Day 18 of TA - A sniper of magpies!
Tuesday 21st October
Distance: 67 km
Elevation gain: 902 metres
From the city of Whanganui to the town of Hunterville
About 4:30hrs elapsed from 7:30am to 12:00pm
I had a relaxing Monday in Wanganui. It was a grand day out. I caught the bus from the caravan park into the city. I enjoyed a cooked breakfast and lunch downtown and then came home and binged Netflix. While I was downtown I covered off a few of the chores - purchasing a new bottle cage and a new pair of safety glasses (to replace the pair I broke earlier in the week). The bike shop where I bought the bottle cage did have some clear riding glasses but I wasn't prepared to spend $110 on a hi-tec pair and settled for a $10 pair from Bunnings just down the road.
Today (Tuesday) I woke before the alarm and was eager to get going. There's another weather front due after lunch today and I was hoping to get to Hunterville before the rain. The first leg was really a warmup. 7K cycle from the caravan park to downtown Whanganui where I had a coffee and a melting moment shortbread biscuit to get me going. Simple things. The second leg involved a 213 metre tunnel and 66 metre elevator ride. It is a public transport service in Whanganui for travel between the City and Durie Hill in 10 minutes. It is also one of the photo control points on the TA journey so I had to do it. Much easier taking an elevator up a 66 m hill than cycling up it.
The final leg today, and really the main leg, was a 60 km cycle to the town of Hunterville. I was fortunate to have a tail wind most of the way which was pleasing. It was also all tarmac which made smooth going.
Quite an interesting ride today. There were a number of turkeys on the road. I'm not sure what that's about. Are these farmed turkeys? When I got close they would fly off over fences so maybe they're wild turkeys, like the bourbon. There were also countless times when I approached a paddock that a flock of magpies would screech, take off, and then take positions high in the trees or hills looking down on me. I felt like they were ready to have a go at the back of my head as soon as I'd ridden past. Typical sniper behaviour - hiding and waiting to take a headshot. I made it to Hunterville without any magpies attacking me which seemed really odd. I'm not complaining. But I did a lot of arm waving along the ride today which must've appeared amusing to anybody watching. And finally there was a paddock of sheep that were bleating away and it reminded me of the novel Animal Farm. Of all the sheep and paddocks I've ridden past this was the first time it seemed that all the sheep were bleating away "Four legs good, two legs bad."
Once in Hunterville, I grabbed lunch at the only cafe that was open, and then cycled around to my accommodation tonight (Station Hotel) - only to find that it's not open until 3 o'clock. I phoned the owner but they were out of town and said they'd be back within an hour. I had at least an hour to kill (and to seek shelter) in the town away from the wind. Bugger.
Distance: 67 km
Elevation gain: 902 metres
From the city of Whanganui to the town of Hunterville
About 4:30hrs elapsed from 7:30am to 12:00pm
I had a relaxing Monday in Wanganui. It was a grand day out. I caught the bus from the caravan park into the city. I enjoyed a cooked breakfast and lunch downtown and then came home and binged Netflix. While I was downtown I covered off a few of the chores - purchasing a new bottle cage and a new pair of safety glasses (to replace the pair I broke earlier in the week). The bike shop where I bought the bottle cage did have some clear riding glasses but I wasn't prepared to spend $110 on a hi-tec pair and settled for a $10 pair from Bunnings just down the road.
Today (Tuesday) I woke before the alarm and was eager to get going. There's another weather front due after lunch today and I was hoping to get to Hunterville before the rain. The first leg was really a warmup. 7K cycle from the caravan park to downtown Whanganui where I had a coffee and a melting moment shortbread biscuit to get me going. Simple things. The second leg involved a 213 metre tunnel and 66 metre elevator ride. It is a public transport service in Whanganui for travel between the City and Durie Hill in 10 minutes. It is also one of the photo control points on the TA journey so I had to do it. Much easier taking an elevator up a 66 m hill than cycling up it.
The final leg today, and really the main leg, was a 60 km cycle to the town of Hunterville. I was fortunate to have a tail wind most of the way which was pleasing. It was also all tarmac which made smooth going.
Quite an interesting ride today. There were a number of turkeys on the road. I'm not sure what that's about. Are these farmed turkeys? When I got close they would fly off over fences so maybe they're wild turkeys, like the bourbon. There were also countless times when I approached a paddock that a flock of magpies would screech, take off, and then take positions high in the trees or hills looking down on me. I felt like they were ready to have a go at the back of my head as soon as I'd ridden past. Typical sniper behaviour - hiding and waiting to take a headshot. I made it to Hunterville without any magpies attacking me which seemed really odd. I'm not complaining. But I did a lot of arm waving along the ride today which must've appeared amusing to anybody watching. And finally there was a paddock of sheep that were bleating away and it reminded me of the novel Animal Farm. Of all the sheep and paddocks I've ridden past this was the first time it seemed that all the sheep were bleating away "Four legs good, two legs bad."
Once in Hunterville, I grabbed lunch at the only cafe that was open, and then cycled around to my accommodation tonight (Station Hotel) - only to find that it's not open until 3 o'clock. I phoned the owner but they were out of town and said they'd be back within an hour. I had at least an hour to kill (and to seek shelter) in the town away from the wind. Bugger.
Nearly 90 minutes later, while waiting outside the hotel, two TA cyclists turned up (Olaf and Alison) and one asked "Are you Tony?" They had read my name in the logbook from the DOC hut at Whakahoro campsite (on Friday 17th) and wondered if they would catch up to me. Well it only took them a few days. In fact they had been staying at the same caravan park in Whanganui as I had been, and left just an hour after I did this morning so they had been chasing me all day without knowing it. We had dinner together and shared stories of the past few weeks and plans for the days and weeks ahead. At least there are other crazy cyclists out there doing the TA this early in the season.
Today's theme song is by Eurogliders - Can't Wait To See You
Because I can't wait to see the owner of the pub to let me in. It's cold and wet outside and there aren't too many places to hide-out away from the weather in this little town. Unless it's inside the local petrol station.
The 213m tunnel leading to the elevator at Whanganui had some cool lighting. It changed from blue to orange to red to white.
Photo control point 11, Durie Hill Lookout. Top of the elevator, after paying $2.50 for the trip. The lady operating (driving?) the elevator said I was the first TA rider she'd seen in months, so maybe I did start my journey a bit early. However she was very helpful and knew all about the photo control point and told me where to stand for my photo.
Looking south towards Wellington. Hills as far as the horizon…
Turkey on the road. Wild? Probably. Crazy? Yes !
Today's theme song is by Eurogliders - Can't Wait To See You
Because I can't wait to see the owner of the pub to let me in. It's cold and wet outside and there aren't too many places to hide-out away from the weather in this little town. Unless it's inside the local petrol station.
The 213m tunnel leading to the elevator at Whanganui had some cool lighting. It changed from blue to orange to red to white.
Photo control point 11, Durie Hill Lookout. Top of the elevator, after paying $2.50 for the trip. The lady operating (driving?) the elevator said I was the first TA rider she'd seen in months, so maybe I did start my journey a bit early. However she was very helpful and knew all about the photo control point and told me where to stand for my photo.
Looking south towards Wellington. Hills as far as the horizon…
Turkey on the road. Wild? Probably. Crazy? Yes !
Now how do we get more of those elevators installed on the TA?
ReplyDeleteSounds like you are recharged from your rest day, and the energy is keeping the magpies at bay!
ReplyDeleteA much better day, notwithstanding wind and rain! Good to have some fellow TA cyclists! All the best for the next stages!
ReplyDelete