Another hour on the trainer tonight. This time I was able to manage 5x1 minute 1 leg reps (5x for each leg). I think it is getting a little smoother, but my left leg is weak coming across the top. Watched the first half of the Hangover. Amusing way to pass the time.

istepinyards wrote:

pushbikerider wrote:Today, got the week off work, so I thought I'd take the Soma out for a sift, out to Okere Falls store for coffee (and cake) http://www.okerefallsstore.co.nz/ , then carried on around the lake toward home, so toward did a full lap of lake Rotorua, plus a small diversion, so not far, but good fun, for all my fans, still rolling flats (and sam hill fanboi 5 tens) although now with added mudguards for extra oddity points

Did you forget your GPS I am not sure you actually did the ride without the relevant GPS data

I cant believe it. 50km ride on such a perfect day with no wind, not a cloud in the sky and I didn't see another single cyclist. Perhaps I should try riding in an inhabited area next time. Seriously though I had always wanted to ride the desert road and this morning I had my chance....So after getting ready I went out to get the bike from the car....

I decided the ride could wait a bit till at least the temp was above nothing (by the way that was -1.0, not -10c).
It's kind of hard staying focussed on riding when the views are so good.

Oh, and I always thought the desert road was flat, I had climbed 300m in the first 22km...had to stop and get a pick of the bike in there too.

Kept on going up the road a wee ways looking for the sign that said I had made it to the summit. I suppose I should have realised I'd missed it when I started going down hill....but I kept on going.....

About here the road was starting to get into that windy bit with more hills and stuff, and I'd been going for over an hour and didn't want to be out too long, so I figured I'd turn around and see if I could find that sign, On the way I noticed Taupo in the distance....haven't been there since ummmmm.....oh Idunno, some funride thing...that must be coming up again (mental note -- find 'that' beckons thread and start it up again I wonder how many bottles I'll need this year....)....where was I yes Bottles....shit. I hadn't drunk much and took a big swig of stuff that on most rides in the sun would be at least warm by now. Instead today it chilled me to the core. I'm surprised there was no ice floating in it. All the puddles on the side of the road were still frozen.

Then it was back through the same boring road with more up hills till I finally found the sign I was looking for.

If that is the summit and I am 300m above where I started then the leg home should be fun. About as much fun as you can have on a road that disappears into the distance prior to the next corner....and just for those who haven't had the pleasure of driving this road, it looks a little like this:


Things sure did get easier on the way back with my average speed lots higher, in one 5km section I averaged 43kph which is good for me. Anyway eventually I made it back to the start point where it was time for a quick shower, lunch and off to drive home. 'twas a great, but friggen cold ride. 50km, 1564 calories, 425m vertical climbing, avg HR 154, max 176, avg moving speed 25.8kph. Way too many stops to take photo's but hey I was out there to have fun, and peaking out at 132rpm, 68.8kph I was thinking I could do with another gear or two.
And that my fellow roadies was where I rode today. The desert road is no longer on my list of things to do. It is a great piece of road to ride on though and well worth it. Mostly nice and wide, not much traffic and the trucks were all really well behaved.

PS...if it was a vorber who gave a friendly toot just out from Waiouru as I was coming back, then thanks

nzmatto wrote:PS...if it was a vorber who gave a friendly toot just out from Waiouru as I was coming back, then thanks

Great pics sounds like you had an excellent ride.

Yup, many rides are just ordinary, but this one is one that'll stand out in my mind as one of the better rides.

nzmatto wrote:Yup, many rides are just ordinary, but this one is one that'll stand out in my mind as one of the better rides.

Thanks for all the photos and words. Good to see.

65 flat km's around the Kapiti Coast. Checked out a few roads I've never been down before. Nealy came a cropper at the end of one....gravel was a little slipperier than I was expecting, but only nearly. (whew). Looks like the rest of the weekend will be a weather write off, and I am not one to deliberately go out in the rain.
Have had my recovery drink.....time for a spa.

i see by the pics you ended with the specialised. looks good!

Yup, got it a few weeks back. Am very happy with the choice, and it performs especially well on the rough chip surfaces. No more getting shaken to pieces going between Waikanae and Paraparaumu! The tyres it came with were soft and spongy, but having replaced them for armadillo's I'm happy.

Nice day for some hills.

Brooklyn Hill
Houghten Bay Road
Mount Vic
Ngaio Gorge
Cortina Ave
Loop of Makara
Makara Hill
Wrights Hill..

Took advantage of the nice day and took the avo off yesterday and had 2 and a half hrs before the kids got home so just did the Bastard loop along Summit rd to Lyttelton and home.

Be really carefull if you're coming down the Bastard. Mud all over the road from numerous slips. It's down to one lane after the corners around half way down, due to a big slip up above, and part of the road giving way down below. If wet or moisture still on the road, a bit of a death trap at speed... Small streams still draining away the water in the gutters so still pretty saturated...

Went out from poriua to wellington, then round the bays and back home again

ThingOne wrote:Nice day for some hills.

Brooklyn Hill
Houghten Bay Road
Mount Vic
Ngaio Gorge
Cortina Ave
Loop of Makara
Makara Hill
Wrights Hill..

I saw you just after you climbed Houghton Bay Road and were starting to head down the other side - you were looking fresh as!

I rode to Cortona today, from Montagnano. Detoured mid way to climb some crazy 15% cobbled berg up to an old castle, then rolled back down (remembering which brake is front, after new bike came cabled Euro!) and climbed to Cortona. Beautiful 4km climb, followed by more urban climbing over the cobbled streets.

Best pasta I've had yet at a wee restaurant, and home via Monte San Savino. About 80km all up, hot, still day here.

Mint.