2010 Ride Info

 

So you've registered for the TT2000? Here is everything you want to know before you wheel your bike out of the garage and set sail for Christchurch:

 

Carrying your gear between Christchurch & Nelson

We will have a van driving up to, and back from Nelson. If you have any gear you want transporting between the checkpoints you can throw it in the van and it will be waiting for you on arrival. It saves you lugging it on your bike.

The Start & Finish Checkpoint: Hampton Honda, Hornby, Christchurch

This year's start and finish checkpoint is again Hampton Honda at 29 Carmen Rd, Hornby, Christchurch. Here is a location map for Hampton Honda [A].

This is what Hampton Honda looks like:

Robin Hampton and his team will be VERY GLAD to help sell you all those gear items you leave behind, such as a helmet, rain-proof boots, decent tyres and haemorrhoid cream. 

The checkpoint opening times are:

SATURDAY - START:  6:00am - 8:00am

SUNDAY - FINISH: 6:00pm - 10:00pm

Question: What if I arrive at Hamptons outside those hours?

Answer: Sorry but that's the whole idea of the TT2000; you have to complete the ride within the checkpoint opening/closing window. Once the checkpoint closes that's it, you're unable to collect your FINISH TICKET and thus the TT2000 is over for you.

 

The Saturday Checkpoint: Morley Honda, Whakatu, Nelson

This year's halfway Saturday night checkpoint is Morley Honda, 25 Elms St, Whakatu Estate in Nelson.

Ian Hamilton and his team at Honda will have the workshop open for any mechanical 'issues' you may have incurred. The Pomeroy Coffee Factory & Cafe is right over the road and will open for checkpoint hours, perfect for your injection of caffeine and cholesterol intake before and after the ride.

 

This is what Morley Honda looks like - dead end cul de sac, away from residential houses - a perfect early morning checkpoint.

 

The Computerised Till Receipts & Digital Photos

If there's one thing to get right it's getting the correct evidence of your ride. Imagine doing 1,000kms on Saturday and not being able to prove you passed through Picton. Might as well ride slowly home on Sunday!

When you report to the Christchurch checkpoint on Saturday morning you are handed a travel wallet in which to collect your receipts. Also, you must carry a digital camera or a cellphone camera. Here's what you MUST HAVE at the finish of both days:

The Eastern Circuit

  1. Day 1 or Day 2 Start ticket issued by the checkpoint staff
  2. Computerised till receipt from, OR digital photo of your bike in, Kaikoura
  3. Computerised till receipt from, OR digital photo of your bike in, Hanmer Springs
  4. Computerised till receipt from, OR digital photo of your bike in, Murchison
  5. Computerised till receipt from, OR digital photo of your bike in, Picton
  6. Computerised till receipt from, OR digital photo of your bike in, Takaka
  7. Day 1 or Day 2 Finish ticket issued by the checkpoint staff

The Western Circuit

  1. Day 1 or Day 2 Start ticket issued by the checkpoint staff
  2. Computerised till receipt from, OR digital photo of your bike in, Motueka
  3. Computerised till receipt from, OR digital photo of your bike in, Karamea
  4. Computerised till receipt from, OR digital photo of your bike in, Punakaiki
  5. Computerised till receipt from, OR digital photo of your bike in, Blackball
  6. Computerised till receipt from, OR digital photo of your bike in, Ikamatua
  7. Computerised till receipt from, OR digital photo of your bike in, Kumara
  8. Computerised till receipt from, OR digital photo of your bike in, Methven
  9. Computerised till receipt from, OR digital photo of your bike in, Rakaia
  10. Day 1 or Day 2 Finish ticket issued by the checkpoint staff

 

Note re digital photos: photos taken on your camera or cellphone must be of your bike alongside or in front of a sign that clearly shows the town name.

Here is an example of a good digital photo which complies to the "your-bike-with-town-name" requirement. As long as it proves your bike was in that town then the photo is good. The sign can be a town welcome sign, a business sign with town name or anything that is readily identifiable as that town eg Picton ferry terminal. We trust your honesty that you took the photo on the TT2000, and won't be asking you to display the digital camera's date (as so many cameras are wrong anyway).

When you arrive back at the checkpoint you hand in your travel wallet and we will tick off the receipts and/or inspect your digital photos. If they are all present and correct then you are a TT2000 FINISHER.

Question: I've got a camera but it's not digital. is that a problem?

Answer: Yes it is. We need you to show us on your digital camera's LCD screen that you took photos at certain places. Not much use having a Kodak disposable!

Question: What do the computerised receipts have to comply with?

Answer: The receipts you collect can be for any sort of purchase; fuel, Moro bars, cash out of an ATM, whatever. But they must comply with the following:

  1. be computerised. In other words, produced by a machine and not handwritten. The receipts can be from an eftpos machine, an ATM or a computerised till (see examples below)
  2. show the date and time which must accord with the chronological order of you collecting them depending on which circuit and whih direction you are riding.
  3. show the town name

Here some examples of 'good' and 'bad' receipts:

Beware getting a fuel receipt like this one below. It does not have a town name. In your rush to refuel you may not realise it. A receipt like this means the end to your TT2000.

The Four Square receipt below has no town name but there is a phone number. If pushed we could ring the number and verify where it was. This is a bit of a hassle especially as they are likely to be closed at 10:00pm. Try not to get a receipt like this if you can.

Day 2

The Disclaimer

It won't be surprising to you that we need you to sign a disclaimer of liability before you set out on Day 1. It is a good idea to read this now so there are no surprises and it doesn't hold you up at the get-go. You can view the disclaimer here.

 

What Happens On The Day

Day 1

  1. Ride to the checkpoint at Hampton Honda in Hornby within the opening window 6:00am - 8:00am
  2. Report to the registration desk
  3. Sign the Disclaimer and receive your travel wallet and Day 1 Start Ticket
  4. Jump the queue by pre-filling out your Disclaimer by downloading it here in pdf file format or Word doc format and bringing it with you
  5. Ride away. 
  1. Turn up at the Nelson checkpoint within the opening window of 6:00pm - 10:00pm
  2. Report to the registration desk
  3. Receive your Day 1 Finish Ticket
  4. Go and get a good night's sleep

Day 2

  1. Ride to the Nelson checkpoint within the opening window 6:00am - 8:00am
  2. Report to the registration desk
  3. Receive your Day 2 Start Ticket
  4. Ride away. 
  1. Return to the Hampton Honda checkpoint in Christchurch within the opening window of 6:00pm - 10:00pm
  2. Report to the registration desk
  3. Receive your Day 2 Finish Ticket
  4. Produce your travel wallet and receipts and get ready to display your digital photos on your camera
  5. TT2000 scrutineering staff will tick off your receipts, view your photos and, if you have done some Flyer clip-ons, total up your points
  6. If you have successfully completed the TT2000 you will receive a Finishing Certificate (not worth a lot but evidences your completion to the merchandise sales staff)
  7. If you have successfully completed the Bronze, Silver or Gold Flyer you will receive an additional Flyer certificate
  8. Have a look at the fantastic 'Achiever's Pack' and Flyer trophies for sale and make the decision whether to buy them or not
  9. Enjoy a BBQ sausage & drink from the TT2000 girls and watch other riders return

FAQs

Question: I have pre-registered with you but can't make it. Do you need to know?

Answer: No, it's not that formal. If you turn up you turn up.

Question: If I don't buy the Achiever's Pack what is there that certifies I've finished the TT2000?

Answer: There's the Finishing Certificate we give you, but really that's on a par with getting a certificate for passing a road safety course. For proper bragging rights and stylish mementoes that other riders will gasp at, you need to invest in the amazingly-valued and exclusive 'Achiever's Pack'. Hell, you've just ridden 2,000 kms in 48 hours.. treat yourself to a reward.

Question: I'm coming from out of Christchurch and would like to link up with other riders heading for the TT2000. How can you help?

Answer: We can give you the email addresses of others who have registered from your town if you like and you can contact them to see if they are interested in forming a convoy.

Question: Can I do both legs continuously ie back to back without stopping?

Answer: No, because you will be unable to collect the appropriate start & finish tickets at the checkpoint. We've taken the decision to not get involved with anyone who wants to crash on and do an Iron Butt. It's a liability thing as we can't be seen to be be fostering enhanced risk due to fatigue. By all means try it yourself sometime but sorry it's not a TT2000 event.

Question: If I just do one day is there still some sort of recognition I can get?

Answer: No, you only get the opportunity to buy the Achiever's Pack if you complete the whole TT2000. By all means go for a 1,000 km ride but it's pointless registering with us as we're only dealing with 2-dayers.