Day 17 of TA - The sun came out!

Sunday 19th October
Distance: 96 km
Elevation gain: 1081 metres
From the town of Raetihi, to Pipiriki and then to the city of Whanganui
About 6:30hrs elapsed from 8:30am to 3:00pm

I said my good-byes to Orla and kids (Jonathan is with the volunteer fire brigade and had to leave early because of an emergency in Raetihi), and headed off into the rain…yes, once more it's raining.  Raetihi is up on a plateau and it was quite cool so I was wearing my rain jacket anyway.

The first leg was 27km down off the plateau to Pipiriki, where the jet boats are based and the summer TA riders would get off the jet boats and start cycling.  So this first leg was just part of the winter bypass.  It was mostly downhill and I made good time because it was all on tarmac.  In fact there were no gravel roads at all today which was absolutely lovely.  The gravel roads really slow progress - both going up, and especially going down because it's so loose and rough that you don't dare speed.  Gravel roads are a double whammy.

The second leg was 65km along the Whanganui River Rd.  This was a great leg, cycling beside the Whanganui River (it's big) as it flows towards the Tasman Sea.  Due to the recent rain it was flowing fast and was a real muddy colour (it reminded me of the Brisbane River in flood). There are towering cliffs either side of the river, but fortunately the road mostly kept close to the valley floor, so not much climbing. The road wasn't busy - maybe one car every 20 minutes and I felt like I was on my own, cycling down this canyon.  Unreal!

There was a cafe at a little village called Matahiwi. It came at the right time (actually it wouldn't matter what time, I was stopping to get out of the rain.).  I refuelled with a warm ham and cheese toastie, lemon cake and ginger beer.  I also topped up my water bottles at the owner's insistence - the spring water is amazing!

The last 5km of Whanganui River Rd broke the mould.  They decided to put the road up and over a 150m climb.  Not fun going up but great going down.  And once on the other side the rain disappeared and the sun came out.  It has turned out to be a lovely blue-sky day - albeit windy.

The third and final leg was a 4km cycleway, back beside the Whanganui river.  Smooth and flat and in no-time I was at my stop for tonight.  I booked 2 nights at the Whanganui Top 10 holiday park.  Time for a rest day on Monday.  The holiday park is about 5km out of the Whanganui city centre so I may just walk into town to give my butt a rest (or catch the bus?). 

My last rest day was in Pureora on Tuesday because of the rain bomb event. For me that seems like a lifetime ago.  So much has happened in a few short days…I've cycled the Timber Trail one and half times, been stuck in the lodge, met some amazing people, then ridden Taumarunui to the Whakahoro campsite, the Kaiwhakauka track, Winter bypass to Pipiriki (via Raetihi) and finally to Whanganui, here on Sunday.  That's 5 days (W, T, F, S, S), covering 360km and 5494m elevation.

Today's theme song is by Divinyls - Pleasure and Pain
It's a fine line between pleasure and pain.  
Very true these days on the TA.  The highs and lows of the mountains and valleys, and emotionally the highs and lows have me feeling strung out.  Monday's rest day should be just the fix.

First leg today, down, down, and more down to Pipiriki.  

In the valley, cycling alongside the Whanganui River


At the lookout at the end of Whanganui River Road, showing where I'd come from today.  


My place tonight, with river views out my window.