Living the highlife in Wanganui.

Another big day with a lot of great riding. Started at Owhango after a great (short) evening catching up with Paul Chaplow. Started riding at the crack of 7:30 with 45km of gravel road to the Blue Duck Cafe at Whakahoro. Pretty disappointing breakfast there then it was in to the single tracks through to The Bridge to Nowhere - another 50 odd km with more than 500 m of climbing.

Jet boat down to Pipiriki and then the long slog along the river road down to Wanganui.

My bike is desperately in need of some TLC. It has taken quite a beating. The same could be said for the body. Apparently the menu is the same for tomorrow. Rise, eat ride etc

A Long Hot Friday

Friday. Day six of my punishment (weight loss program) Timber trail is fun but not quite so much when knackered. Very hot. It is the first section I have really enjoyed.

Bill had bad day yesterday so of course that me feel a bit better. Every time he shows a bit of life I get worried he will bounce back and crush me.

Just having some food at Ongarue before cycling the back road to Tamaranui. Last food stop before Wanganui except for Chaplows Open Home in Owhango.

Fun is always fun, or is it Fun doesn't have to be fun.

Day Five - Waikato River trails and then The Timber Trail

Thursday. 2:30 pm Maungakino Cafe - the kitchen closed at 2! Better day today. Still stinking hot but at least we are off the long hot straight roads of the Waikato. Camped out at Waipu Reserve and hot a good breakfast at Arapuni. Then it was back Onto the river trails. Much slower going with lots of climbs and switch backs, and one of the team had a minor technical issue. Almost enjoyable but ran out of water an hour before Maungakino. Had a really nice swim in Waikato at one point, good job there is no zoom function on the spot trackers!

This is the last stop for food until Taumaranui as we are heading into the Timber Trail (86 km) next. Probably be camping out halfway at Piropiro and then Taumaranui for a late breakfast.

Day .... ? .... Wednesday

Bit of a lazy night at the Clevedon Oub last night. Probably should have done a few more hours but the temptation of a bed, shower, a hot meal and beer were too much.

Cruised off round the bay's about 7:30am and now at Kopu for a pie and top up with fluids. It is very flat round here so making good progress but it isn't that interesting so doesn't take your mind of the job in hand, or the tenderness in the bike - rider interface area.

Just about to turn off into the rail trail so no cars for a while which will be nice. Hoping to dine in Matamata, and then sleep in Arapuni but that does mean another 140km, and it is 28 degrees!

Two wheels! The right ones

Excellent job by Mt Eden Cycles. I now have my front wheel with dynamo so can charge the gps, lights and phone although I have been enjoying cycling late at night by moonlight.

The bastard who set the course just sent us up Mt Eden for a laugh. Done now so heading for south Auckland and the Haraki Plains ( to be honest I prefer hills). Thinking about a motel for the night but that might be a bit too much after two beautiful night under the stars.

Day 3 - a bit more relaxing

Yesterday was a long day. Very hot with some fairly big hills and quite a bit of gravel to slow us day. Decided to have an extended stop in Dargaville to try and avoid some of the late heat. That did make it a late night but we made in.

Currently on the beach at Poutu waiting for the boat.

Rawene Ferry

Day 1 (Language Warning)

Fucking beach. Fucking southerly fucking hot. Apparently we are supposed to enjoy this, and that was just the first six hours.

What I meant to say was "while 90 mile beach is a stunning spot, and a lovely drive, it does go on a bit when cycling it. That combined with disadvantageous wind direction made it even more tedious.

Bill and I are inhaling fluids (not beer) in Ahipara and will make a decision soon how much further to go.

Calm Restored

Ok. All order has been restored. My wheel will be in Auckland for me, and I have had a small amount of Amber rehydration fluid to calm my nerves. Will be any early start tomorrow to drive up to the Cape and head off. The performance of the replacement wheel may or not be a excuse for an easy day. Main problem I can see for the day is the heat! Bloody hot up here.

Kerikeri Update - Opps

Spot the deliberate error.

Slight hiccup in the smooth progress of the trip. Having boasted about how light my bike box was compared with Bill and Barryn, I realised what was wrong when I opened the box and counted the wheels. Emergency protocol 17 kicked in so I have borrowed a wheel and mine is heading for Auckland so I can pick it up in the way through on Monday. It has given everyone else a laugh and hopefully it will be the biggest issue of the trip.

Stage -1 completed

Arrived in Kerikeri ok and relived to see the bikes all made it. 8 riders and boxes.

Tour Aotearoa - Almost Ready To Go

Thought I had better post this wee bit of positive before I get anxious about the challenge. Had a good last (ish) big ride, a 170km loop from Karori up the Hutt, over to Waikanae, then back via Paekakariki Hill Road and Makara Beach., the bike is back from final service so it needed to a solid work out. Not fully loaded so I compensated by including numerous cafes and other watering holes. Thanks to Jenny Cassie for the pace-making through to Waikanae (The pace drop after that was due to southerly, honest!). Thanks to Ollie Roadworks Bicycle Repairs for the wheel build, & Ricky at Mud Cycles for the tune up. It was all running so smoothly I had to keep checking there was actually a chain in place, it was too easy.

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Tour Aotearoa - More stupidity

Tour Aotearoa starts in late Feb 2016. It is a 3000km cycle tour from Cape Reinga to Bluff following a mixture of New Zealands backroads and cycle trails. All riders are unsupported so carrying tents and other equipment (credit cards!) needed to get them through to Bluff. All the details of the event can be found here - http://www.touraotearoa.nz/ -

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