Month: February 2020

Yay: beautiful morning around a beautiful coast, lots of shops (not necessarily good for speed!), really enjoyed climb out of hicks bay all the way to the lighthouse. Finishing! Lovely dinner at gourmet food cart and very scenic camping at backpackers – Te Araroa is a surprising place.

Boo: slightly excruciating morning on the saddle (realising it’s better when fully tensioned made for a better afternoon), too hot this pm( what I had feared the whole event would be like!), little sleep last night, heaps of close passes and several emergency hops on to verge. My confused riding around looking for homestead where car was parked…

What an epic awesome event. Challenged myself and reflected on so many things, riding virtually the whole event alone. Big achievement to meet my target. Need to sleep!

Yay: many awesome chats with easties this morning, including a few familiar faces. Unlike yesterday, felt really happy snd pretty good ( despite bum blister) all day. Lovely stop in matawai where Chris shaw caught me, great to chat with him there and on ride to motu, he’s doing an awesome time and was very positive. Also saw chris and Ricky again, had a fascinating experience conversation with Chris the whole motu which made it go very quickly- it’s a beautiful ride. Arrived in Opape around 715 and very happy to stop. Maybe sleep a bit earlier tonight!

Boo: saddledefintely a no. Anyone want to try a selle anatomica?! Too narrow for my sit bones..

Yay: lots of friendly morale boosting chats with east to west ers, including Brian, Guy and Dirk and many others, some familiar some not, such a cool part of this event. Loved this morning, reminded me why do this, beautiful forest at dawn, lots of laughter with the other fast five at waikaremoana. Last few hours of day also good.

Boo: hateful gravel climbs with endless false summits this after noon, felt crap, hard to keep going, very tough.

Yay: Pete came out from Rotorua to say hi, very cheering! Felt better after lunch, mostly. Lots of great drivers on highway stretch to Murupara inclusion all the big trucks. Awesome whirinaki forest, loved it, even though destroyed by that point. Finding somewhere to stay in Ruatahuna thanks to lovely Garry and Maling (west bound) letting me share their cabin, great to hear their stories.

Boo: headwind though at least the southerly kept it cool. Sore bottom sore right leg sore back, choose two and adjust saddle to suit. Saddle may soon be former saddle. Waikato river trail continued to deliver aggravation, setting the scene for a very slow morning.

Yay: lots of morale boosting chats with on coming TAers; beautiful sunrise down valley out of ohura; beautiful sunset coming down the waikato river trail; maybe saddle sorted with some major adjustment at lunch…really nice lunch stop at camp epic. Got to whakamuru in time for pizza 🙂

Boo: saddle occupied thoughts most of morning. Timber trail big climb the wrong way round doesn’t get any better. Waikato river trail – pinchy climbs why why why.

Yay: having accommodation last night and not camping in the torrential rain!

Yay: rain surprisingly stopping just as I left for the dawn start (but it did come back in the afternoon)

Yay: great to catch up with Craig N and debrief the Megagrind through a beautiful forested stretch of riding around the mountain.

Yay: kind offer of a shower tonight (am camping) and meeting lots of lovely riders, nice evening in Ohura at Michelle’s gourmet food caravan.

Boo: jury still out on new saddle. Also dropped lip balm some where before Whangamomona.