJMJpWX7qu2Z4VlmpWCCdtgM37z9zB4ks857cPE1_uSQ0YQlq5NqhvmapoEnAf6WYsLvQ4b-gNPY2RO0gUbTV2tW08oe53pS-ZY1qGhu1-L4chGc_YLmBLnivgrVF4GRIygguzj2BOheDLROhxYSM7mlbY5b2g/w640-h360/20220522_115626.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b>Beading after 3 weeks of the 4x4 sitting outside</b><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The Meguiars instructions say that to build up layers on subsequent cleans, simply squirt on the product after washing, then use a strong jet from a hose or pressure cleaner to spread it on the panels, then buff dry. In my opinion, this is both wasteful and somewhat hit and miss. A few videos I've subsequently watched on YouTube also hint at this. What I did by way of experiment was after washing and drying, to wipe a dry, clean panel of the car with a wet microfibre cloth, immediately apply a light squirt of ceramic wax then buff it dry. I then repeated this on the rest of the car panels and it worked perfectly with only a small amount of product used. </div></div><p>So what's the initial verdict? In terms of finish, it does exactly what it claims and is easy and quick to apply now I've got a better technique sorted out. Because it's a relatively new product, it attracts a premium price. It costs a bit under NZ$60 for a 768 ml bottle (US36, AUD51, GBP29) which is similar to a good carnauba wax. The price may fall over time but in any event, a bottle should last up to a couple of years if the finish is reasonably durable. Very happy to have an alternative to conventional waxes.</p><p>In other news, international supply chain delays are really pissing me off. The Giant brand e-mountain bike which I ordered in early March still hasn't arrived in the country and may not show up until late June. Conversely, the accessories ordered from China and Australia only take 2-3 weeks to arrive. I'm picking that the accessories are relatively quick thanks to air freight whereas larger items such as bikes are almost exclusively shipped by sea. Sigh.....</p>Geoff Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041523109817248619noreply@blogger.com2