I got a freeload! Best Xmas pressy ever!

The day before Christmas I received the answer to my on-bike storage and hydration problem: a freeload rack system. The freeload marketing guys call it my "platform for adventure" and I like that.

I had proven my handlebar box and my behind seat bottle cages unusable off road and looked envyingly at Lindsay's freeload rack when we rode together around Cape Palliser.  I wanted to copy Lindsay's superior setup exactly as it quickly became obvious to me that he was more prepared for Africa than I.  His gear had become well refined over many long offroad rides and was now reaching the point of perfection.

Surprisingly every Tour D'Afrique rider I had spoken to about racks, on bike storage and hydration systems seemed to have a freeload already.  A father and son from Colorado recommended this Dunedin designed rack system. I wanted one. I needed one. Riders in America had already figured it out.  Why didn't I have one already? Flying to Cairo on the 5th of January my time was getting tight.

I sent an enquiry through the freeload website and was soon talking to Tim Armstrong: one of the designers. That kind of quick response is pretty cool and from one of the inventor-types too. The freeload was in the post to me that day, and what is even cooler is that I was gifted it. Tim was supportive of what we are doing and gave it to me for nothing. Does that make me sponsored? I'm very pleased. Thanks Tim!

The rack arrived when my bike was already boxed for my flight to family Christmas and I've just arrived back in Welly now. I'm keen to fit my new piece of kit asap. I'll post some photos of the freeload complete with the bag and hydration system in place soon. I'll be fitting the rack on the front forks so I can drape the hydration tube easily over the handlebars.

Captain does Hamilton

In preparation for a long jaunt in Africa I thought I'd do a bit of prep by heading to... Hamilton!  Hamilton's got a lot to offer, including the best cafe of NZ in 2010 and my favorite Velo Espresso where I picked up yet another spare tire and in a typically NZ way ran into Matt from my class at school who created the place. One of the customers in the shop raved about the quality his mechanic skills and general all-round-good-guy-ness.  I'd recommend that if you are ever in Hamilton with a bike problem or just need a coffee you check him out. Long live the new cafe-cum-workshop genre!

Travelling by plane with bike meant some good practise in boxing and unboxing Captain. See if you can figure out what I did wrong in the following photo. I only realised when I got on to ride.

Aside from the cafe culture other spots on my Hamilton hitlist of fun include the Riff Raff Cam, the botanical gardens, and the Taitua Arboretum which is surprisingly overrun by a wide variety of free range chickens who would love to get to know you better.

Decision time: riding East Cape

Before I committed to Africa I took myself on a wee cycle touring holiday to make up my mind. I rode from Rotorua to Whakatane then around the scenic coastal highway to Gisborne. This was before I met Captain. I rode a Marin Larkspur: the Silver Bullet.

Many people warned me about the logging trucks around the cape: "They'll put you in a ditch!", "You'll get get run off the road and end up over a cliff!". However I found the truck drivers very courteous and often with a smile and a wave.  The roads were generally empty and I felt safe on them at all times. The biggest danger was the multiple magpie attacks from birds nesting in windbreaks near the road. 

I met all manner of engaging people, cycled through some long uninhabited stretches and stayed in some welcoming and comfortable places. The most notable were:

• The airport worker originally from old South Western Africa who kept the terminal open for me while I built my bike and told me stories of driving trucks back home. He spoke seven languages one of which was all clicks and whistles.
• Te Kaha Homestead Lodge which comes complete with a sign especially welcoming cyclists at the gate and a hot tub just above the high tide mark.
• Michelle from Footprints in the Sand at Tokomaru bay who fed me tea and cookies while I warmed up from riding in the rain, cooked me the most wonderful dinner and dessert, showed me her Egyptian collection, introduced me to her family and made me feel at home. If you are cycle touring with a group this is a perfect stop.  There is good space for multiple tents to be pitched, a lovely dog and impressive outdoor kitchen facilities.
• Meeting Dwayne on the Tolaga bay bridge and spending some time together at Uawa FM and in every store that Tologa Bay has to offer.
• The upcycled clothing and conversations at Gisborne's My Beautiful Life.

Here's a few sights that caught my eye along the way, and of course obligatory shots of bike at rest.

Epic training ride: the beauty of Cape Palliser

I was lucky enough to get invited along on one of Lindsay's marathon cycle jaunts yesterday. Lindsay is the other Wellingtonian tackling the Tour D'Afrique in 2011. 

The route was from Wellington CBD to Petone, Eastborne, Burden's Gate, around Pencarrow head, Baring head, following the south coast on Cape Palliser until we hit road, alongside the Orongorongas, over the Rimataka rail incline to Kaitoke, following the Hutt river cycle path, and back around the harbour to return. All up 186km and about eleven hours from my front door and back through the most beautiful and wild nature that I have seen in some time. 

I was prepared for a long testing day of cycling, but I was not prepared for the stunning scenery of the route we travelled. Highlights of the wild coast included an untethered family of horses complete with foal, streams to splash through, rough rock deposits we had to carry our bikes over, black sand beaches to fall off on, stretches of native flax, delicate coastal mosses and forests of windswept lets-all-lean-the-same-way trees.  All this with the blue-blue Cook Strait stretching out on our right and steep hills and cliffs to our left. Magnificent.

The route passes through some private land, there are many high gates and fences to lift bicycles over and it is not something to try without preparation or in adverse weather conditions. It is easily accessible however by taking part in the Raboplus Big Coast Ride. This is an opportunity for you to experience the area over a couple of days with support and like-minded folk. The Raboplus Big Coast Ride is family friendly, has live music in the evening and I believe even a a couple of morning and afternoon tea parties. It really is one of the most beautiful stretches to travel through. You should do this. I'd like to commend the person with the vision behind this event: I admire your work.

I had a couple of gear failures on the ride. I need to rethink my hydration and on bike storage systems. Things that work on smooth roads do not necessarily translate well to rougher terrain. My behind seat dual bottle cage was quickly rendered into an expensive piece of unrecyclable plastic rubbish.  My front handle bar bag acted as an on-bike blender; nicely mashing my bananas consistently through everything else I was carrying. Captain himself was, of course, fit to task.

Big thanks to everyone who made the pub quiz - gig extravaganza a success!!

Thanks so much to everyone who turned up, and everyone who pitched in to make it a success. The night made $850 - which is about 6 bikes to Africa! If anyone needs any advice on how to organise a pub quiz I now know how to do it.

Check out more photos from the night!

Big thanks to:

• The inspirational Marjolein and Ashley from revolve training for their big donation and huge positivity.
• To my sister for her donation both of cash and of help at the quiz.
• To Glenn, fellow bike fanatic, programmer of awesomeness, bike polo crazy and fixie hipster for getting in there first with the cash.
• To all my workmates at NZTE for turning out in force at the fundraiser, and for getting me bike related leaving gifts. In particular Pete for the prize donation and CHRIS! for recognising a need and doing the maths on the results.
• My parental unit for the artistic quiz prizes.
• The ever-amazing Alisa for her quiz master genius!
• CommonSense Organics for their donation of a quiz prize.
• Christine the events manager from Estadio for her help and for the free hire of the venue and donation of quiz prizes. Estadio make the best coffee, empanadas and cocktails out.
• J P Young and the Sunshine Suite for playing great sets and the lovely Pauline for being band taxi.
• The Capital Breakfast Toastmasters for letting me break all the rules and practise my public speaking for the event off-manual and for free.  Not to mention letting me drink their coffee, eat their mince pies, and enjoy their champagne Christmas breakfast. You guys rock.  I will be back.

Congratulations to the winning quiz team 'Jake and the Fat man' and to Louise the winner of my old Raleigh Chopper!