Friday dawned nice and bright and I was up at 5.30am to get ready for Iona's pick up at 6.30am. Showered and gathered my bike gear in the garage.
She turned up nice and early and I piled my bike in on top of hers in the Subaru and fitted my gear in around the two bikes in gaps. And we were off.
Got to Raumati turn off and Iona recommended a cafe there, so we headed to the beach. And drove, and drove. Until we got to Paraparaumu Beach and found the cafe she was after. Closed. Oh.
But - we went to this other one open not far away - and wow! It was so good! I had an iced coffee and a Mexican breakfast bowl. Avocado, beans, corns, eggs and a wee tortilla. So, so good!
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| Cafe at Paraparaumu - it was so good! |
Iona's back was still sore, so we stopped in Taihape to stretch it out. And go shopping at New World. The drive was lovely - beautiful weather.
Stopped at the lakeside south of Taupo and I perched on a rock in the lake. So stunning.
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| Taupo selfie |
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| Taupo! |
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| Did you get my feet in? |
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| Hello Taupo |
Continued on to the motel. Acapulco - got a great corner unit. 8. With a sliding door to the back garden. We met Helen and Mandy as they were in the next unit. Helen's brother Andrew was visiting from the UK with his girlfriend - but there was some complicated logistics involved with her flight home on Saturday from AKL and their plans in general.
Iona and I went to register and we picked up our bib numbers and starter pack. Yay! Got back to the room and sorted out the gear for tomorrow.
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| Got my bib number |
Had tea with Mandy (Helen was already in bed as she was starting her Enduro at 1am) and ate dal and pumpkin soup. Mmmm. It was leftovers from Mandy and Helen's freezer.
We watched MasterChef Australia final. It was interesting enough but we turned it off as it was taking ages! I saw too much anti-vegetarian backlash there for my liking. Those beets looked great!
Iona was up at 5am for her race start at 6am. I got to lie around a bit longer listening to the people in the next unit talking- they had woken up at 4am but we were sure they were not up for the Taupo Challenge.
Anyway, I got up and showered and ate my way through 4 WeetBix. My starting wave was W1 at about 8.17am. As I was setting off at 7.30am, I bumped into the people in the unit next door. They were supposed to get picked up by a bus for the Tongariro Alpine Crossing and they were outside at 5am waiting for an hour. It didn't show. How upsetting for them. They were heading out to find something else to do for the day.
I got to the start line and met up with another woman in my group. Debbie from Auckland. She had done this many years ago and had done Trail Aotearoa recently. Obviously mad. Hahahah. We headed off at about 8.19am (great organisers that run this event!) and I rode with Debbie for about 40 km before I dropped off the pace.
I tried to suck down the 2.5L of Tailwind in my camelbak often with lots of sips. But by the time I got to the support station at 70 km (not even halfway), I was exhausted. Tailwind or not.
Spoke to Mike on my phone. Spoke to Iona on my phone. Decided to push on to Turangi, one section at a time. When a support vehicle passed by slowly and sent me a thumbs up question through the window, I was so tempted to throw my bike on the back. But no. Kept going.
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| Tired legs halfway around |
At the next support stop, I sat in the shade and drank water and ate a small bar and my One Square Meal (or half of it). Got back on and made it to the Z station at Turangi and stood in the shade for 5 minutes. Then off again.
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| Iced coffee with 40 km to go |
Next stop was Licorice Cafe. Had an iced coffee. Set off again to meet Iona (who had already finished and said she would come get me in the car) at the lakeside picnic area where I stood on the rock the day before.
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| Should I finish? |
Checked my map as I waited for her. And I could see I was so close to finishing. Only another 30 odd kms to go. One hill. How bad could it be? Surely I could finish this.
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| Dead! |
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| But the view looks lovely |
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| Shady rest |
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| Ok - that view is stunning. Wish I could swim. |
Iona got there and I couldn't eat anything. But I had some water and then headed off. She waited for me at the top of Hatepe hill. I even passed two people going up. They both got off and walked. At least I slogged up.
Continued down into a brisk headwind (wasn't too bad). Beat any rain they promised. And made it over the finish line in 9 hours and 21 mins.
OMG.
I have never been out on a bike for that amount of time.
My brain never really worked well after about 70km. Fried, I think. Couldn't make proper sentences. The support team at the last station at the top of Hatepe were so nice. I ate a bar there and they cheered me on. I had to really rack my brains to say: Ka pai. Seriously, nothing was coming out in any way articulate.
Iona had driven nice and close to the finish line, and helped me to the car. Between her back and my poor form, we got the bike in the car and she drove me home.
Helen and Mandy were lovely too. Very sympathetic. We ended up eating leftovers again because I couldn't really face cooking. And we had heaps of leftovers - so all good. Except I didn't have a huge appetite.
Into bed nice and early and up around 6am (an hour before the alarm). Iona and I packed up and head to Replete to secure a table.
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| Sunday brekkie |
Mandy and Helen got there just as our coffees arrived. They ordered and we ate. I was starving as I had only managed to eat soup last night. I ate mushrooms on toast with poached eggs and two hash browns. Couldn't face iced coffee at all.
Headed off away for our road trip home. Iona was reading the newspaper. I was singing. We filled the car at the BP on the road out of Taupo.
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| Guess where I am? |
Stopped at Turangi to stretch and see the giant gumboot. Got home around 3pm. Mike and Toby had done a huge house clean and were sorting it out n the foyer. Wow! Amazing effort.
I took Iona to visit Sally and Andrew for a cup of tea. Then back home and Mike fed us a beautiful dinner. Then he took me to see Celia as we both had plans to go to see John Farnham in concert.
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| Ok - change of pace. John Farnham! |
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| Celia and I at the concert |
Wow - he has changed so much from when I remember him in the 90s in Melbourne. But yet - the same.
He gave a good concert. Celia enjoyed herself as did the audience. The band were awesome. Yep - pleased I went. Turns out I know quite a few songs.
Celia dropped me home and I collapsed into bed. Another weekend Taupo challenge done and dusted. Worst one ever.
But the kindness of people that support me is wonderful. Mike and Toby. Iona and Col. Sally and Andrew. And friends that send me best wishes. Even my spin instructor.
Everyone makes it special. And although I am disappointed at myself now - it will fade and the good things will remain in my mind.
So - thank you.
Love,
Angela
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