Journey in the shadow of Mt Doom

Don't advise getting a tattoo in a bus, but to each their own.

 Photos

We finally got to do the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.  We thought about it last week, but I ended up being sick and there were gale force winds.  So it wouldn't have been possible.  This week, everything aligned and we were able to complete the tramp with some awesome weather and a lot of gnarly views. 

Start of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing

Ready for action.

Prior to leaving for Taupo, I let our intentions be known at work.  Alice expressed interested in doing the tramp as she has never done it, but she didn't have the time off.  Faye told us to have fun as she did the tramp and the other summits during last summer.  The other summits aren't possible/recommended in the winter because of the early sunset.  Jesse isn't really into that thing and just said to be careful.  Sarah said to have fun.  From work I ended up buying, an emergency solar bivvy bag, fire steel, and rain jackets for Beth and I.  I was tempted to get a gas canister for my stove and some back country meals.  My time at the WFR course has me thinking about safety and what I pack a lot more consciously.  Some may say I'm paranoid.  More on that in my original and revised packing list.  The woman at the front desk told us to pack warm as it was supposed to be very cold. 

Mt Doom, minus the eye.

We took Naked Bus again down to Taupo and stayed at Rainbow Lodge, who advertises heated rooms!  This place is a lot more low key than the place we stayed at last time as there is no bar.  They even had a dry sauna for our use.  Beth made use of it after kayaking.  We got a double room with a private bath.  The room was definitely hot for us when we went to bed.  Strange how heating works in this country.  They even have government funded PSA about the benefits of insulation.  Things I take for granted.

Ready to turn this thing to 11.

We booked a trip with Tongariro Expeditions, with an early morning pick-up at 6:20 am.  Before turning in we checked out the weather forecast and we were looking at a low of 0 when we woke up and then a high of 10 in Taupo.  That is all fine and dandy, but we were going to be at elevation and we had reports of ice on the top of the crossing so I'm expecting it to be colder than 0 at the summit.    We turned in early in order to allow for a full nights rest for the 19.4km tramp we would be doing tomorrow.

Raised wooden bridge from the DOC.  Not poll friendly.

We were out of the hostel at 6:18am and the bus had already left our location and they had a van waiting to drive us to the bus.  This is a first.  Most of the time, it is kiwi-time which is not unlike island time.  The van drove us around the corner and dropped us off.  We were accompanied by 15 other trampers and a driver and guide.  Since there was ice on the summit, we were issued an ice-axe and crampons.  The only knock I had with the equipment is the guide assumed people knew how to use it as there was no demonstration. 

Seriously?  More pictures? We got to go up!

We started the trek at the Mangatepopo car park with the bus waiting to pick us up at the Ketetahi car park some 19 odd kilometers later.  The estimated time for completion is between 6-8 hours if you don't do any of the side tracks.  The entire trek is a well traveled path with markers to show you where to go, so there is little chance of getting lost unless your name is Robert ;)  The first part is through some low laying brush that had a thin layer of morning frost on it.  We had Mt Ruapehu (largest ski field) to our far right, then Mt Ngauruhoe (aka Mt Doom) in the center, and finally Mt Tongariro to the left. 

Can they put in escalators?

The morning chill wore off once we got to the convenient staircase provided by the DOC.  I keep expecting there to be an escalator or chair-lift to be installed at these types of outdoor wonders so that everyone can experience them, but that would just be lazy.  We quickly shed our outer layer and tackle the steps before we find the turn off to summit Mt Doom.  This trail would have added 3 hours to our already long day and there would have been plenty of snow and ice to combat against.  I would really like to summit both Tongariro and Ngauruhoe, but that will have to wait spring or summer. 

The clouds come rolling in.

We reached a large crater and were pretty quickly surrounded by clouds.  We were on our way to meet Collin, our guide, at Cathedral Rock.  This was a long barren area that became dark and foreboding and as you turned around you could see the sunlight starting to be consumed.  Almost felt like the darkness from the NeverEnding Story.  We had to put on the layer that we removed on the previous step as the sun was no longer beating on us.  Once we got to the meeting point, Collin was there to advise us that we did indeed need to use the crampons we were issued in the bus.  He said there was bullet-proof ice on the next section. 

Cathedral Rock front and center.

The next section took us about 30 minutes to clear and it was probably the most technical part of the tramp because you had to be very sure of your crampon enclosed feet and the slippery terrain.  We did get a little bit of flurry type of action, but for the most part it was cloudy with a little wind.  I felt like Luke stumbling around on Hoth whining about having to go to Dagobah.  Putting on the equipment reminded me of my time with Eden Guides this past winter in MN when we went ice climbing.  I was excited to get on this section as it wasn't just a walk. 

Wonder which way the wind was blowing.  Ice was kinda thick.

Almost ready for ice climbing.  Kyle do you want to belay?

Can you see me?

After this section we were able to take off our crampons in the nice "sandy" area that smelled like sulfur.  Well it did to Beth any way.  It was about 11:30 and we had our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and some hokey pokey bar.  A group of 3 french visitors sat down next to us and broke out half a pizza each.  I was expecting to see a 40 of malt liquor as well, but we departed before they pulled it out. 

Shaky descent.

Just about ready.

We started to walk through what looked like a cloud but it was steam from the geothermal activity.  Beth was in the lead and looked a little unsure on the unsure ground.  I didn't fare much better and decided to traverse the entire trail in order to remain stable.  We were walking down a pretty gnarly ridge, but the view about a quarter of the way down was well worth it.

Clouds depart and a frozen lake appears.

Walking the steep sandy ridge to the lakes.

The clouds took maybe 10 minutes to dissipate and the view was well worth it.  I could only imagine seeing it from the summit.  The lakes were frozen and I wonder what it would be like to host a hockey tournament up here not to mention having a half marathon over the crossing.  The groups ahead of us missed out seeing the cloud free lakes and had to settle for up close views.  I'm glad we stopped to eat! 

We just came down that ridge.

After the ridge and passing the pools, we entered another crater.  This was a pretty volcanic looking area that reminded us of Mt Fuji, which we hiked in 2004.  Off in the distance we had yet another ridge to cross over.  However, in this crater I thought of a new sport.  Ice Bouldering!  I pulled out my axes and put them to a ice covered boulder.  Too bad the ice was shoddy and wouldn't hold much weight.  Kyle or Bethany, do you think we can register this as a legitimate sport?

Ice covered boulder.

Sit start?

Beth also had fun with the grass-cicles, but don't talk about them or they will melt.

Elusive grass-cicle in its natural habitat.

Don't tell anyone.

After the lakes and the last ridge, the rest of the trek is downhill.  Still have amazing scenery and you have to be careful as you are going down some well traveled and rutted trail.  From the ridge, you can see Lake Taupo off in the distance.  You can also see lush green forest, which is a vast contrast from the other side of the ridge.  We experienced a wealth of vegetation on the trek and saw many types of weather over the day.  We were blessed with rain after we got  on the bus to go back.  Everyone completed the trek today and we were on the road a little after 4pm.  The trek grade was a 2-3 and I would have to agree.  Its been a couple days and my calves are the only thing that is sore. 

First bathroom in over 4 hours.

About to start our last 2 hours.

The rest of the trek was a brief stop at the Ketetahi Hut for a snack and a bathroom break (the first available in over 4 hours), a crazy series of switchback trails, monstrous sized shrubs, a forest, and some rapids.  The downhill journey took 3 hours and we saw some awesome sights, but we had summited and saw the lakes and the went through the motions to get to point b.  Much like this post, I put a lot of time in the beginning and toward the end, I feel like I just wanted to be done.

Over the last ridge and its downhill.

Lake Taupo in the distance.

Steam coming out of the ground.  Can you cook in it?

Larger vegetation starting to grow.

Now into the forest. 

Last 2km you walk next to some rapids.

After my Wilderness First Responder course, I have become much more aware of what I pack and how things can be used in different situations.  Some may think this is paranoid, but I would rather be in a position to act instead of short-handed.  Many of the things taught in the course are how to make do with common things in your day pack.  My day pack is just a little fuller than it used to be.  I'm not a minimalist like a guy I know named Robert who likes to dump out his water before a hike as he doesn't want to carry the bottle nor do I carry a the kitchen sink.  I'm still trying to find the right amount of mandatory gear and what is specifically needed for the occasion.  

Packing List for Tongariro Alpine Crossing:
(Not used, but will always take)
(Not used at and probably over kill for conditions)

Rain Jacket

Rain Pants

Head-lamp 

first aid kit

wet wipes

WFR book
Food & water (3 litters)
Soft Shell (worn)
sunglasses (worn)

long sleeve wool shirts (worn)

zip-off pants (worn and rolled up for a lot of the trek)

light weight wool socks (worn)

hiking boots (worn)

knit hat (worn off and on)

wind-proof non-insulated gloves (worn off and on)

 

Fleece top (not worn)

snowboarding wool socks (not worn)

Fleece pants (left at apartment)

short sleeve wool shirt (left at hostel)
jogging tights (left at hostel)

thermal pants (not worn)

light weight wool hat (not worn)

fleece lined knit hat (not worn)

leather gloves (Beth did use these)

glove liners (not worn)

Provided:
2 ice axes
crampons

Did I shave enough off for my run?

Home of the Mt Maunganui Half Marathon

I've been looking forward to this day shortly after getting to the Mount.  Beth and I completed our first international race.  Granted it was only a run and not our typical triathlons, but it is winter here.  Beth did the 10k run as she had some pretty wicked blisters from our adventures in Taupo and Wellington.  I did the half.  I have lots of experience on the course as I've been running most of it since I got here.  After opening up my door I usually run the road parallel to Pilot Bay and head up around the base track and then down the road along the main beach or just run down the beach.  Up until today the farthest I have ran since getting here was just shy of 10 miles and I wasn't doing long runs back home as it was the tail end of winter. 
Today was close to the perfect day for a race.  I would have actually liked it a bit colder as I get very hot when exercising, but there was almost no wind and a temp of about 50 degrees.  I have no idea on the number of entrants, but our normally quite town is over ran with visitors today.  To top it off the Queen's birthday is cause enough to have lots of sales.  There was a race option for almost everyone.  Including different distances 5k, 10k, 21.1k and walking only, jogging/running, and wheelchair.  There was a couple disciplines that started before me so the course was already littered with slower moving people.  Our start was at 9 am, but we did not cross a timing mat only a speed bump to signify the starting location.  I didn't get to crest the bump for 2 minutes, but I was using my watch to keep my time.  I should have worn my fuel belt for my personal hydration instead of being at the mercy of the planned points as I believe they were in ackward locations (see first stop was at .5k).  I made the best of each stop other than the first.  I would take 2 glasses and dump a refreshing glass of water on my head and then walk while I managed to drink a couple mouthfuls before splashing the rest on my face.
Fast forward to the end of the race.  I tried to utter some words of motivation to a couple of people in pain as I passed them to cross the line.  I'm feeling pretty good about my performance giving the short time to ready for a distance race.  My left calf is a little tight and so are both of my quads.  Funny that it happens to be on the outside about halfway between my hip and knee though.  I typically get sore on the end of the quad by my knee.  The last time I ran this distance was last year at the Chisago Half Ironman.  I had to battle a pulled hamstring and pretty bad cramps last year and managed to finish in 2:23 after my 2k swim and 90k bike.  This race I wanted to complete the race under 2 hours.  According to my watch I finished in 1:55.03.  I would like to think that my haircut had something to do with it. 
My original goal was not to cut my hair until I returned.  This may not sound that impressive, but I typically let my hair grow for a couple months over winter and chop it in early spring.  It has been over 8 months since my last cut.  My hair was just a little shy of being able to be pulled back in a pony tail.  However, over the past couple weeks while riding or running I felt like I had a hot, wet mop on my head.  I constantly felt like I was over heating so I took my buzzer and started to shave my head.  I didn't get very far before my thick head of hair brought my razor to its knees.  Unfortunately, I had to be to work in a couple hours.  So I did a quick walk down Maunganui Road to look for a barber or salon that was open and had time for a walk in.  After several disappointments, I found a guy that was just opening up and I snuck in.  I just sat down and he went to work.  I had no idea what it was going to cost, but I didn't have much choice as I was under the gun to get to work.  My head was shaved, chops trimmed, sides faded (don't recall asking for this, but couldn't just do one side), hair shampooed, and neck trimmed up.  Grand total?  $15. 

Walking around Wellington

After Taupo, we went to the southern tip of the North Island and visit the capital.  Once again, I slept most of the bus ride.  We had a day and a half to explore Windy Wellington.  Luck was on our side and the wind was not at its full glory.  We stayed in the downtown backpackers right across the street from the railway station.  We were a couple blocks from the harbor walkway so we opted to see the city the only way we could.  By our own two feet.  I would have loved to bike in Wellington, but I don't think Beth would have joined me.  It is an awesome city for biking and by awesome I mean hilly.  These hills were crazy long and very intense.  Any way I digress.  We were on a mission to see Weta Cave over in Miramar, which was about 11 km away.  We walked through the busy city business district to the base of Mt Vic.

We strolled up this dirt path to the summit of Mt Victoria.  We happened to stumble upon this crazy network of walking/mountain biking trails.  The trails looked awesome and were rated from beginner to advanced.  If I happen to make it back, I will have to hire a bike for an action packed day.  We passed two individuals talking about the Lord of the Rings and how they used this location for a shoot.  I could only assume it was when the 4 hobbits get off the trail when the black rider is looking for the ring.

Heard this is the trail from the movie.

Walking is a great way to see a new city and we came across many interesting pieces you would have missed if you took the bus or drove.  We saw artwork and sculptures that would remain hidden if you choose the faster means of transportation.

Random velodrome and soccer field on the backside of Mt Vic.

One of the interesting things we stumbled across was this velodrome/soccer field that can be found on the backside of Mt Victoria.  The track looked to be in good order and I deeply wished I had access to a track bike.  I wanted to do a few laps so I could send Gabe and Megan a video of me doing my first track session.  Below this was what looked like a prison.  It was completely fenced in and had a guard looking building overlooking the courts.  It was really a netball training ground.  It first appeared to be tennis courts just from color alone, but there stood a backboard free 10 foot tall basket.  Sweet netball.

Lurtz greets you at Weta Cave.

After passing that park, we were getting hangry.  It had been several hours since we started our hike and many more since we had eaten.  We stopped for a few snacks before we found Weta Cave.  We got to see a behind the scenes video about what they have been and are working on.  The Halo stuff looked pretty awesome.  We also got to see their collectible items and snapped a few photos of the shop.  Was it cool?  Yes, but I'm a nerd.  Was it worth it?  I'm glad it was free.  Seeing Sir Ian a couple weeks before was better and I paid to see him.

You eyeballing me?

We took the bus back as Beth's feet had blisters and we are planning on doing the Tongariro Crossing next week.  We also have our running race on Sunday.  Once getting back into the CBD we ate a Napoli Pizza place where we both had calzones.  They were pretty tasty, but I always compare things back to Punch, where I used to work, and these had nothing on Punch.  It was a cheap lunch though.  We spent the rest of the afternoon at Te Papa, a free cultural museum.  I'm glad we did it as we got to see a lot of different cool exhibits, but its way too much for a single afternoon to comprehend.

Exhibit in Te Papa.

The next morning we went to the parliament building affectionately known as the Beehive.  The series of government buildings looked odd as each appeared to be in a different style.  We strolled through the neighborhoods and ended up at the botanical gardens.  We went up to the summit and saw krupp's gun. 

Krupp's Gun.

We went back to the hostel for a quick snack before boarding the bus for a 10 hour ride.  Yes, 10 hours.  I did manage to stay awake for a lot of the ride and got to enjoy the views from the windows.  We saw mountains, rivers, bikers on the shoulder of the road, rainbows, and lots of i-sites.  The next time I go to Wellington, I will be flying.  I don't care the cost as my back and neck are sore from sleeping in a weird posture.

I'm sure there is plenty that I am missing, but this past week was a whirlwind of sights.  I know if I get back to Wellington that road and mountain biking are in order.  I would also like to get on a sail boat to experience the famous Wellington Winds.

Day in Taupo

Lake Taupo: Danger falling people.

We hoped on Naked Bus for a day in Taupo this past week.  Why Taupo?  To start, Taupo is home to Ironman New Zealand.  This past year's event was delayed because of high winds and then shortened to a 70.3 on the following day.  Would be nice to compete in this if I was here longer and there were openings.  From Tauranga to Taupo, the trip was a quick 3 hour nap for me.  I have unfortunately not seen a lot of scenery between cities up to this point as I have a tendency to fall asleep as soon as I get into a vehicle that I am not operating.  We got in shortly after 2 and wandered over to our hostel to check in.  We stayed at Taupo Urban Retreat hostel on Heuheu St.  They had a nice set up with lots of communal space for socializing and eating.  Even saw some advertisements for paintball on the wall.  After checking in, we wandered around the downtown area and some of the lake.  The lake is the crater of the last large eruption.  Which happened a long time ago, but there is still lots of geothermal activity.  As we get to other towns, we notice that there are set up remarkably the same.  The same chains are set up in the same approximate order and the mom and pop shops are pedaling the same goods.  Its still fun to explore though.

Yes BBQ!

Damn, its a Chinese Buffet.

Did I happen to find BBQ?  No.  My hopes were dashed when I read the sign closer as it was a Chinese Buffet.  Good thing it was closed or I would have told them about their false advertising.  Instead, we found this small Italian place where Beth got pumpkin filled ravioli with feta cheese squares and I got a pasta topped with a lot of seafood, mussels, prawns, calamari, and scallops.  I was impressed by my meal.  It was very tasty.

Looking for Huka Falls.

Back at the hostel we inquired about doing the Tongariro Crossing in the near future as snow is starting to accumulate on the top of Mt Ruapehu.  We should be able to do it without crampons, ice axe, and a guide if we get up there next week.  Also good news is that snowboarding isn't too far off and they are going to be celebrating Mardi Gras June 23!  I know they are off by a couple months, but Kiwis are often behind.  We joked with the front desk/bartender about this for a bit before heading to bed.

The next day we thought we would walk to Huka Falls.  We started by walking to the lake and then heading along the shore until we found the beginning of the river.  We tried to follow the shore as much as possible when the trail allowed for it, but once we got to the cemetary of the original settlers we were forced to the street.  We quickly found a path down towards the water again.  It actually lead us to Cherry Island.  From there we found the safety team for a bungy jump platform above the banks of the river.  We had to walk up to the street once again before we found the brick pathway that signified the walkway to Huka Falls.  We entered the park and read the sign that said the falls were an easy 2.8 km walk that should take 50 minutes one way.  We knew that we had to catch our bus to Wellington but we should be fine.  The falls were pretty impressive.  The river is squeezed into 15m channel and roughly 220,000 liters flow over the edge each second.


After leaving the falls and heading back to downtown, we came across a perfect place to workout.  For anyone looking to do a mud run, spartan race, dirty girl, or some other boot camp fashioned race, this park had almost every obstacle including a 5.6km trail run.  We played on the pulley and I played on most of the stations.

I must return to Taupo to do the following:
Tongariro Crossing - voted the best day hike in NZ.  Around 19 km 7-9 hour hike
Ironman New Zealand bike course or maybe the whole thing!
Lake Taupo bike challenge 160 km solo ride
Mountain biking their various trails and parks

Thinking of living or retiring in New Zealand?

New Zealand City map

According to MintLife, click here for the entire article, New Zealand would be a great place to do it.  I can't disagree.  This is what they have to say about it.

New Zealand

Looking for a place to retire where you don’t have to learn a new language or try and decipher what people speaking English as a second language are trying to say? New Zealand might just be the place for you.
If you’ve ever seen Lord of the Rings you know just how beautiful New Zealand can be. The land of the Kiwis also appeals to the active health nut. It’s also one of the least-polluted countries in the world.
Got money to throw around? Split your time between the U.S. and New Zealand — it’s winter here when it’s summer there and vice versa.

 Here are some resources I have used in order to move and live here.

Working Holiday Visa and logistics:
Bunac:  I paid a smallish fee for them to facilitate the paperwork for my visa and another fee for the mandatory traveler's insurance.
IEP: is the organization who partnered with Bunac, so I am worked with them once I arrived. 
IRD: They helped me secure my tax number.  This is a must for any worker looking to make money in New Zealand.  After applying, it will take 7-10 business days to have to created.  Be prepared to sit on the phone for a long time in order to get it.  They do provide call backs, but only to land lines.
Bank Account:  You'll need a bank account as most employers pay by direct deposit and most transactions are done by their ETFPOS system.  I am using KiwiBank, who offers a free account and they will exchange US dollars for free and they gave us the best rate for exchange. 

Finding Employment:
Backpacker board a mix of jobs all aimed at travelers that range from Au Pair to Waiter/Waitress. 
BBH World travellers jobs at BBH hostels and jobs aimed at travelers can be found on their notice boards.
Helpx typically work for accommodation on family farms.
Seasonal work if you want to follow the weather, then this is for you.  Will show jobs like kiwi and avocado picking to training vines at one of New Zealand's numerous wineries.  
Seek.co.nz this is the best place to find skilled work or work in retail or an office setting.
TradeMe.co.nz a cross between Craigslist and Ebay.  They have tons of postings for all types of work in all the regions.

Finding housing:
trademe.co.nz Can find rentals and flatmates (roommates) for any region.  Check for how the payment works.  Most places are on a weekly rental fee with some asking for several weeks up front.

There are also a variety of real estate agencies that work in both the selling and rental of properties.  Some time properties will only list with one so if always be on the look out for some kind of sign about who is listing the property. 

Start saving.  Start planning.  Make the move abroad.

Achievements Unlocked So Far

Achievement whore? Maybe.  Did I get the man on man points in Dragon Age?  Yes.

From my previous post: Bucket List for New Zealand.  I have completed the following:
No longer such a mooch -> 15
No Place Like Home -> 50
How much does that bike weigh? -> 100Put this one in a wheel chair will ya -> 5
Is that a shark? -> 10

Our deck, easy to pass the SUP over the railing.

Quick recap for those who want to play the achievement game.  I have eaten heaps of lamb since I got here.  I knew that was going to be an easy victory, but all games have them.  From my previous post, I would recommend putting an animal wheelchair on Kickstarter pretty quick.

Next, we got settled into a place called "The Atlas".  The 34 apartment building is in a prime location with both Pilot's Bay and the ocean one block away.  Of these apartments, many are filled with working holiday visitors like myself.  However, they work on the seasonal job front of picking kiwis and pruning the orchards.  If I had a car, I would have probably been working there.  Instead I have this beauty.

Avanti Cadent in the TDF color scheme.

The Avanti Cadent that I picked up has been called a flash bike that is fresh.  I'm assuming that flash is awesome and costs a boat load.  While fresh means costs a boat load and is new.  I'm not disagreeing with those adjectives.  Its a fun bike that I have been putting on the kilometers.  However not all of which have been tracked as I have participating in a weekly spin class that runs an hour.  Phil the man who sold me the bike runs this at Maungatapu Primary School.  He has been kind enough to say we can stay at this bach, vacation home, for free which is up in the Coromandel Peninsula. 

I got a part-time job.  My co-workers are fun and interesting.  Its really laid back and chill.  I get to play with tons of outdoor gear and after 3 months my discount kicks in and then it will be on like Donkey Kong.  I try on stuff daily and I am making a list of what I would like.  Goodbye pay check and hello mooching.

Swimming has happened on a few occasions in the Pacific, but Beth is missing the smell of chlorine.  So she has been searching for a master's class to attend.  I brought my brand new, never been worn before wetsuit along and I've been putting it to good use.  I have swam without it as the water is still warmer than the water temp for TriBuff.

Shut up legs

Road into Welcome Bay.  Look at that elevation change.

If you will allow me to steal a quote by Jens Voigt as I had to use that mantra a lot yesterday.  To recap, I left work at 4 pm knowing that spin didn't start until 6:15.  As I didn't feel like heading home first, I opted to ride up until class time.  I donned my rain gear as it was on and off pouring all day, which happens to be all black.  If you saw my pictures from a couple days ago, I don't quite fall into the visible category.  Within 6 blocks from work the skies darkened and the faucet was opened.  My chrome messenger bag, previously untested in downpours, held up awesomely as all my gear was kept dry.  My rain gear also being newer, kept me dry but it was kinda swampy inside as it didn't ventilate very well.  My shoes were soaked, but it didn't much matter as I was sockless.  

I was looking for the pot of gold.  All I found was pain.

I headed out to Welcome Bay, where we bought a surfboard.  On the previous trip out, we took the bus and all I could do was think that Koderick would hate the area.  It was nothing but false flats and quick ascents.  Looking at any road off the main road and it was either a quick ascent or descent.  I knew that I would have to bring my bike back for a leg burning workout.  I didn't really expect to do it in the rapidly decreasing light with on/off rain, but I didn't have much choice.  I wasn't going to miss spin and if I would have gone home, I probably would have blown it off.  So the roads are not that nice for a biker.  Some roads are well sealed,  but slick.  Others feel like large rocks held in place with a loose adhesive.  It feels like if you were to slam on your brakes the rocks would become dislodged and you wouldn't slow down.  The on road bike lanes are nice, but cars don't pay much attention if you ask me.  Cars clip along at 50 - 100 kph depending on which roads I am on and I don't dare wear my mp3 player.  Back home, I will ride with my music in one ear on the lowest setting in the ear away from traffic.  So if I'm on a left side bike lane, the ear bud would be in the left ear.  Then opposite on the right side bike lane.  I don't ride with both in ever.    

Even their driveways are steep.

My hill workout consisted of finding every right turn off the main road in Welcome Bay.  I would alternate between standing and sitting efforts in the big ring going to the end of the hill or road.  I must have done this for 45 minutes.  I don't often do workouts wearing rain pants, rain coat, white wind breaker, and a full messenger bag.  Needless to say, my legs were nice and tired going into spin class.  


Phil must have known that I just gotten done doing hills and my legs were tired.  His workout focused on cadence and single-leg efforts.  For good measure he also tossed in a 20 minute section of descending increments of time but increase of gearing with random standing efforts.  All gearing uses the big ring and goes up from the hub with gear 5 being topped out.

Hot and sweaty.

5 minutes gear 1 rpm: 90-100 with the following standing efforts 10 sec, 20 sec, 30 sec
1 minute gear 1 easy
4 minutes gear 2 rpm: 90-100 with the following standing efforts 20 sec, 30 sec, 20 sec
1 minute gear 1 easy
3 minutes gear 3 rpm: 90-100 with the following standing efforts 10 sec, 20 sec, 10 sec
1 minute gear 1 easy
2 minutes gear 4 rpm: 90-100 with the following standing efforts 20 sec, 30 sec
1 minute gear 1 easy
1 minute gear 5 rpm: 90-100 as following 30 sec standing, 30 sec sitting


All I could do was think of was my winter trainer sessions that starts off with pedaling technique.  I'm glad that Phil always has a good selection of music playing that I can sing along to.  It keeps my mind off of the pain that my legs are going through.  I wonder if I can get him to play Best of Bootie during class and how many people would understand what that is.


Oh I get my first paycheck in over 2 months tomorrow!  Also going to clean the hull of the sailboat for some cash and sailing adventures!  Take a look at the photos from my bike adventure of Welcome Bay.