life on a bike: April 2016

Saturday, April 30, 2016

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 : )

Thursday, April 28, 2016

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)

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

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 : )

Thursday, April 21, 2016

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

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

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

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

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

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)

Friday, April 15, 2016

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 : )