Day -1!

Somebody stole my CADBURY HOT CHOCOLATE!! I am NOT amused!! What am I going to have for my departure breakfast?

Anyway. So I’ve spent the last three days shopping for lots of bits of kit, including, erm, the bike. Which is lovely. Soooo smooth! I never knew bikes could get this good : ) When I changer gears, there’s no noise, no cracking, no skipping gears, smoooooooooth! And it’s got a very very handy super-granny gear which will be much needed.

I rode up to Port Hills today for a bit of training. It’s a massive set of hills at the south of Christchurch from which you get beautiful views. It initially looked like I was riding much faster than back at home – but soon enough I figured it was too good to be true and the shop probably set my computer up wrong! Damn. I was super fast! I am pretty glad because it’s described as full of steep climbs, and well, I could handle them. Sure, the bike wasn’t that loaded, but I’ll just be that much slower. It wasn’t any more hilly than my last training weekend in Sussex, and I handled that back then!

So, all of the kit is there, I’ve actually been quite thorough, reading up on what people take on tours, etc, packing all sorts of essential bits to survive (medication, spare tyre and tools, tons of water, maps, front light, waterproof gear head to toe even though it’s balmy, warm hat for those nights, and tons more…). Foodwise, well I’ve got one rule for this trip: there are no rules. I can eat absolutely ANYTHING I fancy eating, and as much of it as I fancy! It’ll be hard enough as is. So, I packed bread, nutella, pasta, ketchup, some tins of tuna, lots of snacks, a fair amount of beef jerky, and some gel in a tube that’s supposed to be very good for exercise, as some last minute top up… oh and a banana to feel healthy but it doesn’t look like it’ll get eaten, it’s been sitting there for 3 days already : )

There are so many unknowns though still! First off, I don’t know how to fix a bike. I’ve had a very good teacher to learn how to change a tyre (thanks Antony!), but it’s one thing to do it with help in your living room, quite another to do it on the side of the road, with trucks rushing by, a loaded rig, and possibly rain! And it’s not like I could make most of it up: we all know how practical I am : ) And then of course, there’s the small detail that… I ain’t a good cyclist!! I mean, I can pedal ok (I think), but I’m not particularly fit. Actually, today for the first time, I found a cyclist slower than me! Woohoo! And let’s not even talk about the knees, which are snuggly wrapped in knee support and smudged in anti-inflammatory cream. So far so good, they took the hills quite well.

Anyway, basically I’m pretty nervous. I’ve never really thrown myself into anything this big before. (or spent this much money in 3 days, for that matter) I mean of course, that’s part of the point, the challenge, pushing myself etc, if I had wanted it easy I would have bought a pass for the “Magic bus” so I can socialise with drunk 21-year-olds looking for quick shags! Thankfully I shall be spared that part. In fact so far I just socialise with older cyclists who always start chatting to me when I’m out! And go “ooo” when they look at my bike : ) which I’d hoped to put up a picture of, but I’m knackered right now, so sorry! I’ve got a few though. Later. Oh and I still have to take those “before” pictures so we can see what happens to my calves! (and ass : ) )

Anyway, the route is north. Heading to waipara, hanmer springs, mt lyford, and kaikoura. Hopefully I’ll get there in 4 days, it’ll be my first rest stop as I go whale watching! Oh and I got a sim card here, here’s my number: <ask me actually…>. I’ll be tuned on this most of the time now, but I’ll try and check the UK one every now and then.

So here I am! Nervous, but excited too. I mean, this is just like the training weekends, but over and over again, right? Hehe. I’ll try and keep this blog up to date but I probably won’t have as much time or access as I’ve had in the last few days. (I bet you’re thankful!)

Pour les franchouillons par ici, voila, je suis prete a partir, et je dis quelques mots en francais histoire de… chais pas, me sentir un peu plus a la maison!! Donc voila, grand depart, demain matin. Souhaitez moi bonne chance!

See you all later!

Lis on wheels, very pretty wheels