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Bay Rodders Tauranga

Bay Rodders 2011 News

Deano and Claire's South Island Trip

Our trip Written By Deano / Typed by Claire

After a very busy few weeks I thought I should get the Buick checked out before we headed down south as Marcus had mentioned a noise he had heard in the brakes. But sadly it wasn’t brakes it was the bloody diff and with 48 hours to go before departure date, no way was I going to have time to fix it. OH WELL we will go down in Claire’s car and jump in with Rex and jenny Moyle once we were in Invercargill. Rex and Shannon Moyle had other ideas, phone calls and NO from me as an answer didn’t stop Rex, turned up on our doorstep to pick me up and go and get Shannon’s 57 Chev Hot Chocolate, I was a bit apprehensive but Shannon said treat it as your own and have fun. Mmm ok then. It’s a cool car and well built and done right. So on Monday cleaned and polished it and checked it all out as Claire started packing.

Tuesday 19th April.

Hit the road for Wellington Bound, White 57 and Brown 57 Chev, (cool or what), we had an easy trip stopped twice for fuel and Turangi for lunch. The new bypass at Taupo is cool and time saving, check out the photos with Albino on the bridge. Had a quick stop for supplies in Levin, had to pull Claire and Jenny out of the op shops before we stopped for liquid supplies. We hit Wellington at 5pm, bad planning on our behalf, didn’t help Claire is hopeless at map reading and she sent us thru the busiest of roads (narrow roads at that) and we got LOST. Crazy people just walking everywhere, they don’t worry about the cars, just walk out and cross, After a few hairy moments we stopped at a shell servo, and asked for directions, Claire couldn’t understand the Punjabi at the counter so got a map and a local helped us out. Off we go with plan A – sweet – first corner f__k, one way street, can’t go that way, F__K again. NO plan B .We drive around and spot the Motel no parking in front of reception area WTF. Do a drive past, find side street and do a 25 point turn to go back, and park in car park that was made for minis. Eventually book in, find our rooms which were built for midgets, time for a drink!!! Let’s get out of here, Rex leads the way. The place is humming, for a Tuesday night and as Rex tells me a few stories, Jenny and Claire enjoy people watching. After a few drinks and some food we head home to bed for a big sleep, early start 7am ferry sailing. Wednesday 20th.

Bluebridge easy to find, even though we drove strait past it, no crazies around and we line up, 6.45am Claire gets a text, Ferry only 4 hours late had only left Picton F__K what now....we could have stayed in bed and (use your imagination ). Anyway decide to line up, get tickets, and explore inner Wellington city on feet. First stop Brekkie...again Rex takes the lead... Back at Terminal at 11am like Bluebridge said, loaded 11.40 am, take it very careful but still 57 gets hooked up on deck, pulls exhaust mount off chassis - F__K again. Lax out on ship, enjoy the view as we sail thru the sounds. Not cold at all, just refreshing. DING DONG – time to go down to cars, loose Jenny and Claire, after a phone call they find their way to the right deck. Drive off ferry ramp VERY CAREFULLY – bugga won’t be in Christchurch till dark as it is now about 4.30pm. Cruise cruise, stop for fuel, no winery tour stops sorry Jenny and Claire – Buggy says Claire. However just before dark we stop at seal look out on Kaikoura coast. Lots of pups. So off we go in the dark, we stop in Amberley for fuel, but NO everything closed –F__K again. Wise man Rex, u turns, and calls into a local Motel, the lady owner rings a local gas station in Domett, and he will open for us for $10.00, YAHHHH. He lives on the premises so not a major to open, good southern hospitality yes, but no smile from the proprietor and hardly a word. We get gas and head off to Christchurch in the dark. We have to drive carefully as humps and bumps everywhere because of the earthquakes, manhole covers hanging up from the ground and we have low Chevs. We arrive at my sister’s place in the dark, unload the cars, drink time, dinner time, and bed time....no shakes

Thursday 21st

PROBLEM – hot chocolate needs to be fixed, I ring a mate, come on around he says, off we go following my sisters father in law who must have taken us over every speed bump and hump in Christchurch. We arrive at my mates work, get abused (normal he is a Ford man – I feel sorry for him)), no hoist, so he takes us across the road to Hesson and Bowry Collision Centre owned by Neil Hesson .. Before we can say boo, the car is up on the hoist, (my mates still giving me and everyone around abuse); the bracket is removed, drilled and rewelded onto the chassis and painted – just like new. Rex spies something under a cover mmm, what’s under there, Neil says one of those things (as he puts to the 57 Chev) Rex and I had cover off in seconds...Its HESS 1 in the flesh or should i say metal .the best 57 in NZ . Rex finally stops licking the car, there is a small problem with HESS 1 so it’s not going to the Nationals. BUT we got to see it, Rex is pumped. Small bloody world we live in, if the Chev hadn’t broken we wouldn’t have seen it. Big Thanks to Neil for fixing hot chocolate for no charge. It’s now about lunch time, so we have a feed and hit the road this time with GPS> Four hours late AGAIN F__K> Drive, fuel, drive, fuel, drive, and then OK Claire we will stop. So we stop at Moeraki Boulders for food, pee, photos and view but not in that order... Claire and Jenny have their first wine of the day... hit the road again last three hours in the dark again, so much for good planning. We get excited when we see the lights at Gore in the horizon (I know we sad). Dinner ready at our sons Matt place, great Pork roast, fire roaring, and time for bubbles and bourbon. Rex Jenny and ourselves had a few and then crashed out.

Friday 22nd

A bit of a sleep in, coffee and toast, time to load the cars again and hit the road for Invercargill. (50 minutes away). Find Motel, easy with GPS, wicked huge rooms, ladies unpack, and Rex and I clean cars. And then we head to registration – two blocks away – finally our planning comes right. We Register and mix and mingle. Our first run is out to local freezing works for car games. But first we are all to tour thru Queens Gardens, and slow down for photos by official event photographer, locals out in force to see the cars, lots of waving and tooting. Police stopping traffic and trying to keep 200 cars together - pretty cool. Head out on main road as if you are going to Queenstown, turn at big roundabout and park up at freezing works, no sweat, No Rex and Jenny, a wee while later still no Rex and Jenny, then my phone rings, you guessed it, Rex missed the turn off and was heading for Queenstown. ‘’Any Locals’ we call out, ‘Yup’ comes the reply, handing him the phone I say ‘my mates lost’ our kind local directs Rex and Jenny and not long later we see Albino cruise in.

After the games we decide to cruise to bluff. Rex and jenny first time there. It starts to rain and is really quite chilly but you still have to do the tourist bit and get the photo. We power park the chevs and get some good photos, heaps of other rods are starting to show up now so lots of friendly bantering and as Alistair takes photos we get a couple of him in action. We pick up some supplies and head back to invers Motel, park up, clean the cars over a few bourbons (as you do) ladies join us and then we walk three blocks to the night event. Huge venue, (sorry my photo didn’t turn out) and we mix and mingle. Claire spots Karl Boniface and his crew so does a bee line to them, great to see them on their home turf. We meet Karl’s wife Diana and son lee. Diana is really lovely and much to Karls apprehension and worried looks Claire chatted to her about Bay Rodders and Nost drags and how we all go a bit crazy after a busy day....she is very keen to come and meet more Bay Rodders and says Karl talks quite favourably about us all.

After a lovely dinner and a few more bourbons, wines and gins it’s time for our guest speaker. Karl Boniface – he is a bit nervous he says but excited to be able to share his journey into Nitro racing and his quest for speed, actually really interesting and some very funny moments. He did a big plug for Bay Rodders and especially shared his momentous occasion of side by side Nitro racing with Lez Hurst in Phoenix at our Nostalgia drags this year and how it hadn’t been seen for over 30 years. A great slide show of Karls history made it even more interesting. He is especially grateful to Castrol for their continued support and has encouraged Dean to keep pursuing Castrol for sponsorship for his best meets in his racing year.

Second speaker is the man who built the two motorcycles for the filming of the World’s Fastest Indian, and the challenges that arose trying to find an engine as narrow as an Indian engine, but had to be modern to handle the riggers of lots of filming at Bonneville and the original body mould had to fit over this frame which was a huge challenge. He shared some of his highlights of the filming in America which helps one understand why it is so expensive to make a movie in America. As you know or not Burt Munroe was from Invercargill. Bit of music and then we headed home for a good sleep.

Saturday

We woke up to rain, bit of a bummer as show and shine was on at the race course and we felt really sorry for the organisers, but southland people are bred tough they kept on saying. Breakfast was laid on and lots of catch ups with new and old faces. All in all a successful day for the organisers with trade stands, music , shuttles to take you to Truck museum, chocolate factory and site seeing in Invercargill and shopping. Karl was there with car and crew doing fire ups and really enjoyed being able to show his home town what he does. We caught up with family, had a nap, and got ready for another big night. Regrouped with Jenny and Rex and once again walked to the venue. Another beautiful meal, some very Glam costumes for Las Vegas night. .Sulphur City Club entrants looked hot and even the kids were all dressed up. Our entertainment started with Vegas Magic/illusionists Show. The guy was damn good and knew his shit, blew us all away. A short break and then a 3 Girl band named LIPSTICK got us all going.. These girls rocked and had the place pumping, but alas where was Bay Rudders ABBA, you would have fitted right in. Great fun and great entertainment. A short break and Vegas came back for some R18 action, very clever and a lot of us were still talking about his illusions on Sunday night. ALL entertainment on the weekend were Invercargill locals, certainly some good talent down south.

Sunday

Early breakfast as we all had to gather to cruise to Te Anau, two cruises, ½ the cars went Riverton route, other half Winton route. A two and half hour drive, but worth it. We took Riverton route and saw some new country. Parked up at Te Anau for local show and shine...and then relaxed at THE FAT DUCK for a lovely relaxing lunch and chatting time with family and friends. Took a couple of photo opportunities and then headed home Winton Route. A big day, a bit buggered so some liquid refreshments sorted that out. (Hot tomato soup) that fooled you didn’t it. The cold stuff followed a wee while later. It was raining again so we all grouped together for taxi and once again another fun night, with a lovely dinner and music. Stopped raining so we walked back to Motel for some sleep.

Monday/prizegiving - 25th April

Raining, cold and hail.

Yes southland did prize giving Monday after breakfast, it worked very well. Rex in his Albino made top 10, also Alistair from ‘Petrolhead’ made it in their as well. 38 cars and drivers travelled down from North Island for the Nationals. A good effort as it is a bloody long way.

We say our goodbyes, hugs etc and drive to Gore to pick up the whanau our son Matthew and wife Trudy who are joining us for the trip back to Christchurch. We cruise to Oamaru BUT on the way got flatty just out of Balclutha - Bugga- bags out and luckily I had put my jack in from home and fixed spare before we left Tauranga. Shannon had some tools in boot except a wheel brace – SHIT – no Rex and Jenny anywhere so I made do with ¾ spanner and crescent. New tyre on bags back in boot and drive to next town and first thing I bought was a wheel brace from BP – check the wheel is tight , sweet, have a lunch break, more fuel and back on the road. We are staying the night at Oamaru, meet up with Jenny and Rex and then Rex leads us on a explore of Oamaru. We find an old pub – LAST POST, a couple of drinks and Claire Jenny and Trudy try their luck on some pokies. Claire Tin Bum ends up winning $170. Time for next leg of adventure.

We follow Rex and explore an old part of Oamaru which is dated the 1800s, really cool, stop and take some photos outside the pub The Creighton – the publican comes out and takes a group photo of us all, and then invites us in. We chat to the locals and have a few as you do. Next leg of the exploration was food – we find a neat place called Star and garter, regret not taking photos of the wedding wall, amazing – people having their weddings there and going back 25 to 50 years later to celebrate their anniversaries., Lovely meal, great hospitality great atmosphere and plenty of Gluten free options.

Tuesday – Rex and Jenny head to Hamner Springs, and catch up with family on their way to Picton. We cruise to Christchurch to catch up with family and another birthday for me at a local restaurant, lots of fun and laughs and even a good size earthquake to keep us on our toes. As we head back to my sisters she shows us some of Christchurch, poor buggas, the place is rooted, and TV doesn’t do it justice, much worse when you see it for real.

Wednesday – cruisy day, clean cars, have lunch out and just hang out, we just finish a lovely dinner and then all things go black – no quake just no power, we huddle under the blankets, tell a few stories and eventually power comes on – just in time for Sons of Anarchy on TV 3 – choiceeee.

Thursday – Early appointments in Christchurch and then refuel and drive drive to Picton. Just before Blenheim we are following a Paddy wagon and the bloody horn starts to go off by itself, can’t stop it, Claire wonders if Police in Paddy wagon can hear it and we have a giggle about different scenarios. Anyway have to stop and pull the wires off, (check it out at home). We make it to Bluebridge with 5 minutes to spare before they load us and after a phone call 10 minutes before that to see if we were still cruising with them – pretty good we thought.

Caught up with other Rodders who had been Street rod Nationals and chatted and then tucked down for a quick nap. Smooth crossing, but an uncomfortable one for Claire as she was fast going down with a bad cold. Arrive Wellington 7 pm, cruise on out, refuel and get some food from good old BP, then cruised again. We discussed stopping half way but I suggested we just keep cruising and I tucked behind some trucks on dessert road, man it was busy, truckers everywhere and lit up like xmas trees We arrived in Turangi, more fuel, Claire jumped in the back under blanket and slept the rest of the way to Tauranga, she was on another planet and once getting home was very pleased to see our bed and slept all Friday as well.

Overall was the trip worth it you ask – a couple of times driving at night on roads you don’t know, I did wonder, But now, at home thinking about it yes it was worth it, Rex and Jenny awesome couple to travel with and we have some great memories. We met some cool people, made new friends and met up with old friends.

But this would never have happened without Shannon and his generosity and trust. Thank you for lending us your beautiful car. We had a ball all in the name of Hot Rodding.

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