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

packing for my next trip

I'm doing some packing for my next trip away on the bike. so where am I going for this trip? I'm going to upper hut going by ekathuna, masterton and over the rimutaka incline to upper hut where I will be at the 2011 Grail of Chivalry World Invitational Jousting Competition at Harcourt Park (upper hut)

it will take me about 3-4 days to bike down to upper hut from palmerston north -Im still thinking about which way to come back by I may get the train back to palmerston north (the train from Wellington to palmerston north runs on week days (one train each way) and is $25 one way.

I'm still around

in the last 3 weeks I think I been on the bike one time as i was busy with a groom (horse) course then i had been in taupo for about 12 day at a event so i have not done much riding latly I'm just working on a list of places I would like to go riding this year

bulls to tielciy park (palmerston north

bulls to tielciy park (palmerston north) 60 km

having a bit of a sleep in before putting my gear on the bike (for the last time on this trip). just before I leave I have a chat to the person who I saw yesterday (who is also on a bike tour) . leaving bulls I go over a long bridge on the footpath (there is a sign telling cyclists to used the footpath as the bridge is narrow (it is a bit of a tight fit with the bike trailer) the road goes thought a mix of farm land and small towns. at Mt stewart there is a look out where I stop for a bit of food before riding down hill and a long the plans to Palmerston north where I go to a few places (like dropping off one of the batter for my bike light that I used at taupo) then I went out to tielcey park where i stay when I am not on the road.

taihape to bull's

taihape to bull's 94km

having a chat to some elso on a bike tour we leave the camping ground about the same time and end up riding about the same speed in to taihape (the camping ground is 3 km north of town) I stop to stock up on food and say good bye o the other cyclist onley to see him 5 mins latter having some food at the same place that i stop at so we end up riding together over a big hill to the small town of mangaweka where we spend a round an hour chat to people before I head down a side road to have a look at an old power station and dam where i spend some time taking photo before getting back on the road to Hunterville. riding most of the way into a head wind I stop in Hunterville for some food and have a seafood basket (it was very nice meal) back one the road I keep going untill I get to the town of bull's where after asking a few people and going down some roads I find out the camping ground is.As I am putting up my tent I see the tent and bike of the cyclist that I was riding with for some of the day

turangi to taihape

turangi to taihape 94 km

leaving turangi around 10:30 am and starting the big ride up hill (around 600m+ climb from turangi at 370 m alt up to the summit of the desert road at 1074 m alt ) on the way uphill I do a little side trip along one of the power canels? then back on S.H.1 climbing up to and a round the mt's getting to the top of the desert road around 4 pm and a 200m down hill to waiouru where I stop to look at some maps then it's back on the road with a few more up and downs untill I get to about 3 km north of taihape where I stop at a camping ground for the night

taupo to turangi

taupo to turangi 60 km?

After packing up my gear (for the last time at reads farm on this trip). Getting in to town I do some jobs in town before going to the library for a few hours before going to the super market and fulling up on water leaving town around 2 pm on S.H 1 going south riding around the like (going the other way this time)riding over the hatepe hill. Getting in to turangi around 6 pm. I deside to stay at a camping ground for the night I end up having a short chat to some elso who is gett ing a round by bike before going to bed.

round lake taupo bike ride

It’s 11:30 pm and its time to get up and pack up my gear (after only getting to sleep an hour before) riding down hill into taupo at around 12:30 am

So what am I doing riding the town of taupo after midnight on a friday night? I’m going for a bike ride 2 times around lake taupo (leaving most of my gear in taupo )what is around 320 km (or 200 miles) there is around 70 other people doing the same ride (and theres about 10,000 people starting just part of one times around or 1 one times around (160 km) later that day (saturday) on the wednesday about 20 riders starter riding 8 laps of the lake (around 1250 km) so I wont be own all the time .

getting some think to eat at the BP -where else can one go and find some food at this time of night (not much open around midnight on a friday night in taupo)
Near the start line I do some last min things to my gear -after a bit of a talk and a roll call it’s 1:30 am and time to start -ever one starting at the same time with me about last riding off- as the km past I will be passing a few riders. going down to the river and up the first hill (one of many to come) I keep one eye on my heart rate (I like to keep it below 170 bmp) I look at the tail lights to the riders ahead of me climbing up the hill.

it’s a nice night for being out on the bike with not much wind (it’s a nice change from some of the days out training on the bike -riding into 60+km head winds) riding over rolling hills (at lest I thing there are rolling hills as it is a bit hard to tell in the dark even with good bike lights-maybe thats a good thing that I can’t see where the hills are.) with just few cars pasting by ( support people helping some of the riders out). I get my headphones out and start listing to mp3’s to help me not to fall asleep on the bike(It’s never a good thing to fall asleep when riding a bike-and no I have not do that yet thought I know a few who have ) having the sound on low so i can still hear cars and people talking.

There is a few people park in drive ways who call out and wave (with the odd look as I go past- must be the bike friday as I often get funny looks when riding it places )going down some of the hill’s I get up to around 50+km/h part of the way around the course there is a sharp bend where I don’t slow down much for (around a 90% bend )as I done a lot of riding around sharp bends before at night (so don’t try this home )its was a bit like riding in to a black hole before my bike light went round (I used my head light to see around bends in the road) passing some of the riders who was riding the 8 laps and saw a few of the others doing the 2 lap’s happy riding at my own speed around the course (it’s not a race)

some where near the souther end of the lake I come across one of the 4 riders riding 4 laps of the lake and had a chat for a bit before riding off (I was riding a little faster then they were) with the small 20 inch wheel’s and low gearing (as I use the bike a lot for touring on )the bike friday climbs hills easy. some time time after 3:30 am I stop to change batters on my bike light as it’s going flat (on long night rides aways have spare batters and a spare light with you) around 5 am I start to see the sky lighting (the start of dawn) I stop to take my arm and leg warmers off (on the first lap I only stop 3 times and for never more the 3 mins each time)

Enjoy the very fun long down hill near the kuratau relay point there is a few more uphill’s until the look out over the lake and a down hill with a few bumps near waihi siting around 27-30km/h to turangi dealing with the sun in my eyes as the sun comes up. from turangi to the hatepe hill I sit at around 27-30 km/h along the flats near the lake before going over some small hills (around Bulli point )passing a few of the rides who are also doing 2 lap's of the lake (getting more funny looks from the rider's as I ride pass them) going up and over the last long hill before taupo I ride along the flats (and a few small hills ) before getting into taupo .where I am trying to find the caltex service station where I need to check into before I start the 2 lap of the ride. near the caltex I see my friend max who offers to ride the 2 lap with me so after we find the caltex and check in it's time to start the 2 lap of the ride some of the big groups of rides (who are doing one lap)are starting around the same time on the main road. going up the hill out of taupo I get passed by lots of other riders (the fast groups)

There are lots of people out around the course on the side of the road calling out and waving to the rides as they ride pass. having a bit of a chat to some of the others ride's as I ride over the hills with lots of people asking about the bike . Some where around 1/2 way around I start passing people going up hill. stoping at some of the water stops as It's getting to be a hot day. Some time's max ride's ahead of me with me catching up on the hills then it’s down the big hill (with people one the side of the road telling some of the riders to slow down as the down hill has some sharp bends )into Tokaanu and thought turangi onto S.H.1 on the side of the road there is a bike power band playing.

Riding a long the flats between turangi and Bulli point I ride in a few pace-lines siting around 25 km/h .riding around the buffs theres not much room on the road with the cars and trucks going pass) riding up the hatepe hill at around 8-10 km/h I see a lot of people walking up the hill (a lot of the bikes I see don't have low gears) then back a long the flats having a chat with some of the others rider’s before riding over last rolling hills into taupo. going down the main street to the finish line (fishing with a time around 16 hours for the 2 laps) where I get off the bike and stay around to see the prize giving .

some where to taupo

some where to taupo 95 km

getting up around sunup (I had a wet sleeping bag from a leaking drink bottle ) I get on the road around 6:30 am only to find my bike computer had stop working so I spend about 45 min trying to get it to work (i think it needs a new battery)I end up using my GPS for the rest of the day .The road is a mix of up and down with more down then up (going from 1070m down to 360m near lake taupo) about 10 km from Turangi I spot 2 people on touring bike and have a chat to then before getting in to Turangi where I stock up on water and then start riding around lake taupo .the road between Turangi and taupo is mostly flat with just a few rolling hills near motutera bay and the hatepe hill (also the odd hill coming in to taupo)It’s a winder day and there is white caps out on the lake. I saw 3 other touring cyclist’s going the other way. I get into taupo around 2pm doing a bit of shopping in town before heading out to reads farms (a fee camping ground near taupo) where I set up camp for the night.

vinegar hill to some where

vinegar hill to some where 91 km

after I pack up my gear I head out on the the road S.H.53? starting with a clinb up to the end of S.H.53? tuning right on to S.H.1 mostly riding uphill (with a dip in to a valley and back up the other side (where there is a lot of road works)near Ohingati. Stoping at Mangaweka for some water and to take some photos around the town. between Mangaweka and Taihape there is a few hills to ride over. I had a short stop at Taihape to get some food and water for the next 2 days. after Taihape the is a few long hills up to town of Waiouru after that is a 250m (over 20 km) climb up to the summit of the desert road (near to where I spend the night out of site of the road)

Tielcey park to vinegar hill

Tielcey park to vinegar hill 76km

after spending the morning doing last min jobs on the bike I get on the road around 12:30 pm going thought Palmerston north (with a bit of a side trip when I went down the wrong road (opps) then on to Feiling where I stocked up on food -though cheleten?-Waitunun west where I had a chat to some one about traveling on to stormy point look out (its a nice look out over the river valley) down a fun down hill to the town of Rewa where I stop to get some photos before riding over more rolling hills to the camping ground at vinegar hill for the night

riding 310 km in 2 days

riding 310 km in 2 days

(doing a 205 km bike ride and doing an 105 km bike ride the next day)

I had a 200 km ride to do as part of training for taupo on the satrday riding a 50 km loop to the south of palmerston north before picking up my riders pack (for the 80 fun ride on sunday) (getting a small bag as a spot prize) then heading out of town on a 155 km loop (part of the loop was riding the 116 km tour de Manawatu route) getting back late on satrday night and getting about 4 hours sleep before getting up to ride into town for the tour de Manawatu fun ride (riding the 80 km fun ride ) had a nice day riding with other people (makes for a nice change as I ride on my own most of the time) having a chat to some people as I was riding. My time was about 3 hours to do the 80 km fun ride (2:53) after prize giving riding home