Morning ‘geyser’ run, quick shower, hotel check out, short walk downtown. Last day on North Island (for a week).
Add bicycle to my expanding list of NZ transportation. Happy Ewe Cycle Tours. Hadn’t been on a bike since I crashed out of Ironman Boulder, August 3rd 2014. Mangled bike still in the garage…completely serious.
Half day tour. 27 stops around geyser-rich Rotorua, one of NZ’s flattest stretches of territory.
Government Gardens. Specifically, Prince’s Arch and Gateway (built for the country’s first royal visit in 1901). Met our happy guide, Roger – then received safety info which stayed [with] us, our entire NZ journey. Hand up, formed an L. Left means Life. Driving British this holiday…yep, on the Left. Phrase stuck for 2 weeks. Few times my travel bestie drove ‘American’, I’d calmly chirp – “Left means life, left means life” – & she’d promptly adjust lanes. No worries. LOL>
Bike, check. Helmet, check. First stop: Ohinemutu, a living Māori village and the original settlement of Rotorua. Ready to roll. Hadn’t cycled in 2 ½ years, started out a bit spooked. I’ve got this! Thanks Dawn, for reintroducing me back to the pedal 🙂
Fave stop: Kuirau Park, in the heart of Rotorua is New Zealand’s only geothermal public park.
Churches, historical buildings, public gardens – but it’s Kuirau Park I’ll remember. Plumes of foggy sulfur obscured our ride over the swallow lake center. Bridge-biking over barren wasteland. Warm, humid steam billowed from the ground. WOW, just WOW!
Legend of Kuiarau: In the early 1800s, the small lake in the centre of the park was much cooler and was known as Taokahu. Legend tells us that a beautiful young woman named Kuiarau was bathing in the waters when a taniwha (dragon) dragged her to his lair below the lake. The gods above were infuriated and made the lake boil so that the Taniwha would be destroyed forever. From that time on, the bubbling lake and the steaming land around it have been known by the name of the lost woman, although the spelling has changed a little from Kuiarau to ‘Kuirau.’
Ended today’s ride in Government Gardens. Specifically, Rotorua Museum – former Bath House, now the town’s museum. Photo opp, goodbyes to our guide, then ride-shared to the airport.
Small puddle jumper to Christchurch. Tomorrow’s adventures start on South Island!
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- morning ‘geyser’ run — every day’s a run day (even in New Zealand)
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- Prince’s Arch and Gateway
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- back on a bike
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- Ohinemutu
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- Lake Rotorua overlook
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- bridge-biking over barren wasteland
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- plumes of foggy sulfur
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- “Left means Life”
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- Government Gardens
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- AWESOME ride – thanks Roger!
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- next stop: Christchurch
Kuirau Park (Rotorua NZ)
As prep for Ironman, Ash chided me into participating in Bike to Work Day.
Sunny day biking towards the Flatirons – beautiful ride, why we live there. My morning ride ended with a flat rear ride — blown valve…so in actuality I celebrated National Walk your Bike to Work Day 🙁
All in all inspired me to bike to or from work every day this week — including my first Tri day. Biked to Colorado Athletic Club in Boulder, swam 50 laps, then ran home after work 10 minutes uphill, in blowing wind, rain & later sunshine.
Adding National Bike to Work to my calendar again next year. New tradition!
Good to see so many people outside & greening up the Planet.
Bike to Work Day: Boulder turns out on two wheels
Bike to Work Day 2014
Social Media RoundUp
Cammy Bike to work day is so much fun
Robin It was my first too! I biked with Rob to his work and then biked back home to work! Sorry about the flat
Kimberly Lol you do have a job!! With all your adventures with hiking in foreign lands, I had no clue what you did now! Lol sorry you had a flat though!
Ashton Step 2..learning how to fix a flat! We got this
Joyce You look like you are all in one piece. love you!
K* can run a marathon – but can he bike a 100 miles? I came to Santa Fe to find out.
Signed up for my first Century less than a month ago. Thought that would inspire me to get out on the bike. I did get out on the bike – 3 times to be exact. LOL> Each time increasing distance & tweaking my ride with new accessories.
Ash & Tom dropped me at the Start (a local hospital – thankfully, no foreshadowing of things to come), helped me with my bib & wished me well. Followed a large group of cyclists trying not to venture too close, fearing I would clip someone 🙁
Lotta hills at an elevation of 7,000+. Found myself managing the incline – digging in, pacing myself. Going downhill – the part everyone likes – not my fave. Flying down mountain roads…found myself riding the brake, watching riders zip by.
26 miles in, first scheduled break in Madrid. Water, oranges, bananas, pretzels & toilets in a cool hippy town…reminded me of Nederland in Boulder County. Old miner cabins renovated into brightly-coloured, quirky store fronts. Nice vibe.
Next leg started with a 7 mile incline but finished easy, leading up to Heartbreak Hill. Joined the majority & walked the half mile UP, then enjoyed mile after mile of downhill to Cedar Grove. From there the terrain flattened, high desert sage & sand became the new norm & temps soared above 80. Not crazy hot, but didn’t feel acclimated – seeing snow only days ago in Colorado.
Stopped in Stanley & dumped water over my head & back. Sat down for a few minutes, ate some oranges, regrouped & headed for Galisteo. Soon after mile 75 (another downhill section) I got sick. Back in the saddle – only 8 miles left in this leg. At mile 80, same spewing of liquid. Not fun. Sat down, felt dizzy. Stood up, sick again.
And that’s how I ended my first Century – at mile 80, a few miles south of Galisteo on NM Highway 41.
Not a glamorous ending – a fail…but I did bike 80 miles on only my 4th time in the saddle. ALSO I learned so much from the experience. I need to train in summer heat (should happen in Colorado within a month). I need to find a way to pack real food – bready, carby foods – for my next long ride (maybe have someone meet me at a scheduled stop with a sub). I stayed well hydrated but oranges & bananas were not enough fuel.
Felt better after an hour sleep (& food at a truck stop near Clayton NM). Much faster turnaround than running a marathon — easier on the body. Many thanks Tom & Ash for driving (6 hours back to Boulder) – much appreciated!
Cyclists from near, far challenge themselves on 103-mile Century ride
mile 80 – end of my ride
Santa Fe Century
