Four days, 150 kilometers (or kilometres), luggage transport, meals, lodging and weather - it all came together and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Mary also survived it.
Cycle Surgery provided fat tyre knobby mountain bikes with shocks and panniers. They also took our regular luggage from one stop to the next while we were riding.
Mary did catch a pannier at a gated bridge crossing that caused a bit of a fall on day one. It caused a bit more caution at similar crossings and bravely she pressed on, with minimal medical attention. Preferring recumbent cycling myself, it was necessary for me to surgically remove my underwear at the end of each day's ride. Day one 32 km, day two 34, day three 34 and day four 50 km or thereabouts. The only real low was toward the end of day two after long slow uphill grade it was tiring, Mary was struggling and we were passed by two turtles and a snail. It wouldn't have been so bad if they hadn't turned around and waved as they went by. These were the only real lows.
The food was usually at or near the place we stayed and the cooks were good, with one exception. At the Omakau Commercial Hotel, no cook, must have been a real chef. I had pork tenderloin stuffed with onion jam wrapped in bacon with au jus over fresh vegetables --- outstanding.
The weather was cool to fine. One evening at Oturehua, our host started a wood fire in the stove which added to a very pleasing atmosphere at his place (picture with Mary and rather relaxed dog, named Dillon).
The scenery - mountains, bridges, rivers, tunnels, birds, sheep, bees (honey hives), friendly people, blue sky --- well, it's why we came. No picture captures it - only hints at it.
The escapism, relaxing, calming, mind mellowing, exhausting pleasantness --- well, it's why I did it. Ride your self powered bike by a field of bleating sheep in a green pasture, ride under a bright blue sky, head towards mountains that touch the slow moving clouds; in a scene where everything seems momentarily special; and maybe created just for this moment to be as it is. Know how special the moment and the experience are.
At the end lay down and rest on a picnic table. Just that tired.
So it was.
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