DEC 1ST

49.2KPH max

10.1kph

70.7km

Today's word- cape

Because we hope to make it to cape reinga.

Spoiler alert. We made it.

It was a tough day that started very early.

We broke camp at the Pukenui Holiday park at 6am and after a hearty breakfast of oatmeal and fruit cocktail we were on the road by 7.30.

By 10 am we were on need of a pick me up and we stopped in Te Keo for tea and a chocolate bar. Bob had coffee. We also meet some people in a camper van who were heading to the same campground as we were. They invited us to "happy hour".

We can see them down the beach and after of day of hard riding we aren't in the mode for a happy hour.

An exercise in mental, physical and emotional strength. 

We met 3 other cyclist along the road.

Number 1 was a young man a prosthetics technician on holiday. He was laughing. Down hill and with the wind. His smile was broad and he was flying along. He stopped to tell us the campsite was beautiful and he was heading south.

Number 2 was a New Zealand er working in Switzerland who was going to attempt the 90 MILE Beach at low tide tomorrow morning then heading south to visit his family for Christmas.

Number 3 was a young Italian man also heading south. But he was heading to Australia for Christmas. 

It is interesting to see the people along the way. 

They were traveling alone and very light. We have 4 panniers. They max. Have 2 back panniers. And a bed roll. One guy has nothing. Just his bed roll.

Also you might notice that they are young single males and not middle aged females.

The last 20km was/is a test in mental strength, emotional strength and physical strength. Wickedly steep and long Hills. A lot of bike pushing for me. Our goal was to get to the campsite at 70km and we made it but the last hill was a doozy and every bit of strength was needed to complete our day.

(Edited to add... I was just talking with 2 young women cyclists from Holland who were in a van that passed us as we were climbing said hill. And they congratulated me! They hitched a ride with a camper van who have them a lift to the cape reinga.)