Hawera to some where

Hawera to some where  67 km?

After saying good bye to my friend’s I head back into town to get for the day before heading out of town on S.H45 (all so called surf highway 45 as there is a lot of surf beaches just off the highway ) the days ride starter out with just over cast then the rain came and stay around all day (time to find out how good my wet weather gear is) it is winter after all. the road goes over rolling hills  though the odd small town. I keep ridding until I get to the town  of Opunake where I take a short rest off the bike before going thought some more small town’s(most of then a place name on a map and a few house’s) at one the town (Rahotu) I stop to get some hot food and to ask about some where to camp for the night as it is starting to get dark the person at the shop says that there is a rest area 5-10 km down the road so I keep riding until I get there - it is a nice rest area out of site of the road behind some trees and out of most of the wind after I set up my tent up for the night I go to sleep hearing the rain on the tent

patea to harwera

patea to Harwera

Packing up and heading back into town to get some food for the days ride . I head down the road with the sea on one side(the road run’s near the coast )and mt Egmont ahead of me. Going down a few river valley’s I past a big milk factory where is an over size cow out the front. Riding into hawera  I stop at the info center(easy to find-just look for the 50m ? high old water tower the i-site is at the bast? of it (you can climb up in side the tower to the look out at the top for $2.50) after I get down from the tower I ride to a friends place where I spend the night.

some where to patea

some where to patea 82 km 

Getting up and on the road by 8am I ride back along the side road that I came down last night until i get back to S.H.3 where I head into the city of wanganui .Finding a cafe near the banks I get some food and pay some bill's before riding along the river for a bit. By the river boat place there is an restored old river paddle steamer  moored  out side. A short stop at the info center to find out places to look out for along the day ride as I have not been this way before on a bike tour . There is a good clinb? out of town passing the winter garden's where there is a nice lake. The days riding is a  mix of some hills and some flat bit’s going though some small towns. Getting to the town of patea around 4 pm I spend some time in the libley? before riding down to the camp ground stoping at a look out to get some photos of the sun set. After  I set up my tent I get some photo’s of the river and have a chat to the other person staying in the camp. As I am charging up my camera batteras and my I phone I have a look at some tv( I only look at about 10 hours of tv a year if that) before having a shower and going to bed for the night

Tielcey park to some where

Tielcey park to some where 90 km

After doing the last of the packing I say good bye to the two cat’s that I look after-a friend will be looking after then when I’m away. Getting on the road around 8:30 am I stop at the supper market to get some food for the day and a few other thing’s like toilet paper. Riding into town I do a few odd job's . Going to the info center to find out places to look out for on the days ride also to work out where to aim for to spend the night. Getting out of town around 10:30 I ride along S.H.3 riding up mt stewart where I stop at the rest area having a look at the country side from the look out . Riding thought the towns of Sanson and Bull’s. After Bull’s there is a few river valley’s to ride down into then back back up along the flat’s. Along the way there is an old block house from the time of the  maori land war? I stop to have a good look around the block house before getting back on the road. Around 5 km out of Wanganui I spot a sing? pointing to a camping ground down a side road so I go down the side road to the camping as it is starting to get dark. After getting some photos of the lake near the camp ground I get to the camp and  set up my tent up for the night

my new back wheel

my new back wheel

I picked up my new  back wheel (well it has my old hub in it but new spokes and a new rim ) on monday from the bike shop in town  and changed over some of the parts from the old wheel that I had been using (spoke reflector’s , the cassette also the tube but not the tire as i had a side wall fall on the tire fail on the way to the bike shop so had to get a new tire at the same time as I pick up the wheel  

going on a bike tour

going on a bike tour

on monday I’m off on a 3-4 week bike tour -yes I know it is winter time. Why now? It’s been over a year from the last big bike tour that I did and I like to go on at lest one long bike trip each year (more the better)  so where i’m I going on this trip ? I going to see some friends also go a few place’s that I not been to before on the bike (maybe even a few places that I never to before in my trips around New Zealand) 

here is a list of some of the place’s that I’m thinking of going to on this trip- Wanganui, Hawera, New Plymouth, Te Kuiti (where my mum lives), Hamilton, Paeroa, Thames, Tauranga(to see some friend’s),Opotiki,east cape,Gisborne, Napier. I’m not sure how many place’s I will get to on the trip(if I run out of time I can just fold up the bike and get a lift back to palmerston north with some one)

what about my training for  the taupo ride - I will still be doing the training I will just have some new roads to train on each day as I ride around parts of the north island 

getting a bike fit done

one of the things that was on my to do list for taupo has been to get a bike fit done so that I'm when I am on the bike I'm riding as comfortably and efficiently as possible


as my bike was hand made to fit me by bike friday  there was not much that needed to be changed in the bike set up but it is good to have some one who know what there are doing to to have a good look at how I am siting on the bike -I got the saddle level (as it had slipped over time)  and a few other little things done to fine tuned my position on the bike 


different people have different idea's on bike fitting(that is to say people have different idea's on what bike fitting is and the best way to do it)


here is some web site's on bike fitting and where to get a bike fit done


http://www.jimlangley.net/crank/bikefit.html


http://www.pedalpushers.co.nz/ (Palmerston north-the place where I got my bike fit done)


http://www.ibikefit.co.nz/ (Auckland)


http://www.cyclefit.co.nz/ (Nelson)


http://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/ (Australia)

bike specifications for my bike friday

bike specifications for my bike friday

bike friday make custom bike’s as well as stock bike’s - here is some info on my bike friday (i have replace some of the part’s  from when it was new

Frame:Pocket Llama 406

Model : 1.8 Pocket Llama 27.

 Color:Green Gear Green 

headset xt

bar Bike Friday Touring H bars

brake leavers    Avid FR-5 mica

brakes              Tektro MT15 "V" Brake w/Cartridge Pad

shifters             Shimano Dura Ace 9 x 2/3sp Bar Cons

fr derailleur       Shimano R443 only Braze triple Ft

re derailleur      shimano xt m761 sgs

cranks              Shim TiagraTriple 9 Int/bb 175mm silver 130/74

BB bearing       Shimano Tiagra (4500) 68xEnglish

cassette            11-32 9sp SRAM PG-970

rims                  Alex DM18 (406) 32o 20 x 1.5" Silve (first set of wheel’s)

spokes          DT 14 ga. Stainless w/ brass nip /    (first set ofwheel’s)

 fr hub           Formula 32o cartridge bearing QR Silver Alloy   (first set of wheel’s)

r hub                 Shimano Deore 32o M530FH 8sp/9 Black    (first set of wheel’s)

 chain        Sram PC951 9 Speed Chain

tires           Schwalbe Marathon K 20 x 1.5" (406) 30-100psi (tires that came with the bike

pedals       Wellgo WPD-981 Dual sided pedal SPD 51 comp

seatpost  Uno 28.6 x 350 SP Silver

rear rack   BF Alloy Rear Rack -Black 60lb limit

front rack   BF Low Mount Front Cro-Moly tube packable rack

bottle cage’s Cateye Flexible

a week off training and a small set back

I am taking a week off training this week as I can spend some time to catch up on a few things(like cleaning up my laptop and going thought my hard drives getting rid of old file's) and trying a few new thing's - I do have a life out side of spending all my time out on the bike and all the other things that go with doing  the taupo ride I am also giving my body some time to rest so i don't over do thing's

on monday I had a small set back with training on the bike. Going to the bike shop to get the back wheel of my bike friday fixed up. I do most of the work on my bikes as I am used to having  to fix thing's on the bike on the road but there is a few job's that I still go to the bike shop for.  When I went to pick it up I found out that I had spit in the rim so I need to get a new rim and the wheel rebuilt with new spokes I am using my old back wheel so i can keep riding (and keep up with the training) the old wheel will last a few weeks of riding but I will need to get the wheel done some time soon -I will be getting the work done  on the wheel when I can find a way to pay for it(it will be around $250 for the parts and for the rebuld of the wheel )

time for a new rim

bike friday club of nz

bike friday club of nz
I'm starting a bike friday club for people who have bike fridays in nz (also for people who would like to find out more about bike fridays) the web site for the club  on the bike friday web site is at http://www.bikefriday.com/community/clubs/new_zealand_bike_friday_club

to join the bike friday club you can send ma a email at madonhorses(at)gmail.com
or give me a call (or txt) on 021373742

from the bike friday web site

MEMBER PRIVILEGES

Bike Friday Club merchandise discount:
• 10% off all accessories bought from Bike Friday.
• $10 off Bike Friday Jersey

Meet other Bike Friday owners in your area and share stories, tips, techniques and rides.

Membership is for anyone interested in finding out more about Bike Friday. You can see a Bike Friday up close, ride one and ask existing owners why they chose it. Just like our bikes, the Bike Friday Club of America (and Beyond) is for everyone.
 

6 month’s out from the ride

 6 month’s out from the ride

training for the ride is doing ok i have got the bike friday back on the road after it had been off the road for about the last 3 week  so I went for a little bike tour over the weekend( I have been using my mt bike that is my back up bike over the time the bike friday has been off the road wanting for some parts from bike friday in the usa (it can take around 2 weeks for me to get suff in the mail from when it is sent to me to me getting it) as my mt bike is not set up for long road rides (over 80 km) I have not been doing as many long rides as i would of like to have got done in the last few week .Now my bike friday is back on the road( A big thank you to bike friday  for all the help getting the bike all fix up) I can start doing the long rides each week. most of my daly rides are around 30-50 km long so I’m riding around 200-300 km each week doing around 10% more km each week-well that is the plan as some week’s I do more then the 10%

a few weeks ago I some how sprained  my left wrist well at lest thats what I think I did  to it anyway. theres not much I can do about it beside strapping it up and  keep riding thought the pain when it is sore( my wrist are some what weak from old injuries so Im used to  having to strap then up)

I’ m still working on bike set up as what works for 100 km rides may not work on 600+ km rides and working on to do list’s and other lists- what gear to take, back up plans, what to eat  and drink on the ride ( And in training) working on my next training plan ,what needs to be replace on the bike as parts wear out on the bike and other gear that need’s  fixing or replacing

I have been doing a lot of reading on bike riding there not much out there on riding over 300 km- there is a lot on how to ride fast like in racing and on light gear and bikes (I don't race on the bike  the weight of my bike is around 12-14 kg set up for long rides and touring -I can go fast when I want to thought the bike is geared for touring on(with low gears for going over steep hill's)-it's not set up for racing (If I was in to racing on the bike I would use a bike like bike friday's Pocket Rocket. I’m using gear that last well and works for me on the bike and can be fixed or is easy to find on the road - I use dura ace bar end shifter's not sti shifter's as they are easy to work on and are lower cost to replace (I may do a blog post with a full list of what I have on my bike's and how they are set up) some times I have to fix things on the side of the road in the middle of no where- it's some thing I have done a few times over the years)

7 months out from the taupo ride

7 months out from the taupo ride

it's only about 7 month's out from my big bike ride 4 time's round lake taupo (640 km)  I have been getting back to being on the bike 6 day's a week  after a few weeks of not being on the bike as I much as I would of like  as I was away at events (I did do 2 short bike tours to get to and from the events) I did about 230 km last week  on the mt bike (I'm riding  the mt bike as it's my back up bike as i am wanting for a part to come from bike friday  some time this week before I can go back riding my bike friday ) I been doing some reading up on how the best way to train for long bike rides and have been trying out a few things out on the bike (what gear to use on the longer rides and what to eat when on the bike)

Overcoming Incredible Odds to Support CatWalk

Overcoming Incredible Odds to Support CatWalk

A CatWalk supporter who knows very well what it means to meet your challenges on a daily basis is taking on one huge challenge to raise money for CatWalk later on this year. Damian Day has a range of symptoms affecting his daily life as a result of a being born with dyspraxia and then suffering a spinal injury and several head injuries during his life. He was hit by a car aged only 12. He now lives a nomadic life on his bicycle, sleeping in a tent, touring New Zealand and photographing horse events. His body awareness is poor so he has to be clipped to his “Bike Friday” at all times. In this way he covers up to 10,000km a year and often partakes in endurance rides as well. In November he will take on the Maxi Enduro Round the Lake ride – FOUR laps of Lake Taupo totalling 640km, a feat he expects to take him at least 32 hours!

Damian has suffered too many accidents for most people but maintains a sense of humour and a amazing attitude. He says “I could just sit in front of the TV and get worse or I could get up and ride my bike”. He chooses to ride his bike and he’s choosing to do it for CatWalk to help others overcome their challenges. CatWalk funded research will help not only spinal cord injured people but also many others with neurological conditions like Damian.

If you would like to support Damian in raising money for CatWalk with his incredible endeavour, please sponsor him at www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/damianday He is also looking for practical help and support; he needs to work on his own physical training, he would love some help writing his blog (www.lifeonabikeinnz.blogspot.com where you can also follow his training) and he’s looking for a support crew to assist him on the actual ride in November. If you are able to offer Damian help in any of these areas please email him at madonhorses@gmail.com

week 3 of training for round lake taupo 2011

I do have a life out side riding my bike 6 days a week. I only did about 100 km each week over the last 2 weeks I did do 2 short bike tours (Im at a camp ground in Eketahuna  now on the 2th short bike tour) in the last 2 weeks to get to 2 events (medieval reenactment camps) I been taking a few days off the bike so Im not over training (doing to many km in to few weeks) some time in the next few weeks I need to get to up to Te Kuiti to pick up the indoor trainer from my mum  so I can do training when the wind is to much (or the weather is to wild )to go out riding on the road

the country road Manawatu cycle classic

the country road Manawatu  cycle classic

up at 5:30 am to be ready to leave by 6am (as I was seeing some friends at 7 am at the start of the ride. just as I was leaving I saw I had I slow leak so I stopped to put some more air in the tires before riding into town to the start of the ride where I see my friends and get ready to start the fun ride at 8 am with me near the back of the starting group of riders and then we off around the square and out thought town by summerhill ( over the first hill of the day ) riding around 25-30 km/h over the mix of flat and a few rolling hills going though ashhurst. after raumal the hills start and just keep coming. seeing some friends of the side of the road gives me a boost as I speed up and pass a few riders. after a bit I stop to put some more air the the back wheel and eat some food then its time to get back on the bike. as I’m riding up one of the longers hill I see my back tire need more air so I stop to change the tube after I get the tire off I see the tube has I lot of small holes is it so after a good look at the wheel and tire I see that the tire is breaking down so after a bit of a think I put some duck tape around the inside of the tire to stop it making any more holes in my tubes (all ways have some duck tape on the bike  as it has a lot of uses on the bike)(taking about 20 mins to do this) after I make sure I have even thing I get back on the road. after a few more hills I get into apiti (as there are just packing up the rest stop)whereI get my drink bottles full up and eat more food. after apiti theres a nice fun down hill and a long up hill near kimbolton. the road after that is a mix of flats and rolling hills. riding around 28 km/h with the rain setting in around cheltenham  just after that I stop to put some thing under my helmet to keep the sweat  out of my eyes .after colyton I start to slow down to around 15 km/h going though? the back roads until I get to the long down hill into raumal after that I start to speed up to around 25 km/h going though ashhurst and into palmerston north to the finish line  being the last rider to finish the course (my time for the ride was just over 8 hours what is the same time I though it would take me base on how long it takes me to do lake taupo what has around the same up and down)  at prizes given I find out that I get the lantern rouge prize (It is awarded to the last person to complete the ride) 

this weekend ride

I will be doing some of the fun rides as I do my training for taupo the first one that I will be doing is The Country Road Manawatu Cycle Classic this weekend (on the 16/04/2011) 
( http://www.eventsmanawatu.co.nz/ )


 it is a new 160 km fun ride in palmerston north (it will be around 180 km ride for me as I will be riding to and from the ride)


below is a profile and a map of the ride

week one of training for round lake taupo 2011

week one of training for round lake taupo 2011

 the plan is  to start with the same plan as I used last year (when I did 2 times around the lake) for the first 16 weeks or so before working out a new plan for latter in the year so the plan for the first week was to ride 16,19,22,day off,22,65,24,  (km)

all up for the  week 168 km. I ended up doing more km then in the plan as I did 198 km ( I did14,24,24day off,24,71,41 (km)over the week) as I had to go into town a few times on the bike (as I can't drive and live 7 km out off town)

riding 4 times around lake taupo and fundraising for catwalk trust

On the 25th and 26th of november 2011 I will be riding 4 times around lake taupo on the maxi enduro lake taupo cycle challenge fundraising for the catwalk trust

if you would like to sponsor me please visit my fundraising page at


http://www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/damianday/

About the catwalk trust

The CatWalk Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Trust is dedicated to raising funds to support the body of scientific opinion which says a cure for spinal cord injury will be found.

By challenging the pace and boundaries of research, our goal is to enable SCI sufferers to walk again. A cure is no longer a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’.

We want those affected by spinal cord injury out of wheelchairs and back on their feet.

The CatWalk Spinal Cord Injury Trust was founded in 2005 by Catriona Williams, formerly one of New Zealand’s leading international equestrian riders. Following a riding accident in 2002, she is now C6/C7 tetraplegic and confined to a wheelchair.

Initially a group of friends planned to fundraise for Williams herself – but a bigger picture quickly became clear. A cure for all was Williams’ dream – and so CatWalk was born.

"Only legs that work could make my days better!" says Williams. “I want to do things not have things.”

After exploring several options, the group agreed that supporting researchers in the very realistic bid for a cure for Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) would be CatWalk’s aim. And so, The CatWalk Trust is dedicated to raising funds to support the body of scientific opinion which says a cure for Spinal Cord Injury will be found.

 the web site for the catwalk trust is at 

http://www.catwalk.org.nz/

trip journals of some of my bike trips

trip journals of some of my older bike tours are up on the crazyguyonabike website - here is a link to my journals on that site

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/gypsyonabike

so have a read and tell me what you think of them

A ride in the sun

I went for nice ride in the sun today doing 82 km

this is where I went (it's a loop I ride some times to see how fit I am as it has some nice long hills in it)- into town by summerhill then out to ashhurst (by SH3) ridding over the saddle road then stoping in near woodville to see a friend there then along gorge road & ballance valley road over the pahiatua track then back home ( with a side trip for some food at the supper market)

next week I have to fit in a 120 km ride as the week after I have a 160 km fun ride (The Country Road Manawatu Cycle Classic -see here for more info on that ride - )

my training plan for about the next 16 week

here is my training plan for about the 16 weeks or so (well I will try to stick to it anyway) - it's the same plan I used last year to do 2 laps of lake taupo (it worked well for me for that ride) when I have work out the next plan( for after the next 16 weeks) I may put it up as well

it's time to start training

it's time for me to start doing some planing and training on the bike for my next big ride - alot of it will be the same as last years ride just more of it as I'm doing a 640 km ride (4 times around lake taupo) this time

im still here

im still here i just been on the road a lot so will work on this blog when i can

masterton to some where

after getting up and packing up i head in to town to have a look around before going to the train Station to get the train to featherston- just for some think diffit also so I could get to the rimutaka incline and Fell Engine Museum before they close for the day. haveing some fun the the train staff over my bike and trailer i get it on the train ok in featherston I have a look around town before going to the rimutaka incline and Fell Engine Museum for a few hours having a good look around and getting some good photos of the fell engine. it is well with the cost of $5 to get in if you are ging to be walking or riding over the incline . Leaving town I head out to cross creek about 10-12 km away. at the turn off to the incline I head up a drit road untill the end of the road where the walkway/bike trail starts the first 2 km is on a narrow trail just wide enough for the bike trailer with the odd bit of pushing the bike in a few places before getting to the site of cross creek (an old train town that was taking down in the 1950s when the old train route was close when the new tunnel was open. The old rimutaka incline was in use for about 70 years. at cross creek I set up my tent up for the night and have a good walk around the site getting some nice photos before going to bed for the night

Ekatahuna to masterton

44 km 14/02/2011

after packing my tent I go and see a friend for a bit then a stop to get some food before going down the road south over Mt bruce then a fun down hill ride untill the road flatings out then its a mostly flat ride into masterton getting into town around 1pm. going to see if some friends are in town (no one home)I have a look at some of the shops befor spending a few hours reading in the library untill about 4:30 when I go the the supper market then find a camp ground for the night