Tour of South Island NZ

I'm Off Again.

Happy New Year.

I spent the day getting my bike ready for my final training block which will take me around the South Island of New Zealand for 14 days. I hope to achieve daily mileages of about 160- 200kms. Once again the racks and bags had to go on my trusty Mercian. But each time I do this I make subtle changes that should make the bike easier to handle or easier to pack. The only major differences this time are the addition of a Brooks saddle bag at the rear to hold things that normally a handlebar bag would hold such as camera, wallet and coat. The other major change made, since my trip to the Taupo race, are the fitting of my actual ‘Around the World’ wheels. These of course are not race wheels but very reliable and strong ‘old school’ touring wheels.

Both Bikes Ready to Go.

Once again I’ll be fully self-sufficient carrying everything I need, except a tent. The reason I don’t need a tent on this trip is because Adi is accompanying me on her Vespa. And since we will need a bigger tent with the two of us and since the ‘two gay girls’ are all packed for the ‘Around the World ‘ trip Adi can carry the big tent on her Vespa.

That’s not all she plans to take on her Vespa. Since she won’t be getting any exercise Vespa’ing  along she asked me to set up her racing bike on the back so she can motor on ahead to our destination for the day and then she will cycle back to meet me. That’s how it is supposed to work in principle anyway. We will see. I think her space on the motorbike is even more limited than my space on my bike. I have the enviable situation of having plenty of bags and a list of stuff that I have slowly leaned off after each practice trip. She has really only a spot behind her on the seat and her front rack.

Nelson to Westport. (About 210km)

Tomorrow I set off at 8am and she will do last minute things around the house and then follow me at about lunch time.  I’ve seen the weather forecast and it’s looking good.

I cleaned her motorbike and swopped tyres around amongst our two Vespa’s to give her the best rubber all around. Adi assures me that she can change the wheels of her bike if she gets a puncture but once again we will see.

I have to say that Xmas and New Years have been pretty uneventful for me with no grogging to speak of and no cycling to speak of either. The weather has been pretty wet here and I take my hat off to some of my friends who have been competing in the local road racing. By tomorrow night I should have blown away a few cobwebs though.

Now for the hard part. I have to finish off all the lemon meringue that is in the refrigerator and anything else that might go off. I wonder if cream liquors go off.

 It would be a shame to waste it all.