TJs recovery ride – I’m off again! – Page 9 – Bike Forum

tjagain · 2025-01-07T15:37:30Z

Seeing as my last epic went down so well here I am again. This evening I get on a plane for New Zealand for a nice long bike tour. ( and yes I am aware of the hypocrisy) As ever plans are a bit vague. :-) I get to Auckland in 30 hours or so from now. Presumably shattered. Probably going to spend 8 weeks there. I have a bike to collect in Auckland as I decided the logistics of taking my own would be too much and its only a cheapy so that I can dump it if needed. I have 3 nights booked in Auckland in a hotel to get my shite together ( ha!) Route? Well its all a bit vague surprise surprise. I am not going to go up to the North for the main Tour Aotearoa route as I really want to get down to the south and I want to pootle and meander around and at my pace I fear I don't really have enouygh time to do the whole thing. From Auckland I am heading south east for the first few days. The only real fly in the ointment is the first days ride on the Hunua Trail by the recommended routs is 3000+ ft of climbing. I have hardly been on a bike for months. Thats going to hurt. Then on to the Hauraki Rail Trail down to Lake Tuopo. Maybe. I might go to Rotarua instead. We shall see. After that who knows - it will depend on weather and how I feel. NZ seems to be well provided with long distance bikepacking routes but you are very much advised to avoid a lot of the roads. I think the bikepacking routes vary from back lanes and dirt roads to tricky singletrack - I'll sus it out as I go along I will be camping of course but I don't think in NZ you get fresh croissants delivered to your campsite in the morning and I have no idea about beer on campsites. After 8 weeks in NZ I am going to Australia for another 11 weeks for a road trip. No Plans at all for that yet apart from I have asked a slightly eccentric mate of mine to sort me out a car. Gawd knows what I shall end up with. I might well vary these timings a bit - who knows thats months away I feel woefully under prepared and am totally shitting myself

kiwijohn

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I'm guessing you're somewhere near Murchison?
I'd never heard of Helinox chairs before, picked one up today for watching Hardline this weekend. Cheers.

Posted : 06/02/2025 7:00 am

tjagain

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20250206_195821

Posted : 06/02/2025 8:27 am

hightensionline, Tracey, sandboy and 1 people reacted

tjagain

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Im in Murchieson

Posted : 06/02/2025 8:34 am

tjagain

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Righteo. Time to getmiving. 77km with 850m ofclimb to get to thenext campsite

Struggling to load pics this morning.

Posted : 06/02/2025 8:27 pm

fossy

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The site is chugging a bit. Post once and don't refresh otherwise it posts twice even if you get an error.

Posted : 06/02/2025 9:02 pm

reeksy

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😀 🙂 😉 😆 🤣 😍 😥 😮 😯 😔 🙃 🙃 😲

Seems we have emoji though.

Posted : 07/02/2025 5:44 am

tjagain

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Long day today. Over 50miles and best part of 3000ft of climbing. The main climb was rideable and beautiful traffic free route through forest. Im puggled

Im going to have to work out how to resize my pics or host them elsewhere.

Posted : 07/02/2025 7:42 am

Tracey and slowol reacted

tjagain

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Ffs. It says i posted 40mins ago but i cant see it

Posted : 07/02/2025 8:27 am

tjagain

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I am not sure if anything is pisting. Hmmmmmmm

Posted : 07/02/2025 8:37 am

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slowol

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I am not sure if anything is pisting. Hmmmmmmm

Did the beers arrive? Looking forward to the pics. Great thread so far cheers.

Posted : 07/02/2025 9:09 am

tjagain

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Beers did arrive. 50 miles with 3300ft of climbing today. Lovely ride thru forest.

Its late and i am knackered. Pics will have to wait

Posted : 07/02/2025 10:48 am

slowol reacted

hightensionline

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Rest up - that's a decent day's ride by anyone's standard.

Looking forward to more pics though!

Posted : 07/02/2025 10:58 am

tjagain

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35 miles to the next campsite. No point in staying here its just a field with a long drop and those stupid flightless birds that steal your food

Posted : 07/02/2025 7:25 pm

Tracey reacted

tjagain

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Foe some reason most of yesterday's pics are too big and I can't see how to rezie them so i shall try postimage

[url= https://i.postimg.cc/BbzWsSjs/20250207-145959.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/BbzWsSjs/20250207-145959.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://keyboardtester.co/keyboard-tester ]toshiba spacebar not working[/url]

Posted : 07/02/2025 7:41 pm

tjagain

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Well that doesn't work properly either

Posted : 07/02/2025 7:50 pm

tjagain

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A bloody Weka stole my breakfast banana

Posted : 07/02/2025 8:01 pm

bruneep

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Hopefully works

Posted : 07/02/2025 9:08 pm

tjagain, thepurist and slowol reacted

ampthill

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I assume you’re on Android

https://www.androidpolice.com/resize-photo-phone-tablet-how-to/

I’m enjoying the photos…

Posted : 07/02/2025 11:29 pm

tjagain

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Rode 30 miles to Reefton. Barely a thousand ft of climb. What luxury. Checked into a hotel for two nights. I need a rest

Posted : 08/02/2025 4:46 am

tjagain

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Damn bird that stole my banana

Posted : 08/02/2025 4:50 am

tjagain

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Murky morning

Posted : 08/02/2025 4:56 am

tjagain

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Im giving up. I have no idea if anything is posting. Ill check back in a few days to see if anything is actually working

Posted : 08/02/2025 5:27 am

tractionman reacted

tjagain

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Posts have appeared now but no pics. Ill try once more

Posted : 08/02/2025 7:56 am

Keando, hightensionline, cinnamon_girl and 5 people reacted

ampthill

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I’ve noticed that i often can’t see my own posts. But i know they are there as I’m listed as the last contributor

Posted : 08/02/2025 9:47 am

tjagain

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Had my rest day in Reefton. Fitted a new rear tyre that unbelievably was available in this wee town. Got all my kit washed. Time to hit the road again. Greymouth tomorrow.

Lovely old gold mining town with a very early hydro electric powerhouse and a fair few historic buildings left.

Posted : 09/02/2025 8:34 am

Keando, hightensionline, integra and 7 people reacted

matt_outandabout

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Where's the like button?

Posted : 09/02/2025 9:21 am

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hot_fiat

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Old colonial style buildings are so gorgeous. Looks amazing.

Posted : 09/02/2025 10:30 am

tjagain

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Made it to Greymouth on the west coast. 50 miles. 1100ft of climb. Headwinds all day. Im well tired and considering plan b. Hire a car. I've made much slower progress than I hoped and I think if i continue riding south I will only have time to ride on the roads and do little else. Headwinds on and off the next 3 days then rain comes in. I shall sleep on it and decide but it looks like that wouldbe the best bet. There are hire car places here. Hmmmmmm

Posted : 10/02/2025 5:24 am

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tjagain

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Couple more pics

Posted : 10/02/2025 5:38 am

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tjagain

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On the other hand the west coast heritage trail is the next bit and it looks nice with the option of getting a car a few days south of here.

Hmmmm

Posted : 10/02/2025 6:56 am

tjagain

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Or do the wilderness trail and get a car in 3 or 4 days. Hmmmmm. I am showered and in the pub with a pint and feeling much better

Posted : 10/02/2025 8:06 am

cinnamon_girl reacted

thepurist

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I son't think there's a "wrong" decision in your options TJ. Looks like you can see more of less of NZ if you ride or see less of more if you go for the car. BTW how accurate are NZ weather forecasts - we've been due to see some sun for the last 4 or 5 grey, cold, damp days...

Posted : 10/02/2025 9:06 am

tjagain reacted

tjagain

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I am thinking compromise. Ride another 3 days on the trail that is supoosed to be a real gem then get a car. Ill sleep on it

Posted : 10/02/2025 9:45 am

kiwijohn

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There's nothing but bush between the glaciers & Wanaka.

Lovely bit of road if you can carry provisions for 2-3 days.

The rain can be biblical though.

Posted : 10/02/2025 10:00 am

tjagain

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Decisions made. Im going to ride three more days to Hokitiki then hire a car for two weeks then fly back to Auckland from there. Assuming i can get a car. Which i will check when they open

Posted : 10/02/2025 7:32 pm

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tjagain

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Bloody Weka tried to steal my breakfast again. Im gonna be eating Weka at this rate

Posted : 10/02/2025 7:39 pm

integra reacted

tjagain

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2nd breakfast stop

Posted : 10/02/2025 11:21 pm

integra reacted

tjagain

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Car hirebooked for Friday

Posted : 11/02/2025 1:42 am

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tjagain

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Rode up to Kumara. Another goldrush town. Less than 20 miles and only a couple of hundred feet of climbing. Lovely ride and now enjoying a pint.

Posted : 11/02/2025 4:01 am

cvilla reacted

tjagain

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Still havi g trouble with pics

Posted : 11/02/2025 4:05 am

Keando and cvilla reacted

tjagain

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I have discovered that posting pics to signal reduces them a lot so then save from signal allows me to post them here. Sometimes the phone takes less than the limit sometimes more . Im baffled

Posted : 11/02/2025 4:11 am

integra reacted

tjagain

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Tonight's campsite is a hippy retreat. I have a buddha: plaster mushrooms: Tibetan prayer flags and orchids by my pitch

Posted : 11/02/2025 5:26 am

integra and cvilla reacted

tjagain

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I dotknow if todays pics have posted. If anyone can see them please post

Posted : 11/02/2025 5:58 am

sc-xc

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Can see pics TJ 👍

Posted : 11/02/2025 6:31 am

cheekymonkey888

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hiya, Im enjoying the thread. The pictures have uploaded and the tent pitch looks quite tranquil.

Posted : 11/02/2025 6:31 am

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TJs recovery ride - I'm off again!