Time again for Jutta’s view. Four weeks into our tour and one week on New Zealand’s South Island, it’s a good misty day, with my right calf and tendon strained, to take a day’s rest, put my leg up and put some reflections down. Luckily, my leg has timed this perfectly, keeping us for another … Read more …
2016 Tour Aotearoa
Nearly a month in now to TandemTA of NZ, 1800km and hello Victoria and Albert
No sun today on Day 27 of our tandem tour of Aotearoa/New Zealand, but a rewarding, hard ride from Springs Junction through and over the Victoria Forest Park (between Mounts Victoria and Albert – I just wonder when they might have been named!) The 45-km pedal to Reefton is described by the Kennett Brothers in their … Read more …
Meet the Tour Aotearoa organiser…
Really enjoyable if slow 80km sunny slog south from Murchison today to Springs Junction, where we’ve been thrilled to meet Jonathan Kennett, organiser of the Tour Aotearoa and cycling his longest ever personal ride and thrilled how it’s going so far. See pic. Thanks modest Jonathan for an amazing, visionary project. Only six riders of … Read more …
1000 miles down on TandemTA, and here’s our route so far
Tbe map of our journey so far…. https://connect.garmin.com/activity/embed/1071233209 Crazily beautiful scenery riding today, day 25 of the TandemTA, from HuHa backpackers 70km to Murchison in the mountainous heart of the top end of the North Island. Great to hear from the girls, Katie Brayne and Carmela Snooks, that they’re going fine up north, if at … Read more …
24 days into #TandemTA, and enjoying the HuHa bikepackers near Murchison…
Two further rewarding 70km days heading towards the bottom of New Zealand, BAD sand flies approaching and enormously enjoying ourselves in this rather more bucolic and gentle terrain. We’re now at the Hu Ha Backpackers near Nelson Lakes, with v slow Internet connection not allowing much photo uploading, but Facebook seems to work. Do search … Read more …
Week Four of the #TandemTA tour of New Zealand begins in the South Island with 110km from Picton to Nelson.
Today, it really is just photographs. 110km from Picton to Nelson, and completed with elegant pizzaz…. Though scroll to the bottom and there are some words too… Starting into week four of our #TandemTA tour of New Zealand, the South Island has immediately thrilled with stunning views of Queen Charlotte Sound, and of the mountains from … Read more …
Kiwis Rock – Daisy’s Wheel is Back in Action, and South Island Awaits
With enormous thanks to Owen Hughes of Dirt Merchants in Wellington for a Saturday evening wheel rebuild, to Chris Hubbard of Pure Sports for the Rohloff spokes, and to Cameron Burnell and Kim Bonnington for lifts, food, music and two lovely overnights, Daisy is BACK ON THE ROAD, and we’re on our way on the … Read more …
Best laid plans? Busted spokes prompt back wheel rebuild in Wellington
Nearly three weeks into our Tandem Tour the length of New Zealand, we’ve had to call in some helpful friends with a van, and take a day out from pedalling, to get our rear wheel completely rebuilt after blowing four – FOUR! – spokes yesterday as we approached the capital Wellington. And it would have … Read more …
125km in one day, and hilliest ride ever! Day17 of #TandemTourTA of NZ, from Mangaweka to Palmerston North
My goodness me, that was one hilly, long, hard-working, but utterly brilliant cycling day. From Mangaweka on State Highway One with all its lorries, off east into deepest North Island back country along the official Tour Aotearoa route along which Katie and Mela and the other 300 registered riders will be coming in a few … Read more …
Off NZ Central Plateau, and Cooking in a Hot Tub.
I know the Maoris were said in very early times to have cooked visiting missionaries for consumption, but I didn’t think they were still doing it! And this is what the setting is, with logs burning underneath, axe perhaps to ward off unwanted visitors, and sans naked European… Quite the most eccentric Air BnB place … Read more …