Relaxing in Tauranga!

Yesterday I took a day off to rest my legs and recharge my batteries. Kevin and Jillian, my warm shower hosts, were kind enough to host me for an additional day and show me around the city. Quite an incredible place, I got a chance to see the beaches and last night I even relaxed in one of the natural hot springs! I really think it helped my tired legs.

Kevin and Jillian have been wonderful hosts, providing me with breakfast, lunch and dinner. Kevin is an amazing cycling mechanic and has helped me repair my rack and adjust a few other components on my bike. I certainly owe them for their help! We also went to the super market and picked up a few more things as I will be camping along the more isolated East Cape the next few days.

It was also a nice day to rest because the weather has been a bit gloomy. Hopefully the weather will hold up the next few days while I camp! I probably will not have much internet access so be patient....more to come!

New Zealand 1, Pete 0

View Thames to Tauranga in a larger map


Mileage - 73 miles (Total 164)


I had one helluva a day on the bike today. I had an early start at Thames...stopping in at the bike shop one last time. I now know that my bike cannot handle some of the steep grades in the country...as my bike chain completely popped off after I tried climbing up Mel and Davids house. No problem though...just something to remember. 


I had a few curve balls today. The weather was much more wet and windy then the past few days. Since I took a number of backroads to avoid the main highway, I at times had a terrible headwind. I also learned that I got lucky the last few days with flat terrain. Today I went up a down countless hills...It was also a bit tough going down the SH2 because of the semis and traffic. Thankfully, this will probably be the must congested part of the trip. The South is less populated and should be more relaxing on the road. 


Tonight I am staying with two of my first warmshower hosts - Jillian and Kevin in Tauranga. We had a delectable stew, lots of potatoes, some sweet potatoes, and a hot fruit cake with vanilla yogurt. I am planning on taking a rest day tomorrow to recharge my muscles. Plus, its suppose to rain tomorrow, before a streak of some sunny days. 


Cheers mates! 

Off to Thames!

View Orere to Thames in a larger map

Mileage: 46 miles (Total - 91 miles)

Today was another gorgeous ride through the country. Accompanied by the thousands of cows and sheep that I passed, I approached the spectacular Firth of Thames. Do you know the differences between a Firth and a Bay? Because I have no idea. Either way, it was a gorgeous day outside and I could not help myself from stopping every 100 ft to take a photo or two.

After eating my lunch of peanut butter sandwich and crackers along the beach and listening to a show of Aziz Ansari, I hit the Miranda back roads. There was a not a car in sight this morning. After passing through the busy SH 25 I quick approached the Coromandel Peninsula and Thames. After zooming through a one way bridge, I soon met up with my hosts Mel and David. Brining a local merlot,. Dave and I shared a delicious meal of sausages and has browns and a few export golds. We had a great conversation about my journey, local politics, and the U.S. Mel, who originates from Idaho, soon came home from work and we chatted away as well. They were such great help in my travels in New Zealand. I cannot wait to continue my way down to Tauranga!

 Off to Thames!

 Uphill I gooo

 A little blurry...but ignore me, awesome scenery! 

 The animals loved staring at me! 

 Just a few wild turkeys...

 Panorama of the Firth

 Awkward pose next to the firth 

 Some crazy purple flower 

 A giant fake seabird

 Lots of real seabirds!

 That's not sand....its seashells!

 Staying alive

A few friends I met along the way, have you ever heard a hundred cows moo at the same time?


My hosts Dave and Mel

On the road....

View Mellons Bay to Orere Point in a larger map


Mileage: 41 miles

As you can see I traveled from Auckland to Orere Point today. I was originally going ot go to Miranda, but got a late start today. I woke up around 8 and spent about an hour getting my things together. I completed loading up my bike, adding my handlebar bag and making some last minute adjustments to my fenders. I also spent some time today, contacting some people on the South Island about staying with them. Since I stayed longer than expected, Maria and George took me out to lunch to another delicious chinese restaurant. They certainly fueled my ride today! 

I also picked up a few more things - food, a tarp for my tent, and wrench for my cassette. I also exchanged my money, so I had something to pay for camping. The ride to Orere Point was incredible. I am pretty much on top of the world :) The only way I can describe this place is by comparing it to the carribean, specifically to St. Johns Virgins Islands. The ride today was if I rode through the virgin islands, only if the virgin islands was three times as long and speckled with sheep and cows. I passed the gorgeous Kawakwa Bay and took my time taking in the scenory (I also took a few photos). After I arrived to the camp ground, I headed to beach..eating a few peanut butter sandwiches (yum!) and meeting up with a new friend rufus (see photos below). 

Tonight is the first night that I am staying in a tent. It was pretty comfortable and I was very happy to have room for my bike and bags. Tomm I am off to Thames to stay with Mel and Dave! Cheers mates! 

 My friend Rufus that I met on the beach at Orere Point!

 My room at George and Maria's house

 Me, Maria, and George at the backyard!

 Look at those teeth! 

 A polo field!

 Kawakawa Bay

 Treebeard and some friends

 The Shire! Look at all of the little hobbitses

 Good night world

 My pad! 

Auckland Central!

After an exhausting day and 12 hour of sleep, I was ready to go and explore the city of Auckland. I also had some errands today, stopping at a bike shop and picking up a phone card. But the exciting part was the city! I am just going to post some pictures because my words will not do.

Arrived!

I have arrived in New Zealand! The flights went very smoothly and I have had no problems. My bike even arrived in one piece! The flight to LA was very uneventful. I have come to the conclusion that flying abroad is 1000X. We each had a personalized TV with many many movies, tv shows, etc to play with. They even provided us with an open bar! I had my first Export Gold, which is a delicious lager. On the plane ride over I made friends with two kiwis that actually live in philly now and are professional dog walkers...so we had lots to talk about.

Arriving here, it took me forever to put my rack and fenders on. It was especially difficult because I did not get much sleep on the plane and I was jet lagged. But I was soon off and on my way to Maria and George Wang's house. My GPS system saved me. I do not think I would have found my way there without it since I went to a suburb of Auckland.

Look my dad brought my bike all the way to NY!

 Holly trying to get big 

 No looking back now

 Before

 After

  

The rumors were true! Never seen this in the U.S. Thanks Auckland!

Crunch time!

Less than 24 hours until I leave! Today I doubled checked that I have everything that I can possibly need. I also learned I will be arriving to my first host by bike. We initially planned to meet at the airport, but since my hosts does not have a car rack or large enough car, I will have to ride from the airport. So instead of starting from Paprika, I will be beginning from the airport.

Tomorrow's flight will be an adventure itself. I will be flying six hours from New York to LA on United Air. In LA I will fly on Air New Zealand for 12 hours until I reach Auckland. I will leave April 19th and will land on Monday, April 21st. Since am going to cross the international dateline, I will be losing a day!

I am not sure the next day I will post but I will keep you guys updated. Thank for following my blog and thanks for supporting NBW!

2 Days!

Less than 48 hours from now I will be on my way to Auckland, New Zealand to begin my trip. Last night I finished packing up my equipment and my bike. One first on this trip, among many others, will be shipping my bike and working with the airlines to accommodate the equipment on the plane.


I also wanted to posted a note about the website. You might notice that there are some ads. If you have blogged in the past, you might know that this generates funds daily. The more you visit my blog the more money I will raise for neighborhood bike works! So visit the blog and know you are also helping out, even if its just a few cents.

Now, I just wanted to talk a little about my training for the trip. Like me, you might have initially considered a multinational trip impossible. After a little time on a bike, you might think otherwise. Cycling is an extremelly low impact sport, enabling me to cycle for 3,4,5,6...7 hours a day. There is actually a race across America where contestants cycle across the U.S. in 10 days. Thats an average of about 300 miles a day. And no they are not sleeping 8 hours a day. As an avid runner, this is impossible to do on foot!

My daily training for this trip was quite simple. After graduating in May last year from Penn, I eventually moved in with my parents and cycled the 20 mile commute into work everyday. Combining my workout with my commute, I saved hundreds of dollars over the course of the year, saved time, reduced my carbon footprint, and prepared myself by cycling in through the snow, rain, heat, and darkness. Averaging 40 miles a day, I built up a base of approximately 2000 miles. Furthermore, I trained to prepare for all types of terrain by cycling up the hills of Manayunk and Roxborough and the flat river banks of the Schuylkill. The North Island of New Zealand is infamous for the rough gradients and inclement weather. This goes hand in hand with the scenic vistas, exhilarating downhills, and millions of sheep (seriously, there are about 50 million sheep).

3 Days!

Tonight I packed up my bike and supplies for the trip! It looks like the weather in Northern New Zealand is going to hold up when I arrive. Highs in the mid 70s and lows in the mid 60s. When I arrive I will leave before spring begins in the Northern Hemisphere, March 19th, and will land in the Southern Hemisphere the beginning of fall!

So you may have some questions about my trip.

Why?


In addition to raising funds and awareness for neighborhood bike works, I have additional motives for completing this cycling trip. I can sum up how I first got interested in the trip in one sentence - bejing to paris. In the summer of 2007 a group of a dozen people accepts the challenge to cycle from Bejing, China to Paris, France. A friend of mine told me about this feat and I was immediately hooked. Quite frankly, I didn't know it was humanly possible. But it is - www.beijingtoparis.com.

For one, cycling touring is one of the one of the best tests of endurance. Although I will not be in a race per se, I will be facing some of the most challenging rides of my life. Almost everyday for 106 days, I hope to cycle an average of 40 miles.

Cycling is the perfect mode of transportation when it comes to exploring a country. In must of my excursions I have either visited a few large cities or stayed in a single vacation home. In between cities I have either been in the passengers seat or on a train. I can confidently say that I know quite a few highways. Cycling touring allows you to grasp a better understanding of the places in between the large urban sprawl.
When?

Fall in New Zealand in Australia is debatly the best time to travel. The temperatures are outrageously hot in the summer, often peaking in the high 90s. Preferring cooler temperatures I will should not expect to face anything warmer than 75 or less than 40 degrees F. Furthermore, since New Zealand and Australia are geographically diverse, many places can be visited all year. It is possible that I will face four season weather conditions on some of my rides on the South Island in New Zealand!

When it comes to Europe, it will get pretty hot. I won't ignore that. But hopefully, by leaving in the beginning of July I will avoid the major heat waves! Additionally, the eurovelo will be well traveled so I hope to meet plenty of fellow cyclists.

Where and How?
You haven't read my earlier posts! Take a look below and check it out.

Who?
Although I will not be becoming proficient in French, German, Dutch, Flemish, Greek or Maori (Native New Zealand), I will accomplish my primary goal of this trip, learn about the people and culture! Cycling through the small towns, I hope to visit the small cafes, take a dip at the local beaches, eat the local cuisine, and avoid every single tourist trap of my travels! And who knows, maybe I'll learn a word or two as well.

5 Days!

In just five days I leave for Auckland, New Zealand! This plan did not unfold overnight. It did not even unfold in a year. I have been making preparations for this trip for the past two in a half years. The fact that I am leaving in less than a week is very surreal.

Here is a little Cycling Touring 101. There are a few ways to travel via bicycle. I will be completing a self-contained trip. This is means I will have all of my essentials on my bicycle and will be prepared to camp at all times. The other mode of cycling touring is called credit card touring in which you bring the bare minimum of supplies and stay in motels/hotels/B&Bs every night.

And now for my equipment list!



Transport

• Bicycle - 56" Marin Four Corners


• Panniers (Saddlebags) Four Ortlieb (Two Front Roller, Two Backroller)

Camping

• Camping - REI 3 Person Tent, stakes, ground cloth, and repair kit


• Sleeping Bags - EMS Velocity 30 degrees


• Sleeping Pads - Big Agnes Air Core Sleeping Pad

Water Purification and Storage

• 3 Bicycle Water Bottles
  


• Iodine tablets

Cookware

• Snow Peak Titanium Mini Solo Cookset (2 Titanium Pots)


• Snow Peak Titanium Spork


• Pot Scrubber


• Liquid Dish Soap

Stove

• Gasoline Burning Camp Stove


• Wind Screen


• Lighter


• Repair Kit


• Fuel Bottle


• Spices/olive oil


• Can Opener


• Cutting board
  


• Plastic bags

Food

• Powered Milk


• Bread


• Oatmeal


• Raisins


• Mixed Nuts


• Pasta


• Vegetables


• Canned Beans

Electronics

• Netbook


• Camera -Pentax Optio W90 12.1 MP Waterproof Digital Camera


• GPS System - Garmin Edge 605


• 2 Ipods - 140 GB Classic, 16 GB Nano


• Headlamp
  


• Front, Rear Lights


• Rechargeable AAA batteries


• Universal Adapter

Health

• First Aid Kit


• Health Insurance Card


• Multivitamins


• Insect Repellant


• Sun Screen


• Blind fold


• Ear plugs


• Lip balm

Toiletry Bag

• Tooth Brush


• Tooth Paste


• Deodorant


• Bar of Soap


• Shampoo/ Conditioner


• Razor


• Quick Dry Towel


• Finger Nail Clippers

Cycling Clothing

• 2 pairs of cycling shorts


• 1 bib


• 1 pair of cycling tights


• 2 cycling jerseys


• Sunglasses


• Helmet


• Cycling gloves


• Long fingered cold weather gloves


• 3 pairs cycling socks


• 1 pair of water proof socks


• 1 cycling jacket

Off Bike Gear

• 2 ExoOfficio short sleeve shirt


• 1 ExoOfficio long sleeve shirt


• 1 convertible short/pants


• 3 pairs cycling socks


• Swimsuit


• ExoOfficio Underwear


• Sewing repair kit


• Laundry Bag

Shoes

• Cycling Shoes - Shimano Mountain Bike Shoe


• Running Shoes


• Slippers

Tools

• Tire levers


• Topek Tire Pump with gauge


• Multi - tool - Chain tool, allen keys, phillips screw driver, flat heat screw driver


• Cassette Cracker


• Chain lub/rag


• Multitool/ knife


• Bike Lock

Spare Parts

• Folding spare tire


• Spare tubes


• Brake cables


• Shift cables


• Housing


• Disc brake pads


• Spare spokes


• Extra chain ring


• Zips ties


• Electrical tape

The Game Plan

View Ride of Dreams in a larger map

So I am no longer going to Istanbul, I know I said that in an earlier post. If you don't want to look at the map, here is what I have ahead of me in the next four months:

March 19th - JFK Airport, New York, New York --> Los Angeles, CA --> Auckland, New Zealand

March 21st to April 7th - Cycle from Auckland, NZ to Wellington, NZ.

April 7th - Ferry over from Wellington, NZ to the Picton, NZ on the South Island.

April 7th to April 25th - Cycle to Christchurch

April 25th - Christchurch, NZ --> Melbourne

April 25th to May 12th - Melbourne, Australia to Sydney, Australia

May 12th - Sydney, Australia --> Athens, Greece

May 13th to May 17th? - Hang out in Greece

May 18th - Ferry to Northern Italy

May 20th - Train to Bucharest, Romania

May 21st - Cycle from Bucharest, Romania to Copenhagen, Denmark

10 Days!

Wow, I haven't written in a long time. Since the last post, I have gotten in the University of Maryland Dental School, made my final decision to join the Navy, and most importantly decided to begin my European leg in Athens, Greece!

I have 10 days until my trip and am just wrapping up my prep. I am continuely looking for locals to stay with along the journey by emailing members of couchsurfing, warm showers, and alumni from the University of Pennsylvania. If you happen to live in New Zealand, Australia, or anywhere along the Eurovelo...let me sleep on your couch/ pitch a tent in you backyard!