Riders go the distance for a piece of apple pie

DIG IN: Triumph motorcycle riders look on as Peter (Clarkey) Clarke goes for a bit of the Grand Hotel's apple pie.PHOTO/BEVAN CONLEY

Bikies came from near and far on Saturday - answering the call of the apple pie.

"Rob and I had apple pie here," national secretary of the Triumph Riders' Motorcycle Club NZ Gerry Halcrow said yesterday.

"One of us said, 'that's almost worth coming back for'."

Evidently, they decided it was worth it, as eight riders made their way down from Auckland during Auckland Anniversary Weekend to meet at Whanganui's Grand Hotel for a piece of apple pie.

"They cooked 20 pies last night and we ate the lot."

Riders also came from Waikato, Manawatu, Wellington, and Taranaki to try the pie. Whanganui chapter president Mal Skinner said they had about 40 people, including the Whanganui members, gathering for pie.

The club dubbed the trip "The Auckland-to-Wanganui 'Because we like Pie' Ride".

He said the ride also tied in with a memorial ride, a year on from the death of a member's son, Aaron Andrews.

Nationally, the club has at least 300 members.

Mr Halcrow said they were using "any excuse for a ride".

"I've eaten pie all over New Zealand. I haven't yet eaten a pie that can match the Grand Hotel's."

Hotel owner Neville Gorrie said he and others at the Grand felt "pretty good" others came from so far to have the pie.

-Anyone interested in joining the club can find it on Facebook, or at triumphriders.co.nz.