Advertisement
Published: August 11th 2010
Edit Blog Post
The Office
A welcome stop for rescheduling..... Sturgis 70th Black Hills Rally 2010
Hi here I am in Sturgis, South Dakota, I have had a great 4 days and am now holed up under shelter at Cabalas, from an eminent thunderstorm, while on my way to pick up Tony from Rapid City Airport. I hope he is not taking Strings job as the ‘Rain Maker’? The weather has been fine up to now.
The Rally this year is much bigger than last year, but has given me the chance to catch up with a lot of folk from the past years, and to meet new friends along the way. I will let the photos tell most about the event.
It was a bloody long way here this year and Raewyn (Bones) has written how she nearly got sucked in……
NEARLY SUCKED IN..........to Auckland that is! On the 3rd August, we duly arrived at Kaitaia airport at 8.30am. so Rosco could catch the morning plane to Auckland to connect with his flight to Los Angeles early afternoon, to be greeted with "Sorry, there's no plane - Auckland is Fogbound.
We can put you on a bus". A BUS????? Rosco on a Bus????? I don't think so!
No, we'll just drive down, the back way! No sweat - we can do it, we've got 4-1/2 hours before the flight leaves. So, bags back into the trusty Xsara, and we're off, rally driving through the Maungamukas (while I rang our travel agent and asked him to plead for a late checkin on Rosco's behalf).
A quick refuel at Kaikohe then down the winding Maungakahia Road, through Twin Bridges, and onto Maungatapere. Somewhere along the way, good sense prevailed and we realised that there was no way we were going to make to the airport, even to watch the flight take off without Rosco!
Trusty Hamish, our man at House of Travel in Havelock North (another story, another time) had the ticket re-issued for the following day, as well as the connecting flights to Denver and Rapid City, so we relaxed and went in search of caffeine.
Found it at The Office Cafe, in the old Dairy Company Office (hence the name) on the dog leg intersection at Maungatapere. What a little gem of a place! Julie Dickinson and her team turn out fantastic food and coffees in the restored offices of the Dairy Company - and there's
I made it
Harper, Leayn, Hobby and Trapper a beautifully landscaped outside eating area to boot. Just the thing for hungry bikers (and other people as well!)
Even the table numbers were attached to little motorcycles! We were made so welcome, the food was excellent, the facilities and decor up to the minute and the service top notch! We made the transition from frustrated, disappointed and grumpy to cossetted, well fed and watered in no time at all.
In the meantime, Rosco contacted String and arranged to meet him at Wellsford, so I didn't have to drive right into Auckland. Another rendezvous an hour later, where I handed over Rosco to String and waved them both off down SH1. Turned around and drove home, arriving at 5pm. What a day! Beats just waving at a little plane taking off from Kaitaia airport..............not!
Thanks to String and Petal for putting Rosco up for yet another overnighter - hope the rest of the adventurers have an uneventful takeoff next week!
Love from Bones.
My flight from Los Angeles via Denver was delayed during the flight due to the Denver airport enduring another thunderstorm, so we circled around for an hour and a half. We eventually landed, but now
From the South
Harper and Leayn all the connecting flights were delayed.
A lady lent me her phone and I was able to talk to Trapper, (I couldn't get my bloody phone to work) but they were now nearly at the airport to pick me up, but I was still two and a half hours away. I eventually landed at 11.00 pm, then it was one and half hours back to Deadwood.
The top fell off a bottle of Southern Comfort and we got to bed around 4.30 local time, about two days for me! We just had such a lot to chat about after a year away.
Tony flew in the day before yesterday and I picked him on Trappers (my) bike and he rode 'Bitch' with me the long way back to Deadwood via 385, he has been sleeping on Strings couch for the past few days.
I dropped him to down town Sturgis yesterday morning and picked him up again around 5.30pm poked his eyes back into their sockets and took him back to camp for rehabilitation!!
He now has a rental car to make the most of today as he will fly to LA to catch up with us tomorrow.
Brother Trapper
Trapper and Hobby By the time I publish this Blog, the rest of the guys will be in the air heading for Los Angeles and the fast release of our bike, so let the fun continue....
Cheers,
Rosco
Advertisement
Tot: 0.069s; Tpl: 0.013s; cc: 14; qc: 33; dbt: 0.0399s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Rob
non-member comment
Air Travel is FUN! - NOT
Well at least you made it safely! Have a great time, I'm still working on the GMC here in FLorida, hopefully I'll finish it by next Tuesday! All the best, Rob