The weekend with riding and dragon boat racing

 Hi,

I got an awesome pic from Toby - an accidental selfie when he was trying to take pics of Tessa with some cute dogs. But he looked like a male model so I had to show him off!

My model son!

Friday saw me head away a bit later than I wanted to the US Marines memorial for a bike ride to test out my distance a bit more. Full battery and I sat on assist level 1 the entire way to see what would happen. I did 60km. There was a stiff headwind coming at me from the north so I was sitting on about 16 to 18km/hr on the way north - and much faster on the way back. More like 23km/hr. 

I rode down to Paekakariki and then up past Peka Peka to about 4.8km south of Te Horo when I came across the new bike path that was not yet open all the way through to Otaki. On the way up I jumped off the path to visit the Waikanae bakery. But on the way back I decided to head down the Waikanae River. 

Expressway at Paraparaumu

Lunch stop @ Waikanae bakery

Their iced latte went down a treat

End of the open bike path - 4.8km south of Te Horo

Back along the beach

Back home and Mike was out for a while with some mates after work. I was fast asleep by the time he got home. And he was up early for a lift from Callan and Stacey to the airport. He was off to Chc to visit Toby and Dram Fest.

Moxley draped over me

Covered by cats

Made haloumi and egg pie

And chocolate roughy biscuits

I made pie for my dragon boat race day lunch - and biscuits for the team. And I was away early and parked under work - ready for the big day. I thought I was not super likely to race much - but it turns out they did need me. I raced in row 3 with Kate as my partner. And it was such a good day.

Let's go!! Dragon boat race day!

Getting ready

Nails in the team colours

Boom!

Perfect conditions. Overcast. Still. Dead calm water. Superb. And we got better with every race. We ended up in Corporate D final. Wellington High School warriors were in our race - along with Dragon SSS. I think we raced at about 3.30pm.

Drama ensued. We were the last boat loaded - and out of our 19 paddlers (yes - we were one paddler short from the get go) we needed 12 of the supplied carbon fibre paddles. We waited, and waited. Eventually the organisers told us to go - and gave us heavy wooden paddles that were more like clubs!

As we paddled out - we flagged down a boat and managed to swap all 12 wooden ones out for a carbon one. Thank goodness.

However, 3rd stroke out of the start and one of our paddlers broke theirs - so we were down to 18 paddlers.  WHS was out in front with 150m to go. And we were slowly gaining - probably looking at second place. When all of a sudden their boat slid into our lane, didn't even try to correct, and we slammed into them. The 3rd and 4th placed boats crossed in 1st and 2nd place, WHS was disqualified and we probably got bronze by default.

I had such a great day! I love that stuff. Next summer I am all in (barring emergency stitches!).

Back home to get the washing done and relax.

Up Sunday to head out to Lower Hutt and ride up Te Whiti riser with Andrew. Oohh - eBikes are so good! I chatted going up while Andrew was keeping up. And I do have to get used to the motor assist! I fell off as we rode up. I was coming to a tiny washout in the clay - figured my bike would bounce over it. But there was a wee metal ramp across it. So that was an option. As I approached it, a couple came around the corner pretty much into the space I was going to cross. So I changed to the ramp at short notice. Fluffed it up. And stopped in a bush with my bike upside down and a bit of gorse in my hand. It was embarrassing - I did not hurt myself. Andrew was like:  what are you doing?

Got to the top in 40 mins. And then tootled around to the bridge over the road to Wainuiomata.

We picked up some lunch from the bakery and enjoyed that in the sun at 40WLW.

Sunday ride up Te Whiti Riser

Rocket apple from Hawkes Bay courtesy JR and Anita

Then Andrew and I rode to the BBQ for Remutaka Conservation trust for 4pm. Headed off just as a few drops of rain started. As I put the bike in the car to head home, it started hosing down.

Lots of rain overnight. But I rode to work in sunshine. Big powhiri at work for the new CEO.

Hope your week is a good one.

Love,

Angela