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Doing this on notes app as no wifi
Been around the deck, taken pictures of sleeping Cylists. We did quizzes and had fun with fellow passengers in our little area.
To be continued….
Steve pulling a face
Typing this in van at lake Rotorua…. 2’5 days latter at 4. :20 am with finder on iPhone/
I don’t think I have posted anything since arriving in the South Island. Well the reason is that it’s been all go, and time is taken with biking 🚴♀️ routines and getting fuel although as my brain unfolds I do recall with lots of fondness some lively family catch ups.
In Petone we stayed at a great motor camp and got stimulus ready to drop off the car and and travel light to Sth island. My wonderful Lee -Anne was going to continue to South Island as my nurse extraordinaire 😀. Not much fun checking out morning and night that part of someone’s anatomy but very much appreciated. Removing dressing but gently the wear off and are in bottom of cycling ps TA, applying various fixes and in morning before rising applying skin pads and covering with adhesive that hopes to hold them tight for most of the day.
I type this in back of a van in lake Rotorua at 5:25 Monday morning and yes we hired( least Lee -Anne organised as I didn’t have any time to do that). Cosy little thing, do a big camper van arrange but much more most, but has everything we need. . This obviously allows for Lee -Anne to travel Sth island. Not much fun for her really following me normally 50 km behind everyday until I make a decision where we might finish the day which is often depending on terrain to go and how far legs have got in them. Going to take van to Invercargill then drive to Queenstown, fly to wellington and Lee -Anne is going to go on holiday home).
In Petone Andrew, Tasha, and Liam and Josh came to visit at camp ground. Was lovely to catch up. I was shoveling food down my gob but was neat to see them and get news of what they were up to, school and kids activities. Josh has drum lessons to go with his po y so all go on that front. They kindly took some of our excess luggage as well.
I arrived in early enough to get some news, do some chain and bike cleaning which I did again in the dark that night and last night. You have to look after your steed. I notice my tire tread is now very worn and the ride into Nelson over the Maungatapu was responsible for that. What a Madison, pushing bikes up track pretty steep but mostly due to the terrain being bolder sized rocks unbikeabke for long stretches. We got to top as were determined to make Nelson on first night. Fugitive to the summit as just losing light at 8;30 , Bike still with Steve Broderick, good guy and a cyclist so full of knowledge. Steve loves his cycling and can live off the land. Spot a blackberry bush at 100 yards and apples or other fruit a more. Me I just trying to satay upright in the gravel on my bike. Lots of stories are shared. Steve had a leg injury cased by acute cramp that bad basically dissorted his leg building up for the tour. You can image the pain and cramp that would have done that to you. Only with a day or so to go did the keg look like it may be a goer to start and start he did, he started the day after me and had two days in office in Auckland to attend to some business clients technical issues. Scientific type work and he explains science to me which I find really interesting. He is an industrial chemist.
We made the top and then put our lights on and hug on for dear life descending this very step bolder track into the night. Hence the reduced tread on my back wheel as brakes were permanently on in the 6 km or so mountain bike descent. We are on loaded touring bikes !. People shake there head when we tell them that and they know the track. In some respects lucky a
Was dark. Made Nelson 10 ish to camp. And was basically down hill most of the way as we had climbed to over 800 m to summit. Will long stay in the memory.
Lee -Anne had flown over in the late afternoon, hired our camper, got all the low down on its bits and pieces, Toyota something with a sliding side dirt converted to a camper for those without children who are on OE type van, permanent back seat down if you get a picture. Meet Alex for tea and got news from me the bike that we had plans to punch thru. Alex kindly meet us beside port in Nelson and offered to get us tea so we ate hot food. Alex had been wonderful helping Mee set up at Tahunanui camp ground. The largest camp grounded in NZ at Tahunanui beach. So big you get lost which we did as my phone died. I had played some inspirational music to get me o we the hill . Nothing like a sat night mountain biking in dusk, fir music to pick you up, get the spirits lifted and kick you on. Actually that sounds like it was a terrible e experience . No it wasn’t , it was really hard, pushy thru a bike up hill on boulder road but was great adventure and fun. The music added to the experience, a bit if Can Morrison and bee gees always goes down well played loudly 😀.
Alex invited us to a coupa at her place at 8 , arrived a bit late. Her and momo had a convention that day and Lee -Anne was able to attend her Sunday meeting remotely from the comfort of their flat. Thanks Al for all your help to Mum and I. We are so lucky and the bits and pieces you arranged were so helpful. The burger getting was so appreciated as Steve and I needed to eat.
Next stop was to catch up with Keith and Diane who have become real do watchers apparently. In what must be one of the best bakeries in the world at ……… Steve made his own way out and saw them beside the road and I came along about 5 or so minutes Katter. I biked Wangaratta turned out to be a busy walk way from Als setting off 8:30 ish for 11 am ish brunch. Great to see Keith and Diane and again catch up. Always wish had more time. Consumed the most glorious pie, my cardiologist will not be pleased to hear that but they just lively and even though hives gone in seconds as was spoke strudel to die for a bottle of water and another fruit based pastry cake.
Not long after leaving ands back on trail they Keith and Diane turned up again, we came off trail to road briefly just last there house. Keith with lovely apples 🍎 for us all and Diane actually biked with us for a couple of kms. Thanks so much for catch and hospitality, again so short. Jason also joined us for a bit as well. He had been out looking for canoes for the kids. They are ding heaps of things together outdoors. You are all looking so well Nelson team and you live in a pretty part of the world. We had the most fun seeing you all. Thank you. We observed on the sunday what a popular place for cyclists
and families and lots of large groups out and about doing things outside as couples and families and groups. Awesome Nop of sth island people !
Got to get up , dressed, b’ done, fueled up in the dark. So will stop this and post when have time and mobile coverage which. We don’t have here. Lots of climbs in prospect next two or three days , gulp, and yesterday. Had a lot of climbs but more rolls and not as steep inclines
To be continued ……
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