cycling and geology live

Criterium racing ("round the houses" on a closed course, this one 2.6km) on the front at Taupo ....with a gently steaming volcano across the Lake.

The following day nearly eight and a half thousand riders  took part in the Lake Taupo Challenge, riding the 160km course around the lake.

Six thousand did a single circuit.  Two thousand took part in the relay where the average length was 40km, most doing one section only.

Then there are those who do two, four and EIGHT laps !!!!!

The eight-lappers started at midday on last Wednesday, aiming to finish by Saturday afternoon.    The fastest one of these?  A Pocket Rocket called Christine Coudley, who did the eight laps in just over 72 hours,  just over  68 of those in the saddle.

                                                            AWESOME!!!!


The volcano?....Mount Tongarino is just sitting there steaming at present, having surpised everyone with a mountainly burp, putting ask 4km into the air last Wednesday.....but the one to watch is its neighbour, Mount Ruapehu.

The last  eruption was last August, so far they've been every fifty years.