In 2012, Yozhik and Tarakan visited Fred and Carole in Christchurch, New Zealand. On the first day of the visit Al and Fred went to buy a beat up BMW... and Fred ended up footing the bill. Then in 2 or 3 days, while Tarakan roamed the CBD Central Business District, Al and Fred fixed the bike. After that Yozhik and Tarakan were off to explore the South Island. Most of the time Yozhik was the pilot... but Tarakan reeeeally wanted try his many hands at the task. Getting onto the bike like this was a whole adventure... but it worked. The bike was a beast, but ran like butter at 70 mpd +. On the last day, the adventure found Yozhik and Tarakan on the West side of the island in an absolutely TORRENTIAL downpour. Tarakan never asked to pilot once... but tried to smash up against Yozhik's back. Tarakan remembers a kia (New Zealand parrot that will steal your sandwich) flashing its red armpits in the rain... and then getting off at a gas station to fill up, and buy veggie pasties... then up turning the raincoat hood by accident, causing a whole bucket of water to come down.
Yozhik and Tarakan made it to Fred and Caroles that night. All of their raingear was laid out to try and dry... but they boarded the airplane home the next day with sodden helmets, gloves and leathers (they probably ought to have paid for the weight of an extra passenger that flight).