Well I am well and truly knackered ! Today has been a hellish ride and one that a may not want to repeat in a hurry… actually I will re phrase that…..I may not have the energy to repeat in a hurry. It has actually been a pretty amazing day and one that has taken in some pretty extraordinary scenery. I set off at 9.30am this morning and it was I didn't quite realise that it was uphill from the start. After an hour I was wondering why I could only average about 12/13 mph when there was no real wind stopping me and I was beginning to get a little confused. It felt like I was on the flat but when I checked the altimeter I had actually climbed about 800 feet in the first 10 miles hence the slow speed. Within 20 miles I was at 1000 feet and it felt pretty good but just a little slow and I stopped for breakfast and to call my mate Paul back in Manchester. Rather than being down the Pub as per usual for a Friday night he was “polyfillering” holes in his living room wall. Well at least I wasn’t missing anything eh!
Within another 2 ½ hours I was in Taihape having climbed another 1000 feet albeit rather more as there were several ups and downs along the way. It was now lunch time and I was at my projected final destination. I scoffed a quick Mc Donalds ( or two ) and saddled up again with a new destination in mind. Turangi which was another 57 miles. I had done 51 already and felt good and I knew that although I still had to climb up to 3500 feet and go over the desert road past the Volcanoes, the last 25 to 30 miles were all down hill so would not take long.
Well it wasn’t all plain sailing as there were some steep climbs to come and just out of Taihapi there was a bitch of a climb which went on for about 3 miles. Once this was over I was at 3000 ish feet and the road became flatter but still a gradual uphill to around 3500 feet near the start of the desert road. I was now in a very barren expanse with Mt Ruapehu and then Mt Ngauruhoe to my west which looked incredible. Both are massive volcanoes and you may may have seen them in various films such as the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
The temperature was now pretty damn hot and according to my computer it maxed out at 101 F which I’m not sure I believe. There was a good breeze though so It wasn’t too much. The desert road went on for about 25 kms and apart from a couple of sharp rises was ok. It then dipped down suddenly and for the next hour I just weaved around sharp bends and tried to control my speed as I dropped 2500 feet almost without any uphill or flat sections at all. It was like a roller coaster and almost as scary on occasions. I had white knuckles and aching hands at the end as I passed Rangipo prison and it flattened out to Turangi. I think I may need to get some new brake blocks for the rear as I could smell them disintegrating at one point. I hardly had to peddle for twenty odd miles which is just as well as I didn’t really have the energy. I have completed 108 miles today and climbed just short of 5600 feet. I have taken the first motel room on offer and have a lovely room with a pool outside that I don’t have the energy to walk to. I think I will just lie here and not move till tomorrow. Typing this has used up the last bit of energy I have.
Actually I need food so I may have to walk across the road. I must have a few thousand calories to consume to break even even though I don’t really look like I’ve lost a pound. L
The good news is that instead of 80 miles to do tomorrow I only have 32 so I get a day and a half off. I may do a parachute jump or something. Actually my ankle may not like that, Maybe I will just find a thermal bath and turn myself into a prune.
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