I took a week off work to do a big ride. I wanted to end up in Hamilton, as I was overdue for a visit, and found an opportunity to ride the desert road, which I've wanted to do for a while now.
Here's the route:
I did 180 Km on the first day, starting at midnight in Waiouru (koz that's when the night bus arrives). Conditions were favourable - 6 degrees, light southerly winds - so I set off right away. Traffic at that time of night is almost entirely large trucks, which are predictable and highly visible. Easier to handle than carloads of skiers, who invariably take the west road round the mountain.
I was going for endurance (read: fat burning) not speed, so I croze through the night and arrived at Turangi at dawn.
I crashed out for an hour near Kuratau once the sun had come up, then continued west to Taumarunui. Had anohter sleep around midday, then anohter 6 hours to Ohura. I learned when I gto there that I'd have been better off taking the north road, which is flatter. Never mind.
I arrived at John's place at dusk, just in time for the hangi-in-a-keg which had just been taken out of its baskets. Yum! I felt pretty good. 180 Km in 18 hours, a personal best for time on the bike and distance travelled. I'm sure I can do 200 Km and 24 hours, so that's my next big ride objective. Starting at night helps, mentally at least.
I spent Sunday crashed out in a house truck, chatting with John and thinking about the next leg of the ride.
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