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Day 13 - 13th November 2012
Foxton Beach to Mangaweka
105 kms
Foxton Beach to Mangaweka
105 kms
Interesting New Zealand facts:
A New Zealander invented the tear back velcro-strip, the pop-lid on a self sealing paint tin, the child-proof pill bottle and the crinkle in your hairpins so that they don't fall out!
A New Zealander invented the tear back velcro-strip, the pop-lid on a self sealing paint tin, the child-proof pill bottle and the crinkle in your hairpins so that they don't fall out!
PREVIEW:-
105 kms to travel today – but look at the profile – we are heading uphill all the way!!!
Initially it will be easy riding through the Manawatu Plains, passing through many small towns which service the productive farming area.
Small rural towns of Sanson, Bulls, Marton, to Hunterville where we meet the Rangitikei River which we will follow pretty much through to Mangaweka.
105 kms to travel today – but look at the profile – we are heading uphill all the way!!!
Initially it will be easy riding through the Manawatu Plains, passing through many small towns which service the productive farming area.
Small rural towns of Sanson, Bulls, Marton, to Hunterville where we meet the Rangitikei River which we will follow pretty much through to Mangaweka.
REVIEW:-
Predicted 105 kms - actual = 105 kms
Up early after a great stay at Foxton Beach! All fed and watered and washing up to date!! Looking at the elevation profile, it appeared that we were in for a reasonably easy start to the ride as we went through the Foxton Flats and along the Himatangi straights as far as Bulls - our first "stop" for today's ride. It was easy riding and we had a slight side wind on a dull cloudy day - no sunshine - but more importantly - no rain!! I thought it was important not to go too hard as there was to be climbing later in the day.
In Bulls we were met by Alana, Allison and Michelle from Zonta Manawatu at "Mothered Goose" - whose owner Ros treated us to a morning tea to die for!! I had a blueberry muffin that was out of this world - so if anyone reading this is travelling through Bulls - make sure you stop here!!
After an interview over coffee with the local council promotions staff, the day had to continue - the climbing was about to begin - so off we headed to Hunterville. Meanwhile, Pat went off collecting with the Zonta Ladies and our fund-raising total was boosted! Of course we giggled at all the "-bull" signs in the town - it is terrific! The climbing was a lot more gradual than we thought, and we made it to Hunterville pretty comfortably! They have cute sheep statues in the middle of town, so we stopped for pictures - we had already spotted the Jucy van just up the road - parked outside Hunterville School - which was to be the venue for our lunch. Can you believe that these 3 Zonta ladies sacrificed their whole day to support us for both morning tea and lunch!! Amazing!
I don't know what those sheep did to Don, or to be more honest, Cedric - but alas, a second puncture here so Cedric had to be walked up to the school for a tube replacement.
During our lunch in the staff room at the school we heard the students in an adjoining room practising the haka. I thought it was a great rendition from the youthful voices ........ there maybe future All Blacks there - I think it was a worrying sound for the Aussies amongst us!!
The last section of the day was from Hunterville to Mangaweka, and there were a few steep and long climbs through this section. Light rain had begun to fall and the temperature had dropped - it was pretty cold by the time we reached "home" for the night - the Mangaweka Adventure Camp. We lobbed into The Pavillion - our first night where we have had to get out the sleeping bags and "camp". Fortunately Tricia brought us a gas bottle so we could get the heater roaring - unfortunately - the hot spa we were looking forward to was not working!
The Rangitikei River here is quite amazing, steep banks, swiftly flowing, waterfalls, rapids and I guess trout - as a huge neighbouring motor home is here for a month while the owners fish.
We added a few things to the "left-overs" from lunch that the ladies insisted we take on for our dinner, and turned in feeling pretty happy with the way a day we were fearing a bit had turned out. Day 13 completed!!
Predicted 105 kms - actual = 105 kms
Up early after a great stay at Foxton Beach! All fed and watered and washing up to date!! Looking at the elevation profile, it appeared that we were in for a reasonably easy start to the ride as we went through the Foxton Flats and along the Himatangi straights as far as Bulls - our first "stop" for today's ride. It was easy riding and we had a slight side wind on a dull cloudy day - no sunshine - but more importantly - no rain!! I thought it was important not to go too hard as there was to be climbing later in the day.
In Bulls we were met by Alana, Allison and Michelle from Zonta Manawatu at "Mothered Goose" - whose owner Ros treated us to a morning tea to die for!! I had a blueberry muffin that was out of this world - so if anyone reading this is travelling through Bulls - make sure you stop here!!
After an interview over coffee with the local council promotions staff, the day had to continue - the climbing was about to begin - so off we headed to Hunterville. Meanwhile, Pat went off collecting with the Zonta Ladies and our fund-raising total was boosted! Of course we giggled at all the "-bull" signs in the town - it is terrific! The climbing was a lot more gradual than we thought, and we made it to Hunterville pretty comfortably! They have cute sheep statues in the middle of town, so we stopped for pictures - we had already spotted the Jucy van just up the road - parked outside Hunterville School - which was to be the venue for our lunch. Can you believe that these 3 Zonta ladies sacrificed their whole day to support us for both morning tea and lunch!! Amazing!
I don't know what those sheep did to Don, or to be more honest, Cedric - but alas, a second puncture here so Cedric had to be walked up to the school for a tube replacement.
During our lunch in the staff room at the school we heard the students in an adjoining room practising the haka. I thought it was a great rendition from the youthful voices ........ there maybe future All Blacks there - I think it was a worrying sound for the Aussies amongst us!!
The last section of the day was from Hunterville to Mangaweka, and there were a few steep and long climbs through this section. Light rain had begun to fall and the temperature had dropped - it was pretty cold by the time we reached "home" for the night - the Mangaweka Adventure Camp. We lobbed into The Pavillion - our first night where we have had to get out the sleeping bags and "camp". Fortunately Tricia brought us a gas bottle so we could get the heater roaring - unfortunately - the hot spa we were looking forward to was not working!
The Rangitikei River here is quite amazing, steep banks, swiftly flowing, waterfalls, rapids and I guess trout - as a huge neighbouring motor home is here for a month while the owners fish.
We added a few things to the "left-overs" from lunch that the ladies insisted we take on for our dinner, and turned in feeling pretty happy with the way a day we were fearing a bit had turned out. Day 13 completed!!
PICTURES OF THE DAY:
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I thought of that while riding my bicycle
Albert Einstein on the Theory of Relativity |
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