The first 12miles were spent creeping out of Auckland. Within two miles a local had shouted "you crazy, don't you read the papers?!" Cycling is somewhat controversial in NZ. Best to avoid the propaganda rags in my view.
We then pottered along next to the water for some time, people meditating there gives some idea of the tranquility of that stretch.
Then off into the hills, which spread us all out. I like hills. Nice ups and downs til 35miles then down to kawakawa bay, where phil and jan caught me up. Stopped there for coffee and nuts! There were a few takers for the first NZ pie but not sure it aided them up the hills that immediately followed haha.
I zipped along then, a nice little tail wind and long open roads.
Miranda is well known for shore birds and I spotted some unusual black beasties with pointy red beaks, so thinking of mes parents decided to pull over and try and snap them. Well, I did a classic move, unclipping one foot while on a camber so consequently fell off. No harm done, just looked a bit of a prune and now have a scabby elbow. The pesky blighters watched the whole debacle then of course flew off!
Got to the Miranda holiday park and there's the largest thermal spring pool in the southern hemisphere next door! As I was back first, took myself for a run. It so looks like Kona it was easy to slip into Chrissie mode for 6m of road to nowhere. Doing that marathon after 112m is gonna be a journey.
Got back, Jan commented on my red face then we were off to waft about in the thermal pool. It was like a massive borderline too hot bath, where someone had done a monster eggy fart a few minutes before.
More pleasant than I've described haha
So that was day one,62miles. Ready for my chicken supper :-)
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