The Trial Run

All geared up and ready to go

Story time!  The trial run.  A test run was a must before getting away to see what kind of punishment I am going to get myself into and the big question of seeing how the bike rides!  After faffing about week after week gearing up the bike I finally organised myself for a two day trip on the second to last weekend I’d be in NZ – things needed to go right!

The loop: Springs Junction – Camp at Lyell - Inangahua - Reefton then back over to Springs Junction.

Maruia Falls and drink refill

Packing consisted of most things I could find that would weigh me down and I think I succeeded in doing that.  I could barely lift the bike once loaded…maybe not a good sign of what it will be like on the actual tour.

Wanting to be at Lyell.
Ended up about 3km down the road 

So at Springs Junction I jumped on the bike – wobbly to start with, I blame the weight throwing me around not the fact I hadn’t ridden for about two months! The bike coasted beautifully hitting up speeds of 25kph on the flats - this is going to be a slow ride, carbon road bikes don’t prepare you for this.  Any hills or mounds I was knocking it down into second and slowly crawl my way up.

Food: Easy. Take few snacks for each day, hit up a dairy or some food place on the way for dinner and a wee restock of food if needed.  Reality… no dairies or food between Springs Junction and Lyell (camp site about 15km out of Inangahua) so dinner was a slice of cake, 4 biscuits and a pear.  Stoked.

The much needed traffic light
controlled one way bridge in the
 middle of nowhere 

Second day I had more success. Stocked up on food at Inangahua, took a wrong turn and went a little bit the wrong way before finding the main road again.  Not so promising getting mildly lost in your own country!  Reefton for lunch then up the never ending Rahu saddle before a sweet descent into Springs Junction.  Maxing out at 55kph downhill!

At the end of the ride it had been a general success.  I had a sore ass and understood how slow cycle touring will be.  The bike was awesome it just its owner that needs to get fit.

The long awaited Rahu Saddle.