Cool bananas

True Justice: Steven Seagal

So how are we spending our time?  Walking, running, biking, water sports, reading lots of books, eating pies, looking for a job (got an interview at macpac), programming project in c#, and trying to learn why their television is so fascinating.  Their tv and roadside PSAs are scary as hell.  TV stations: music video channels, a track (horse racing) channel, maori channel, 2 chinese channels, 1 movie channel (where Steven Seagal doesn't do a movie, he does an entire season/series; True Justice), 3 sports channels, and a history channel.  Their sport channels show soccer (sweet as), rugby, darts, netball, jet boat racing, triathlon, biking, and cricket.  I'm sure I missed something, but for the most part there is nothing on the sports channels that resembles anything back home.   
 

gqtrippin.com/oceania/new-zealand/road-signs/ Road sides are littered with these

So you'll probably notice that I will use some funky language in the blog from time to time.  Everyday I hear heaps of different figures of speech.  There is heaps or a lot.  There is sweet as or awesome.  Not to be confused for sweet ass.  Cheers instead of thanks.  I get called mate instead just hey.  The weather forecast is always fine or becoming fine.  I just assume that it means sunny.  We are in the area that supposedly gets 2200 hours a year of sun, while the average in NZ is 2000. 

Toys galore

Our place is packed with toys.  In our short time here, we have purchased 2 bikes, 2 surfboards, and a stand up paddle (SUP) board.  Our guest room plays the role of storage for all the boards and our front hall has both bikes.  If I felt good about it, I would leave some stuff on the deck, but it would be really easy to get up there and take it in the middle of the night.  Beth was also looking at a kayak.  I can just imagine where we would put it.  Probably across the living room floor!  We have also started to accumulate books.  Glad we can get credit at the bookstore when we bring them back.  Should get a library card.

ANZAC Day: Kiwi day of rememberance.

Today marks ANZAC (Australia and New Zealand Army Corps) Day here in New Zealand where they kicked off the day at 5 am with a parade.  We were entertained with about 2 hours of bagpipes followed by and aerial display of vintage planes rolling and swooping over the park a block away.  By the time I got the camera, the pilots were working their way farther down the beach.  For more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anzac_Day.

I was joking with my friends that I didn't have to work today as its a National Holiday.  This message was quickly followed with another stating I still don't have a job yet.  Anyway, Beth went out with Tina, a friend of a friend from back home, last night.  She pointed out some places to Beth that we should try and introduced her to the owner of the bar on the corner.  Today we met up with Tina again and was introduced to Nicole.  This could be a fun introduction as they own a 26 foot sail boat that moors at the end of Commons, which is one of the streets that our apartment resides on.  We have been invited to go out sailing.  Beth had mentioned last night to Tina that I completed several sailing courses last year.  I just excited to use those skills.  I was walking around the boat getting a feel for where everything was today and it needs a little work on the mast before going out tomorrow.   

Spinning Cassettes

Tuesday morning, I woke up before the sun and donned my kit.  I pulled a cold water bottle out of the fridge and slide it into my holder on my new Cadent.  I slipped on my jacket as it is 11 degrees out and wont warm up until later.  We are expecting it to be a fine 21 today.  I grab my shoes and gloves and give Beth a kiss as I carry my bike out the door.  I sit on the steps out front as I pull the straps to my shoes tight.  The darkness is punctured with my flashing lights and overhead by the streetlights, but I'm not expecting sunrise until closer to 7am.  Right now its 5:50.  I head down Maunganui Road towards redbike.  It is the quietest I have heard the street since moving here and all I can hear is my spinning cassette.  I find this noise to be very soothing on an early morning ride before the rest of the world has woken up and fired up their engines.

I get to the shop in a couple of minutes as it is very close.  I'm the second to arrive.  I was actually following another rider for a couple blocks.  I ask what to expect on the ride as its my first.  I fire off a couple questions, but he responds that he is from Auckland and that he is delivering bits and pieces for the store as he works for a bike distribution company up there.  Another couple riders show up and nobody has been on the ride before and the shop employee hasn't shown up yet.  Finally a guy shows up that has done the ride before so we head off a little past 6 am.  I wont lie, I have no idea where we are going so I stuck to the wheel in front of me like glue.  We head back towards Tauranga with a loop of Te Puna in mind.  I hear its approximately 35km.  That is good for a short morning ride before work.  Wait I'm not working yet.  So its just a good morning ride.  We are 5 guys with blinking lights riding on the left-hand side of the road.  I sit back and listen to the different hubs in spinning and the occasional gear shift.  Brings back images of the Omnium Bike Shop group rides I participated in last Spring.  We are cruising on the shoulder of Highway 2 buzzed by trucks and cars.  Nothing new if you have ever ridden with Aaron! 

We headed back towards Judea, the location of the gnarly cottage that we stayed at for our first week in the area.  I recognized this place as I spent a couple early mornings running.  Being in a new location I have to pay very good attention to my surroundings or how am I going to get back.  We picked up another rider at this point.  We are clipping along at roughly 34kph and we are in a tight line.  We had gone about 17km when I feel my back wheel go squishy.  I knew I had a flat.  I had to fight to get back up to the group, as I noticed the flat on a hill, where I said "I got a flat" and pulled off to the side.  I saw them slow and look back while I was unclipping from my pedals.  When I was flipping my bike over and getting my spare kit out I looked up again and they weren't there. 

Great, I'm in an area I don't know at all, but I'm pretty sure I can follow the route we took here and get back.  But what fun is that.  Rides are supposed to be an adventure.  So I'm in the process of pumping up my tire when a guy in a kit rolls up.  He asks if I got what I needed.  I say yes.  I call out if he is trying to catch the group ride.  He is.  He also is the shop employee, James, we were supposed to leave with this morning.  I get my bike back together and set off to find the group.  Since they are doing a loop in Te Puna, we go in reverse and find them after about 15 minutes of riding.  We then link up and cruise back into town.  My rear wheel is not at its recommended 110 psi.  More like 80 psi and a fellow rider says it looks like I got a flat.  I responded I had a flat earlier in the ride and had to stop to fix it.  My small bag pump wont get to 110 psi so I have to ride it at a lower inflation than I would like. 

This morning I put in just over 37km on my first group ride and I popped my rear tire.  The distance is very doable, but I am hoping that the flat was a fluke.  I don't like changing tires while others wait or don't wait in this case.  I hope Thursday's group ride goes better.    

The Mount's bounty

This past Sunday we went over to the weekly Farmer's Market to see what they had to offer.  The market is open from 9-1, rain or shine.  It is located in a parking lot that is maybe 4 blocks from us.  Upon walking up we were greeted with a food stall selling Cornish Pasties.  They had 2 varieties: the "regular" standard spices and filling (beef, onion, potato) in a flaky pastry or "kiwi-style" spicy spices.  I opted for the "kiwi-style" and it really made for an awesome snack.  The heat started off subtle and then grew to maybe a medium heat.  It was just enough heat to let you know that you weren't eating a regular pasty. 

We made our way from stall to stall tasting the vendor's goods.  Ok I did most of the tasting.  There were probably a dozen or more stalls.  Including a dude signing to 80's classic rock underneath a canopy.  A stall that both Beth and I enjoyed was Cellarman's cheese.  She had many varieties of cheese to select from, but Beth enjoyed the Kaimai Red.  The ranking on the NZ flavour metre was tasty.  The other options are mature and extra tasty.  Many of the other cheeses were smoked and aged for 24 months.  I particularly liked the Smoked Gouda, but opted to buy it on some other weekend.  There is no reason to go all out right away.   Next to Cellarman's was the one of two baked goods tables.  Beth thought that I should just go into business making my baked goods and selling at the farmer's market, but we don't have an oven.  I also don't know what policies they have in place about selling goods out of your house or if you need to use a commercial kitchen.  I could always research this and start making choco-pucks and a variety of cupcakes and bars.  Seeing the amount of bakeries and what they are offering, my offerings would be unique and could possibly get an audience here. 

After the baked goods comes the corner of produce.  The deals here were awesome.  The variety and price couldn't be beat.  We filled a bag full of produce for under $20 and it will most likely last us until next week.  It is almost like we are participating in our CSA back home, but we get to select what we want each week instead of being handed a box of random goodness.  I wonder what goods he will bring with him next week.

The next bank of stalls included the smoked fish, Indian Samosas, Sour Dough Bread, Venison Salami, a few small produce tables selling basil and avos.  We purchased something from the 1st 4 vendors.  The spicy venison salami is very good as well as the multi-grain sour dough bread.  I haven't broke into the smoked tuna yet, but I was thinking of having some of it for lunch.

In the center there was local honey vendor, which I plan on making a purchase this week as I love toast and honey in the morning.  Next to the honey stall was a guy selling chili sauces ranging from sweet and mild to tangy and spicy.  I tried probably half a dozen different sauces before I realized I already have 2 bottles of spicy sauce at the apartment.  Maybe when we run out I'll make a purchase. 

This farmer's market is small in comparison to the Downtown market I grew accustomed to on my weekly trip for cinnamon roasted pecans, but it has the same feel as the market set up in church parking lot on Johnson.  I'm glad that this is available to us because of its close proximity to the apartment and we our helping out local community instead of a nation wide chain of grocery stores.  We also made our first stop at the local butcher and the selection was pretty awesome.  We had some fillet last night and it was so tender and rich in flavor.  Also got some free range chicken breasts for dinner tonight. 

We will hitting up the market each weekend and we may even venture over to Tauranga on Saturday for their market.  I would recommend you to check out your own farmer's market as you might also find "vacon" or venison bacon.  It was too expensive for me as you only got 2 thin slices for about the same price I paid for a half a log of salami.  Maybe when I get a job I will splurge a little bit.  Oh wait, we are already splurging a little here and there on tasty pies and Tim-Tams.

Photo Albums

A quick link to the photo albums can be found on the right menu bar, but I'll post it here as well.
Over there -->

(Of course I'm always looking for Ramen that matches this bowl, but avast I haven't found Ramen in Tauranga.  Yet)

All my photo albums can be found here: Kaleb Photographs

Settling in

Welcome readers.

We are settling in to our place in the Mount.  Beth is starting work at around 5 am Tues - Sat.  I am getting up at that time as well.  I generally start with some toast and tea.  Before heading out for a quick run.  Tues and Thur morning there is a group ride that leaves a couple blocks from the apartment.  From the flyer they ride about 1.5 hours, so I think I'll join up for a few rides to see how it goes.  I want to get a few kilometers under my belt before joining the Sat group ride as its a bit longer.  I don't have my legs under me yet as I didn't get the long rides under my belt back home.  You know the snow and all.  I am still looking for employment, but I have been in communication with one HR administrator about an opening they have.  They are working on their short list.  Hopefully I can make the list.

Everyday we have been busy exploring the Mount and surrounding areas.  I went out for a 30km ride to see more of the area.  I found a lot of cool little things that I will show Beth once she acquires a bike.  Otherwise, we spend a lot of time walking around trying to familiarize ourselves with the town.  Its not uncommon for us to explore this way.  As we walk we talk about past trips where we would wonder all day waiting for the next overnight train, ferry, or bus to take us to the next area for our exploration.  We have yet to take public transportation, but there is a bus system that circulates around the Bay of Plenty.  

A quick breakdown of what I sure will be our main staples are:
Nearest grocery store is about 2.5km away.  Along with a fruit/vege market and 2 more bike stores!
Farmer's market in the park a few blocks away open every Sunday, rain or shine. 
Post Office/Bank is about 4 blocks away
One Tree Bakery is about 6 blocks away.  Tasty treats and even tastier pies.
Butcher is about 7 blocks away
Bike store is about 6 blocks away
Beach less than 2 blocks away
Mauao is about 3 blocks away
Used book store is about 9 blocks away

This isn't to say that everything is peaches.  There are some complaints.  We are waiting to get our internet set up.  Beth needs to be connected on a reliable line for work.  Right now we are on the apartment complex's wireless and reception is about 1 bar and pretty unreliable.  Beth has been getting yanked around by the providers staff.  We don't know exactly when it is going to get installed.  Sometime between Tues and 7-10 business days from Thursday.  Awesome.  Our furnished place came with only 1 knife and it is dull.  The microwave pulls triple duty.  Microwave, conventional over, and grill.  Still trying to figure out the other two functions.  Minor complaints in the grand scheme of things, but I like to eat and I like to communicate in a consistent manner.

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