1-3-07

Parky and I have been riding all day with yet another group of guys and gals. It was a cracking ride up to the ancient Shilla capital of Gyeongju. Highway up and mountain roads back. We have met some really interesting dudes in the last week.

On Sunday we went cruising with some old Korean guys, mostly riding gold wing Hondas. That was a fantastic day. We just cornered some old dude in a bike shop and he invited us riding with his club. They have an average of about 50 people out twice a month. The youngest is 40 and the second is 45. There was one dude at the clubhouse wearing the colours, he didn’t come with us, but he must have been 85 if he was a day. What a fantastic group of lads. I’m sure I’ve already said that but it was just so true. I was treated so normally. Nothing special about being a foreigner, about being half the average age of the guys, just one of the guys. As a weiguk one is rarely treated like that in korea. It was so refreshing. I had no intention to ride with the crew often, but now I’m not so sure. I had one of the better days riding I’ve had in this country, and that is a big statement in a land where everyday is motorcycle heaven. What’s more, those old farts can ride. Those old farts might drive cars like my grannie on crystal meth, but they could throw those fat arsed gold wings around like they were postie bikes. What a spin out, eh!


Today’s ride was a freaker too. Met some new weiguk dudes who are well into the bike scene here. You will notice the custom job in the photies. It’s an original custom job, in the truest sense of the word. Louie (the owner) is some kind of freaky engineer here in Yangsan and imported the bits and pieces as he saw fit. Built the entire thing from the ground up just for kicks. Better to look at than to wend around the twisties here in the Land of the Morning Calm (no disrespect intended), but what a fucking monster of a machine!

Kudos to Trey, who has purchased himself a schmick 1100cc virago and made it out today as well, hope to see much more of that in the coming year. And great to finally meet Paul, with whom I’ve been conversing on the phone for the last 9 months and failed to catch up with. Great to see everyone again after a short winter’s break. Be ready in 10 days for Wombat season to begin again in earnest.