That's a wrap ...
- Up early this morning as I was catching a shuttle bus into Christchurch where the number one task was to secure a bike box for the marathon return journey back to Canada
- Checked into 'Hotel SO' in CHC and quite a funky hotel experience to say the least at a cheap price, probably one of the most unique hotels I've ever stayed at - check it out on Google
- Found the bike box easy enough and all they asked for was a small donation for their bike kids program - fair deal
- Packed up the Norco and all that's left is catching the $5 Base X shuttle bus to the airport at 9 for an 11:15 departure and then a crappy 6 hour layover in Aukland - return travel is always the worst part of any trip!
- FF, if you're still reading this add up the stats (ride time/distance) as I'm sure you can make time at the office
Cycle Touring Tips for myself for next time:
1. Pack lighter - 100 grams here and there add up fast and extra weight DOES NOT mean a better workout, it just means you'll break your knees faster
2. Even if in good shape limit the first couple of days riding to 3 hours riding max - take it easy
3. Did I already say pack lighter?
4. Don't bring every tool in the toolbox - zero mechanicals experienced on this trip with the exception of one flat that I caused when I ripped the valve stem topping up air one morning
5. Pack less cycling clothes
6. Bring lighter clothes
7. Don't ever use that saddle again for a tour - ever! The only thing that saved my ass literally was the double shammy approach for the last 3 weeks and just barely
8. Bring a stove
9. When descending don't forget about the low riders, Kobe warned me about that one but you don't really take it to heart until you almost kill yourself
10. Bring a better sleeping bag
11. Don't ever ride ride the 'Rainbow Junction' road again on a CX bike - ever!
They're playing the RHCP Californication album in the lounge at the moment so that's my queue for signing off and enjoying a last NZ lager - later.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Day 35 - March 21st, 2010
Kiakoura Coastline - That's a Wrap!
Ride Time: 2:15
Distance: 65km
- Started the morning getting up at 5:30am for the Dolphin swim which wss super cool
- Followed that up with breaky, a nap, and an easy coast line spin
- That's pretty much it for NZ 2010, a great trip all in all for sure
- Final update when I'm less tired and actually feel like writing the wrap up
Ride Time: 2:15
Distance: 65km
- Started the morning getting up at 5:30am for the Dolphin swim which wss super cool
- Followed that up with breaky, a nap, and an easy coast line spin
- That's pretty much it for NZ 2010, a great trip all in all for sure
- Final update when I'm less tired and actually feel like writing the wrap up
Friday, March 19, 2010
Day 33 - March 20th, 2010
Mt. Lyford - Kaikoura
Ride Time: 2:45
Distance: 68km
- Late start to the day after stuffing myself with more good food (breakfast/latte/muffins)
- Geared up and ready to roll around noon for perhaps the final spin of NZ, what a way to end in perfect conditions being a little overcast, around 20c with minimal wind
- No need to rehash the ride as this was a repeat but definetly a classic 85km section from Waiu - I love this ride!
- Rolled into town and was able to secure the dolphin swim at 5:45am tomorrow morning, hopefully they'll be able to track them down this time but this is the best time for this activity
- Booked the Christchurch bus for 7:30am on Monday so only remaining task is finding a bike box from a shop in the Cathedral area once I get into CHC
- If I feel like riding tomorrow I'm going to do an 50km out-and-back ride of the northern Kaikoura coastline after the dolphin swim
Ride Time: 2:45
Distance: 68km
- Late start to the day after stuffing myself with more good food (breakfast/latte/muffins)
- Geared up and ready to roll around noon for perhaps the final spin of NZ, what a way to end in perfect conditions being a little overcast, around 20c with minimal wind
- No need to rehash the ride as this was a repeat but definetly a classic 85km section from Waiu - I love this ride!
- Rolled into town and was able to secure the dolphin swim at 5:45am tomorrow morning, hopefully they'll be able to track them down this time but this is the best time for this activity
- Booked the Christchurch bus for 7:30am on Monday so only remaining task is finding a bike box from a shop in the Cathedral area once I get into CHC
- If I feel like riding tomorrow I'm going to do an 50km out-and-back ride of the northern Kaikoura coastline after the dolphin swim
Day 32 - March 19th, 2010
Hamner Springs - Mt. Lyford
Ride Time: 3.5hrs
Distance: 85km
- Nearing the end of the trip so going to coast on in and soak it in from hear on in - from an hours perspective pretty sure I haven't ridden this much in a 30 day span before
- Nice spin from Hamner today to get a little glimpse of the kind of riding I would have experienced if I would have had a chance to do the Mt. Lewis pass
- Once I hit the town/village of Waiu that was it for new roads as it was a mild 22km climb up to Mt. Lyford
- Set up camp and treated myself to an amazing steak dinner, for once Kobe is right in that the food and people up there are worth the stop!
Ride Time: 3.5hrs
Distance: 85km
- Nearing the end of the trip so going to coast on in and soak it in from hear on in - from an hours perspective pretty sure I haven't ridden this much in a 30 day span before
- Nice spin from Hamner today to get a little glimpse of the kind of riding I would have experienced if I would have had a chance to do the Mt. Lewis pass
- Once I hit the town/village of Waiu that was it for new roads as it was a mild 22km climb up to Mt. Lyford
- Set up camp and treated myself to an amazing steak dinner, for once Kobe is right in that the food and people up there are worth the stop!
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Day 31 - March 18th, 2010
Rainbow Junction Hut - Hanmer Springs
Ride Time: 3.5 hrs
Distance: 58km
- Woke up to a crisp morning with the wind blowing in the 'wrong' direction again so none of us were jumping at the bit to get a head start
- Geared up around 10:30 to make our way onwards and the temps actually had improved quite a bit in the 2 hours we had breakfast
- After maybe .5 hours of riding the southerly switched to a northerly meaning warmer temps and a quicker ride into Hamner
- Rougher roads I think than yesterday but the CX bike held up beautifully
- All in we made good time and celebrated survival over some tasty fish and chips, maybe the best of the trip to date
- After we said our goodbyes it was time for the hot springs and I made the most of it spending 2 hours or so going from pool to pool
- 2 easy rides left on the docket with Mt. Lyford tomorrow and to Kaikoura the next day. After that it'll be a bus ride into Christchurch and the end of this adventure
Ride Time: 3.5 hrs
Distance: 58km
- Woke up to a crisp morning with the wind blowing in the 'wrong' direction again so none of us were jumping at the bit to get a head start
- Geared up around 10:30 to make our way onwards and the temps actually had improved quite a bit in the 2 hours we had breakfast
- After maybe .5 hours of riding the southerly switched to a northerly meaning warmer temps and a quicker ride into Hamner
- Rougher roads I think than yesterday but the CX bike held up beautifully
- All in we made good time and celebrated survival over some tasty fish and chips, maybe the best of the trip to date
- After we said our goodbyes it was time for the hot springs and I made the most of it spending 2 hours or so going from pool to pool
- 2 easy rides left on the docket with Mt. Lyford tomorrow and to Kaikoura the next day. After that it'll be a bus ride into Christchurch and the end of this adventure
Day 30 - March 17th, 2010
St. Arnaud - Some hut in the middle of Rainbow Junction road
Ride Time: 5hrs
Distance: 65km
- 'Short cut' into Hamner Springs today via Rainbow Junction road to save roughly 200km and a quicker route into Kaikoura
- Crazy South Westerly followed me again today which meant for a long, long day on roads not meant for cross bikes that's for sure. Basically 40km of rough gravel way worse than you'd see in the TR race with many creek crossings as there was a lot of rain the night previously
- At a low point around 57km I ran into a great couple who we road into the camping area together - Dave (Irish) and Lorraine (Kiwi)
- Cooked up pasta, shared banana bread cake and had some good conversation into the night
- Glad this day was over though but a beautiful area for sure
- On Saturday is the big MTB race over these same trails and they get upwards to 2000 entrants! Better hope for better wind direction than we had
Ride Time: 5hrs
Distance: 65km
- 'Short cut' into Hamner Springs today via Rainbow Junction road to save roughly 200km and a quicker route into Kaikoura
- Crazy South Westerly followed me again today which meant for a long, long day on roads not meant for cross bikes that's for sure. Basically 40km of rough gravel way worse than you'd see in the TR race with many creek crossings as there was a lot of rain the night previously
- At a low point around 57km I ran into a great couple who we road into the camping area together - Dave (Irish) and Lorraine (Kiwi)
- Cooked up pasta, shared banana bread cake and had some good conversation into the night
- Glad this day was over though but a beautiful area for sure
- On Saturday is the big MTB race over these same trails and they get upwards to 2000 entrants! Better hope for better wind direction than we had
Monday, March 15, 2010
Day 29 - March 16th, 2009
Kiaterteri Beach - St. Arnaud
Ride Time: 6:45
Distance: 128km
- Toughest day on a bike I've had in a long, long time. I finished with more salt on my face than TL climbing Cochrane Hill from yester year
- Profile of today called for 123km straight up hill, a few cat 3 or 4 climbs but mostly false flat type of riding - no problem right?
- Forecast looked good calling for sw winds to aid me along
- Not to be, 125km straight into a 40-60km head wind going up a false flat, today was literally Hell on Wheels that's for sure and to aid to the misery I didn't eat or drink enough
- Whatever, still made it in I suppose but the last 1.5 hours were nasty!
- Scenery and terrain however were amazing but after a certain point it didn't matter
- Tomorrow's a new day, hopefully this system blows through this evening as my voyage has me traversing 85km off road on a mountain bike race course they run every year in March, think it was last weekend
- If I/bike survive the 'shortcut' into Hamner Springs it will save me a couple of days of R&R later on
- Time to eat and replenish, I've already started with a nice tin of Pringles
Ride Time: 6:45
Distance: 128km
- Toughest day on a bike I've had in a long, long time. I finished with more salt on my face than TL climbing Cochrane Hill from yester year
- Profile of today called for 123km straight up hill, a few cat 3 or 4 climbs but mostly false flat type of riding - no problem right?
- Forecast looked good calling for sw winds to aid me along
- Not to be, 125km straight into a 40-60km head wind going up a false flat, today was literally Hell on Wheels that's for sure and to aid to the misery I didn't eat or drink enough
- Whatever, still made it in I suppose but the last 1.5 hours were nasty!
- Scenery and terrain however were amazing but after a certain point it didn't matter
- Tomorrow's a new day, hopefully this system blows through this evening as my voyage has me traversing 85km off road on a mountain bike race course they run every year in March, think it was last weekend
- If I/bike survive the 'shortcut' into Hamner Springs it will save me a couple of days of R&R later on
- Time to eat and replenish, I've already started with a nice tin of Pringles
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