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Published: February 3rd 2008
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Gerardo
Our Vetinario Here is a general profile of the adventurers, that will attempt to complete Rosco’s Rocky Road, High Andes Adventure for 2008.
Gerardo Otzen: I met Gerardo back in 2002 when we were shipping emu chicks to Chile, being a MAF (SAG) Vetinario, (our Adventure Doctor!) he was sent to approve our farm, along with others that were sending chicks to Chile. As he had to come up from Auckland to the Far North, we invited him to stay over and go back the next day. Well, it turned at that he also had a moto and rode it around the Region 5 in Chile, as he lives in Punta Arenas. Our mutual interests kept expanding as he also farmed ostrich’s on his 10,000 h ‘Estancia’ within the Patagonia. He invited us to stay at his place sometime (like I often go to the bottom of the World ?) Well the rest is really history.....(see Blog 1) as we have partnered up to make this adventure possible. Gerardo rides a BMW F650.
Lance Morley: Again, I met Lance back in the mid nineties, as he had a truck and trailer and he carted ostriches and emus around the country, and
Buddy for Lance
Lance has carted emu and ostriches all over the country frequently stayed over on his transport ‘adventures’ as they were in those days. Lance has travelled extensively to South Africa, when the animal embryo business was booming. His mission on this adventure, is to drive the chase truck, that will carry medical supplies and tyres and tools for emergency use. He will be our father figure, as he is the oldest and should have more wisdom and understanding.....
Zane Lee: Zane is a relatively new member of our adventurers, he is a long time mate of Lance, and lives south of Auckland at Clarks Beach. We have had a mutual interest in the past, (early 90’s) as I was a founding member of the Auckland Hang Gliding Club, and Zane became involved with the club as I moved away onto other things. Zane’s job on this adventure is to navigate for Lance, so that we are altogether for the evenings. With neither of them having a grasp on Latin Spanish, this is going to a lot of fun !! Zane also rides a moto to and from his work at the Glenbrook Steel Mill, so can be a spare rider if we need one.
Grahame (String): We go
String
Our intrepid rider back into the early 90’s when he got me involved in adventure riding, here in New Zealand. We have done many thousands of kilometres together, on and off the road, throughout the country. He is the CEO of the ‘A’ Team, a tight group of us riders, that look after each other while ‘out there’ riding and socialising, and is the source of many of our belly laugh’s. He can also drink a lot of beer and sleep anywhere. He is Product Manager for Darbi Accessories Ltd. In Auckland, who have been very supportive of our adventure, as many of us are riding on Continental TKC 80 tyres, and wearing protective clothing, helmets and boots, supported by Darbi. String rides a new 2007 Kawasaki KLR
Greg (TL): Along with String, I met up with TL (Team Leader) on our early adventure rides. He was my mentor on many rides, as it was as though he was born with a bike up his bum, and was just ‘one with it’. I would follow him, just to learn how he rode such a big bike so fluidly. During all the thousands of kilometres that we have done together, I have only
TL
Ready to ride seen him lay down (fall off) once, and that was when the ‘Didimo’ (really slippery stuff on rocks) in the Lees Valley, pulled him down. TL is a motor mechanic by trade, he has a very successful automotive repair shop in Matamata and has many skills to help keep our bikes mobile in some of the tough conditions that we will encounter. TL rides a KTM LC8.
Alex Mc Cutcheon: I met Alec a few years ago when he and his wife bought a house at Cable Bay, up here in the Far North. Alec harks from Aberdeen, in Scotland and spends his summer months here in
NZ, supposedly riding around with Rosco, but has lately been very involved in house renovations. As a member of the ‘A’ Team we went on the Capital Coast Adventure Ride, a couple of years ago which was his first REAL adventure ride here in NZ, he had a BMW 1150 GS, and on such a challenge, he just did so well, even though I have many photos of his moto on it’s side, he just never gave up. Alec had a very successful business within the oil industry in the UK.
Alec
Having fun out of Wellington Charlie Masson: Another Scotsman, and mate of Alec, now living in Perth Australia, also involved in the oil industry. Charlie shipped his moto to Auckland and we packed it into the container with ours. He has used a wooden crate ex BMW Germany, stay tuned for his return drama that I am predicting. Again, Charlie is a very accomplished rider and will be riding a BMW 1150 GS
Allan Gordon: Allan is located also up here in Northland, and flies helicopters for the oil industry in Malaysia, what is it about the connections we have with the oil industry, what with us in the Emu Oil Industry and all !! Allan rides a BMW 1150 GS
Klaus Salmen: Klaus is retired and lives in Kerikeri, originally from Germany, but has lived in NZ for many years. I met Klaus through our Ulysses Motorcycle Club, which is a motorcycle club, catering for motorcyclists over the young age of 40. Within the club, you are a junior member until you reach 50, from there you are a senior and the juniors are supposed to look after us !! Klause will be riding a new BMW 1200 GS, well he has put
Tom
Nadine, Tom and Raewyn over 10,000 km on it so far !!
Keith larkin: I have known Keith for many years and he has been involved with the motorcycle industry since ever, he runs a very successful motorcycle accessory supply company W. Whites Wholesale Ltd, out of Hamilton. He rides road bikes and every adventure ride that he can fit into his busy schedule, he is a very accomplished rider with the challenge and confidence to overcome any obstacle. He also is riding a new Kawasaki KLR 650
Mike Vinsen: As a good mate of keith, they have done a lot of riding and travelling together, he runs a very successful motorvehicle dealership in Auckland. He has been involved with cycling and is an accomplished triathlete and was three times NZ motorcycle racing champion. He is recovering from an unfortunate motorcycle accident he had in the South Island late last year, he has now had all the steel pins removed from his knee, so should be able to pass freely through the airport security system. He is also riding a new Kawasaki KLR 650
Tom Nemeth: Tom lives in Luxembourg, and works for Cargo Lux, which run freight aircraft around the
Cristian
Cristian,Raewyn, Lus Marie and Rosco world. I met him on a ferry crossing to the South Island in January last year. He was to have flown his moto to Chile for his own adventure with a friend, but unfortunately his friend became too ill to travel, so as a plane was coming to NZ he loaded his moto and by chance we met. I invited him to stay if he made it up north, well his lovely wife Nadine flew in and joined him and they both came and stayed a few days. We were fortunate to be able to visit them in Luxembourg during the year for a few days, we had such a great time. As we were planning this adventure, it also became the vehicle for Tom to fulfil his dream of riding in South America. Nadine will join us for the last few days in Chile. He will have to look after all of us as he is the youngest. Tom will be riding his Suzuki DL 650.
Cristian Gribbell: I met Cristian on my adventure in 2005, we were fortunate to be able to visit with him and his family last year on our way to Spain. Cristian runs a very busy architectural business in Santiago and will join us in San Pedro De Atacama, and leave us again in Arica, when we return to Chile, as he is very restricted with his time. He rides a BMW650 GS
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Bugsy
non-member comment
I'm so lonely
The 'A' Team member that's alone by himself - I'm so lonely - would like to wish all fellow 'A' Team members a awesome and safe journey. Wish I was there, but I won't be, so enjoy!