In the beginning... There was an exercycle....
Yes, I know, it's been a while.... My cycle told me off tonight too, well, my bottom feels like it's been well spanked, so I guess that must be the bike getting it's own back.
Actually, I've been knocked around a bit by the first round of early winter bugs to hit town. A weekend in Auckland didn't help much (late nights, bad sleep, etc), so I got home, apologised to my cycle and crawled into "repair" mode for a week to get back on top of the bugs.
Today I felt enthusiastic enough to "get back in the saddle" so to speak. So I did. Was pleasantly surprised with my results. I managed a respectable 25.73 km tonight. Which, considering I've had a fortnight off, I think is pretty good. My total distance so far is 2551.05 km.
This has put me just outside of New Plymouth. It really is kind of a funky wee place! With Mt Taranaki looming over it, and a bustling port, this area is steeped in Maori history, something the locals seem to be pretty proud of. There's even this really funky bridge!!
Thursday, 31 May 2012
Thursday, 17 May 2012
Day 102
In the beginning... There was an exercycle...
Well, today, there was another Exercycle... That's right, I'm being unfaithful. I'm out of town, and I am cheating on my exercycle from home. Today, I went to a gym and used one of their "flash as" cycles.
And, it was, well, different. I thought I had the resistance about the same, but I sure didn't go anywhere near as far as I do on my Old Faithful back home. I still did 45 minutes, my heart-rate sure was up there like it usually is, and I did sweat quite a lot, but when the numbers were up at the end of my session, I had only covered 19.92 km. Considerably less than I would at home.... Was I holding something back? Or is one machine not as equal as the other? Who knows? Who cares?
At the end of the day, I got out of the hotel, I walked to a gym, I did some exercise, and I didn't just sit on my behind at the bar supping on wine and eating cheese. That in itself is something to cheer about.
On my virtual trip, I'm almost around Mt Taranaki, in fact, I'm right at the base of a wee "hillock/mountainock" (is that even a word?) just north of the Mount itself. My mapping software didn't give it a name, but it peaks at a little over 600m in height, and from Google Earth looks more like a practice run for the real thing which is just to the south of where I am. Other than that, Mt Taranaki is a perfect cone. It sure is a pretty impressive sight, to be travelling around it's seaward skirts.
Well, that's all from me tonight, I will let you know, that I do intend to continue my wee "affair" with the gym cycle for just a couple more days (well, one more at least). Then it's back home to my faithful bike in my lounge. What happens on tour stays on tour, right!?! I wonder if it's missing me? ....
Well, today, there was another Exercycle... That's right, I'm being unfaithful. I'm out of town, and I am cheating on my exercycle from home. Today, I went to a gym and used one of their "flash as" cycles.
And, it was, well, different. I thought I had the resistance about the same, but I sure didn't go anywhere near as far as I do on my Old Faithful back home. I still did 45 minutes, my heart-rate sure was up there like it usually is, and I did sweat quite a lot, but when the numbers were up at the end of my session, I had only covered 19.92 km. Considerably less than I would at home.... Was I holding something back? Or is one machine not as equal as the other? Who knows? Who cares?
At the end of the day, I got out of the hotel, I walked to a gym, I did some exercise, and I didn't just sit on my behind at the bar supping on wine and eating cheese. That in itself is something to cheer about.
On my virtual trip, I'm almost around Mt Taranaki, in fact, I'm right at the base of a wee "hillock/mountainock" (is that even a word?) just north of the Mount itself. My mapping software didn't give it a name, but it peaks at a little over 600m in height, and from Google Earth looks more like a practice run for the real thing which is just to the south of where I am. Other than that, Mt Taranaki is a perfect cone. It sure is a pretty impressive sight, to be travelling around it's seaward skirts.
Well, that's all from me tonight, I will let you know, that I do intend to continue my wee "affair" with the gym cycle for just a couple more days (well, one more at least). Then it's back home to my faithful bike in my lounge. What happens on tour stays on tour, right!?! I wonder if it's missing me? ....
Monday, 14 May 2012
Day 101
In the beginning... There was an exercycle...
Well, after a few days break for flu, I am feeling fully recovered, and climbed back in the saddle again.
Tonight saw me post yet another respectable distance (for me at least anyway), and made myself another wee milestone along the way. Tonight's distance was 26.31 km, bringing my total distance to 2505.40 km. I've passed 2500 km. And feeling pretty good about it too. I'm even considering increasing the difficulty on the tensioner on my exercycle, as things are starting to get too 'easy'...
Tonight's cycle saw me continue north around the Taranaki Peninsular. I feel like this mountain to my right will never end! I feel like I'm just going around, and around, and around it...
Still, it isn't far now, and I'll be in New Plymouth, then my journey has me turning north again to follow the coast further north... All the way to the top.
Well, after a few days break for flu, I am feeling fully recovered, and climbed back in the saddle again.
Tonight saw me post yet another respectable distance (for me at least anyway), and made myself another wee milestone along the way. Tonight's distance was 26.31 km, bringing my total distance to 2505.40 km. I've passed 2500 km. And feeling pretty good about it too. I'm even considering increasing the difficulty on the tensioner on my exercycle, as things are starting to get too 'easy'...
Tonight's cycle saw me continue north around the Taranaki Peninsular. I feel like this mountain to my right will never end! I feel like I'm just going around, and around, and around it...
Still, it isn't far now, and I'll be in New Plymouth, then my journey has me turning north again to follow the coast further north... All the way to the top.
Monday, 7 May 2012
Day 100
In the beginning... There was an exercycle...
Well, today marks quite a milestone for me. I've done my one hundredth session. Yes, I've been at this now for over 100 days! In that time I have never actually left the house to cycle....
Remember, this is all being done from the comfort of my lounge... I've cycled through aftershocks and during snowstorms, in hot and dry, cold and wet and the most I've done is break a sweat. I confess, I think this is the longest time I have EVER spent exercising in my whole life - a feat I am quietly a little proud of.
For the statisticians, tonight's session saw me cover 26.57 km, bringing my total distance to 2479.09 km (yes, my daily average is 24.79 km per session).
This brings my little "tour" closer to Mt Taranaki. I've cycled south from Christchurch, around the southern tip of New Zealand, and then up the West Coast. Through Marlborough and also cycled across Cook Straight. I'm currently travelling up the West Coast of the North Island, and tonight am just short of Opunake. I have the Tasman Sea to my left, and the Mighty Mt Taranaki to my right. I even got a reasonable view of the "super moon" this morning as it set in the sea....
Well, today marks quite a milestone for me. I've done my one hundredth session. Yes, I've been at this now for over 100 days! In that time I have never actually left the house to cycle....
Remember, this is all being done from the comfort of my lounge... I've cycled through aftershocks and during snowstorms, in hot and dry, cold and wet and the most I've done is break a sweat. I confess, I think this is the longest time I have EVER spent exercising in my whole life - a feat I am quietly a little proud of.
For the statisticians, tonight's session saw me cover 26.57 km, bringing my total distance to 2479.09 km (yes, my daily average is 24.79 km per session).
This brings my little "tour" closer to Mt Taranaki. I've cycled south from Christchurch, around the southern tip of New Zealand, and then up the West Coast. Through Marlborough and also cycled across Cook Straight. I'm currently travelling up the West Coast of the North Island, and tonight am just short of Opunake. I have the Tasman Sea to my left, and the Mighty Mt Taranaki to my right. I even got a reasonable view of the "super moon" this morning as it set in the sea....
Sunday, 6 May 2012
Day 99
In the Beginning... There was an Exercycle....
Struggled my way up Rapaki Track in the real world yesterday, so took the evening off cycling. So, this morning a friend and I traipsed up Hackthorne Road in the real world (for a bit of fun), and tonight I'm back on the cycle.
Tonight's cycle was a hot and heavy affair... We have had our quake damaged log burner finally replaced, so tonight was the first lighting of the new fire. I'm cycling around the lounge and the thermometer in the room is reading 35 deg C... It's hotter in here than it was most of the summer!
Despite the heat (my fiance did ever-so-kindly turn the fan onto me part-way through), I managed to clock on 26.55 km tonight. This brings my total distance to 2452.52 km. I'm right at the base of Mt Taranaki - well almost! I'm in a wee town called Manaia, it's just north of Hawera, but south of Opunake. I'm on a road called the Surf Highway, and I can see why, it's close to the coast, and the surf over here is looking good!
Struggled my way up Rapaki Track in the real world yesterday, so took the evening off cycling. So, this morning a friend and I traipsed up Hackthorne Road in the real world (for a bit of fun), and tonight I'm back on the cycle.
Tonight's cycle was a hot and heavy affair... We have had our quake damaged log burner finally replaced, so tonight was the first lighting of the new fire. I'm cycling around the lounge and the thermometer in the room is reading 35 deg C... It's hotter in here than it was most of the summer!
Despite the heat (my fiance did ever-so-kindly turn the fan onto me part-way through), I managed to clock on 26.55 km tonight. This brings my total distance to 2452.52 km. I'm right at the base of Mt Taranaki - well almost! I'm in a wee town called Manaia, it's just north of Hawera, but south of Opunake. I'm on a road called the Surf Highway, and I can see why, it's close to the coast, and the surf over here is looking good!
Thursday, 3 May 2012
Day 98
In the Beginning... There was an Exercycle....
After a two-day rest, I'm back on the cycle again, feeling refreshed and revived. I'm even looking forward to taking on the Rapaki Track again on Saturday. It's become quite the motivator for me, I am going to walk the whole track without stopping one day. Soon!
But that's probably for another blog, I'm getting off track.
Back to the cycle. Tonight's effort got me a rather respectable 26.48 km. Not bad after two days off. Total distance so far is 2425.97 km. Tonight I headed through Patea, made famous in the song Poi e. But I didn't stop there to enjoy the scenery, I carried on up the West Coast and finished in a cute wee place called Manutahi.
I'm getting into forestry/dairy country at the moment, heading towards Hawera. This area was well fought over during the New Zealand Wars in the 1860's. An era in New Zealand's history, that isn't really covered in schools.
From here I'm getting some awesome views of Mt Taranaki, the mountain legend has it was exiled from the Central Plateau for bad behaviour. Lets hope I don't suffer the same fate!
After a two-day rest, I'm back on the cycle again, feeling refreshed and revived. I'm even looking forward to taking on the Rapaki Track again on Saturday. It's become quite the motivator for me, I am going to walk the whole track without stopping one day. Soon!
But that's probably for another blog, I'm getting off track.
Back to the cycle. Tonight's effort got me a rather respectable 26.48 km. Not bad after two days off. Total distance so far is 2425.97 km. Tonight I headed through Patea, made famous in the song Poi e. But I didn't stop there to enjoy the scenery, I carried on up the West Coast and finished in a cute wee place called Manutahi.
I'm getting into forestry/dairy country at the moment, heading towards Hawera. This area was well fought over during the New Zealand Wars in the 1860's. An era in New Zealand's history, that isn't really covered in schools.
From here I'm getting some awesome views of Mt Taranaki, the mountain legend has it was exiled from the Central Plateau for bad behaviour. Lets hope I don't suffer the same fate!
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