Spring has arrived in the Great South
We call it the Great South because it’s “Great” and of course south, but also because it is one of the larger regions of our wonderfull country
The Great part is that with spring comes the better weather and this part of NZ was designed with motorcyclists in mind
lot’sa neat “back” roads that are twisty but not so challenging that they turn a ride into working hard and losing the enjoyment
Now that I’m older I am more into riding than racing
Dont get me wrong I still like to go fast, but with the law as it stands anything above 140kmph and its bye bye lisence for 28 days so I am constantly trying to stay off the throttle and have to remind myself that 160kmph will not make the “Nice Policeman” happy
It’s hard to convince them that 160 is not “that fast”
And saying it’s OK ’cause you do it all the time so you’re used to it goes down about as well as a fart in church
So its back roads for fun times and Otago has plenty of secoundary roads between the main routes, usualy going over a hill to get to the next main route “Bikers Nirvana”
So the other day when I was out on one of these back roads I hit a newly formed pot hole in the middle of taking a sweeping down hill left hander at ’bout 140 and bent the left inside of my front wheel rim
The impact was a hell of a wack and a small “shimmey” to keep her straight [I know straight in a corner is a oxymoron but you know what I mean]
So long story even longer Ive had the rim straightened and now I’m working on how to take out the “pucker” mark that my clenching butt left in the seat [haha]
Still thats the price you pay on secoundary roads they can be a little rougher than main routes but still a lot more fun
we had 4 good riding days over the last week with Sunday being a “cracker” got up to around 20 degree celcius so I took my mate for a squirt to Lake Waihola [about 30kms south] and stopped for a cup of tea at the cafe’ then up over the hill onto the coast road and back into town
A good day
This weekend is shaping up to be a good one as well so I’m as happy as a dog with two dicks
Danger Stock on Road

Yahoooo!!!
The weather has broken
last week there was three days in a row of sunshine and clear roads
I put the ‘guzzi into the shop for a service a few days earlier and had new tyres fitted
These ones are a better compound than the “Metzlers” that were on her
I’m now running “Perrelli” [Italian tyres on an Italian machine] WOW what a difference
I’ve mentioned before that the machine is “Hairy” under power on situations and felt like she was always on the edge of breaking loose
With the Perellis fitted its like a new machine VERY positive Very sticky
Its like shes on rails now you just point it and wind her on
She’s a lot more fun now that my butt is no-longer puckering in the high speed curves
The weather is breaking and we are over the frosty mornings
There is still a bit of “Grit” on the darker corners but it is starting to be swept aside from the roads by the traffic flow so again theres a lot less “butt Puckering” situations encountered
I took her up to a friends place in Cromwell [180kms each way] last week manage to crack 200kmph on a couple of quite straights on the way up but took it easier on the return because it was night time by then and at that speed [anywhere above 160kmph] you’re starting to out-run your headlights
Had a great ride even though it was still quite cold
By the time I got home I was a popsicle, but a popsicle with a grin from ear to ear
It was good to catch up with my mate Bex’ they have just had their secound child a wee boy this time
He’s a bonnie wee baby , quiet, but very bright and alert, just hasn,t got a lot to say [yet haha]
My Dad got home last week from a three week trip back to his home in Northern Ireland
Sounds like he had a great time and caught up with his Brother and Sister whom he has not seen for nearly thirty years or so, and also got to see all his “old haunts”
quite a few of his old friends and cousins have passed on with time so i think there were a couple of touching moments for him when he was there but atleast he got to go back “Home” and see it again
I’ve always been amazed how Dad traveled all the way out here on an adventure in his twenties then, met and fell in love with my Mum and decided to stay
I think it is from Dad that I get the urge to “explore” and have traveled around a little
as a youngster I was always on the “wander” and was often found kilometers from home just seeing what was around the next corner
I [think] I always knew how to get home but had lost the sense of how long it would take to back track
Mum, Dad and the neighbors [eventualy] learnt to not panic too much when I was late for me Dinner,
looking back it must have caused a lot of stress but as a child I was oblivious to it and could never work out why the fuss
I knew where I was whats was the problem [haha]
Another good day is shapeing up so I may take the bike to work after lunch I have some running around to do with the car first thing this morning
Danger Stock on Road
yahooooooo Yippeeeee yip yip Yahooooooooooooo
I got a few red bums from it but I was never deterred

Yesterday was sunny and clear and to top it right off it was Saturday
You got it “MOTTO BEASTY” time
I pulled her out of the garage and polished her exhaust pipes with a silver polish just to bring out the different golden hues that the heating of the stainless steel brings about
Then went up to my mate Ricky’s house and asked if he was allowed out to play
he fired up his 1200cc sportster and we went down south about 80kms then took the back road over to Taieri Mouth and home through brighton along the southern coastline
the weather held all day so that was good the only two things that took the edge off it were that it never got above 7 degree celcius WOW thats cold enough but add in the wind chill factor of doing 120kmph it was freaking cold
When I worked at sea on a fishing trawler I had the job of maintaining the main hold, during “factory” mode the hold was to be kept at 26 degree below zero [celcius] sometimes we would get fans moving the air and we could get it down to 32 below when you were loadig the product into the hold fron the blast freezers it was that cold that even with the best [russian] freezer gear on you would be shivering after 15mins and beyond that time no matter what you did you couldn’t stay warm, so I know what extreme cold is and extreme cold is what we experienced yesterday
Of course we stopped and did the warm up thing a couple of times along the way
The other wee “stone killer” was that theres been a few frosts this week and there was gravel all over the tightest corners and in the shadowed areas so parts of the ride were “Butt clenching”
as long as you keep in the grooves that the cars have cut through the grit it works out fine but it certainly takes it from fun to being scarey
On my last bike [1986 1340cc Harley Davidson police special] the grit n shit on the road was less bother as it had the weight to sledge through that sort of stuff but this latest beast is the opposite the grit gets under the tyres and its as if you are riding on marbles, the moment you get off line it wants slide out from under you
Now that gives your heart a wee jump at 120kmph I can tell ya
I’m starting to learn her ways more every time I ride her but its like having sex with a kinky bitch the fun can get freaky real quick haha
The day was great though and I’m hoping for another break today so I can take a blast up to lawrence I’ve been missing the sea food chowder at the “Coffee Mine”
I’ll ring first as with the winter hitting and all that, Jen [the owner] may not open for too long
she tells me she opens everyday but gauges the traffic flow and if its not moving she closes up and go’s home, I dont blame her its freaking cold up Central Otago in the heart of winter with some areas remaining iced up for weeks at atime ’cause although the sun may shine there’s very little heat in it
what the hell even if the weather is not biker friendly I’ll take the car I’m hanging to have a chowder now that I’ve started thinking about it [haha Pavlov’s Dog to the max]
I’ll let you know what evolves with the day next blogification
Danger Stock on Road

THE SNOW HAS ARRIVED WITH A SMALL DUMP LAST NIGHT LEAVING ABOUT 30MM OVER THE CITY

Wow it got cold quick I’m now yearning for the 10-13 degree that I was complaining of last week, deffinately no motorcycleing this week

I like the snow it looks great but it is a bugger that it shuts everything down and puts up the heating bill

I gave my employee the day off and didnt venture outside for the day

I managed to get nothing at all achieved and slept away most of the afternoon in front of the squaure tube watching a DVD of Robots an animated film its quite funny and the artwork is very well done

I’m in the middle of cooking dinner for us, tonight I’m doing stuffed chicken breast wityh roasted pumpkin, potatoe, yams and corn on the cob with mixed carrots and peas, that should help to warm us up

“Cheeky” has just jumped onto the computer table trying to get my attention, shes a smoocher this one just loves cuddles and pats, she has a great nature I often wake up in the night to find her snuggled up against me

my

My big tom Ginga has been harrassing her, chasing her around the house so they must have had a personality clash

spaeaking of personality the wee one “scaredy cat” has moved in and made our home her home, she even let my mate Tracey pick her up for a smooch when she was visiting yesterday so now three people can approach her, she’s still very nervous but thats understandable as 6-8 weeks ago she was fending for herself living wild

I’m going to brave the elements and go for a walk up the hill to see Tracey later just to get a break out of the house, we’ll probly just kick back and watch TV or whatever but it will get me out of the house

I wont risk taking my car as a bruise on my butt is easier on the wallet than dents in my car or worse in someone elses vehicle, the walk is up hill but nothing too extreme for a old crusty

speaking of “KRUSTY” I had a phone call a couple of days ago from a mate who owns Webber Bro’s Circus here in NZ we nicknamed him “KRUSTY” as he always plays the clown act in the performance, and besides owning the circus, he is a proffesional clown

He would always make sure Mum got free tickets and the best seats in the house when ever they would tour Dunedin.

And then make a fuss of her after the show, it always put a twinkle to her eye those young half naked acrobats etc

Long story short he is closing down his NZ operation in a few months time as its not making money with the down turn in the economy and going to an operation in Australia

He was asking how my work was going and if I’d like to drive a semi and do the rigging, and general engineeering work on the circus that he is going to be running

I [reluctantly] turned him down but I was so tempted to say yes, I was also quite pleased that he would consider me for the work, He likes to have a core team of good reliable workers and then hire the acts etc so he wanted me in for the long haul driving and the rigging, but I would be expected to fit in where ever needed, if I was a little less settled I would have jumped at the chance but I have my business here and my employee is relying on me to feed his kids etc, my Dad is not getting any younger so I want to see as much of him as I can in the next few years, so I said no

I’m a bit in shock as I would not have hesitated 10 yrs ago, I would have had my bags packed the bulk stuff in storage and be on the plane, Its also good to know that I have people I could get work with should things go to pieces with the work I have on now

Well thats my Snow day

Danger SNOW on Road [no STOCK today]

Ah the weather fickle beast that she is

Well its cold that’s for sure and windy as well but the forecast of snow outside my door proved to be a anti-climax, don’t get me wrong I’m not complaining Ive been out on “Motto Beasty” three days running Yahoo

Just came back from a ball freezer down the Peninsular to Portobello about 20km of winding road around the inner harbour out to the Taieri Heads and the open sea

Lotsa fun “Very Cold” fun but fun all the same, its not flat out butt clenching , but more of a sedate roll her in and out of the corners ride as there is usually a bit of tourist traffic so you have to aware that you will meet sight seers cruising along quite slow admiring the scenery

But as usual I managed to pass everything in sight and had a lot of Fun doing it

The “Beasty” and i are becoming more at “one” with each other and have almost had a couple of “ZEN” moments where the bike and rider are in perfect harmony

These long weekends are fun but I’d rather work through and put all my Holidays into one package and take a whole month off than have an extended weekend several times through the year

I get bored quickly so now that I’ve been out on beasty and done the other things that I had to do I’m at home about to play Play station or watch a DVD

My dad has taken a day off of his usual golfing to do a little work down in the cellar, we are insulating the underneath of our house with polystyrene cut to fit between the floor joists, I go down and help him when he needs it but with the cramped working conditions we get in each others way so I’m on coffee and sandwiches duty mostly

He amazes me my Dad, he’s got to be cracking on 77-78 yrs old and he just won’t stop working, He gardens, builds, paints and repairs everything needed around home and is often out helping his mates ease sticking windows and doors or pottering around fixing things at his golf course he’s a regular human dynamo

He’s slowing down somewhat as the years progress but stop is a foreign language to the man

It’s been a good example to me all my life and Dad has always said “if it’s worth doing, then it’s worth doing properly”, this has always put me in good stead with my employers and now that I’m self employed those whom I contract to appreciate a good job well done

Even back in the “bad” old days when I was just a “bikie and an arsehole surrounded by a man” I did my best, to be the best that I could be at my chosen vocation

Dont get me wrong I dont have to “Win”  I understand there is always someone better etc..

I am however “driven” to be successful, not in a bad way, more of an annoying part of my personality, because as a result I have little tolerance of fools and lazy people, and being a “Biker” I say what I think even if it hurts your feelings, and often call people a waste of space and air to their face and can often have personality clashes with people, but as I’ve said before I dont hold grudges, so if I’ve upset you, then “get over it, I have”

But if through circumstance you find yourself at an impasse I will do my best to help, as long as you’ve not reached that impasse through laziness or or idiocy, some times life just throws shit at you and its in those moments you find your true friends and your own inner strengths

My good friends know my personality and accept it as a part of what makes me unique

I’m loved by animals and kids where ever I go so I must have a good heart as kids and animals know these things instinctively, amongst my mates I’m called the cat wisperer haha, all the moggies come and cop a pat and a scratch when ever I’m out visiting

At my mate Kelly’s house, her neighbors cat hears me pull up and comes over to see me for a pat and a scratch it’s hilarious, He’s way cool,, a big chocalate/ black nuetured male and he is so “I’m the king of the neighborhood” when he walks around He also has a cool name “ZUES”

kelly’s cat “Cuda” just cops to the invasion of his turf he too is a cruiser and as long as theres food enough for him he dosent seem to mind other cats calling through for a chat

i’m an easy touch for a pat with dogs as well and have them at me all the time for attention

I guess as it is with most [supposedly] bad men deep inside where it counts we are often just “big softies”

Thats me for now i’m on the playstation saving the world from the invasion of the pacific from the japanese in 1944 “Medal of Honour riseing sun”

another boring day infront of the TV

Danger Stock [still] on Road YahOOOOOOOOOoooooooo

The weather has conspired against me once again and the upcoming long weekend [Queens Birthday] is supposed to be bringing snow down to low levels along with a cold front that’s moving in from Antarctica

Just what the sky bunnies have been waiting for and the Queenstown Winter festival should be a cracker this year

“Bummer scene good buddy” if you’re a biker though,I got to take ‘beasty out for a couple of hours yesterday and had a bit of fun albeit cold fun

We already have a good dumping of snow on the Alps and a few of the ski fields will get to open early this year so its good for our local economy, it all helps

The recession is starting to effect our city now and we’ve had several hundred people laid off from two companies collapsing and one relocating to Mexico and Thailand, several hundred is not many people but in Dunedin there’s possibly only 30,000 that work, so it’s a big chunk to remove from the local economy, and that’s not counting all the smaller businesses that have had to lay off a couple of staff in order to reduce overheads and adjust to less work flow

Spending has sowed down and a lot of the smaller shops are shutting up as well

The media hype is that this recession will match the “great depression” of  the late 1930’s into the early 1940’s and the war years

Scary times for us all I think

So if we can get a good long ski season it will be a much needed boost

hopefully lots of crisp and sunny motorcycle friendly days to go with it

subject change

I’m still wound up about the bastards that shot the white tiger for attacking and killing the handler, i feel in some way vindicated as the handlers family have also questioned why the tiger had to be executed for doing exactly what tigers are made to do

All day long people walk up and down outside the tigers enclosure always out of reach, then he has a chance to grab one inside his enclosure, what’s he supposed to do?, think “I shouldn’t attack???”

He’s been getting constantly teased like a kitten with a bit of string , then he gets in a position to grab and he’s supposed to have the latteral thinking to know that grabbing is a “no-no”

I’m sure that with the love the handler had of his cats and the knowledge he had of the beasts he worked with on a daily basis, he would not wanted the animal to be put to death

what a sad waste of such an awesome animal

[Thats enough venting]

When I was in Singapore I got to see the white tigers in the Singapore zoo, fantastic animals, I’ve also been to the Sinaracha Tiger Zoo [farm] in thailand a couple of times

I dont think its good to have these great animals caged but often its the only way we have of protecting them from extinction, and the experience of being so close to something so powerful was a buzz I must admit, at the Shriracha Zoo you get to hold the tiger cubs and bottle feed them [for a small price of course] so I can even say I have “wrasseled with a Tiger and I won,” it was kinda cool, I got all moochy and wanted to carry him off home with me haha

My garden variety tigers are doing well and with the introduction of the “dental hygine biscuits” Fuzzy’s breath has started to get better already [my Da suggested that I may have been shiffing the wrong end the cheecky old bugger]

Scardy Cat has put on weight flat out since coming in from the wild and she will be a big cat by the time she gets to fully grown, she is still vary timid and jumps at the slightest noise,  so her name has become appropriate

Cheeky has been particualy moochy with me, shes likes to “talk” to you and makes lots of sounds none of wich you could call a meow as such but not irritating either just little “growls” and “mewing mixed in with purring” sometimes we will chat away to each other for a copule of minutes or so, its funny as something thats funny, I’ll talk and she will reply then I talk again and she replies and so on it realy is just like a conversation I kid you not

The Fuzz Bucket just kicked Scaredy Cat off his spot on my bed , these guys are better entertainment than television haha

Gotta

Danger Stock on Road

Well the weather has broken and the sun has returned, however because there is now snow on the lammerlaw Ranges up Central Otago we are now living in a refrigerator

it got up to 15 today so I shouldn’t complain, but by 3pm it starts to get colder as the sun is by then low in the northern sky

We get about 5 hours a day [9am-3pm] of peak warmth no matter what the peak is to be for the day

I was tempted to take the afternoon off to take the Motto Beasty out for a quick blast but alas “the best laid plans of mice and men oft’n go awry” and work got in the way

It’s like the plan I have each week where I win the Lotto, so far no co-operation from Lotto darn it but I keep planning [haha]

My little pride of garden tigers are doing well I just spent $70.oo getting the wee guys biscuits, I’ve got a mate who can get them at wholesale if we buy in bulk so its a big kick up front but far more economical in the long run

I also had to splash out on some special dental protection ones for Fuzzy as his breath has gotten rank over the last couple of weeks

if this doesn’t help I’ll have to take him into the vet and have his teeth cleaned and checked, a hassle and an expence but when you have pets they rely on you for their well being so you should be responsible or not have pets

I’m in the process of cooking tea, tonight we’re having chicken breast stuffed with apricot and cream cheese, fresh salad with celary, tomato, spring onion, pineapple, grated cheese and French fries followed by home made fruit salad and ice cream

I get a buzz from cooking a good meal, I often have my best mate over for tea as its easier to put a little extra on and cook for three or more people than it is to do a meal for two and there seems to be less left overs afterwards

Dinner went off well and I’m all fat belly  and purring

I was watching the news about how a tiger handler was attacked and killed by a white tiger up north in the Whangarei wild life park

That was sad news and I feel for the guys family but the fuckers shot the poor tiger

Come on wake up they had a wild animal caged his instincts are screaming for him to escape or to attack

Guess what? he cannot escape so in his mind he has only one option attack The tiger didnt know he would be executed for it otherwise he wouldnt have done it

The handler was working in a high risk occupation just like commercial fishermen, firemen, forrestry workers, tax collectors etc etc

Surely its not up to the tiger to be nice its up to the handler to not give the cat a chance to attack

Its just not fair to murder such a majestic animal

Its just not fair

Danger Stock on Road [Full throttle] yahoooo

Winter has arrived in bulk, torrents of rain, snow down to low levels and freezing temperatures

I managed to get up to Christchurch on Motto Beasty to see my brother Mark

I was watching the weather forecast on Thursday night and there was a two day “window’ Friday-Saturday so I got my employee set for the day on friday morning and jumped on the bike

It was good value, I got a sore butt though, the Motto Beasty is nothing  like cruiseing on a Harley so the butt starts to hurt a little after a couple of hours in the saddle, the down side is that during the day with traffic to pass and speed traps to dodge Christchurch is a three and a half to four hour ride

the last hour was like “I just wanna break” but so close to the destination you convince yourself to “harden up old man”

when I got up there Mark asked “what I had come up to Christchurch up for”?

I said “the RIDE mate, last chance before winter” as with most people who dont live to ride, he gave me that “you’re bloody mad look”

I visited with the parents of my best mate who is in “lock up” at the moment, he’s to be there for awhile longer yet and his folks are getting on a bit so I try to drop in an see them whenever I can.

They are great people and have always treated me as one of their family I’ve known them for close to thirty years

My mates Mum introduces me to people as her “other son” its quite a honor to be thought that highly of

She always feeds me up, its hard case, she likes to make sure you’re made to feel welcome

Even when I was full time doing weights and training in un-armed combat she would say “you’re wasting away to nothing my boy, I better make you a sanddwich to tie you over ’til lunch time” [haha]

My “Brother” [ bikey speak for closest friend ] would be laughing hard out as in those days I was 86kg’s [13 stones] and pumped up like a bull terrier on ‘Roids, that combined with the fact that I am verticaly challanged at only 176cm [5’ 10″] made the name STOCKY appropriate

Nowdays as with all things age has altered that and I’m now more likely to get the nick name “Roundy” haha

subject change

I’m going to build a new garage out front of home as the one we’ve got is old and leaky so not a good thing for the “Beasty” to have to live in [I’ll take her over and put her in a storage unit that I have for the winter]

So anyway I go to the council to see what permits that I have to have in order to complete the structure and I’ve got the hassle of the garage being on my neighbors boudry line so I have to get [resourse] consent from my neighbor

Thats cool I understand that it affects thier property, BUT, get this, I also have to get consent from the two neighbors directly across the street from us and the neighbor on the other side [who cannot even see the garage]

This is political correctness gone over board

I guess I’m about to find out if I’ve pissed off any of the neighbours haha

and then if I get the permission of my neighbors I get the privilage of paying $600.oo to have the resourse concent granted

If however, I have indeed pissed off my neighbor, I will have to take it to court in order to get a ruling that the objection is from personal not practicle reasoning, that could be costed in the thousands depending on time lawyers fees etc

then I get to build [hopefully]

I didnt realise that it was so involved I figured “get a permit, Kiss butt at the bankfor the money, build a garage”, easy, but nothing is easy haha “I thrive on challange bring it on”

I’ve got all the paper work thats required of the neighbors so I’ll get to the asking bit over the next couple of days

The rain has means that I dont have much on at work so I have time to put into this wee project

Hope fully I’ll have it all sorted to be built next spring when the weather is a little more condusive

So thats all for now

STOCK off road for winter BooHoo

The idiot up in Napier who shot dead the policeman and wounded a civilian and two more cops

Man what a shock that was to hear about

Now I don’t usually  like the “friendly” policeman even on a good day, mostly ’cause he’s always giving me speeding tickets and trying to bust my stash, you could say that we have “issues” but to shoot a man down over a “pot” bust is fucking ridiculous

Having had a couple of my friends murdered I know what the friends of the policeman must be going through, It’s different than a bike smash or an illness taking someone they are accidents of life but being murdered is deliberate

And if it was as the media has stated, just because the police were searching his house for a little pot thats crazy in the extreme

Come on get real “Pot” is currently against the law in this country [right or wrong] thats the way it is, so if you’re going to break the law then you have to take whatever consequence comes of your actions.

You can fight it through the courts, call the policeman nasty names but at the end of the day YOU chose to break the law

I’m not saying you should roll over and take a shafting in ones exhaust port from the friendly Mr Plod but you still got to show the man the respect you show any adversary and the respect you show any other human being

I’ve met some total arsehole cops in my life’s adventures but as I said I put myself into the situation that had the “nice” policeman in my face for whatever it was at the time [theres been various hilarious adventures I’ll relate in a future blogg ]

Theres been a few “police shootings” where I thought that the cop has gone over board and used too much force, when other means seemed available [I’ve fired hand guns and am a reasonable shot so i find it hard to fathom why you cannot shoot a mans legs out from under him, given the time to take a proper aim]

But the bastard in Napier deserves one in the head, in a way I hope that that it was a cop that got to “take him out” it will help them to deal with it better

This will possibly be the start of our police force being openly armed as are Australian, American, European, Asian and nearly every other police force in the world

Having been in Cambodia, Thailand, and Indonesia where the police openly carry machine guns it is a very different feeling when you are dealing with them, even if it is only to ask directions or where you can hook up some decent Pot [haha some of those Asian cops are so bent, but that’s yet another blogg]

So a very sad situation in NZ at the moment

subject change

winter is upon us not good for us crusty old bikers, so I’ve not had a ride all week, I can hear Motto Beasty calling me, hopefully tomorrow will be fine even if it’s cold, a mate has just brought himself a Harley Sportster I think its a 1200cc but I’ll know for sure tomorow when i go over and have a look at it, His younger brotherr has a 1200 Sportster as well so we may get out for a ride

Danger Stock on Road [yeah baby] yahoooo