AKL run to the Lighthouse now 22 April 2018

[mknz]

Now I really wish I could have made this one

Good to see MR2 owners in their more natural position though

[Speedhog]

Thanks Charlie for all your hard work over the last few years.
Wife decided last night that it would be funny come along for an run in Madaz2 and see how the car got the rep it has.
Shame, she thought it was slow enough to start crocheting in the middle of the run, asking me to "hurry up" I think she may be use to my driving



I hope that today is the last run I do in the Madaz2, as I'm due to pick up a car next weekend, all the way from Palmy.

[Jabeo]

Thanks everyone for an awesome day, you all made me feel very welcome and i'm glad i met a lot of new people. The people were great, the food was great and most of all the drive was great. Here are some of the pictures i took, don't be surprised if one of them ends up on instagram

[psyguy]

Thanks for organising the ride Charlie, and thanks for the company everyone, it was a(nother) good day

I have no photos to share but others have well covered it

Rodney, I thought you were not falling behind by all that much even when Charlie set a quick pace, so I reckon either we were not going that fast after all or Madaz2 really deserves its name (the car and the driver both!)

[mickeyduck]

Madaz2 really deserves its name (the car and the driver both!)

Yes indeed. Madaz.

Madder yet, he'll likely be driving an AW on the next run...

I know how Rodney can drive an AW on gavel, so all I can say is he better have a BIG budget for tyres!

On another note, I'm just sorting through my photos and I'll post 'em up in a wee bit...

[mickeyduck]

Well I'd like to say a huge "thanks" to everyone that came on this run, and it sounds like you all had a good day so that's great.

Great back-roads are best enjoyed in good company and as always the result was a brilliant day. Thanks guys.

Them that signed the book were: MikeP, Jabeo, Rodney, Ben, Cai, Paul, Wardy, Peter, Tony, Carl, Andrew, with Nick rocking up on his Mid engine Rear wheel drive 2 seater (bike) and guess what, I was there too.

The meet at BP SH1 Drury -

Karioitahi Beach was cold wet and miserable so I figured we'd just stay in the cars, turn around and carry on. So we didn't get the usual pics there but I don't think anyone really minded much.

We took it real easy and just cruised up the peninsula on damp roads but by the time we got to Hamilton's Gap at the end of West Coast Rd the sun was out and things were looking up.

We set off on drying roads and headed for the lighthouse at the south head of the Manukau. It was still something of a cruise thanks to the occasional tourist holding up the works but we managed to get a few little sprints in here and there. Here's a couple of shots up at the lighthouse for yas -

Thankfully we managed to get shot of the tourists and had a brief burst leaving the lighthouse, before picking our way through gaps cut in the the debris that littered the road in tree-lined gullies nearer Wattle Bay. I wish I had got a pic of the huge pine tree roots we passed a little earlier too, where about five massive trees had been blown over next to the road. If I can find anything on my dash cam later I'll post it up cos it was something.

Anyway we made it to Wattle Bay (where the speed limit through the gullies these days is 50kmh where it used to be open road and a lot more fun). As always it was very sheltered from the wind, fine and sunny and I found myself ditching the beanie and hoodie real quick. And another thing I thought was very cool about this run: heaps of people brought sausages etc to BBQ and every single thing got eaten! Nice.

Wattle Bay - one of my all time favourite places, suitably adorned with our favourite cars -

On the way back we had a bit of a forced stop which is where that classic pic of Carl was snapped. I'm glad I decided to biff a few spare bolts in the tool-kit recently. And I can't help wondering if fate had decided to make us pause and consider the absence of friends. Something about that road sign...

It was great that Carl's clutch came back together cos there's few things worse than having to leave a car stranded waiting for a tow truck. We finally managed to get some proper pace in nearer the end of the run - despite the woolly things running out in front of me and the cow poo on the odd corner threatening to drop us in it... But yeah the last leg of the trip was the best bit methinks.

Once again, thanks for coming everyone. Here's to the next one!

[Mr-Paulio]

Here's the best pic of the torn up trees I have Charlie. Quickly taken as we paused and waited for the group.

[Speedhog]

Thanks for organising the ride Charlie, and thanks for the company everyone, it was a(nother) good day

I have no photos to share but others have well covered it

Rodney, I thought you were not falling behind by all that much even when Charlie set a quick pace, so I reckon either we were not going that fast after all or Madaz2 really deserves its name (the car and the driver both!)

It's surprisingly easy for me to drive that car quickly and "down a gear", even tho it has a high roof, the centre of gravity is quite low allowing the tyres to work nicely.
The higher RPM's have a nice not over powered pull to them. Anything over 4k it likes.

Charlie, big budget for tyres?? no.. But will run two sets of tyres. Daily's and run's.
Oh did you have your GoPro running on the way home?

[mickeyduck]

...will run two sets of tyres. Daily's and run's.

Now come on mate you can't use slicks on a run... That just wouldn't be fair.

[mickeyduck]

The blown-over trees as seen on the way to the lighthouse, earlier. At least 7 of them gone over.

[psyguy]

...will run two sets of tyres. Daily's and run's.

Now come on mate you can't use slicks on a run... That just wouldn't be fair.

TBH, I'm thinking I'l get some semi-slicks (road legal) when my current tires wear out. Hope that's fair

[mickeyduck]

I used to have Potenza RE11 semis on the back and they were AWesome. They don't make them small enough anymore.

Here's a time-lapse silent movie of the entire trip from Drury to there and back again in case anyone is curious what the road is like. As seen from the rear window of my AW. You'll just have to put some of your own music on to listen to, is the thing...

https://youtu.be/JXXtZ_N0ZdQ

[IC3YG4M3R]

I used to have Potenza RE11 semis on the back and they were AWesome. They don't make them small enough anymore.

Here's a time-lapse silent movie of the entire trip from Drury to there and back again in case anyone is curious what the road is like. As seen from the rear window of my AW. You'll just have to put some of your own music on to listen to, is the thing...

https://youtu.be/JXXtZ_N0ZdQ

That video is incredibly mesmerizing to watch.