I had a decent day ahead so I got myself ready and left just after 8.
To start with I followed a bike path, but when it started to go all over the place I got back on the highway. And it was bloody busy.
The riding early was quite easy, a few small hills but nothing much to worry about.
I'd heard that there was a long narrow bridge with a shared path on the side. It was definitely a good idea to give bikes a safer place to go, but it would have been nice if they'd give some advanced warning...
On the other side of the bridge I met 2 tourers, one on a recumbent with a trailer. I'm actually slightly surprised this was the first recumbent I'd seen.
I had one slight bump to get over before my work was done. This was Takaka hill at 791m. Whilst not the highest pass I've been over, it is still one of the greatest ascents as it begins at sea level.
I was not overly worried figuring that people who had only driven it wouldn't really know too much, and I was correct.
The start of the climb was fairly steep, but for the rest it remained in a comfortable range.
Right from the start however my heart rate shot up due to a car starting to pull out whilst I was still in front. After that incident I forced myself to go very easy as I knew I'd blow up if I didn't get my heart rate under control.
The climb was actually very pleasant with plenty of places with huge shoulders to allow cars to pass safely. I managed to do The entire climb non stop.
Up the top I stopped to take the obligatory photo. While having a snack a car pulled up and a guy got out and grabbed his bike! He even got picked up at the end of the main descent!
The descent was quite fun. I never got very fast but the many corners were great. Only near the bottom did a car pass.
Towards the bottom I had been noticing that the chain wasn't sitting properly on the cassette, skipping a lot. I tried on the fly adjustments but nothing changed. Fearing the worst I stopped and checked the cassette. It was wobbling! The freehub was stuffed again!
It wasn't as bad as last time, having caught it very early. I rolled into Takaka and luckily there was a bike shop with a very understanding mechanic. Eventually he confirmed that one bearing was stuffed.
With only 2 more possible riding days it was pointless to order and replace the freehub so instead he removed all the debris and got the bike at least rideable, maybe. And at no charge!
I was still feeling good so I continued on towards Collingwood. I could have made it, but my willpower wasn't enough to continue whilst my bike was sounding so terrible so I stopped and camped just out of town.
Distance day 100km total 6753km
Ascent day 1100m total 68,500m
Could my freehub survive the trip back to Nelson?
I was never too worried about being stranded and I even managed to find a few gears where the sound wasn't too terrible.
The ride to the base of the hill was easy, although fairly hot. From my descent the day before I knew there was very little shade. This could have been an issue, except that the hill was providing shade whole I was climbing.
The climb was much harder than the other side requiring a fair bit of standing. It was never too much. Like the previous day I made it up non stop.
After a quick snack I started the descent, then started climbing again. Eventually the descent started. Another fun descent.
I'd decided I didn't feel like taking the highway near Richmond. Near Motueka I decided to start following the great taste trail.
This was fine for a bit, but a combination of bad signage, funny routes and bad of road trails had me looking for the highway.
I did give it more of a go and was not dissapointed. I got of the highway and headed to the ferry from Mapua. Luckily for me I only had to wait 20mins or so.
The ferry got me over to Rabbit island. From here on I was on trails the whole way back to Stoke.
The trail makers had done a great job. The very start was slightly sandy but it quickly firmed up. They even had a gate that toy could choose to go through normally or open it up fully.
It was good fun cruising along the trails.
So the bike did survive the trip, but it would be my last day of proper riding.
Distance day 108km total 6861km
Ascent day 1000m total 69,500m
I had thought about heading out for a day ride, and one option would have been the Maungatapu track over to Pelorus Bridge. This was a track I'd looked at when I first came to Nelson but was persuaded give it a miss. If my bike had been happy it would have been a good end to the trip, as well as bringing me within striking range of 7000km.
But I decided that I had been riding on borrowed time already so I have it a miss. Instead I chilled and sourced a bike box in Christchurch as well as finding a bike shop to borrow a pedal spanner.
In the morning I said my farewells and rode into town. Both buses were no problem.
In Picton I met 3 aussie tourers heading over to Wellington to fly home. Just a little further along was an American tourer.
The American had been doing huge distances every day. It sounded like he'd been basically riding whenever it was light. He'd managed to get from Auckland to Invercargill in 16 days! Along the way he'd missed a lot of great areas though.
In Christchurch I had only my second night going to bed after 12. It was great to have a few drinks and chat with the other travellers.
In the morning I headed off for my 2km walk to the bike shop. I grabbed the box and some packing material and headed back. With that done I chilled for a while and sorted lunch and dinner.
I got my bike ready to put in the box. When I went to put it in it was very snugg. This is a good thing as it means it shouldn't move around. Unfortunately I still needed to fit the wheels in. It was then that I found out that the box was both too narrow and too short!
Luckily it was only 3.30pm so I had enough time to go to a different store and get another box.
The walk back was a little tough as the wind had picked up, but the box was much stiffer so at least it didn't get damaged. It's even the right brand and allows the back wheel to remain in.
So now I'm sitting in the departure lounge after only a few hiccups getting checked in.
I had even been very considerate to the other people in my dorm by waking up 10mins before my 3.10am alarm.
Up the top I stopped to take the obligatory photo. While having a snack a car pulled up and a guy got out and grabbed his bike! He even got picked up at the end of the main descent!
The descent was quite fun. I never got very fast but the many corners were great. Only near the bottom did a car pass.
Towards the bottom I had been noticing that the chain wasn't sitting properly on the cassette, skipping a lot. I tried on the fly adjustments but nothing changed. Fearing the worst I stopped and checked the cassette. It was wobbling! The freehub was stuffed again!
It wasn't as bad as last time, having caught it very early. I rolled into Takaka and luckily there was a bike shop with a very understanding mechanic. Eventually he confirmed that one bearing was stuffed.
With only 2 more possible riding days it was pointless to order and replace the freehub so instead he removed all the debris and got the bike at least rideable, maybe. And at no charge!
I was still feeling good so I continued on towards Collingwood. I could have made it, but my willpower wasn't enough to continue whilst my bike was sounding so terrible so I stopped and camped just out of town.
Distance day 100km total 6753km
Ascent day 1100m total 68,500m
Could my freehub survive the trip back to Nelson?
I was never too worried about being stranded and I even managed to find a few gears where the sound wasn't too terrible.
 |
| It's only a hill, get over it. |
The climb was much harder than the other side requiring a fair bit of standing. It was never too much. Like the previous day I made it up non stop.
After a quick snack I started the descent, then started climbing again. Eventually the descent started. Another fun descent.
I'd decided I didn't feel like taking the highway near Richmond. Near Motueka I decided to start following the great taste trail.
This was fine for a bit, but a combination of bad signage, funny routes and bad of road trails had me looking for the highway.
I did give it more of a go and was not dissapointed. I got of the highway and headed to the ferry from Mapua. Luckily for me I only had to wait 20mins or so.
The ferry got me over to Rabbit island. From here on I was on trails the whole way back to Stoke.
The trail makers had done a great job. The very start was slightly sandy but it quickly firmed up. They even had a gate that toy could choose to go through normally or open it up fully.
It was good fun cruising along the trails.
So the bike did survive the trip, but it would be my last day of proper riding.
Distance day 108km total 6861km
Ascent day 1000m total 69,500m
I had thought about heading out for a day ride, and one option would have been the Maungatapu track over to Pelorus Bridge. This was a track I'd looked at when I first came to Nelson but was persuaded give it a miss. If my bike had been happy it would have been a good end to the trip, as well as bringing me within striking range of 7000km.
But I decided that I had been riding on borrowed time already so I have it a miss. Instead I chilled and sourced a bike box in Christchurch as well as finding a bike shop to borrow a pedal spanner.
In the morning I said my farewells and rode into town. Both buses were no problem.
In Picton I met 3 aussie tourers heading over to Wellington to fly home. Just a little further along was an American tourer.
The American had been doing huge distances every day. It sounded like he'd been basically riding whenever it was light. He'd managed to get from Auckland to Invercargill in 16 days! Along the way he'd missed a lot of great areas though.
In Christchurch I had only my second night going to bed after 12. It was great to have a few drinks and chat with the other travellers.
In the morning I headed off for my 2km walk to the bike shop. I grabbed the box and some packing material and headed back. With that done I chilled for a while and sorted lunch and dinner.
I got my bike ready to put in the box. When I went to put it in it was very snugg. This is a good thing as it means it shouldn't move around. Unfortunately I still needed to fit the wheels in. It was then that I found out that the box was both too narrow and too short!
Luckily it was only 3.30pm so I had enough time to go to a different store and get another box.
The walk back was a little tough as the wind had picked up, but the box was much stiffer so at least it didn't get damaged. It's even the right brand and allows the back wheel to remain in.
So now I'm sitting in the departure lounge after only a few hiccups getting checked in.
I had even been very considerate to the other people in my dorm by waking up 10mins before my 3.10am alarm.
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