2 weeks out from the start of my big taupo ride

2 weeks out update

Hi everyone this is a update on a few different things with my big taupo ride with the start of the my taupo ride around 2 weeks away  (start date is around the 18th of October)
 
First up - please let others include your friends know about this ride including sharing it on Facebook - expressly the link to the fund-raising page  /part of the ride  also maybe any media to help spread  the word  out about the ride out there (including the fund-raising side of the ride)

The training for the taupo ride is now done : )  -  after 12000 + km in the last year or so on my different  bikes  I have done the best I can do  - also I'm not going to be getting any more fiter this close to the start of the ride  but will get in some  more rides this week /early next week (mostly playing around with the set up on the other/back up bike  (mostly fine tuning  : )

There is a few more bike things still to get as I finalize the kit lists for the bikes  (including a tool's and spare parts list for each bike)

When I was last in taupo a few?  Weeks ago I did a full test run by going from the place I'm planning on staying at (around 10 km from taupo) in to taupo then around the lake then back to the place I started  - 183 km and 2000 m of climbing  -  the ride went well even though it rain for parts of it  - the main difference between that ride and the planed big taupo ride was the food/drink as I'm planning on using hammer  (sports food) on the ride  - it's the same suff I used on other long rides including most of my past taupo rides so I know it works for me  : ) the rest of the ride was done in the way I'm planning on doing during the big taupo ride 

The plan is to head down to taupo some time next week  with gear and bikes   in time for any last minute jobs (there's always last minute jobs : )

Links and how to follow/get in contact with me on the Internet

The Facebook page for my taupo ride is at

 https://m.facebook.com/Damianas-taupo-ride-971478602966642/

Looking at/hoping to use  map my ride  and Strava on the ride (using my phones to record that info - as the Garmin edge 500 that I had been using died on me (and there is no spare money to spend on a replacement gps bike computer - extremely tight budget ) -  on map my ride under damiana day  and Strava under damiana day (at less that's what I think I'm under?  With them : )

Instagram - GYPSYONABIKE1

Twitter - @gypsyonabike

Blog  - www.lifeonabikeinnz.blogspot.co.nz

My everyday Travel Facebook page

life on the road by bike and on foot Facebook page - https://m.facebook.com/Life-on-the-road-by-bike-and-on-foot-487124424703197/

Fundraising for heart kids

I will be fundraising for heart kids as I do my big taupo ride  - here's a bit more about that(the fund-raising side of things - from the fund-raising page that I have set up -

 I have created this page because I want to make a difference. I'm inspired by the work of Heart Kids NZ and wanted to support them by raising money as part of my participation in Cycle for Heart Kids 2016. Please help me help them by giving whatever you can using the 'Give Now' button. The more people that know about Heart Kids NZ, the greater their impact, so please also spread the word by sharing my page with your friends and family. Thank you in advance for your generosity, it means a lot!

The link to the fund-raising page is at https://cycleforheartkids2016.everydayhero.com/nz/damiana-s-taupo-bike-ride

- thanks to the great people at spot nz -http://www.spotnz.com and (Facebook) https://m.facebook.com/Hirespotnz/ you will be able to track where I am as I ride around the lake - link to the tracking website for the ride to come soon (note from what I understand it will be a different website then the one I have been using on my round nz tour )

If any of the links don't work please let me know so I can fix them : )

Short update with blog

Hi everyone

Have been busy with the taupo ride planning and training  so have not put much on this blog - I'm hoping to get back to my bike touring travel suff after I finish the taupo ride  with the taupo ride starting soon (see updates
)  this blog will be on hold until after the big ride as will be busy with the big ride   : )

Yes I am transgender - its just part of who I am - so if you have a issue with that keep it to your self or else take your hate else where so if you are transphobic  please unlike this page as you are not welcome here...

To all the hateful transphobic people out there who have been posting /saying nasty things about me and others - take your hate else where or keep it to your self - the world does not want or need your transphobic hate of others...

Been a rough day - some thoughts on the last few days for me

It's been Rough day today for me emotionally and mentally though I try not to show it - I'm still miss reading people far to much and forgetting things /making mistakes (including with things that people tell me) also my energy levels are still all over the place as well as the thing for planing and doing different tasks /jobs is not working so well (even worse than usual) -im not sure whats going on there and what I can do about it as some of it appears to be what I deal with for at least the last few years but some of it appears to be new?

- might be head injurie suff or maybe dyspraxia related (dyspraxia is ever changing including short and long term so as some things do get easier other things do get harder to do or deal with ) - Note to any one that makes jokes about head injury or about the other health problems I deal with  - a)  its not funny when you have to live with it and b)  you not helping in fact you are making it worse as your jokes and lack of understanding  tends to make it harder for people (like me) who need extra help to get it when they need it

Body dysphoria - this is related to the transgender side of my life and some days can hit me pretty hard (like today when it was really messing with me ) -( the gender missmach of the gender different between my body and my head, heart and soul that is a large part of being transgender for me (different transgender people have different levels /thoughs on it ) its  not something I can reary talk about to others as like many things that relate to being transgender it's something that most people (ie none transgender people) will never begin to understand and it's hard to explain dealing with it as there is a different in reference points - it's one of those strange things of people who know can rarely explain it and people who don't can never really understand what it's like to deal with (partly because for none transgender people they body/head/heart ands soul do Mach up as far as gender go) -- it's just another thing to deal with /find ways to help deal with it - not the easiest of things

living in/being part of the transgender world - some of my um well meaning friends has told me I should be spending less time / effort on transgender issues /suff  - well here's the thing about me being   transgender - it's some thing of a lifetime thing and it effects just about every thing in my life is some way (even before you go into the hormone therapy /surgical side of things) - even thing from dealing with people to what I wear /how I wear it, even going to the bathroom (tends to be a big issue) where I can Stay, any jobs that I do, what I buy/how I shop, the news /suff I followed on line, the issues I face as a young transgender woman, even how I do suff on the bike, my safety - I'm only in the first 2 years of  being out as the real me after being hidden for so long so I'm always learning and having to learn new things every day (I have 30 some thing years of learning to chach up on)  - so as you can see its  not something that I can just put to one side and forget about

- this is the first time I spent any real time staying in one place in a city (the other time I spent off the road have been staying on some ones farm or lifestyle block so mostly out of the bigger towns/cities )  one of the main things that I'm noticing is that there is still a long way to go in the understanding and support of disability people and also the understanding and support of LGBT+ people - yes people both in nz and world wide have come a long way but there is still a long way to go and many battles to fight for - so yes if I stand up for disabled rights and support and for LGBT + rights and support that is my choice to do so - to help fight the battles even if it means dealing with more people who hate me / discriminate against me  (and others in the disabled /LGBT + world) on a near daily basis - including having to  deal with odd death threats (including a few attempts on my life) because if people don't stand up and start demand change and then keep pushing for it- things don't change and the world goes backwards in care and support for every one

Photo of new bike : )

Hi everyone here is a update on the last week or so : )

Hi everyone - here's a update on the last week or so -

My round nz bike tour is on temporary hold because of bike issues with my bike Friday  (I'm just taking things day by day so I'm not sure when I'm back to living on the road by bike : ) - the front hub has wore out (the bearing races in the hub is suffed so it now just eats ball bearing so it needs a new hub - also would need a new rim as the rim has heavily wear from the rim brakes (at some point I may upgrade to disk brakes so the rims don't wear out from using rim brakes  (the back rim is the same - with the bearing not much better ) to get a new front wheel for the bike Friday is at least $415 and at lest the same for the back wheel also the bikes headset needs replacement at $100+?
 And last the not less a new chain and maybe a new carset (the gears on the back)  so that's around $80-160 as well  - that's on top of the around $800 +?  I owe the bike shop in Hamilton for other parts/work done on the bike  - it's mosty just wear and tear on the bike from the type of riding I do and the number of Km I do each year (around 8000 km of touring in the last year alone on my bike Friday)

I do have a Mt bike that is my back up bike - that also needs work /parts after I used it on the tour aotearoa route also it dont really fit me very well and I do have other issues with riding it (part of why I have a hand made folding bike) so what am I riding with the bike Friday down for repairs and the Mt bike also out?  Well that's the next bit of news :  )....

Thanks to a friend I now have a new (well new to me anyway : ) bike to ride. So what's the new bike one may ask?   It's a 2002? hase kettwiesel recumbent delta trike-its a little hard to describe - (one wheel in front /2 wheels in the back with the right side back wheel being the drive wheel (ie the drive chain runs to a 7 speed freewheel that spins the right side back wheel) the bike is around 85 cm at the widest point (between the outside edges of the back wheels when they touch the ground (the back wheels are at a angle so it's around 75 cm at the top of the back wheels /fenders (the fenders are needed on a bike like this so there's less chance of injury from the rider touching the tires when moving as the rider is sitting on the recumbent seat between the back wheels on this bike

- the seat on this bike is lower then on a df bike  (the most common type of bike) but not super low to the ground like many other recumbent bike can be - though one of the first things I did was to make a larger (and more colorful : ) flag so it's more easy to spot the bike even on busy roads /traffic  (I get even more room on the road now with the flag when on this bike then I get when riding on my bike Friday) as for night use the bike is well lit up with 2-3 back lights (the bike has a tire dynamo power rear light /front light (the front light needs a new light bulb thought) in front I'm running a high power font light that attached to the front pannier rack (the rack off my bike Friday) as well as a small head light on my bike helmet  -

the  bike is made in  Germany (I think by the law over there most bikes have to have lights?)  so what's the drive chain/gearing like on the bike?   Well as it stands now the back 7 speed freewheel ( yep it's a free wheel not free hub like most more modern bikes as that was what was in use at the time (more modern (hase) kettwiesel bikes do run a mix of drive chains including 9 speed carset ( freehub?)  the gear teeth on the back are 11,12, 14,16, 18, 24,  32 with a grip-shift type gear shifter and in front is odd?  Crankset with 2 chainrings (40, 53)  but no front derailed - you change front gears by moving the chain with a hand/foot?  -front gear set /chain line setup appears to of been done after the bike left the factory in Germany but before the bike was sold from a bike shop in nz km friend got the bike new around 2003? With it not having much use in the last few years so it's in great condition
on a side note  the ( hase) kettwiesel bikes are offen set up with hand crank's as a hand bike for disabled riders with the factory selling the hand crank's and other accessories for disabled riders

The brakes on the bike are on the back wheels - there is no brakes on the front wheel partly as with the front wheel being lighty loaded it works better with the brakes on the back wheels - this 2002? bike has odd looking v-brakes with the out side brake arms being fixed (so it works a bit like cable disk brakes on many Mt bikes)  - having taken the bike up to 60 + km/h down hill a few times I find the brakes work ok (keeping in mind the bike is 14 years old - more modern (hase) kettwiesel bikes have disk brakes

The wheels on the bike are 20" wheels (406 size - the same as my bike Friday : )  currently running 1.25 " tires  -i  will have to have a good look at the fenders to see just what tires I can run on the bike  (ie how much space there is between the tires and the fenders)

Lastly weight - I have no idea how heavy it is - around 17 kg  (recumbent trikes do tend to weigh more then other bikes)  but then again weight is the less of my worries when riding : )

So what is it like to ride?

In short it's great fun to ride -  it does take time to get use to how it rides and what the limits are with the handling (including some times getting it up on 2 wheels going around bends : )as for comfort this bike is very comfortable for me to ride - even  on my bike Friday I still have pain/numb issues in my hands and shoulders (mostly from old injuries including from getting hit by a truck on the bike in 2008) as there no weight on my shoulders and Hands the old injuries are not so much of a issue when riding this bike  - I have had knee pain a few times on this bike but it's still early days with a some what difference way of pedaling and it may be a knee alinement issue in my legs  (some thing what I had for many years partly caused by how I walk (dyspraxia? Issues)  on a side note with it being a 3 wheel recumbent trike  my balance   issues are not so much of a um issue : )  as I don't have to worry about the bike going from under me including at slower speeds climbing up hills  : )  and it's very easy to get on or off - I do have a loop on one of the brake leavers to act as a park brake so the bike don't roll away on a slope : )

The rest of my planning for the taupo ride is now mosty done - what's a good thing as the date of the start of my ride gets ever closer : )   and my todo lists as getting shorter - well they was until I got the (new)  bike as it added a lot more this on to the todo list - I'm hoping to have the bike Friday bike back  to being able to be use for riding before the taupo ride - thought at this point in time I'm not sure what  bike I will be using the most on the taupo ride

Training for the taupo ride is going ok - not great but ok - I did have some time a few days ago when I was unable to even ride a bike (disabilitys related suff-it happeneds from time to time with me)  I did get in a 75 km ride on Wednesday?  That went ok  (well the first 15 km was not good with me finding it very hard and wanting to turn around and head back to my friends place where I been staying  but I keep riding knowing that if I did give up and turn around it would mean that it would be all to easy  to give un/in when  having a hard/bad days when  I'm doing the taupo ride  - I think my next training ride is today - well after I first fix a flat tire on the bike and do a few other things to it as I work out the best setup/what to take with me when riding : )

Hase kettwiesel ride report 33 km

hase kettwiesel ride report  33 km

With the bike Friday down for repairs a friend (Erik (from the tour aotearoa ride) - has lent?  Me the use of a hase kettwiesel 3 wheel recumbent bike so i can keep riding  : )  as the bike has not been used in some time it took a few hours of work to get ready including moving the front end of the bike frame In to adjust the size (a bit like moving the seat post up or down to adjust the saddle hight on most bikes) and shorting the chain  (Erik is taller then me : ) 

  onice the bike was ready for a test ride and a break in the weather  it was time to take the bike out for a ride  : )  heading down the driveway of Erik's place  I wait for the bike computer to get the gps working before heading down hill with my friend on they Mt bike (the bike they had on the tour aotearoa ride) - about 10 m from the house the front end of the bike slowly turn side ways - I had not done the boxes the hold the front part of the bike tight enough when I changed the frame size (a sliding boom means the bike can be set up for different size rides) a easy fix ( had packed tools in the bag behind the seat for any on the road adjustment that was needed  as this was a test ride) taking things some what slowly as its the 2 time I been on a recumbent bike and the first time was a 100 km day ride at cycle queenland ride over 10 years ago on a different design (that one was a greenspeed tadpole - ie 2 wheels in front one behind -

the hase kettwiesel is a delta recumbent - one wheel in front 2 behind)   with my friend keeping a eye on me as we made our way though town (rotorua) until we got on to the off road cycle paths that lead though a park when I had a good play getting used to the handing of the bike as we made our way around people and along the trails around the different geothermal hotpools /mud pools until we get to a off road trail that leads on to a pathway the runs next to the old rail line out to ngongotaha including going around (or some times even under : ) the anti-motorbike  barriers on the trail -

a good and fun test to get though small /tight places (the  bike is around 85 cm wide and maybe 1.5 m? Long with front wheel steering (under seat hander bars linked to the front forks with a link rod) - after going through some more of the path my friend and I noticed that one of the back  tires was now flat (the bike had been sitting for a few years so I had just pump up the tires - knowing that there was a high chance that they might be a slow leak on one of the bike wheels) well first up was working out how to get the tire off so I could change the tube - the bike has these odd v-brake set up where the in side break arms move and the out side is a fixed pad mounted on a arm that heald to the frame - I'm not sure how the back wheels do come off?  So I end up taking part of the brake a part to change the tube - well after a bit of a battle to get the tube out I get one of the spare tubes - what tuneds out to be to long - yes it's a 20" tube -

after looking at the size and looking at the old tube I work out the issue - it's a 1 1/8 tube (20"-451 size) and the tire size is 1.25 (20" - 406)   so i get out the other spare tube and it's 20" 1.25  - yep it's the right size  now that's worked out the rim tape causing a issue (  easily fixed)  as the value is a car vale on the new tube I change over the pump bits before putting the tube back in and the tire back on (tight fit at the end) before pumping up to around 70 psi and putting the brakes back together  : )  then its back to riding in/out of ngongotaha then though the argdoom?  On to back roads with the weather being off and on cold showers and wind as we make our way around over rolling hills with a fun climb (finding out just how low the gearing is - it's 7 in the back and 2 in the front (no derailed in front though)  (remember the bike is from around 2002)  heading up a fun climb before a even more fun Down hill getting up to 57 km/h -

after nearly coming off in the first few bends I soon start getting the hang of it  : )   then a bit rolling as we head back into rotorua taking things carefully with  Erik riding Besides/in front or behind me much of the time partly as I had some how forgot to put the safety flag back on from working on the bike (it's back on the bike now along with better lights and a few other things  : )  I had a Garmin GPS bike computer (will have to find a place for the spot tracker to sit on the bike) on the bike so i was looking at that from time to time  : )  -

after 33 km it was time to head back to my friends place  - did have a sore knee at times but that also happens on my bike Friday  (no other pain like the shoulder and hands pain I get at times  (cause by old injuries including getting hit by a truck in 2008) - the ride is a bit rough on rougher roads/trails - handling - soon got the handling down (very stable - there is a kit to use this bike as a hand crank bike for disabled riders - see website ) good turning for its size -

brakes are OK  as for the gears I would have to count the number of teeth on the front and back and look a gear chart  to see how it compares to my bike Friday gearing  - it's a very fun bike to ride (more easily to ride for me then even my bike Friday as it's very stable to ride) after finishing the ride I stopped the Garmin GPS bike computer (edge 500) and put the bike away  : )  before uploading the bike computer info  on the the tablet and on line (had a upload issue but found a app up date that fixed it : )  and that's the ride report for my first ride on this bike : )  

2th update

Hi everyone

For any one wondering when I will be in some part in nz /or else will be doing something  -  Very Sorry - it's  Unknown at this point in time - I have been dealing with a lot in my life lately  so I can't give any real time frames for getting places - with the way my life is at this point in time I'm just getting though days the best I can with many things that I can't /won't talk about with any people -so it's best if I don't even try to say when I will do/be some thing/where  any more - partly as it depends on weather and what route I'm taking and partly how my body is /how I feel each day   - as it now stands my only set goal/plan this year is for me to do the taupo ride  - for any thing else the answer would have  to be a very big maybe or just likey a No

A update

Hi all I'm still around - have been busy riding around nz - I'm now back in the north Island after doing about 3000 km in the south Island by bike-  will be looking at updating this blog when I get some down time from riding   : )

Dark days and nightmares...

Dark days and nightmares...

I'm not sure how to put this down in words ...
I'm still having  nightmares and some dark days  about what happened to me near foxton -the near rape /attack - some times its having flash backs other times its the what if's that come up in my thoughts -  for the first week or so I keeped my thoughts and memorys of what happened locked away the best I could and tryed my best to move on with life - in my head is a space a bit like a mix between a bank vault and a army bunker where I lock away things I don't want to remember (some times having a near photography memory can be a bad thing) or things I can't deal with at that point in time - also I have what I call my safe place where I'm cut off from the world (one of the last times I went there was during a near suicide attempt in 2015 (the night of my birthday or near about ) its not a place that I can Stay long - in short it can cause big heath issues if I spend more then a few hours there any how the nightmares did stop for a few weeks? but as its not a good idea to keep things locked away to long the nightmares/broking sleep patterns and flash backs are back and getting worse and harder to deal with - the nightmares are very dark at times -having lots of time to think on the bike is some times not so good as some times as I'm riding on the bike I need to stop for a good cry /time out of the world on the side of the road other times its when I'm on my own in my tent - some times going to some very dark places - I'm not thinking about killing myself (as I some how know even during my very dark times its not the answer to the issues just like I some how know that drugs and alcohol as not the answer as well (a far to easy path to fall down (a big part of why I have to stay away from drugs and alcohol )

Having the police do little more than "victim blaming"  and not being offered real any help with the issues that came up because of the near rape - no one from the police or any one else has been in contact with me for updates or to see how I'm doing?

Also having "friends"  (who really should know better) tell me that it's just part of being female - to me that's more "victim blaming" - you are not helping - sorry but I don't accept that's OK for people to go around attacking /raping others just because someone is a woman (or in some cases it's men as well getting attack or raped ) to me it makes better sense to locked up /treat the sick people that attack /raped others then to do more victim blaming of the people/victims of such crimes - some have said that I need to forgive the (sick) person who attacked me /tryed to rape me - no I will not do that as they do not deserve my forgiveness as in many ways it's saying its OK what they did to me

Perhaps it's a case of me maybe now having pstd ( Posttraumatic stress disorder)? because of the near rape/attack? - on top of the domestic violence from my mums long term boyfriend - the times my mums boyfriend  has tried to kill me and the death threats over the Last? years (not that the police have done anything to help with that - thought some of that is more a issue with the way the law/way the police work)

Some days I feel I'm on the edge of a bad mental break down - some how I get though the day/night   - on a side note I can't take many of the drugs used in mental health (because of dyspraxia/other issues)  perhaps I may look more into service dogs (thought me living on the road by bike might be a issue - perhaps a dog trailer behind the bike?) - perhaps staying in a place where I feel safe for a few weeks or more?  May be a good idea though hard to do in reality because of a few different things - in the last 10? Years that I been full time on the road there's only been maybe 2 places with friends where I have stayed for more the 2 weeks and feel safe there (I wont say where but some of my friends will know exactly who/what places I'm talking about)  anyhow I will leave it at that as crying and trying to do typing on my phone don't work together well..

A update on my upcoming lake Taupo ride

Hi everyone - here's a more full  updated to do with my Lake taupo bike ride latter this year  - for anyone wondering how my riding /training is going for the bike ride

The Facebook page for my taupo ride is at

 https://m.facebook.com/Damianas-taupo-ride-971478602966642/

So please Like it and share it to your friends

I'm now about 25? North of Timaru tonight on my round nz bike ride - The Number of Km done on my bike (on my bike Friday) so far on this (training /bike tour) trip that I'm on now is now up to 1800 km(from te kuiti and just about all of the time with a full touring load on the bike ) - i still have a lot of Km to ride before I start my Lake taupo ride : )  - the starting day of my (40 laps in 40 days) taupo ride is now about 119 days away - in that time (between now and the start of my taupo ride) I  still have around 4500 km to ride in training /touring (the training is mostly on this tour but will keep up the riding after I get back to raglan /te kuiti on this trip ) as well as having to do  a lot of other things that are on my to do list before I start riding around lake taupo - on a side note the number of Km that I have done on my bike(s) (between  my Mt bike and bike Friday) so far this year is around 5800 km  : )

Fundraising for heart kids

I will be fundraising for heart kids as I do my big taupo ride  (where I will be doing 40 laps of the lake in 40 days on my bike as its the 40th year of the cycle challenge this year - here's a bit more about that(the fund-raising side of things (from the fund-raising page that I have just set up - I have created this page because I want to make a difference. I'm inspired by the work of Heart Kids NZ and wanted to support them by raising money as part of my participation in Cycle for Heart Kids 2016. Please help me help them by giving whatever you can using the 'Give Now' button. The more people that know about Heart Kids NZ, the greater their impact, so please also spread the word by sharing my page with your friends and family. Thank you in advance for your generosity, it means a lot!

The link to the fund-raising page is at https://cycleforheartkids2016.everydayhero.com/nz/damiana-s-taupo-bike-ride

  the other bit of news on my riding - thanks to the great people at spot nz -http://www.spotnz.com and (Facebook) https://m.facebook.com/Hirespotnz/ you can now track where I am on the road as I tour around nz  - they will also be doing the gps spot tracking for me on my taupo ride  latter this year   - here is the link to the tracking website for me on my round nz tour -  http://damiana.trackme.bike

here's some more notes from the road - enjoy : )

Hi all - here's some more notes from the road  -   enjoy : )

Doc camp site to some where

After packing up camp I head  the 10 km back in to picton where I spend a bit of time looking around town before stocking up on some food and starting the climb out of picton - a fun little warm up of a hill : )  after  that bit of a hill it's mostly flat?  For much of the rest of the day  getting in to b where there is a off road cycle Lane next to the road that leads onto a footpath across the bridge (the bridge has not much space for bikes on the road part of the bridge so it's safer to use the footpath when crossing it) I stop at the info center for info on some places to camp for the night before heading to a bike shop to pick up a few things including a replacement trailer tire  then had a bit of other things to deal with before doing some shopping for the next few days  and heading out town on SH1  - did try at one place  (that said they had camping) for a tent site but all they had was space for motor homes :  (   so I keep on riding - as I'm riding on SH1 towards the big hill (and it's getting darker) I pass a road called redwood pass?  About a km or two down the road pass the road to redwood pass I remember where I saw that name (of the road)  - redwood pass is part of the old (up to 1930s) route  south  -  a bit of Google latter I see its still in use (with signs saying no though way for long trucks)  I even see some notes from other bike touring riders who have done the road -  the road is a mix of tarseal and gravel that winds it's way up hill towards the pass (198 m or so)  at some point in time it's time to put to turn my bike lights on and keep on riding until I find a safe place to set up my tent for the night - I do find a place just off the road - it's on a bit of a lean but it do for the rest of the night : )

Some where to  cyclists hosting place

A bit of a early start to the days riding as I keep riding down hill until I'm back near sea level then it's along some more back roads until I get back on SH1 - having done the gravel parts of the road with out dropping the bike in the gravel just before I get on SH1 as I'm riding down a tarseal road I stop to check the map - as I'm getting under way I touch the edge of the road with the bike wheels - it's deep but lose gravel - I don't unclip fast enough and the bike tips over - I do a bit of a hapkido break fall to protect my hands and wrists from injury as I hit the road - it might be a slow speed fall but the fall can still cause injury - after a check for injuries (all ok though I might be a black and blue in a few places latter) I get back on the bike and ride off down on SH1 south - a few km latter I get to a place where there is a old 1902? Road/rail bridge  (the rail on the top deck (which is still being in use) and a one Lane road bridge on the lower deck (the road deck was pulled up when a new 2 Lane bridge was built a few years ago near the old Bridge -  after getting some photos it's time to get back on the road  I head up the hill getting in to the small town where I spend some time at the info center Including finding out if the cycle hosting place is still open as the old bike on a old watertank  is missing? (that is the marker for the bike hosted that I have stayed at before when riding this route) yes it's still open - as I find out latter some one had stolen the old bike off the watertank  then it's time for the next bit of riding over rolling hills ending with a fun down hill then it's down a gravel road for a bit to the bike touring accommodation where I spend the rest of the day doing my washing and a few other jobs before spending time reading before heading to bed for the night in my tent (there is a bunk room as well at the place (the place has been /is used by farm workers at times? As well as for touring cyclists (Maybe?)

Ferry to picton doc camp ground 12? By bike

Note - I'm Playing chach up on my trip notes  -  I'm only a week behind on this ride - and yes typing up my notes from the tour aotearoa ride is on my  to do list - so you just have to wait  on that (sorry I'm not very fast or good at typing  (and the speech to typing things don't seem to  like my way of speaking)

Ferry to picton doc camp ground  12? By bike

At some point in the early morning it's was this to load on the ferry - so out the door of the ferry place with the bike and on to the ferry - after tieing the bike down and putting the park brake on (a strap on the handle bars that holds the front brake leaver on so the bike don't roll away  or move when I don't want it to) I head up the sets  of steps  to the upper (public) decks  - at one point passing by a barrier  between two sets of steps  (one set is for public access - the other set of steps must be crew access to other parts of the ship)  - the barrier looks like some thing from the tietank movie (where it was used to separate between  1th and 2th class (or was that 3th class? ) any way after getting up on deck I start looking around for a ok place to try to get some sleep as its now around 2:30 - 3am   - just after find a place one of the crew comes up to me with a clip board  ( hum I wonder what's up now? I tend to worry when some one I don't know comes up to me with a clip board as it offer means a change in plans) as it turns out I'm offed the use of a cabin for free for the  crossing - so a unexpected but happy surprise (and a big thanks to blue bridge for letting me have use of the 2 person cabin)  - after saying yes (and thank you) and putting some info down on a piece of paper I'm giving the key card to the cabin - I'm not sure what to expect when I get to my cabin - well it's a bit like a small room at a motel or some thing (I think I only have stayed in a motel room  about 4-5  times that I can remember)  there's a bed agest the far wall with a swing down 2th bed near it - I spot a door what at first think is a carbit but is a bathroom with a good size shower  - after some thought I decide use the shower -  well it's the first time I had to deal with getting a bit sea sick in a shower with the shower moving  around as the ship moves though the water Kat lest on this trip I get to keep my dinner : )  unlike one of the last trips across...

After the good shower it's time to get some sleep for a few hours (after putting my phone on charge (there's a power pug it the cabin)  I do get some sleep - not sure how much - well it's more then I useley get on the ferry : ) then its time to head back to the main public part of the ship and hand the key card in before a  it of a wait as we get into picton then it's time to unload from the ferry

   welcome to the south Island : )   its just after sunrise as I head down town for a bit of a look around killing time  before heading to the library  for a few hours (where my lack of sleep desides to chach up on me - yep I fall asleep  in the library as I do some reading on my tablet - well that's a new one for me : )   then its time for a bit of shopping before I head the 10 km on the road to port underwood (there's a doc camp ground 10 km from town on this road - $6 a night per person for a tent site)

After setting up camp I get in a bit of reading before heading off to sleep for the night

Rest day at doc camp ground

I deside to have a lazy day - was going to go for a walk but decide  just to stay in the tent and  chach up on reading  (and my lack of sleep : )

Day off the bike in porirua

Day off the bike in porirua

I have a planed day off the bike today
It's nice to I don't have to pack and move camp today and sleep in as much as I  like   - latter in the day I go for a 6 km walk into town and back Including visiting the library for a few hours before looking around town some more before heading back to the camp ground just on dark

Porirua to Wellington
A bit of a late start what's not a issue as I only got around 20-25 km to ride and have until 2am to get to the place the ferry to picton leaves from - it takes a bit of route finding to find the right roads to take to get into Wellington with a bit of a fun  hill to climb over on the way - I did stop for a break at Johnsonville before taking a fun down hill and   taking a cycle path/Lane route to the train station (the ferry I'm taking leave from across the road from the station  - getting to the ferry around 2 :30 pm I now have a 12 hour wait until my ferry leaves at 2:30 am so I'm killing time by typing up trip notes : )

Levin to porirua 86 km

Levin to porirua  86 km

After a bad night - (including a few nightmares to do with what happened the day before) I knew I had a choice -after yesterday I could live in fear and have what if's have control over my life or I could put yesterday's events behind me and keep living my life the best way I can  - in the end to me it was simple -  I'm determined to put what happened to me yesterday behind me - I do not and will not let fear and what if's have control over my life so it was time to get back on the road by bike

As I was leaving levin I deside to have a bit of retail therapy  looking at things at a big 2th hand shop (save mart) - I found a nice pare of leg/knee warmers (for cycling) and a nice cycle top - total cost was $17  then it was back on the road with the road being mosty flat passing through farmland  though the town of Otaki (a town that looks like it's made up of factory 2th shops - as most of the shops you pass on the main road are factory 2th shops - the town centre is around a km off the main road -

funny story - when I was walking the te araoa trail a few years ago I walked through Otaki - when I stopped at the info center to asked where the library was I got told it was a long walk way and was I up to a long walk - well after asking just how far it was and getting told it was a km away I just said with a smile "well having walked from cape reinga to get here (over 1400 km)  I think I can walk 1km to get to the library ok"

Past Otaki I keep riding on the main road until I get to a side road with cycle route signs so I follow the signs down roads and tracks for much of the rest of the days riding - in places there's a lack of signs that make route finding a bit of a challenge - some parts are well marked and have off road cycle/walk way paths - in other places there no signs and it takes a bit of hunting around to find the next part of the route that takes me into porirua where I get to then it's up a hill to a Campground that I have stayed at in the past - though because of how I'm treated (transgender suff)  I most likely be looking for a different place to stay in future  - after setting up camp I spend a bit of time reading and relaxing as I charge up my e-suff  before heading off to bed for the night

Mount Lee's reserve to Levin 60 km

Mount Lee's reserve to Levin 60 km

Well I'm not really sure what to put down for this day...

The day started well as I headed back on to the main road then on to Sanson (where I stop for a bit of food) the road is mostly flat?  As I pass though farmland passing a few places I remember riding to on training rides (from when I Spent time in Palmerston North and was training for at lest one of my taupo fun rides some years ago) before I get into the town of foxton where after looking at a replica of a early steam train engine I get some food and get a photo of the large windmill that in town before heading out of town - as I'm turning on to the main road a vehicle towing a carvan drives slowly past before pulling out with the driver giving me a odd look?  (not a look I seen before?)   a few km?  Out of foxton is a old long narrow bridge over a flood way/ river?  With a cycle path/walk way that by pass's the old Bridge - as I'm heading along the path a older man (who I latter remember was the one towing the carvan) is walking along the path - after careful going around him I stop to take some photos of the old Bridge - as I'm taking the photos the older man starts talking to me who I never seen before (what's a common thing - I have up to 20 people a day chat to me as I ride around nz) but a few minutes in things start getting um werd then nasty - with the things he was saying then I noticed just where he was putting his hands - I'm not sure how to put this great basically had a got to try and rape me - he only stopped when I looked him in the eye and told him to stop or I would break his hand - after I got away from him the rest of the ride to levin (around 20 km) I don't really remember I think I may of been in shock?  - onice I got into levin I went to the police station to report what happened - well in short they did take down my details (I was a complete mess by this point) but the police man basic told me for advice - well it was Victim blaming - I got told I had to to be more careful who I talk to - well after 10 + years on the road and having up to 20 people a day chat to me (and me not being able to read people) with out any real issues I think it would be better to locked up such sick people and though away the key instead of saying I needed to be more careful who I talk to (also much of the time the victim knows the person that attacked them from what I heard) any how as I was no longer safe to ride I ended up staying at someone's place instead of where I was planning on staying the night (about 15? Km out of town at a free doc camp ground)

Wanganui to near Bulls 60? Km

Wanganui to near Bulls 60? Km

A late start to the days riding - it's more rolling hills to ride over today for the first 25 km then the road mostly flattering out as I get closer to the town of Bulls (around 50 km into the days riding) where I spend a bit of time around town before heading out of town towards Sanson but turning off the main road on to a bike road to head to a place called Mount Lee's reserve - you can free camp in a tent (or motor home there)over night  also there is a great bush walk around the reserve)

Day off the bike at Mount Lee's reserve

I decided to have a day off riding today - so I could do a few jobs on the bike including making up new pieces to fit on the handle bars on top of the brake leavers  (I'm still running my old v - brake leavers (that set lower on the bars then road bike leavers) on my new drop bar set up so the new bits are a bit like dummy brake leavers so I can rest my hands on that part of the bars )  also today is the one year mark of me being damiana and my first year living full time as female  so it's a big day for me (in many ways a 2th birthday of the year for me)   I do go for a walk around the place having some fun playing with the camera on the phone  before heading back to my tent for the rest of the day reading a few books before heading off to sleep for the night.

Patea to wanganui 75 km

Patea to wanganui  75 km

Getting on the road a bit later then planed I ride through a few small towns - I did stop at Waverley for a bit of food including some chocolate (jelly tip - a bit like the ice cream) because - well it's been awhile that I got some chocolate and why not (that said I'm cutting down on chocolate and other "junk food c as much as I can - some days are better than others with that : ) then its back on the road riding over rolling hills until I get into town/city of wanganui/whanganui? (Some spell it one way-others spell it the other way)  around 3 pm where I head to the info center to see if a place I camped at before is still open for camping (a free doc camping place) - it's still around ( note - I was planning on staying there but because of some thing that happened near foxton I did not stay there as planed on this ride)  then it's off to the supermarket for the next days food - as its a public holiday in nz tomorrow (Anzac day) the shops are closed until at less 1pm  so I'm doing tomorrow's shopping tonight    - I was hoping to get in some more riding but with it getting late in the day (daylight)  I end up staying the night at a some what over priced camping ground (top 10 -  $22 a night per person for a tent site)   - i spend a few hours setting up a new Facebook page for my upcoming lake Taupo ride this year before heading off to bed for the night

Some where to patea 87 km

Some where to patea  87 km

After packing up camp I'm back on the road today heading for at lest to Hawea  - the first town of the day I pass though is opunake - as it turns out there's a (swim/bike/run)  event on today so I get a few funny looks /comments as I pass though town (including when I pulled out and passed a few of the people on bikes taking part in the event on my fully loaded bike with trailer) 

then it's back out to riding past farm land then a few small towns/places before I get into the  large town  of Hawea gits easy to find the information Center in Hawea as its next to a old water tower (what for a few $ you can climb to the top of for a view over the town and out towards the Mt  - I did a climb on one of my other rides though town in the pass so I don't do it this time)  after visiting the information Center I head to a supermarket to get some food to last me to wanganui

I leave town and head south riding until I get to the town of patea  where I end up staying the night at a Campground ($12.50 a night - with hot showering and a kitchen (where I charge up my phone and other e-suff) 

New Plymouth to some where 63 km

New Plymouth to some where  63 km

The word of the day is rain....

After packing up camp in the rain with it coming down hard enough to start getting my gear in the bike trailer wet  in the Time it takes me to pack (as I found out latter I ended up getting my sleeping bag wet - and wet sleeping bags and not fun) 

After leaving the camp ground I head along the coast pathway into town where I get in a bit of shopping before leaving town - there's a number of short but steep hills in the first 15-20 km of the days riding - the rain (well showers?)  seem to follow me as it wet for most of the days riding

At some point in time I see a car drive pass then stop just up ahead?   I'm think to myself I wonder what they up to?  As I get closer a woman gets out and starts chatting to me including asking me if I seen the Mt?  (well it's hiding today in the rain clouds)  after a bit more chatting she asks if I'm the one who was on TV?  - after a bit of a think I say maybe?  - in this case it was me she saw on TV last year (apparently my voice is what gave it away that it was me see saw on TV?)  - just before they left they offered me a ice cream what I said yes to (even if it was a wet/cold day)  then it's back on the road passing through a few more small towns

Passing the road that leads to a light house I deside on a side trip to visit the light house (I have be there on one of my other rides) - going out to the light house was the easy part it's was coming back along the no exit road in to a head wind that was a issue /pain - after a short stop to look at the light house I head back to the main road then keep riding until I get to a safe place for the night - I ended up going to a farmers house as asked if they knew any where near by that I could put up my tent for the night - I ended up camped on the front lawn for the night - after setting up came I headed off to sleep for the night
 

here's how to follow me on the Internet : )

Hi everyone - here's how to follow me on the Internet : )

Instagram - GYPSYONABIKE1

Twitter - @gypsyonabike

Blog  - www.lifeonabikeinnz.blogspot.co.nz

Facebook pages

life on the road by bike and on foot Facebook page - https://m.facebook.com/Life-on-the-road-by-bike-and-on-foot-487124424703197/

Damiana's taupo ride   -   https://m.facebook.com/Damianas-taupo-ride-971478602966642/

On to riding the south Island : )

I have a 25 km ride today to get in to down town Wellington before I get the ferry to picton at 2:30 am (Sunday morning)  then it's on to  riding the south Island East Coast  down to bluff before heading back north by the west coast - around 2 - 3 weeks of riding to I get to bluff and around 3-4 weeks after I get to bluff until I'm back in picton depending on how many side trips / different roads / fun places to visit I find along the way : )  - so say hi if you see me on some where the road less travelled : )

Some thoughts on today's ride after yesterday's bad day

Some thoughts from what was going through my mind on today's ride (after a very rough night - yes I had about 5 bad nightmares last night from what happened yesterday)

What's the hardest thing about being transgender?  Its a common question that I been getting - for me the answer is - other people - so what do I mean by this?   The reaction I see from when I deal with people can sometimes be good but other times not so good - getting miss genderd is common (like to night at the camp ground when I got called sir and gentman by the camp ground owner - I had my pink tank? Top on (you could see my straps from my sports bra - my breast forms seem to pass much of the time (they are all ways covered and out of sight ) to the point that people ask me if I had a boob job or how long I been on hormones ) and a skit on over my bike shorts)  also the look I got and the way he said it was telling  (looks like it's time to find a different place to stay in Wellington  next time :  (  - not the easiest when you don't have photo ID  ( I have my reasons to hold off on getting a new photo ID as they may be a few things coming up in my transition that may mean needing a new photo ID in the next year or two as my looks may change so getting a 10 year passport only to need a new one in 1-2 years time seems a bad idea + my paper work is still a mess )

Some times its down right hate or some one trying to attack me :  (  that I face 

Many times the way some one talks to me and how they say this is very telling in what they really think of me - and yes I have had to take steps to stay away from people who wish me harm - including my mums boyfriend who has tried to kill me before and is one of the people who gave me death threats - that is why I can't stay at my mums place in te kuiti for more then a few days  (the police don't seem to care about it? /do anything about it) (there has been a few others who gave me death threats or have had a go at trying to kill me including a few people who saw my story on TV then tryed to come after me because I was out as transgender on TV - thought it's been a few months since the last time it happened ) - its not something I tend to like thinking about - why people can be so hateful to some one they don't know and have never meet is not something I ever under stand   - and yes I have taken steps to keep me safe (well as safe as I can be in this world) I'm not going to live in fear or  have what if's have control over my life /let hateful others tell me how I should be living my life

 people seem to think it's ok to ask the most personal information or questions - eveny thing from if I had " it"  cut off (or when I will be getting it done) to if I'm gay or straight  and many other things they would never ask a none transgender person - in many ways the media is partly to blame for this in the way transgender people are seen in the media

Bathroom issues
Bathrooms tend to be a big issue when you are transgender - when you are m-f if you go into the men's bathroom (or the woman's if you f-m) you get bullied or attacked yet some times you get bared from using the woman's bathroom (like many states in the US seen to be passing such laws ) (so where do you go?)  on a side note there has never been a case in the US where a transgender person has attacked some one else in a bathroom - how ever it's common that transgender people get attacked in bathrooms (and else where - It's hard being called sick or a perter by misinformed people just for being transgender when the real sick or perters hide in schools or church (or other places) and  it's common that the many haters are from church (I'm not saying the people in churches as all bad but there is a very high number of hateful people that attack transgender people in there)

OK as for being nearly raped yesterday - when going to the police I noticed I few things - at first the person at the desk did not seem to believe me/wanted to know - then the person who did taked to me acted like it was some how my fault? (note from the way the um person acted and what they said it's likely that they would of still had a go at me even if I was not transgender - ie the type of very sick person that would pry on any one they could ) And the police person asked why I did not run way?  Well it's a bit hard to run away when a)  you holding up a loaded touring bike what takes time to get up to speed 2) the um person was holding on to me and where he had his other hand (he only let go after I looked him in the eye and said in a strong voice that if he did not let go I would break his hand  (and yes I would of done that) and 3) you never know if they might have a weapon or have some one else near by - also one of the police men told me I needed to be more careful when talking to people - now for some one who might have up to 20 people a day start talking to then (as what happeneds when you ride a odd looking bike around nz) and has been doing this for the last 10+ years with out  any real issues (keep in mind that I can't read people because of how my disabilitys are) it's sounds like victim blaming to me - how about locking up the sick people who rape other and though away the key instead of trying to blame the victims?

Any how that's what I spent today's 86 km bike ride thinking about (when I was not busy finding the right roads I needed to be taking to get to where I was heading for tonight- only got um misplaced a few times today)

A little about me

Hi everyone

A little about me

I'm damiana day - a young woman who likes to ride her bike a lot...

I'm not really sure how to describe my self...

In that I live a bit of a unusual life - I live on the road full time for the 10+ years or so  getting around by bike and on foot also some times by hichching when I need /want to get some where faster then I can by bike or on foot and I  live out of a tent year round (even in winter) I don't have a job  because of how my disabilitys affect my life with my main disabilitys being dyspraxia and 7 head injuries as well as a few other things including having my legs radony stop working for between 1-8 hours (thought it never happens when I'm riding on my bike) and not having body awareness (knowing where ones body is in 3d space with out looking) so i cant drive and have to use Mt bike clip less peddles on the bike to keep my feet on peddles as well as riding a custom made bike -

 the main bike I ride is a bike friday pocket larma - it's a 20" wheel folding touring bike that was custom made for me in the USA (it came in the post as it fits in to airline size suitcase - the case can also be set up to be used as a bike trailer) I have done around 60,000 km on this bike from when I got it back in 2008 (the bike was funded by people in the horse world fundraising for me after I had my last bike go walk about at a horse event)   most years I spend much of my time helping at different horse events around nz - around 10 shows a year for around the last 12? Years

Some thing that I will mention is that I am transgender - around a year ago I started transition from male to female  and now live full time as female - (some might of seen the story on TV that was on me last year) I used to be called damian day - that's the name that I used to use (my paperwork is still a bit of a mess with some things under my old name /gender and other suff under my new name /gender)  - so I would prefer that people please use my new name and gender and not to use my old name /gender

Any way that's a little about me and now it's time to get ready for the day's ride : )

Raglan to some where? 48 km

From day 1 of this ride  - more to come as I type it up (along with typing up the rest of my ta ride : )

Raglan to some where? 48 km

A late start to the days riding (good thing I'm not riding to a time table on this ride : )

The late start was mostly cause by a small bit of plastic - the camping ground where I stayed the night has plastic key cards to use the showers and a few other things - with a $10 bond (what you get back when you return the card)  

now having remember to put the card on a safe place so I would not lose it (and the $10 bond) I then spent a hour or more looking for said card - yes a do have a small tent and yet I still seem to miss place things in it - mostly my headlight - in the end it was in my handel bar bag (where I put it so it would be to hand to give it back just before going out the gate) 

Once on the road I did a bit of food shopping (there's very little to no shops on my route south to near new Plymouth  around 300 km away)  before heading back up the road I came down the day before (there was a few roads I could of taken-i pick this one for the less chance of getting um miss placed : )  before one last checked of the cellphone (limited cellphone coverage for the next few days )

then down a side road riding until I get to a small village where I stop for a break for a bit and decide what road to take next - a road that I know is open or a road that says it's now a no exit road what I may or may not get though - after some thought I decide to head down the road with the new no exit signs as the the road pass's a nice walk way to a water fall that I have not visited in a few years or more  - and what's the worse that can happen? (ok don't answer that : )

after some climbing then a fun bit of down hill on tarseal roads I get to the carpark for the water fall (I only did the short walk this time to the top of the falls as I was keeping a eye on daylight) then it's time to see just where this road will take me - after the water fall carpark comes a car park for a Mt bike /walk way track that leads off across farm land (just another ride or walk for another day)

the road turns to gravel - and keeps going with a few places being down to one Lane  but no issues with taking the bike and trailer though - at some point in time the road heads down hill (where I find out that riding a bike with drop handle bars (road bike) on a down hill gravel road is different than flat handle bars (Mt bike) I get the hand of things ok by the end of the down hill : )

after getting to a fork in the road I look at the signs then keep riding on gravel roads (at one point near the end of the day the bike dumps me on lose gravel - deside that it's better my arm take the wight of my fall (and not my wrist - as that's how you end up with a broken wrist) - see hapkido training has it users ever out side hapkido : )  

there's a car about a hour or so on this road I just slowly pick myself off the road (note to self -I should stop falling off on gravel roads as it leaves marks )  I keep riding until it gets dark then put the lights on and go back to riding until I find a safe place for the tent for the night having riden on to a tarseal road for the last few km : )

Day in new Plymouth

Day in new Plymouth

Spent the day picking up some parts from a place near the port (so a nice ride along the coast pathway into town) for the bike that was sent from a bike shop in Hamilton  before looking around town including getting a 32 gb USB drive (for around $13 (Dick Smith closing down sale) that I will use to back up /store photos on if I run out of room on my phone - like what happened on my tour aotearoa ride  before riding back to the camp ground around 5 pm then spending a few hours typing up the last few days of my riding around the place

Mokau to new Plymouth 85 km

Mokau to new Plymouth  85 km

As I was packing up my camp part of the tent ripped - most likely from uv damage from the heavy use it gets - time to start looking for a new tent : ( - tents tends to last me around 3-12 months of use before they need replacing

Leaving mokau I have some rolling hills to ride over be for the road heads inland to climb up to the Mt message tunnel - OK who's idea was it to put a tunnel on top of the hill instead of putting it at the bottom of the hill (so I don't have to climb the said hill : )

Some where just before the hill should be a small shop (never did find it) I take my time climbing up the big hill - most of the time I'm going the other way over this hill when I come this way  - at the top I stop for a few photos before enjoying the winding down hill on the other side of the road tunnel - I did see in the museum that they was looking as rebuilding the road to go around the hill the road climbs - seems to me it would be a high cost to - save 4 mins (as if 4? Mins is a big savings on a road that takes a few hours to go anywhere) as for accidents most seem to be caused by the drivers not so much the road so a new road may not be any safer any way - no matter how short a trip there will always be some one trying to get there faster (offer speeding /or driving too fast for the weather /state of the road) - but that's just my opinion : )

Heading out towards the coast I look out for the next few shops listed on my notes - it's not until I get to urenui (30 km north of new Plymouth) that I see a shop - not sure what happened to the other shops listed

After a look around town including seeing a bike covered in yarn (yarn bombing?)  I stop for some food before a older man on a bike (that I passed heading up the hill into town) comes up to chat to me - at first he's ok then he starts talking about some crazy idea about how people should be farming and some thing about cross's upsetting the world and how this need to change (in other words he soon lost me what he was saying as he pointed at so papers? ) after trying to give me the papers (what I in a nice way said no to the went off some where else  ( Diplomacy is the art of telling someone to go to Hell in such a way that they looks forward to the journey!")  why do I get the crazy ones when ever I'm trying to eat - maybe I need to ride faster  : )

Then it's time to get back on the bike as I still got 30 or so km to go today  - there's a few more rolling hills before I get to bell block  where I head of S.H.3 to get some food and head on to the coast pathway that will take me to the camp ground that I'm staying at tonight - it's a nice ride along the pathway as the sun sets  - getting to the camp ground I set up camp for the night

Tunnel beach to mokau 45 km

Tunnel beach to mokau 45 km

After packing up camp I head back up the no exit 4.5 km gravel road to I get back on the road south (tarseal)  I have 1 larger hill to ride up today - it's a lot more easily that the last one before I get to enjoy the down hill to the coast - just after turning on to S. H. 3 (with the road sign saying Hamilton - so it must be true - all roads lead to Hamilton after seeing many of the road signs latery saying Hamilton on then : )  - first thing I noticed after turning on to the main road from my little back road is the traffic - a lot more cars and trucks - most of the trucks giving me room as they pass - though I wish they wouldn't do it on to on coming traffic or around blind bends on the road at times - many of the trucks are large loging trucks or gas tankers? ) 

At a sivure station I stop for a pie (I had been looking forward to having a pie (the things one dreams about on the road at times - in this case a good pie) only to find they had no pies so had a ice cream instead - the pie will have to wait...

A few?  Km down the coast is the village/town of mokau - first stop being the history place for the area what happeneds to be open today - offing it's closed when I'm been past on other trips - after leaning about history of the place - things like the old river bridge had a one span that lifed up on a frame work so boats could get up or down river and near by was where the electric dog collars first came from - as well as the idea of reuseding ship rescue rockets (used to take a light rope to shore in rescues)  to get TV wire over bush (from the TV antenna high on a hill down to a house in the valley) so that back country homes could get TV for the first time - I like to visit history places in nz as you never know what you may lean : ) 

After having a good look around the museum  (where the nice people there let me charge up my phone as I looked around the place)  I headed across the road to a cafe for a late lunch - where I finally got to have the pie I had been looking forward to having : )

After the pie (and it was a nice pie too : ) I headed just down the road to the whitebait Inn - a shop/caff/camping ground where for $10 a night a got a nice tent site for the night (and for a few $ more did some washing (as was running out of clean things to wear on the bike) - ended up having fish and chips for dinner before heading back to check on my e-suff to see how they was charging  before doing a few things on line (very slow Internet over the cellphone network - gprs (dial up or slower speed)  - no 3or 4 g high speed Internet by cell phone out here : )  and some reading before heading off to bed for the night

Some where to tunnel beach 12 km

Some where to tunnel beach 12 km

A late start - not that I'm worried as its only a short day - 12 km - after packing up camp I start on a 8 km fun down hill ride on tarseal - it's not a road I would like to try when tried, in the dark, and a damp (slipley) road - in the daytime on a dry road with a good night's sleep is now a great road to ride as it winds down to near sea level - getting to a road sign I stop to look at my notes to make sure it's the right road - the numbers of Km to places on the road sign  seems out - had this issue yesterday as well - in this case I just ride until I get to where ever I'm going - yep it's the right road so I then head around 4.5 km down a gravel road until I get to a car park at the end of road - there's a informed Campground here (with a water supply out of a small pipe near some old carvans (across the road by a Holliday home? Down a few steps next to the road - I went and saw the farmer to find this out (who's house is on top of a hill up a long and steep drive way as I found out after walking up it to as about a place to get fresh water from)  as well as a old stock tunnel

The old stock tunnel was built by 3 men around 1911 with hand tools so that stock could get on and off the beach for loading /unloading on to ships (this was long before the road was put though)  the tunnel is the hight of a man on horse back high and wide enough for stock to get though - it's now used by fishermen and walkers to access the beach (including looking at the tracks on the beach by 4wbikes)

After setting up camp and getting some fresh water I spend the rest of the day relaxing and doing a bit of reading on the tablet after a walk through the tunnel to see what the tide was doing - how high the water is up the beach

Rest day at tunnel beach - yes the beach has a different name (I just don't know what's it called)  I spend the day doing more reading before heading to the beach though the tunnel to do a bit of rock hoping - keeping a very close eye on the tide as its easy to get cut off from the tunnel on this beach when the tide comes in with the cliffs looking very hard to climb if at all (much of the rock is crumble rock so stay away from the cliff faces - rock falls are common ) - the tunnel is just about the only way on or off the beach - then it's back though the stock tunnel to my tent for some more reading before it's time to sleep for the night

Some where to some where else : ) 84 km

Some where to some where else : )   84 km

A nice and early start to the days riding - after packing up camp I get on the road heading south - some times next to the water (sea)  other times heading inland over rolling hills at one point passing through some road works where 1/2 of the road was just a deep hole where a digger was working about 5 m below the level of the road - I got no idea what they was doing digging up that much of the road?  Before the road climbed again 

Latter in the day I see a another bike tourer coming from the other way so we stop for a bit of a chat (I noticed that some bike touring people stop - others just keep riding)  then it's back on the road up a longer hill following by a fun down hill ride until I get to a fork in the road - one way heading towards te kuiti and Hamilton the other way out to the coast  - that's the road I'm taking this time at the cost is a small village where I have a look around (it's one I been to many times over the years as my family used to do caving a lot so spend a lot of time in the area - also my mum now is living near te kuiti so it's not that far to come out to the coast here for her)

After looking at the camping ground (and left wondering why now  it's seems to be $18 a night to camp there in a tent for what is a basic camping ground? - places like this use to be around the $10-14 mark not that long ago) 

Leaving the village involveds a (steep)  climb over a hill with nice view looking back over the village  before heading back down hill - and on to a gravel road for the next x number of Km  - the gravel road is not bad - I have been on bumper tarseal roads : )   the road heads away from sea up a valley (slowly climbing?)  still gravel until the start of a climb up a 200-300? High hill where the road becomes tarseal (to help cars and trucks with going up the hill perhaps? )  the sun is setting as I climb with about 1 car a hour if that on this road - at some point near the top I stop to set up my front lights  before I get back to climbing -  at  the top there's a rest area?  With a tramping track heading off into the bush  - at one point the tracks around here was closed because of a rare frog that had its home in the bush  - the tracks are now reopened - though a large bit of bush is still off limits and the tracks that went that way closed with the markets removed - after some thought I decide that its a safe place to stay the night as I'm no where near a Campground and getting a bit to tried (after 85 hilly km) to keep going safety on the bike so i put up my tent for the night before heading off to bed for the night

Getting bike parts/work done on the bike on the road

In new Plymouth tonight - hopefully with a bit of luck I be picking up a few more bike bits in the post  tomorrow coming from a bike shop in Hamilton - getting things sent to you tends to be a big pain in the neck at times - as I rule I don't buy bike suff on line and I'm offering ask what bike shops I get my parts from /work done at as I travel a round nz by bike -  I like to deal with only the 2 bike shops in nz that I really trust (most of the other bike shops that I been in over the years on the road have tended to be no where as good and (the two bike shops) have gone out of the way to help me out over the years including getting in then posting out parts to me on the road when I'm traveling (not the easiest of jobs and can be very time consuming for the shops)

- the two main bike shops I prefer to deal with are cyclepro in Hamilton (where I got my first good bike from around 20 years ago - not sure what they website is ) and top gear cycles  in taupo ( http://www.topgearcycles.co.nz)  - there is also a bike shop in palmerston north what I deal with if I'm down that way  (can't remember they name they go under now) the 2 main shops have help me out many times over the years including with the taupo rides as well as my long touring rides including dealing with last minute issues that some times pop up - yes buying parts on line may be cheaper in the short term but not in the long-term (more so if/when you have to send parts back because they don't fit on your bike or you need the use of a tool or skill you don't have- so end up having to go to the bike shop any way) so please support your local good bike shop  - having a custom made bike with a non standard set up has caused more than a few head ach over the years - some times its getting the parts in other times getting the parts to work together in the way I need them to work so I can ride  (the bike I had before my bike Friday was  at first my dad's bike then parts got changed over a few years to the point that the set up was custom so I could ride it) the two shops have spent many a hour working on a issue what others shops put in the to hard basket  (many times the other shops keep trying to sale me a new bike even after I point out all the changes that I would need to make just so I could ride the new bike more then a few km or else they act like I don't know any thing about bikes)

A year of being me and life on the road : )

A year of being me and life on the road : )

Well in less than 2 weeks time a big mile stone would of past for me

So what is the big mile stone that I speak of?

Well...  It's the one year mark of me starting my  transition going from the old unhappy me to the real (now happier) me  (regardless of what others may think of me)  starting life as a young transgender woman so in some ways it's like having a 2th birth day/date each year 

- as for the date? And why I chose that day - the day after Anzac day  I pick a date some how knowing that by having a set date it was one of the things that I needed to do for my self or else I would keep putting off my coming out to be the true me as I was scared of what others may think or do to me

Having the support of my friends as I was coming out and starting a new life was (and still is) a big help

Many people had said to me not to come out as transgender as "you would lose all your friends"  well that's how you find out who your real friends are - your true friends will still support you and for the ones that don't support you well they not your friends then  - in my case I did lose a few friends in that they no longer talking to me but even one else of my friends has supported me and I now have every more friends now then before : )

Some people including a few (well meaning) friends have told/asked me why I didn't stay the same and keep living the way I was - to me it was simply because I could no longer be that person and some how knew that if I had not change my life I would at some point in time tryed again to kill myself (like I came to so close doing on the night of my birthday last year)  - it's hard to explain to people the reasons - around 30-50% of transgender people will try or have tried to kill they selfs at some point in time (yes the numbers are that high - one of the reasons why having good support and understanding people around is so needed with some one being transgender)

So how did I start being me?

Well it's been many steps big and small - every thing from changing my name  to having a steep leaning angle and having to learn /unlearn many things (having 30 years of girlhood to lean about and chach up on) 

Having slowly put together a wardrobe of things to wear over the last few months until my change over day - over the last year getting a lot more things to wear including many nice or fun things to wear : ) - many from looking in 2th hand shops all over nz but also some new from shops and having given away /got rid of most of the things I used to wear as I would never wear then again as that is no longer who I am any more

Living on a bike on the road means having  a limited number of things that I can have with me - that said I like having at less some nice/fun and colorful things to wear (even to wear on the bike at times) the rest of my suff that I have to wear is stored at my mums place - have just swap out some of my summer things for winter things (as well as having a few things at a few friends places)  I do have a small bag of make up that I try to take with me when I can - make up if one of the fun things I'm still have a lot to learn about : )

Life on the road - it's been a bit of a crazy year for me as far as travel including doing cape reinga to bluff 2 times by bike including riding the tour aotearoa route so ending up in some very out of the way places in nz - I did spend time staying at a friend's place near taupo for about 8-10 weeks (not sure of the time frame or that) until I got back on road as the road keep calling me : )

People - most people have been ok with me being transgender - I am open about being transgender and many times get asked questions  - as long as people ask nicely I'm OK with doing questions and answers as long as they are respectful to me and not being stupid (as some tend to be at times) - a lot of it is lack of understanding or peoples religious beliefs - after answering people questions (no this is not a act I'm doing I'm not a drag Queen or performance  - I live as a woman (ie female) 24/7 - some times its a bit hard for people to get they Head around as the only time they seen or hear about transgender people is on TV or media - on a side note jokes /cartoons/fake story's about transgender people are not funny and can/do led to attacks on transgender people - I was attacked in taupo the same day that a fake story came out in the media about transgender people in sport - the person saw the fake story's then decided to take they anger (over what the fake story claimed ) out on the next transgender person they saw - in this case me (my voice tends to out me at times as being transgender)  - it's not the first or likely be the last time it's happened where some one reads a fake story or hears a joke then desides it's ok to hassle or attack transgender people

Bathrooms

From time to time I get asked what bathroom I use and it tends to come up when I'm staying at a Campground or other places over night  - for me I tend to use the womens bathroom as its a safety issue as if I try using the men's bathroom I get threaten (or people try to attack me) or made fun of or else people tell me I'm in the wrong one - when I use the womens bathroom no one says any thing and I have had no issues with any one else (it's not like any one can see me go) - it's mosty  transphobic People that think there will be a issue  - (let's face it - at some point in time you may/would of share a bathroom with a transgender person and never knew and had no issues) there's been a lot of talk in the media about transgender people using bathrooms - mostly miss information - the so called bathroom safely laws like in some states in the US - the only thing they do is put the lives of transgender more at risk  - transgender woman are not men in dresses (as the media seems to like to think) - as for the claim that some one will pretend to be transgender so they can pray on people in bathrooms I have never heard of a case in the US of that happening (do you think that some one who prays on others would be stopped by a sign on the door? Or by such a law? ) also where would transmen (female to male transgender people)  go?  - as for using the disabled bathrooms as some people have said - well there is not that many around also much of the time they gender (ie they on with the rest of the bathrooms) and last but not less they are for disabled people who need them (much like disabled car parking spaces) it's not something that many none transgender people even think about but bathroom can be a big issue when you are transgender

Being on TV

As some of you may know I was on TV last year where I talked about my traveling life, my disabilitys also about being transgender - from time to time I have people come up to me who saw me the TV show some times having a good chat about different things - many have called me brave or other such things  and thank me for being open about the things in my life - i never quite know what to think about such comments as I'm only me trying to live my life the best way I can

On the other hand it did put a big target on my back with me outing my self to the world on TV with some people trying to attack me or coming up to me to tell me I'm wrong to be who I am -saying things like am a danger to others Including children or I'm sick or other such things even had  death threats  aimed at me

 You know you are helping change the world for the better when you start getting death threats from people who don't want the world to be better for others

Facebook - one of the things I did was close down my old Facebook page and start a new one sending a pm message to everyone one who was on my (old) Facebook page saying what I was doing and to please friend me on my new Facebook page

On Facebook I get a lot of friend requests most of the time from people I don't know so I have a rule that if you want to friend me on Facebook you will need to say who you are as if I don't know you I most likely won't accept the friend request (it's a safely thing ) people can follow me on my travels Facebook page just by liking it : )

So what's next in my life?

I'm still traveling - I'm about to start a 6000 km bike tour around nz taking around 4-5 months

As for transgender suff - eveny day I lean more things

So did I make the right choice nearby a year ago?  To come out as transgender and start living full time as female?  

I would have to say yes - I still have my bad days but they are no where as bad or as offing as before - I'm a lot more happy in myself now that I took the mask and costume off (how I saw my old life - trying to hide my true self behind a mask and costume) its not been a easy journey but it's been well with it I'm  looking forward to life- the the next part of my journey where ever it may take me : )

Days off the trail in taumarunui

Days off the trail in taumarunui

Time off the ta ride in taumarunui - well I'm now in one place long enough to get suff in post - I been playing tag with some much needed bike parts coming from a friend's bike shop in Hamilton for about 2 weeks now (can be fun trying to work out where to get suff sent to when you not sure how long you will take to get to said place (and on what day of the week) also after looking the bike over (finding more broke spokes) and talking to my friend at the bike shop I ordered some more parts including a new back wheel (the bike is around 8 years old and has been getting a hammering on the trail so it was better to get a new wheel as the hub was on the way out as well) - was hoping the parts would be at the post shop in town on Monday - well as it turns out its a holiday for parts of nz on Monday also for some odd reason I had to pick up the parts from some where else in town (even though they was sent to the Post shop) - was a good thing I found that out before hand other was my parts would of got sent back to the bike shop (only took about a hour or so to short out - so it ended up being Wednesday when I got the parts including the tool to take off the disk rotors (I got disk brakes on the bike)  so i could swap over the back wheels   so ended up having 4? Days off the trail

Bike F.A.Q

Bike F.A.Q

how many km do you ride each day

Depends on the day - some times 190 km other times I might only do 5 km they decide that I'm going to spend the rest of the day there - most of the time around 50-80 km a day (depending on wind and hills and if I need to be some where at some fixed point in time (like at a horse event where I'm helping out at)

When did you start traveling by bike

Um full time on the road from around 2005? Part time a few years before that (after getting hit by a truck on the bike  in 2008 my memory is some what hit and miss (lost around 3/4 of my memory (head injury from getting hit by the truck) - one of 7 head injurys that I know of?)

Where did you start riding from

Well I grew up in Hamilton until around 2005? So let's just say Hamilton

How old are you -

 you know it's not nice to ask a woman her age -  so let's just say I'm some where in my 30's

How far do you ride each year

Well it depends on the year though most years it's around 10,000 km a year or so

How many km have you done so far in your life?

Who knows?  Perhaps 80-100,000 + km

Do you ever do fun rides or races

No I don't race - with the way my disabilitys are I tend to have a set top speed most of the time around 15-25 km/h there dont seem to be much that I can do about it - it's more just the way my body is - on a side note doing every day things can be hard work including that I tend to burn around a 1/3 more energy then others doing the same things as I have to work that much more harder to get my body to do what I want it to do (tend to have a high food bill at times : ) - I'm not fast but I can ride for a long time

As for fun rides I do some times do then - as my average ( daily) rides are as long or longer the many of the fun rides out there I'm getting into doing the longer rides like the 2x, 4x and 8x taupo rides around the lake (with each lap being 160 km (riding though the night with around 1300-1500 m climbing each lap (can't remember the number of m climbed) as well as some of the other long rides like one near fielding and also one near picton  as I find them more enjoyable (more of a "fun" ride and less then a race)

Why did you start bike touring

I wanted to see what's around the next bend in the road/trail  and where the road would take me : )

When will you stop bike touring (and settle down and get a real job like every one else)

Um one day when i decide I no longer wish to do it (as for the 2th part well I can't do many jobs because of the way my life is also because of the way my disabilitys are as for settling down in one place - well I have tryed a few times over the years but it never seems to work - some times its other people that's the issue other times its just the road calling to me to keep traveling : )

What do you do in winter - keep riding - if I start getting cold I find a hill to climb or try to pick up my speed to warm up  - and yes a have full gear for all times of the year - winter sleeping bag and good tent (lost  count of how many tents I have gone through over the years on the road)

Bike Friday questions

What happened to your bike?

It shrunk in the rain : )

Why are you riding a bike with such small wheels & how much did it cost

- it's my bike Friday pocket larma - a folding touring bike with 20" wheels that was custom made for me in 2008 in  the USA (with the bike being set up in a none standard way (because of how I ride) with the bike being payed for (hand made bikes are not cheap) by people in the horse world doing fundraising  for it (to replace a bike that went walk about at a A&P show (I spend my time helping out at different horse events all over nz (been doing that for the last 12? Years helping out at around 10-12 events a year (can be long hours and tends to wipe me out for a few days after (at times I need to take a few hours break in the day time - more so in the heat (my disabilitys and how weather don't go together well :  (  )

Is that hard to ride -
no its around the same as most other bikes

Do you need to peadel more or work harder with the small wheels ?  -
no its all in the gears - though it is set up for low gears - hill climbing over speed

Can I have a ride

- NO - it's set up just for me so there's a high risk of some one breaking it or coming off also it my main way of getting around kind cannot drive a car (just the way my disabilitys are   (mostly my dyspraxia including my body awareness issues) so i really don't let others ride it

Why do you have a bike trailer

Partly so I can carry more suff (or having different options for carrying my suff) but also it's the hard case for the bike - the trailer frame and wheels come off with the bike folded up the bike and trailer parts all fit inside the case (so no bike fee on planes/bus's because it's a airline size case (don't matter what's in the case- besides how heavy it is)

Why do you have so much gear

This is my home all year round also because I help out at horse events I have extra gear for that (I used to have even more suff like camera's and laptop (did horse and landscape photography for a few years) what I no longer carry with me)

You got to much gear/suff you would go a lot faster /climb hills more easily with less suff

Maybe maybe not - at any rate it's my suff to cart up the hills (having very low gears do help) and I stopped worries about my speed on a loaded bike years ago

When are you going to get a real bike

Well I do have a 26" wheel

Mt bike what I sometimes do use - I tend to find it a lot more harder to ride on so it don't get used much (the Mt bike got last used on my tour aotearoa ride as there is a few places where the Mt has a bit of a edge over the bike Friday - mostly off road as it has front suspension and more hight with the rear gear changer ) but my bike Friday is much easier for me to ride (I tend to fall off it less as well) for me riding a road bike would have far more down sides and very few up sides  (also would have to be set up like my bike Friday (like with the hander bar set up)

What happens when it starts raining

I get wet : )  I do have a good rain jacket : )

Where are you sleeping tonight?

A very good question um next question please : )  or ask me tomorrow as by then I should have a better idea : )   

I have been known to stay in all sorts of fun places over the years - much of the time I decide on the day when I'm staying (it's mosty in city's that I have to pre-planned where I'm staying the night : )

Words have power

This is something I just posted on Facebook I'm reposting it here - as its something people should think about

Words have power - Please do some  fact checking /some thinking before just hiting the share button when sharing posts or pictures or even speaking - I have noticed that many people make jokes about transgender people / or call transgender people trannes or use other transphobic words when they think they  being funny - the thing is by sharing such posts or using such words (even if you are making a joke) you are in a way giving the ok for other people (who may or may not know it's a joke /someone trying to be funny) to be transphobic and hateful towards any transgender person they might see or meet therefore putting other people's lives at risk  - yes there has been people (most who had never seen me before ) that have tryed to attack me or even tryed to kill me - why? the only reason was because of a joke or untrue storys they heard some where about transgender people and so thought that they should attack or kill the next transgender person they saw - in this case me - who is just like anyone else going about they life - on a side note using a transgender person old name /gender is not nice as that is not who they are anymore (so please call then by the name /gender they wish to be called - it's also about not outing then in public as being transgender )

So if you post/share (or make) a transphobic joke or fake story I will be unfriending/Unfollow you (some of you may get a warning pointing out the issue) as you are indirectly putting my life at risk (and the the other lives of transgender people and they friends /family - yes transphobic people do at times go after the friends and family members of transgender people)