Dorris and the Garter

Running Repairs to Dorris

Im almost sure it was something to do with the wedding weekend but I have been feeling about as athletic as a dry weektbix for the last few days. My guts hurt, I am tired and of course until today there has been no let up in the wind and the rain. Yesterday saw a rear puncture not long out of Napier and as I was leaning against the number 8 wire fence pumping up the new tube I heard a hiss, a pop and a god almighty explosion as the wall of my tire blew out and scared the shit out of me. I managed to repair the wall of the tire with a toothpaste tube and limped back into Napier to get a new one. Having caught the garter at budgies wedding I decided it was time to bite the bullet with my fairly recent lady, and in a quiet ceremony I was married to Dorris (Dorris is the Bike). Now i'm stuck with her so she would do well to stop breaking down. Today was much more successful as I rode the last few hills into Taupo and finally a day where nothing needed fixing on the bike. This might have been due to the incessent NW wind keeping my travelling speed below 15kmph most of the day.

A Night On A Farm In The Rain

I was approached by a sketchy yet chalming fellow as I was head down bum up climbing a hill. He seemed nice enough offering me a reprive from my current situation and a ride all the way to Taupo, even throwing in the offer of sleeping in the car upon getting there. He seemed to think there was a storm heading down the valley. Turns out he may well have been talking about the tornado that tore up Auckland, what a throughtful chap.

Me and Dorris Eating Wedding Cake

I woke to a beautiful misty morning and rode on to a lovely spot nestled in the heart of a big ravine where I asked the cafe owner if I could camp on his land. "No Boody Worries" so away camping in the native bush I went. Some time later he wandered over and suggested I follow the path to the hot springs closer to the river. As darkness fell over the valley I was immersed in the inky blackness of a natural hot spring looking skyward at the intimadating ridgeline and listening to the river many meters below. I could not help but think this is an amazing country and wander why I continue to leave. This was certainly a nicer place to lay my head than the pile of fencing logs under the walnut tree as I was a couple of days ago.

Dorris with the Big Boys