The New Zealand 2017 Kriega Butt Dusty

Ian Bowden gets a Dusty Butt after a decade of trying.

- Ian Bowden

I’ve been trying to get to the annual Dusty Butt ride for the last 10 years, but circumstances have always got in the way.

This year I’d just returned from working overseas when I checked the internet to find the ride was on in two weeks and all 150 positions were filled. Bugger! It looked like I’d missed out again.

A break

A week later at a local trail ride a friend mentioned he’d entered the Dusty Butt but couldn’t make it. He suggested I should take his place.

That got the mind into gear. I live in the top half of the North Island and the ride was in the central South Island. Was it possible to make all the arrangements and get there at such short notice?

‘Hell yeah!’ I decided. It was doable – just.

Ride fever clicked into overdrive and with just two days to departure I got busy planning. The bike needed prepping, gear needed packing, ferries had to be booked and accommodation to be organised. Oh. And permission from the wife, of course. Hadn’t I said that?

I did it all and managed to leave on time.

Priorities

Rain was forecast for the departure day and was I looking forward to riding my DR650 with new tyres for 500km on boring highways to board the Cook Strait Ferry?

Hell, no.

My sensible wife said, “Why don’t you trailer your bike down to Wellington, stay overnight at Pete’s place and catch the ferry the next morning? That way you won’t get a wet arse?”

I didn’t need much persuasion. I loaded the bike onto the trailer, hopped in the four bee and cranked up the heater, blue-toothed my iPhone for music and headed south in absolute comfort. Oh yeah. I kissed the wife as I left.

What to expect