Hi,
What a great weekend to end our spring Challenge training on. Phew! We did get a lot done. On Thursday after work, Mike ran to the airport (well, I found him outside NIWA) and I drove from home. We enjoyed a sandwich at the Sounds Air gate before Mike left to head home.
Had a bumpy flight out of Wellington - pilot had to crab a bit over the harbour. Then smooth into Blenheim where Iona picked me up.
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| Thurs evening Sounds Air flight |
Up fairly leisurely Friday for a lovely brekkie then met Nicola at the Quail Stream carpark in the Wither Hills. We rode through the park to the road and along to the Cob Cottage before coming back in along the Mapp Track. Unfortunately I did not find the 8 extra gears this time super helpful at negotiating the track steep parts. Sigh.
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| Blenheim supply |
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| So windy on Mapp Track |
It was so windy - every corner was really gusty. You can see Iona and Nicola bracing against their bikes in the pic above.
1.5 hours of riding then back to the car and a walk up the valley. This route was not super steep up - and I have come down it a few years ago. The wind was amazing - especially on the top.
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| Up Quail Stream Valley |
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| Climbing slowly |
At one point along the top, Nicole had her beanie whipped off her head and thrown over a barbed wire fence. I squashed through to retrieve it.
2 mins later her wrap around sunnies got blown off her face. Iona and Nicola watched them flutter away over the fence and gone. Oops.
The plan was for us to be back at the car after 1.5 hours so I ran the last 200m to make it 1 hour and 31 mins. Woot!
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| Lovely scenery |
Friday night saw Sally and Andrew visit with Alistair and Vicki. Iona made palak paneer and it was so good.
Off to bed for an early rise. At Nicola's by 8am so we could pack the bikes into her ute and head to St Arnaud.
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| Saturday at St Arnaud and Lake Rotoiti |
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| Selfie |
We rode from West Arm up to the lower Mt Robert car park. That was hard work. The gravel was good - it was just my legs that didn't work hard enough. We locked our bikes to the DoC sign and sorted ourselves out for the walk up to Bushline Hut.
We started up the track and made good time. The sign said 2 hours to the hut. We got high up when we encountered snow flurries. We got our jackets on and continued up. We passed a big party of about 6 or 7 people all dressed with tramping pants, boots, and jackets and beanies. They looked at us in our bike shorts and sneakers like we were mad. Hahah.
We had lunch in the hut and chatted to two young women. They had turned back from their route further up Mt Robert due to hip deep snow. :-o
We decided to walk back the way we came - given we had only sneakers and shorts. Good idea!
The ride back to the car was really good - all downhill.
Back to Nicola's place early and home.
Up Sunday to head away with Malcom to do the trapline at Pelorus. Col and I did K line and Malcolm and Iona did U line and bottom of K. Plus found some gas traps for next time.
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| Pelorus iced latte |
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| K Trig line with Col |
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| There is the top |
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| View ack to Pelorus |
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| Toasted sandwich |
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| Enjoying the sun |
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| Back down |
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| Mysterious steel cage |
Col and I got 3 rats and 2 mice. I think the others got a few rats. Job well done. Finished on time for hot chips at the coffee cart. Choice!
Back home after a cup of tea at Malcom and Marion's place. Off to bed early and up at 1.30am to watch the Black Ferns v Ireland in the RWC.
Such a good game. 40 nil. Did not expect that result to the Black Ferns for their hardest pool game.
Went to bed for an hour. And then up to go to the airport for my early morning commute to Wellington. Nice and fast into the capital. Uber home and happy cats!
Thank you for a great weekend. Happy Fathers Day to Mike and my Dad yesterday.
Love,
Angela
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