Blue Haze: The Blue Haze Takes to the Sky

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

The Blue Haze Takes to the Sky

From Christchurch CJMG Show 2010

There has to be a good reason to get up before six on on a Saturday morning. Five VJMC/Blue Haze members found one with the Christchurch Classic Japanese Motorcycle Group putting on there second bike show. We had all been impressed with the photos from their first show last year and when there great website (http://cjmg.org.nz) anounced a new show we made plans to head south. After doubts were expressed about the show happening with the earthquake, Mike and the crew decided to go ahead. Dion, Kim, Paul W and myself finally boarded the plane after the late arrival of the crew due to the 10 hour flying curfew from the previous night. We were further delayed by the late arrival of the refueler. Apparently he slept in! Maybe Palmerston North is a bit of a hick town? Tim was waiting for us at Christchurch airport having flown in from Wellington and so our visit began. The Papanui Lodge proprieter picked us up from the airport and delivered us to the first of our three units where we had a great cup of tea. My daughter Amie and her boyfriend arrived to taxi us around the place and it was decided to head to town to check out a couple of bike shops and grab some brunch before the opening of the bike show at 12:00pm. A real eye opener seeing some of the destruction first hand with vacant lots from demolished buildings and baracades around others. After having a feed at a local pub we made our way to the Papanui Club and found the show within the inner sanctum of the building. Walking down a passage way and into the show was like finding Aladins cave. The guys looked great in their CJMG tee shirts and as we made ourselves known Mike and the others greeted us. The variety of bikes kept us busy for hours. It was a Classic Japanese bike spotters paradise! The layout of the show allowed one to get a good look at the machines, and it was good to see some 'before' and 'during' bikes in various stages of restoration. Some of the lads were intrigued with the Bridgestone 350 on display whilst others enjoyed the 'The Toad', an RD350 still in its as raced state from the 70s. For myself it was great to see some of the bikes I own on display. I enjoyed seeing The Suzuki GT550j in such good condition. It is a bike one sees very rarely these days. The two Suzuki T500s looked great with there long rangey look and the KH250 was a great choice to greet people when they came through the door. After grabbing a few ales from next door the lads settled in for good chinwag until we got the boot at six oclock so the CJMG lads could go home and powder their noses for our evening meal at the Speights Ale House. As we left the Papanui Club Andrew our Taxi driver got pulled over by the Police. looks as though it is one of their favourite stake outs on Saturdays. For Andrew this was proved to be only his first converstion with the law as he was pulled over yet again a few hours later. Not a problem as he was well under the limit We had a great feed and some great conversation. Nothing like being with a bunch of people with the same passion as you!
Flying back the following morning the conversation was about how worthwhile it was going down to the show. The CJMG guys put a lot of effort into the show, and from us up here in Palmy a big thank you for a wonderful show.

Mike sent up the results of the Best in Show bikes