Kiwi Brevet 2010 Finish Day

Day 8

Up early, but not a bad sleep in the bivy bag. Some wind at night but not much rain. Ham and cheese sandwiches and cookies at 5am, then on the road with Dinnotte light—SON hub still out (?due to wet day in the river yesterday?) Up Upcot saddle first thing—steady 4.9 kph, but no walking. Caught up with a few others early, then lost them again when I stopped for food and sunscreen.

It started pouring WHILE I was putting on sunscreen! Didn’t see that one coming, but got a good rainbow out of it. Wind with the storm, but not in the face, and some tailwind near Taylors Pass. Then a satisfying cruise downhill into Blenheim for the finish. Hot afternoon, two lunches in Blenheim, then 90 minute pedal to Picton (NOT the port hills road). Paid $2.50 for shower and towel at backpacker’s (hostel for the U.S. readers) in Pitcon, and feel good as new. Nice gathering of fellow riders on the Ferry to Wellington—last night’s finishers as well as today riders. A few had ridden from Hanmer to Blenheim through the Molesworth in one day—only 11-12 hours. This impresses me greatly. (Same trip took me about 17 or 18 hours, not including sleep stop.)  Home at 10pm--hugs and kisses with Laura and the girls.