What a difference a week makes

Well we all now that last week I failed in my 250km ride..

This week nothing was going to get in the way of me completeing 250+ kms. So I planned myself a ride which would hopefully see me ride into a building SW breeze , then have a strong tailwind home.




This is what I came up with..


So the day dawned nice & sunny with a light SW wind blowing. Yes everything's going to plan. Set out after waiting for the boys to wake up. Normally I would have been gone by 6am but this weekend the kids had a overnight Cub Scout Camp so wanted to say goodbye & to have a great Saturday. I was attending on the Sunday for the bush walk.

So off I went over the Kaimai Ranges & off into the unknown. What I was install for was probably the most enjoyable ride I have had over the last few months. The stretch of road from the Kaimais down to the corner of SH1 was great, then on to Horahora Rd which runs alongside Lake Karapiro. Some great real estate along here & something to keep the mind off the riding. Next was onto Old Taupo Rd which was just great riding. Nice rolling country roads & a pretty good surface also. I was going great guns along here & feeling damn good about things.

Now when I left I was quite prepared for the 1st 120km to take upto 6hrs ( into the wind ). So when I got to Tokoroa ( 101km in around 4hrs I was stoked. Only problem that I now realised was that I had been riding with a cross tailwind. Oh well shit happens!! NOTHING is gunna stop me this week.

So on I went & down to the turn-off onto SH30 & heading home. The NW wind that was blowing quite hard did assist me along this stretch of road so I was off. I txt Kathy to ask what the wind was doing in Tauranga to be told it was a strong NW. Oh well atleast the sun was shining.

By now I wss in Rotorua with 160km down in 6hrs. I was still very happy with what I had donee so far. Now up the side of the lake was very windy & it wasn't till Okere Falls that the wind really started to help my cause. This next part of road I really like as it's very fast going towards Tauranga. Mainly down hill as we head back to sea-level. As always the last part of the ride through Te Puke was hard & along Papamoa Baech Rd was getting tougher as I pushed into the breeze. Got to Pilot Bay & had done 240km. So now just the last few km's home & mission accomplished.

I was stoked with the ride & felt great !!!