Day Three (Monday 22 November)



Ooopppssss... Did in my haste post the wrong schedule here. The one I am riding is the East Wind one (and not the West Wind one I posted). Have now corrected it and here it is. As I am from Napier and have been a big part of planning all the 5 Hawke's Bay stop-overs I want to see how it all works out. Plus the weather in HB has the bigger chance of sun...

Travel Time		Distance		Departing		Arriving
0730 > 0800	21km		Maraeroa Marae, Waitangirua, Porirua				Rider meeting point, Ballantrae Place
0810 > 0815	1km		Ballantrae Place, gathering point for riders				National Launch, Parliament Grounds, off Molesworth St, Wellington
0900 > 0930	21km		Parliament Grounds				Event at Te Rauparaha Park, Porirua
1130 > 1330	97km		Te Rauparaha Park, Porirua				Event at Makoura College, Makoura Rd, Masterton
1430 > 1520	64km		Makoura College, Makoura Rd, Masterton				Event in Town square outside Bissett Honda, Pahiatua
1630 > 1710	43km		Town square, Pahiatua				Event in Copenhagen Square, Cnr Gordon & High Sts, Dannevirke
1830 > 1835	1km		Copenhagen Square, Dannevirke				Accommodation at Dannevirke Holiday Park, 29 George Street, Dannevirke, 06 374 7625

As already stated in "Day Two" the wakeup was early. In fact before the sun got up. Army... Anyhow, all good, it allowed me to complete yesterdays blog this morning. Now to todays one:

We were served a top brekkie with everything a growing man needs (well, the only thing growing is my tummy...). We signed the banner and there was some speeches in the morning before we left for the Beehive and a chat with the Ministers.

Yesterday I also had my first issue with the bike on this trip: When we arrived at the Marae the clutch suddenly would not engage properly and kept slipping badly. When I parked at the Marae I found that some stones had flown up under the clutch arm over the gearbox. Clean out and she was sorted.

Ric (YMCA National CEO) held the briefing and lost everyone after "When you ride out from here, turn left..." And apart from a rider who dropped his Triumph when he turned left on to the road, we all got away safely (He was also OK and after a helping hand he was back with us, I had a look at his bike later and could not really see any marks, so all good, only his pride dented). We rode in Wellington rush hour and I was glad I had fixed my bikes overheating a few weeks back (New sensor, flushed radiator and general check and she is all good), as the speed was snail pace. But we got to the parlament in time and parked in front of the Beehive.

And I got to kiss my second minister in two days! Anette King was there to meet us. She was very pleased with our work and the message we are promoting. And some of the riders had an opportunity to inform her what they thought about the progress...

And a nice group photo of all the riders and some politicians too...

That was the official start of the White Ribbon Ride (even if we all started on Saturday in Tauranga...). From here we rode back to Porirua where we gathered in the local park with the locals, had some games, took some of them for a ride and did the mingling thing. There was also a group haka that was still a little short of the Guiness Book Of Records Haka of 2000 participants that was done in (and you won't believe this...) Scotland!

Time to ride on. Here we split in to the West and East group and my East group cut through to SH2 and over the Rimutakas. At the Caltex just before Rimutakas we picked up 5 riders and as it was dry and fine we had no problems over the hills. In Featherston we picked up a handful of riders and my favorite rider from last year was back: Arthur (I am sure his name is), a chap that apperently is over 90 years old and rides his own bike. What a legend and inspiration! (Wish I had a pic of him!!!).

We travelled to Masterton now in a group of approx 30 riders again! Once there we headed for the Makoura College. Welcome and mingling was the order of the day. Some of the boys also took the opportunity to have ladies to give them a massage here. I missed out as I was too slow there...
 so I focused on chatting with the students.

Arthurs 170cc bike in the front

As we travelled out of Masterton some of the riders peeled off and went to do whatever they had to, but a core of approx 15 riders was still left and we headed for Pahiatua. We were welcomed in the town centre by a massive (and very cute) haka by a primary school. Just love 5 year olds throwing them self in to it! There was singing and dancing to such and extent that we did run out of time for our cuppa and cake. But all well.

We tracked back one Km to BP as some of the riders needed to get petrol. I went in to get my personal "fuel" topped up (a couple cans of V...) and was pleased to see the station having white ribbons available on the counter. The attendant did not have one on so I hassled him and he put one on. We chatted for a few minutes about the message we were taking around the country. And so the sofar most moving moment of this ride for me eventuated: The chap (a late 40'ish guy) opened up and told me that family violence was not unknown to him. His father had put him in hospital with broken collarbone and black eyes when he had tried to protect his mum. He also told me that many were the days he could not go to school as he was so badly beaten up! This blew me away and I mentioned it to some of the others, and when he came out to fill up for one customer some of these big guys dressed in black leathers went up to him and hugged him and told him that they loved him. He had tears in his eyes! He had already told me that he had never ever hurt his kids or wife as he had decided to break the cycle.

We rode to Dannevirke from here now approx 20 riders strong. In middle of town there was a reception for us and we again did the mingling, talking and listening. I was chatting to a chap who had built this awsome trike for his girl.

After a minute of chatting he says: "Are you Swedish Pete?" "Yep" I answered. It was what I used to be called when doing custom wheels for bikes a few years back. He then told me that I had made a set of custom wheels for his Honda Chop in early 90's and he had been very pleased with my work! Small world!

I chatted with Maxine, a local police woman, and discussed the violence problems in Tararua. Not as bad as some other places we have visited. Apperently a little over one per day gets reported. That is a little over one per day more than we want to see happening! (Sadly there s from experience 4 more that are not reported). She told me that her hubby rides and she has a bike too. I asked why she did not ride with us and it was obvious that this had never occured as a possibility. But I got a promise that I would see her riding with us next year! Looking forward to that.

I also ended up chatting with the new Mayor (after he stepped on my shoe lace and almost tripped me over...) He was interested in creating work for his town and we discussed options. But this thing about the White Ribbon was not at the forefront of his focus. Ah well, suppose there is not too many votes in stopping someone being beaten up compared to creating jobs. EDIT: I was thinking about my comments re the Mayor and realised that I was a little unkind. Often the violence comes from lack of work, lack of income and as a reult lack of selfesteem. Therefore the focus on creating work is helping with trying to find solutions to this issue of violence towards our women.

To the local camping place and in to our cabins after a good feed of KFC.

That was 312 Km's today.

Tomorrow will be my favorite day as we travel HB. But as I have a proposal to complete for Ministry of Education there is a chance that I will not have time for a lenghty blog sadly. But I will post something and then add more later.

Nite all.