Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Rainy Day - 1/21/10 - Thurs.

Started out today with a swim in Blue Lake - not too cold but a wet suit made it comfortable. Rained and rained so we went to Hamilton today and visited the temple there. Afterwards watched a film on Matthew Cowley in the visitor center - his mission president in 1918 was James Lambert - the name I did today was James Lambert. It kept raining all the way back to Blue Lake. We bought souvenirs in Rotorua - a stick with a Kiwi. Sitting in car typing this now waiting for
a. The rain to stop , or b. Dark to go to bed.
Rain, rain, go away!

challenge wanaka and on

Wed. January 20
Last Friday - checked in, bought booties, then went for a swim - the booties really helped. Then checked in bike and went to pre-race meeting. Had a great salmon dinner with roasted potatoes. When we got back to camp the stars were out -- a first. Got a good night sleep woke at 4:15 am, had a breakfast of yogurt & granola and a English muffin with crunchy nuttella. had a nauseas stomach like I have had since the I.V. at Wilverman. Once I started the swim I felt better - sang "Praise to the Man" over and over in time with my stroke. finished in 1:04 plus. The bike was @ 6:53. Discovered that if I stopped to pee regularly my back and quad pain would subside. The ride had some good climbs and very scenic. Drank 3 bottles Perpeteum and 3 bottles water plus ate a power bar and 2 ems energy cookie bars (great). On the run drank 1 Recoverite, 1 Heed, 1 Balance, and an em bar and a few other snacks. Walked almost all 6:23 but finished in 14:35 with blisters on my feet, otherwise felt ok.
Sunday went to the awards Brunch then drove to Franz Joseph. Great scenery, beautiful drive. Walked to foot of Fox Glacier, then on Monday morning we hiekd to the Franz Joseph glacier. The river runs right out of an ice cave at the bottom. We then drove to Hanmer Springs and had a good soak. Tues. we drove to Picton and crossed to the North Island on the ferry to Wellington. Then we hiked up the Mt. Victoria and saw the city and the Adm. Byrd marker pointing to Antarctica. Today we made it to Blue Lake for 2 nights.
There is a distinct difference between north & south islands. The South seems more rural and for the adventurous. The north is more developed, McD's,BKs, KFC's, every town and more traffic. Today we saw Huka Falls, lots of fast moving bright blue white water in a narrow gorge. We have met people from all over, the Ukraine, Germany, Denmark, Japan, SLC,, Australia, Boston. Some have been toting the world for months, one couple sailed here from Seattle. Some stay to work. Have seen lots of bike tourists. We have seen lots, still lots to see.

Monday, January 18, 2010

hot springs ahhhhhh

drove up the coast saw fox unf franz glaciers then drove to Hamner Springs so hot great thats it for now folks

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Jan 14 thursday

Early morning swim - did not feel so cold - then rode to Cromwell to the 90km point. It was windy all the way with some rain. The lake at Cromwell had good sized whitecaps. For lunch had the best Hawaiian pizza - loaded with ham, pineapple AND green peppers with melted mozerella on top to hold it all together. Unlike pizza hut or little ceasars where ham & pineapple are just a few measly toppings and the crust is the main attraction. Here the crust was a base on which to put a mountain of taste.
Speaking of mountains, on the return trip to Wanaka, we took the cutoff. We travelled thru the Kawarau River Gorge, stopping at the Roaring Meg rapids - the water is a deep greenish blue unlike the brownish green I am used to seeing. We also stopped at a bungee jumping bridge and watched people go off - some faling into the water and then up. To answer your question - NO!!! Then we drove over the highest paved road in New Zealand - with switchbacks and grades probably beyond category.
Ended the day at the pasta dinner where we met a guy from Australia doing his first full distance tri and whose wife looked and talked like Archie Bunker's wife Edith from All in the Family. In line to get food another Australian asked me about Silverman, he plans on doing it in 2012, turns out he did Roth in 2006 when I did. We are in the same age group and our Roth times are close.
We are back at camp waiting for the sun to go down at 10. Tomorrow is check in. I am getting some neoprene booties to keep my feet warm on the swim.
That is all mates.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Off to New Zealand

3 days ago - Jan. 10 11:31 AM
Actually it is January 11 here in Fiji. LAX was super crowded last night but we made it thru check-in, bag screening, and security rather smoothly and got to boarding right on time. Watched 2 movies, some docu films, read Travels w Charley, played Othello, and slept a few hours. Arrived early morning and went for a walk. People are very friendly "Bula" is the greeting we get. It is very humid, sitting in a park waiting for our flight to NZ.
Wednesday in Wanaka January 19 7:21 pm
WE left for Aukland from Fiji at 11am on Monday, about hour and a half into flight, turned around returning to Fiji switched planes and flew to Aukland arriving about 10pm. After getting shuttle to the motel we finally got to sleep at about 1130. Tuesday we flew to Christchurch. The New zealand airport seems to be much more efficient and friendly. We rented a car and drove to Wanaka about a 5 hour drive, luckly the daylight lasts to about 9:30 or so so we did not have to set up in the dark We are still getting used to driving on the left with the steering on the right. Riding a bike on the opposite side is hard.Every time we make a turn we have to mentally plan which lane to turn in to.
The scenery is amazing. flat land by the east coast and then into the mountains,Mt Cook and Mt Aspiring and the surrounding ranges are still snow covered, the weather in Wanaka is about like home in Henderson is now in Winter, but morning a little warmer but not big variable in the after noon. Swam the course this morning, the water is very cold -15C- my feet never warmed up. I just took it easy the first lap (35min) and then picked it up now and then the second to swim 1:08
Rode 30 miles on the first 35k of the course, hilly similar to Silverman, Tommorrow morning will ride the next 60k to Gromwell- supposed to be a slight downgrade, then we will sightsee.
When ever we order bacon we get canadian bacon/ham-ie as in a BLT or a Chicken Club, tastes different but good. so...gotta scram ham