only one hill today.....

It was just the Weld Pass at 196m, on the eay to good coffee and cake at Seddon. Generally this is at the end of a ride, but we had to get back over it! At least coming back up from the Awatere Valley is easier.

The hills you can see in the top picture are Mt Richmond Forest Park and Scenic Reserve, between Blenheim and Picton, about 30 k away as the crow flies.

keeping fit!!

We are joining in on the local group rides, two

midweek, and a longer Sunday run.
Today was nearly 75k to Onamolutu, which is a natural forest reserve belonging to the Department of Conservation.
It was a stretch..and near the end, someone at the front of the groyp of ten "smelt the coffee".....and the speed went up!!
A long black each and a fresh muffin shared, well earned bliss!!

family history news

I've heard from my daughter that she has located my grandad Rixon's grandmother's marriage and his wife's birth certificate...now to wait ten days for them to arrive in the post!
Great great grandma's name before marriage was Honora Farley..they married at The Strand in London, but I think it was her and her husband to be who eloped from County Clare..his surname was Roache.
Today's clubrun from Blenheim went along Farleys Road....

sun!

We are now staying with friends in Blenheim in the South Island and we have sun...lots of it!!
I'm riding further and going up bigger hills than usual..so despite eating well but sparingly I'm staying the same weight by losing fat and gaining muscle!!
There is an old style velodrome here too, so we can train for our racing to come in April.

There are club rides from here three times a week and smaller roads we can ride around.
Today we have been reducing the height of a laurel hedge, mowing lawns as well as the usual housework assistance. It is good to feel useful and lend a hand.

rain

Much needed rain is falling. Here in Blenheim, steady, light fine rain, nicely wetting and feeding the ground, gently falling vertically.
Where friends are on the 7 Day Tour it has been heavy hard rain and snow on the peaks nearby before they arrived there.
Hopefully Christchurch will get enough rain to damp down the fires in the Park Hills, but it is forecast to be back up to 30 degrees C and dry again by Sunday.

As it started raining before the hoped for bike ride most of the local riders due to be out adjourned to the cafe at St Clairs Vineyard on the outskirts of town.
The coffee and chocolate muffin was perfect..and then there were scones jam and cream all round as one rider celebrates his 83rd birthday tomorrow! ( his grandparents came out from Kilmarnock)

The Paraparas

Today we rode out ahead of the fourth stage of the Wellington-Auckland 7 Day Tour , from Whanganui North towards the Paraparas. We got to where it seriiusly starts to go up!
The road has only been re-opened after the floods a year ago. It is The New Road, celebrating its 100th birthday on 1st April with a ride out of vintage vehicles and a 40 dollar coach trip. The old road is still there but is also still a gravel road with no tar seal.
We pack today for a short trip to Blenheim, hopefully 3 weeks but coyld be less, depending on our host's health, having lately been diagnosed with Parkinsons disease. At least being fit and carrying on cycling is helping. We think that the trigger could have been a double skull fracture when a motorbike pillion passenger pushed him off the road as they drove by goinf down a hill. Thanfully he was wearing a helmet as is the law in NZ.
Now hopefully a few photos from today! Tablet permitting!!

NZMG2017

The week of the Masters Games proceeds ... over 50 different sports and competitors into their 90s..only 85 years old in the cycling.
I won my road time trial group and the Pirate was 6th in his. On the velodrome I won all my events and he got two 3rds. He was brave and entered the 44km road race, four laps with a tricky descent followed swiftly by a sharp and nasty hill. He missed the podium with a 4th place but rode well on a hot and windy day. We've had that weather for all the cycling, with a couple of wet days.

We had a walk around the River City today and noticed that the lampposts were made in Scotland...in Kilmarnock, not far from Drongan!!

wibble!

We had our first earth tremor today..just 30 seconds..although I'm sure it has been shivering occasionally. No, no lorries were passing.....

It has been raining since seven this morning, heavy showers with steady rain in between. We were lucky to get a lift down to the city centre Memorial Hall to sign on for the New Zealand Masters Games. Racing for us starts on Saturday morning. A road time trial then track racing after lunch.

Now we're on kitchen duty, starting to help cook supper.

Sorry for no pics..the tablet has some images of Whanganui from our last visit but wont add them here...back to square one!!