2000 Biking New Zealand

Day 17, 24 December 2000, Sunday
Bulls – Taihape; 85km @ 12kph, Abba Motor Camp, $40

A day from hell! During which we climbed and climbed and climbed from Bulls (at sea level) to charming Taihape, dubbed the Gumboot Capital of New Zealand! Climbed into or alongside a relentless wind both early in the day and again later in the day. Climbed with a body already fatigued and a spirit desperate to stop. I spent the whole day fantasising / planning how to get to Taupo by bus / train / hitching / whatever – anything other than by bike. And was very weepy and sorry for myself. Charl was amazingly patient and supportive. And it was only because of him that we somehow got here in the end.

We were stopped on the road by a South African family fairly early on in the day. Wellington-based Rian and the gang travelling in two cars which pulled up ahead of us having seen the flag. I reached them first and was asked whether I spoke English or Afrikaans. I said I was English-speaking, but that Charl was Afrikaans. And out came the smiles and the beer (at 10 in the morning!). Rian is involved in the emergency services and has been in New Zealand 3.5 years. Charl was at his charming Afrikaans best and we parted on really good terms armed with Rian’s card “should we run into any kind of trouble”.

We took a break in pretty little Hunterville, re-fuelling on potato and mince mini quiches. And a banana sandwich and sweets break on a hilltop after a long arduous climb – overlooking a road and a railway line and a river in a valley. And a loo break in Mangaweka (if I remember correctly) where there is a tearooms in an old aeroplane. Just before Hunterville I had heard a truck approaching from behind and looked and looked in my rearview mirror for it in vain. It turned out to be a train – onto which I desperately wanted to climb. One funny incident: At one point, toiling on foot up a long incline, I saw a spider in my peripheral vision tucked just under my helmet near my right eye. And began to scream! Charl rushed back to see what was happenin’. Turned out to be a wisp of hair stuck between my helmet and my peak. Mmmm…

We cycled the whole day through very pretty countryside. Hilly rather than mountainous. But one hill on top of t’other, with narrow valleys on the whole, and a feeling of closeness. Deep gorges under bridges sometimes; sometimes deep wide river valleys. Blowsy trees everywhere. Agricultural, pastoral, pleasant. Not far outside Bulls we saw some wonderful scarecrows – an entire family group, well-dressed and fun. Also a pretty graveyard built on a steep incline, with dotted headstones and lawn between, with real and artificial flowers, with, for example, brightly-coloured plastic toy windmills. Light-hearted.

And once a sheep trapped on the wrong side of the fence – trying to get back to the flock. We also cycled fairly often into oncoming traffic on the right-hand side of the road. When a hill is particularly long and steep the road widens slightly and the shoulder is incorporated into two lanes going up instead of one – and it is here we would move to the opposite side of the road and utilise the safer shoulder there.

In Taihape we shopped at a grocery store at which the guy who served us told us we will have to climb an equivalent height again tomorrow, and that it is hilly, cold, and windy out there with nothing open probably between here and Taupo. I told Charl I simply could not face it and we decided to try hitching a ride to Taupo. As we thought it might be easier to get a lift on Xmas Eve than on Xmas day, we found a hitching spot immediately and stood there for 45 minutes trying to cadge a ride from sparse traffic. Unsuccessfully.

We gave up then and went instead to an attractive deli called the Cafe Exchange for a dinner in the courtyard of vegetarian pie, chicken kebabs, and salad. And than cycled the 3km north of town to the Abba Motor Camp. Funny incident there. We had just unlocked our cabin overlooking lawn and trees when I said I had to run to the loo. Charl saw me a minute later walking the incline to the loo and shouted “run run run”. In response, some people camping on the lawn nearby came running with the chairs they had taken from our balcony!

We had really great showers and relaxed in our room with snacks and cognac – having decided to sleep until we awoke, and not to worry about tomorrow, but to let it take care of itself (like ostriches, no doubt).

There was a Xmas card waiting for us at Abba from Dee addressed: “Gail Day & Charl Heydenrych, arriving night 24 December, Abba Motor Camp, Old Abattoir Road” – no town name; posted two days earlier. Someone else had written “Try Taihape” on the envelope. And it got here – much to our delight.