tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30169568698192667692024-03-13T23:20:47.494-07:00Kiwi Bretts AdventuresBretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16118678952822575516noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016956869819266769.post-6100195826172371072023-12-29T23:03:00.000-08:002023-12-29T23:08:36.932-08:00Christmas Wangapeka Tramp<p>With Helen and I making some major changes in our life, we have taken some time out from working to de-stress. </p><p>While I really enjoyed my job and the immediate people I worked with, there was aspects of the way the company was managed which caused extra unnecessary workload, while "One Team" was spouted by hierarchy it was one rule for them and one rule for us. The lack of staff training available for my team, the lack of paid cover for on-call, along with little protection for staff against acts by customers led to me resigning, I can only give so much and take so much BS.</p><p>So with having some downtime, we decided to go and hike the Wangapeka Track in the southern Kahurangi National Park. This particular tramp had been on my/our radar for more than a few years. </p><p>The track starts west of Tapawera (62 km from Nelson) and finishes at Little Wanganui on the West Coast. You traverse four river catchments, the Wangapeka, the Karemea, the Taipo, and finally the Little Wanganui. This route has been around for over 125 years, there has been searches for precious metals, farming, and forestry in the region.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgo1sdTp5eKmSuord_H3X_I8-uDjOxEMjsEcxn6NsMFpLcmhzHMQ4KqKm1Gw0E1Wtnegbi5_q_jr9sSeIkwLi1NrPAhXzk7gkgl4TKDgRjQXX14dcIzLi5e9a_SCbJSbz0JLal_DKFunfzO6BYph-y9l1QDgSAXMcay-9ERLVWniZ71QfdfbC_RyzkQKw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="262" data-original-width="259" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgo1sdTp5eKmSuord_H3X_I8-uDjOxEMjsEcxn6NsMFpLcmhzHMQ4KqKm1Gw0E1Wtnegbi5_q_jr9sSeIkwLi1NrPAhXzk7gkgl4TKDgRjQXX14dcIzLi5e9a_SCbJSbz0JLal_DKFunfzO6BYph-y9l1QDgSAXMcay-9ERLVWniZ71QfdfbC_RyzkQKw" width="237" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>We had planned for five days to cover the 59 km, with a day spare, as we knew heavy rain had been fore-casted for the middle of the week.</p><p>Lucky for us, our friend Ant was able to drop us off at the start, big thanks for making the start logistics easy 😄 we will be happy to return the favour one day.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggsikL75WJrSpQsTgghJWcA8paP0iQgM_f5e9cahbNibZ2dEYjxxqvp9wQv8hwOsjRtgyjyOJR8GB0Po-wIei-DfCtnGXiCD4vEKcM_lA0CVIRws1Z_-C3aMQhJeDk2phqSmvDS5o4RK8dDZg0xw5HrPlyBEL_zfecNFi4cX9tsfI946-ExrQ_ff88Sw/s4608/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(67).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggsikL75WJrSpQsTgghJWcA8paP0iQgM_f5e9cahbNibZ2dEYjxxqvp9wQv8hwOsjRtgyjyOJR8GB0Po-wIei-DfCtnGXiCD4vEKcM_lA0CVIRws1Z_-C3aMQhJeDk2phqSmvDS5o4RK8dDZg0xw5HrPlyBEL_zfecNFi4cX9tsfI946-ExrQ_ff88Sw/w150-h200/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(67).JPG" width="150" /></a></div><p><b>Day One - Siberia carpark to Stone Hut</b></p><p>We headed off, packs weighing 16kgs each. We had a tent just in case the huts were full. Our aim was to head up the Wangapeka track to Stone hut from Siberia carpark. This is mainly an old benched track so is good going. An hour in I felt a hotspot forming on my heel, I was wearing new socks which I had trialed for a day. 20 minutes later I stopped and changed socks to a pair I knew were good, unfortunately it was too late, the blisters had already started to form ... oh well better start taking those concrete pills and just harden the f@#k up! </p><p>No Whio were spotted before leaving the river, and a bite to eat was had at Kings Creek hut, then on passing Cecil Kings historic hut and up to Stone hut, our accomodation for the night.</p><p>20 kms in the book, 6 hours 40 minutes (including stops), not a bad effort for a desk jockey.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEBYk9J8Z28fh4FnTxUF751cuLzk5Dj8kTQuWDRkjgaqG_z1csuf-fRe75vo-hnzokJLbrqVTSh_MMYEbPOYCd2U5deisl-vvBB3N2kpIMG74msZY62dHVAdblS0L5BN2N1M2_TUctG1wJrpTzpeER7QVnbeUM5Iitkpn9uIzeeftsHmYwn9esmUroPw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="1128" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEBYk9J8Z28fh4FnTxUF751cuLzk5Dj8kTQuWDRkjgaqG_z1csuf-fRe75vo-hnzokJLbrqVTSh_MMYEbPOYCd2U5deisl-vvBB3N2kpIMG74msZY62dHVAdblS0L5BN2N1M2_TUctG1wJrpTzpeER7QVnbeUM5Iitkpn9uIzeeftsHmYwn9esmUroPw=w667-h321" width="667" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><b>Day Two - Stone hut to Helicopter Flat hut</b></p><p>Today started with a brisk climb straight out of the hut up and over the Wangapeka Saddle, a little misty, but beautiful amongst the Beech forest and Dracophyllums. The track here is still in good condition and we were making good time as we headed down into the headwaters of the Karamea river. I had paddle some of the lower reaches of this many years ago. There were a few slips to get around and fallen trees to clamber over. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAxxqqMdIejzWcdmxIhDXYeAMl9yBnu0q1ULsh4U7ifhap69YvcY6Z6E6w4M0qV9Wzf3ngJcMyWqzgNCZzTWM95jNqOUMo8sfG-iOzFMex5tKVezGjgQ5rGfAmDYSfcraoMDe-vPq94L2bxTlZV9p8gMTI-00sxMOHqKB3Wm7IKWszcAKY5r19LhVHA/s4608/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(60).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAxxqqMdIejzWcdmxIhDXYeAMl9yBnu0q1ULsh4U7ifhap69YvcY6Z6E6w4M0qV9Wzf3ngJcMyWqzgNCZzTWM95jNqOUMo8sfG-iOzFMex5tKVezGjgQ5rGfAmDYSfcraoMDe-vPq94L2bxTlZV9p8gMTI-00sxMOHqKB3Wm7IKWszcAKY5r19LhVHA/w480-h640/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(60).JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwMzzzU2h1KO0bOJx_UwEVwrxkfstk1lQNRRYGRwBC-WKrzuA5PDAPCKlx_FuOOSCHO2PCBk2qu2Z82HRc7VFYNJOI_rSDN6c_3D29FxwvgKyTThq1uzDDreEvCfuBXR65z4LzGEmYa2eOPMMztn3pdTvjJujJxmN2rhtDmR-vHe2VJr3HWWNwzlOxtg/s4000/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(87).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwMzzzU2h1KO0bOJx_UwEVwrxkfstk1lQNRRYGRwBC-WKrzuA5PDAPCKlx_FuOOSCHO2PCBk2qu2Z82HRc7VFYNJOI_rSDN6c_3D29FxwvgKyTThq1uzDDreEvCfuBXR65z4LzGEmYa2eOPMMztn3pdTvjJujJxmN2rhtDmR-vHe2VJr3HWWNwzlOxtg/w400-h300/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(87).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The track had really start to deteriorate, it was slower going and harder to spot the track markers. It appears DoC have limited any maintenance they are doing on the track, leaving it to become a marked route, thats ok, their dollar only goes so far - it can't be easy to decide where to put it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1TWYUVCgIZzFutJDQsEdRDthKm71snRPIoCpoVp-ZSBiVWDyuJ5SmxrygjpolU9dvjr5tyNdNXgl7VGBx4-HDjIUJUaQyFS-5a-zlO6VEWQjmgShgOPNly5_psKBGfCbbRMa5vZ7ZlYj85EQvKWTTuvpgJYgiAKxc5qS8Pu-N9yhOxDNjQrgzU9X5g/s4000/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(72).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1TWYUVCgIZzFutJDQsEdRDthKm71snRPIoCpoVp-ZSBiVWDyuJ5SmxrygjpolU9dvjr5tyNdNXgl7VGBx4-HDjIUJUaQyFS-5a-zlO6VEWQjmgShgOPNly5_psKBGfCbbRMa5vZ7ZlYj85EQvKWTTuvpgJYgiAKxc5qS8Pu-N9yhOxDNjQrgzU9X5g/w640-h480/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(72).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Today about 1 1/2 km from the hut, I had a fall, stepping down into a side stream to cross it, my foot slid out on a greasy rock slab and I went down on my hip and forearm, fortunately my pack absorbed a lot of the impact, but it was enough to knock the wind out of me, I then tripped again 15 minutes later, this really knocked my confidence and slowed us down.</p><p>What I have realised over the last twenty years is I am still dealing with trauma from the drowning I was involved with in 2002. My depression is situational, when I loose my confidence or my identity life becomes black.</p><p>My identity is tied to how well I am doing, particularly in a work situation. It took a long time to rebuild after the drowning. I always saw myself as a solid dependable instructor who was safe, there were definitely better instructors out there. Recently at work it had been a battle as well and it was effecting me physically (my psoriasis had flared up and two weeks after stopping work it had gone) and mentally.</p><p>Work had become a mental battle as well, but when then are others depending on your guidance, you continue on. So when I fell on the trip and for a second time, my confidence went out the door ... not only did my heals ache, my hip (which is already screwed together) ached. Trying to stay positive was hard, I was slow moving, Helen was waiting lots, I was struggling.</p><p>The second part of this, is an overwhelming feeling of being responsible for everyone to get home safe and in one piece. This is a very heavy weight to carry and when I can't look after myself it just got heavier.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrIsPmENqrh6U5k6ogrTS6aZu-qqRdzN7JEq0CWQPmEZaLTQSkueeX0DbnhJKKChcMhAMS9RpatR7T_gEyg9Yi_XCR1NXsfNh2pd72PHLyxgk3mQoINWD9NIfthT2m9cIcuxJ-ccC1HOq93iq6kH6diYrhsnexaIaWKDmtvevik8coHsh0Krx8ZNBBQQ/s4000/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(86).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrIsPmENqrh6U5k6ogrTS6aZu-qqRdzN7JEq0CWQPmEZaLTQSkueeX0DbnhJKKChcMhAMS9RpatR7T_gEyg9Yi_XCR1NXsfNh2pd72PHLyxgk3mQoINWD9NIfthT2m9cIcuxJ-ccC1HOq93iq6kH6diYrhsnexaIaWKDmtvevik8coHsh0Krx8ZNBBQQ/w300-h400/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(86).jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p>We arrived at the hut mid afternoon, then Helen spotted two mature Whio with four chicks! Wahoo pretty special to see these guys ... still wondering what Whio are? Check your ten dollar note! Lots of predator control, by the Whio Forever group, has been carried out in these two valley's and there is approximately 70 pairs of Whio residing here now.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7hB3PCllvzqlH_c3HS4gpH_AgPjFV7xu7YByz6Dd2nUx8d74m3CvKjfjQNzO3Rxdxsa0uaaSh0bffqW4_b6LCybzLh5bmrX2QH-D4uprrmZPwGUWZueEy7gONlEZlgpFfMUdao4h_yynbtQU2oIiR8ciyrVXF3CRrkpM-dc8HIsHwpMPJTQ4rETKjUA/s4608/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(45).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7hB3PCllvzqlH_c3HS4gpH_AgPjFV7xu7YByz6Dd2nUx8d74m3CvKjfjQNzO3Rxdxsa0uaaSh0bffqW4_b6LCybzLh5bmrX2QH-D4uprrmZPwGUWZueEy7gONlEZlgpFfMUdao4h_yynbtQU2oIiR8ciyrVXF3CRrkpM-dc8HIsHwpMPJTQ4rETKjUA/w320-h240/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(45).JPG" title="Whio" width="320" /></a></div><p>While enjoying a cuppa, we had a young English lad pop in, we gave him a much appreciated cuppa and gingernuts. He was in awe of having seen so many kiwi on the track, it was a little sad we had to dispel his excitement, and tell him they were Wekas!</p><p>Well, he headed off towards the next hut, still full of enthusiasm.</p><p>12 kms completed today, half the distance down, a little slower going in 5 hours 40 minutes. Just before helicopter Flat hut we took the high route rather then crossing the river to keep our boots dry, maybe it was the slower route.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisyO4oDnZCgn1JVR4mDzZLn2sT43BIJZM55lTNqiQa9upt6jZiRD9Fq1Y99uPNRCJf71zO9zDGkY6ci1Uoj2eW0SnwTCX5XBh2MlyKsaOBtUwZHkn1Xut5ABrsYZNJxcz6kDp3fF9HHkxiM37r4wcK_aZHlbaH5_SvpXP8fLt5kovUvkiMeJPD_DcHrg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="551" data-original-width="1214" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisyO4oDnZCgn1JVR4mDzZLn2sT43BIJZM55lTNqiQa9upt6jZiRD9Fq1Y99uPNRCJf71zO9zDGkY6ci1Uoj2eW0SnwTCX5XBh2MlyKsaOBtUwZHkn1Xut5ABrsYZNJxcz6kDp3fF9HHkxiM37r4wcK_aZHlbaH5_SvpXP8fLt5kovUvkiMeJPD_DcHrg=w655-h295" width="655" /></a></div><br /><b>Day Three - Helicopter Flat hut to Stag Flat bivvy</b><p></p><p>Today we left the Karamea river and headed up the Taipo river (one of the headwater tributaries to the Karamea). </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLk2-W7ty860rBiaZKIBOJBihjSoKOPu9cVaL0FPgHoYnGMRSr5E9EBS_eNf0DqI8n1lRXMpx_3sfuapvAVAMmJ1-cTXLO1XKbIqps56k3csvEnd5McIffifP-hP91FahJ_jdAHQuDcDxHsuv3E2qMlDu1oI2lzl3DsBKBerLGFeaFqh8f-Srzb-ixDQ/s4608/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(35).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLk2-W7ty860rBiaZKIBOJBihjSoKOPu9cVaL0FPgHoYnGMRSr5E9EBS_eNf0DqI8n1lRXMpx_3sfuapvAVAMmJ1-cTXLO1XKbIqps56k3csvEnd5McIffifP-hP91FahJ_jdAHQuDcDxHsuv3E2qMlDu1oI2lzl3DsBKBerLGFeaFqh8f-Srzb-ixDQ/w300-h400/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(35).JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWb-exNRIXy2pm2VfXAaxmo6l_vRP_wBa7n1MTSXoak2aEsT-w1Nf58XK9xdwnybWfVpC5_zRRSth4gq2l42jC2wl41ctS-o0eu7Bb23gFv2kGGB6McP5u0J-muc8gwrW2OzXOCGirqB70TlIZVzNrOuNb_jxAkD69hlZy27LjxhMy9JtuvjZGnwDZg/s4608/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(36).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWb-exNRIXy2pm2VfXAaxmo6l_vRP_wBa7n1MTSXoak2aEsT-w1Nf58XK9xdwnybWfVpC5_zRRSth4gq2l42jC2wl41ctS-o0eu7Bb23gFv2kGGB6McP5u0J-muc8gwrW2OzXOCGirqB70TlIZVzNrOuNb_jxAkD69hlZy27LjxhMy9JtuvjZGnwDZg/w400-h300/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(36).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>Our initial plan was just to go through to the Taipo hut, but on arriving there and looking at the weather closing in, we thought it would be better to continue to Stag Flat biv at the head of the valley. Our thoughts were if tomorrow was going to be mildly wet it would be an hour less to do or if it was heavy rain we could stay put.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtG1KFTQ3dflNHv0IbPkMT14_YIKxJMzplB4BD-RP31CfYXbXCnzSf81vwxWWfKSZXQX_IuziaydoOAL4y8XXBczgVosF8c8ti5yNKnXcKNnrz2xaaglZdmdf0xtRFjR_Ta-ReeTBqQEzL8ST8HmZtPj8QtaJ59bVE23k_aGiqRC_4lGZJ9djoGPQR-A/s4608/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(40).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtG1KFTQ3dflNHv0IbPkMT14_YIKxJMzplB4BD-RP31CfYXbXCnzSf81vwxWWfKSZXQX_IuziaydoOAL4y8XXBczgVosF8c8ti5yNKnXcKNnrz2xaaglZdmdf0xtRFjR_Ta-ReeTBqQEzL8ST8HmZtPj8QtaJ59bVE23k_aGiqRC_4lGZJ9djoGPQR-A/w400-h300/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(40).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>The sun came out for the day, Helen was on to spotting the track markers so we made reasonable progress. Giving us some wonderful views of the peaks around us.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-OEamDiLs3E6nmQ03ZoBrwnSQnhyphenhyphenNcSelNjNZXmX3FAP4vFr285nKMIHwxxeDeBwuEJeOxIRsVGXL8wVR_BsgTith-XvwvCrVljhRZvX_1a8-hPHarixPwS5PHp7dsSGQBMl_RiiffKyfHQRRLOPAPU6dBSZonFwu1G55jtsOXeJyWfOYKwapSVqgDQ/s4608/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(53).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-OEamDiLs3E6nmQ03ZoBrwnSQnhyphenhyphenNcSelNjNZXmX3FAP4vFr285nKMIHwxxeDeBwuEJeOxIRsVGXL8wVR_BsgTith-XvwvCrVljhRZvX_1a8-hPHarixPwS5PHp7dsSGQBMl_RiiffKyfHQRRLOPAPU6dBSZonFwu1G55jtsOXeJyWfOYKwapSVqgDQ/w300-h400/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(53).JPG" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p>Around dinner time the heavens opened up and down came the rain, it continued through the night and eased up mid to late morning the next day.</p><p>11 kms completed today, 4 hours 11 minutes.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5YaaZ8ihWuAgteM_Y1IQYwHGuoXY6k0ykFUG4LfG9URwc2HtBEI2XIhpWAJJDZY_8DJ2XTKxX5z3w0-TgJKIT5qNJ4GmYFn3djHS1C_wqsJgFwWkdfoH09ZRiqKJEpK2L_A8pleG_D4WxNPrNTxf88iOf71FDUOJIcEsBVN_RXc5i-aBg4gC9QGeojQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="1220" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5YaaZ8ihWuAgteM_Y1IQYwHGuoXY6k0ykFUG4LfG9URwc2HtBEI2XIhpWAJJDZY_8DJ2XTKxX5z3w0-TgJKIT5qNJ4GmYFn3djHS1C_wqsJgFwWkdfoH09ZRiqKJEpK2L_A8pleG_D4WxNPrNTxf88iOf71FDUOJIcEsBVN_RXc5i-aBg4gC9QGeojQ=w611-h197" width="611" /></a></div><br /><b>Day Four - Christmas Day - Stag Flat bivy</b><p></p><p>Spent the day here, waiting for the side streams to drop, when it did clear we got some great views of waterfalls that had appeared with the rain. A quiet day reading, listening to podcasts and watching the weather.</p><p><b>Day Five - Stag Flat bivvy to Belltown Manunui hut</b></p><p>It dawned sunny and was time to get moving, this we knew was going to be the hardest day of the trip. It starts well for the first 150 metres of board walk then turns right and just climbs for a solid 40 minutes.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMD2_nj7ET9CBDpgWk8xVDL0F8aLcN-aF_L_EFiy9hS9oRxFj1hJJ6gr2Rme1scxJp8bxVVEDaoKrdQ3cqf-bi46sme6vEkubvpm51L51qxl5Ui-Wvcb4m0xu1rXRJMGjDEA8KKWwMIX2sa42-8KaDLGG7q-rEQKGMRUi_9n8xGNni_xI5x0KZg56AlQ/s5744/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(74).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1824" data-original-width="5744" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMD2_nj7ET9CBDpgWk8xVDL0F8aLcN-aF_L_EFiy9hS9oRxFj1hJJ6gr2Rme1scxJp8bxVVEDaoKrdQ3cqf-bi46sme6vEkubvpm51L51qxl5Ui-Wvcb4m0xu1rXRJMGjDEA8KKWwMIX2sa42-8KaDLGG7q-rEQKGMRUi_9n8xGNni_xI5x0KZg56AlQ/w640-h204/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(74).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Then you pop out of the bush and onto Little Wanganui Saddle with a view all the way to the sea on the West Coast. It is the only spot where you get briefly above the bush line, we stopped to enjoy the view, texted our contacts to say we were going to be a day late (yes there was cell service at this point, not strong but enough to send a message). On with a wind breaker and to start descending for the next two days.</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizTPEIgz-94uW72nwnELM4F-aRAJXRmY-sQQYqMDUhGyFPUA6z75aPftE-97sBQB6EoaVneamlVhOFdosELTCh8vebOWISmdSHR9wp76jAK92xyhegC3ypauTKUTZ2iSKEKr3XqSGtco63q7L-WfGfx-cuvPq1a4CQwViina3vcu-qEFctR955fd4bJw/s4608/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(16).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizTPEIgz-94uW72nwnELM4F-aRAJXRmY-sQQYqMDUhGyFPUA6z75aPftE-97sBQB6EoaVneamlVhOFdosELTCh8vebOWISmdSHR9wp76jAK92xyhegC3ypauTKUTZ2iSKEKr3XqSGtco63q7L-WfGfx-cuvPq1a4CQwViina3vcu-qEFctR955fd4bJw/w640-h480/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(16).JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEincTDzBKYvhttm2729vva6gY-1HuyQ1jBAj3a2fjLDqNR9-1gCukW7um-2g2k4FBV-85ZSq1VQLwuDAA_M2U-AiCoYOUT6-A5PMT3C-5S0k88CEEpSaVkTF_dL-LwlaXG17s35O9ZEgTD-SI1D6grvng2PwUjaOKB_3l_6JJZfbkP03K0HfDfG2qs3dQ/s4608/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(15).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEincTDzBKYvhttm2729vva6gY-1HuyQ1jBAj3a2fjLDqNR9-1gCukW7um-2g2k4FBV-85ZSq1VQLwuDAA_M2U-AiCoYOUT6-A5PMT3C-5S0k88CEEpSaVkTF_dL-LwlaXG17s35O9ZEgTD-SI1D6grvng2PwUjaOKB_3l_6JJZfbkP03K0HfDfG2qs3dQ/w480-h640/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(15).JPG" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p>This side was steep, and it had been hammered by a cyclone in 2014. Lots of windfall and slips over the track making progress slow. The trees were wrapped in their mossy coats, the forest floor was covered in beech tree leaves, which looks like someone has spilt the cornflakes box, it was just spectacular bush to be travelling through.</p><p>We called in and checked the Wangapeka Biv, a two bunk portacom, helicopted into place and bolted down ... simple concept.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjl31nFKQ-qOqh5LHpHK_E5dtiABfzmOL7XEWYx5iS2BDUBEJNqi2vTR1XwVuAVe2oDl9acKZvwS39LxjvR8k9mAfcyxjpxAtygCJO_Ay8E0sOH4c24ve7oqN3NYmy9qs1o8_GW4LFReurqEHu0xSy4AQhwYQuQVhae05ag4KcX5PLDEJu7fUDaybJqA/s4608/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(51).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjl31nFKQ-qOqh5LHpHK_E5dtiABfzmOL7XEWYx5iS2BDUBEJNqi2vTR1XwVuAVe2oDl9acKZvwS39LxjvR8k9mAfcyxjpxAtygCJO_Ay8E0sOH4c24ve7oqN3NYmy9qs1o8_GW4LFReurqEHu0xSy4AQhwYQuQVhae05ag4KcX5PLDEJu7fUDaybJqA/s320/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(51).JPG" width="240" /></a></div><p>There is one major side stream which is unbridged (McHarrie) and the water levels had dropped, it was good to cross.</p><p>Arriving at the Manunui hut site, we discovered they had moved it a further kilometre down the track, in fact they had built a brand new hut in 2022.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglusR3pGvnGTiM9gYLmtNKo_LQhy01OpSeiCOKaFjG4Nz8tLDOp4Yr5Pfz29nEzmBzUIV6R38X8M9GBxkfpqmR3e4zc7vIsB_NETZMsSqR1b6M43uS6V-k9OPZEORWsexrlgdxxSCd03d1gf1jmbEOHSc4txlV2ZOHPb8nFUbUXXqKmMJ3BfRuGLk5Mw/s4608/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(6).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglusR3pGvnGTiM9gYLmtNKo_LQhy01OpSeiCOKaFjG4Nz8tLDOp4Yr5Pfz29nEzmBzUIV6R38X8M9GBxkfpqmR3e4zc7vIsB_NETZMsSqR1b6M43uS6V-k9OPZEORWsexrlgdxxSCd03d1gf1jmbEOHSc4txlV2ZOHPb8nFUbUXXqKmMJ3BfRuGLk5Mw/w300-h400/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(6).JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dl0uc0HH7qEjUncTBpxzDrlX9MuANn3HTFAt2bl6lMGnWi7SxucCuUnDo2AHFRqprY6c8lsyNLD9ZdFK1pCmRMralloQhlETVl0jPX_uu0Dvm7Xn05iWvVvCRsKldiaH_Kw8Z14mFL9IBXXqIM1a7DyVgSglPbfoe2FYrszyumuJ0dO8ANos4wBhsQ/s4608/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(7).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dl0uc0HH7qEjUncTBpxzDrlX9MuANn3HTFAt2bl6lMGnWi7SxucCuUnDo2AHFRqprY6c8lsyNLD9ZdFK1pCmRMralloQhlETVl0jPX_uu0Dvm7Xn05iWvVvCRsKldiaH_Kw8Z14mFL9IBXXqIM1a7DyVgSglPbfoe2FYrszyumuJ0dO8ANos4wBhsQ/w300-h400/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(7).JPG" width="300" /></a></div><p>It was to be the only night we shared any of the huts, with two other couples, lots of interesting stories were shared.</p><p>We managed 11 kms in 6 hours 30 minutes, it felt we had been travelling quickly but in fact was our slowest speed.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-ppzz7rRvqm_eBabkZDY_2eG58bfhBJM9gVHIeAS7pE6zA_w06u7x42BdHw6eq51AcErYTIzryo1-UMO3a_FTJ3iSfJ7t76qiI7zU9Y53l5bPFUHUNQqewAvD-wbqAKm3d29_CDZyssUAi8MZ4LT9npPHfrm1OBXOC_xd2ROc-YG41wYlbFNGQDQxXg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="1219" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-ppzz7rRvqm_eBabkZDY_2eG58bfhBJM9gVHIeAS7pE6zA_w06u7x42BdHw6eq51AcErYTIzryo1-UMO3a_FTJ3iSfJ7t76qiI7zU9Y53l5bPFUHUNQqewAvD-wbqAKm3d29_CDZyssUAi8MZ4LT9npPHfrm1OBXOC_xd2ROc-YG41wYlbFNGQDQxXg=w642-h287" width="642" /></a></div><br /><b>Day Six - Belltown Manunui to the Road end</b><p></p><p>Last day, we loaded up and headed off, it was warm and muggy but the end was in sight and was good going and soon we were there. From the road end when you look south across the river you can see where the cyclone snapped the big trees off at half height, just a ferocious force.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuedzFVHdonPIVpL5cBZnoi-e5gBIMCtYYjppz3RbjcrKBCf5rb6djgwuUjWYx55sjsNUEm3UZAR1QoQ9BmivmwUvHssvabZAnLZ144FLxiIKac7iUvEZzvo9AS1i_A9TNXzIrO7qO2nHkbZRjyYlW107jvYsTuDUXnlBpZSMUb3wEdKtTfNP0LB1MIg/s4608/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(11).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuedzFVHdonPIVpL5cBZnoi-e5gBIMCtYYjppz3RbjcrKBCf5rb6djgwuUjWYx55sjsNUEm3UZAR1QoQ9BmivmwUvHssvabZAnLZ144FLxiIKac7iUvEZzvo9AS1i_A9TNXzIrO7qO2nHkbZRjyYlW107jvYsTuDUXnlBpZSMUb3wEdKtTfNP0LB1MIg/w400-h300/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(11).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4tqd-1yOlrg-YxTkZxWI8-6N6SB6xEEp9mvh1R7ER1HmP0MMpAco6LvaGryRU6w0zcCvonOlDR8JAzx9o1R4zxsYeB8fVdzmM4Qkjwb_OUFyyyXr_FdsRHDXPzsCg934BjTXnrrvS_EpclKtjJDb2COrbf2nDzlqzy2sTpuk1rX5xX43NezYriLPnGA/s4608/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(12).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4tqd-1yOlrg-YxTkZxWI8-6N6SB6xEEp9mvh1R7ER1HmP0MMpAco6LvaGryRU6w0zcCvonOlDR8JAzx9o1R4zxsYeB8fVdzmM4Qkjwb_OUFyyyXr_FdsRHDXPzsCg934BjTXnrrvS_EpclKtjJDb2COrbf2nDzlqzy2sTpuk1rX5xX43NezYriLPnGA/w300-h400/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(12).JPG" width="300" /></a></div><p>An hour before the end we bumped into some trail angels who were out for a walk. They arrived back at the road end soon after and offered a lift into Little Wanganui, in typical West Coast style we stopped in at their place, I enjoyed a beer and Helen had a cuppa. We chatted for an hour had a look around, then they dropped us down at the Little Wanganui Hotel, where we were to stay the night and get the shuttle back to Nelson the following day.</p><p>The final 10 km done in 3 hours 18 minutes</p><p>A big thanks to Jimmy and Marnie for house sitting and the wonderful meal which awaited us when we got home! You guys are the best!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAdt5s6w9Yh4Z7oeq_0WChTKeCIymBKBoVeIAOE6XbgsYVZzm6Jq9L-BbsBmsoVdS9meAD7UutUBVlzUFViFLY5Wc4d_kznaFJm7hyyQ2Bc3RUTzrILblcySZ_bXmFWf7gXUN3HEcsphaM5Lyk92D0j8R9PHzK6n5j4nsXPd1hWxexOnbs-anDYJp1KQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="1220" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAdt5s6w9Yh4Z7oeq_0WChTKeCIymBKBoVeIAOE6XbgsYVZzm6Jq9L-BbsBmsoVdS9meAD7UutUBVlzUFViFLY5Wc4d_kznaFJm7hyyQ2Bc3RUTzrILblcySZ_bXmFWf7gXUN3HEcsphaM5Lyk92D0j8R9PHzK6n5j4nsXPd1hWxexOnbs-anDYJp1KQ=w623-h280" width="623" /></a></div><br /><b>The trip overall</b><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoBnShsaOJSmJosa0vZ9_QlIC8VR8p07Ts9H08g96YxEaKkqsiSXchUPI9jUly6-PQkEDXRyXS8AaEKUitvUoqubqn4_4d7oecY903gLDV-A0n-skqgEJ5qx-Li-oUhoQ3lCC0IW0pA7UTKIdsQA73nedJbs1lmur7BBbcvKVISqa_EvhA5esNrZdIvA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1614" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoBnShsaOJSmJosa0vZ9_QlIC8VR8p07Ts9H08g96YxEaKkqsiSXchUPI9jUly6-PQkEDXRyXS8AaEKUitvUoqubqn4_4d7oecY903gLDV-A0n-skqgEJ5qx-Li-oUhoQ3lCC0IW0pA7UTKIdsQA73nedJbs1lmur7BBbcvKVISqa_EvhA5esNrZdIvA=w638-h315" width="638" /></a></div><br /><b>Huts</b><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQeH0_fX_ubrLp_dT2PU_2__IWz2XjrkSct8BBHV_OFDVzrrzCNYDkn1ngmdROUGV8a2HpONkPYZ_Xth3ZIT3Mc4nKn8XasgSkyPQgmLweTJ_xq-UwYKmuItoCMObbd08luy59vOaKOZWNEO2-2-_DVJExW6Dc0pmi8d1FGPQhxnFsqZaG3IUiUJS25Q/s4608/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(5).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQeH0_fX_ubrLp_dT2PU_2__IWz2XjrkSct8BBHV_OFDVzrrzCNYDkn1ngmdROUGV8a2HpONkPYZ_Xth3ZIT3Mc4nKn8XasgSkyPQgmLweTJ_xq-UwYKmuItoCMObbd08luy59vOaKOZWNEO2-2-_DVJExW6Dc0pmi8d1FGPQhxnFsqZaG3IUiUJS25Q/w320-h240/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(5).JPG" title="Belltown Manunui Hut" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga8o0fP73RuGQjSYWQtR8tQ81n9fnB5wio7rYxSrUruW0hEQ5cjVDQdDImDsks7l30sJOhTofTHy0eoaefP6FaYPml9DDtN-VqVqFtVj4pbKTMfQkESKqjM5jOPZCKAurcJjKBpMyEwvuXPHEbocRHdRSnu7W5UrLZluuKU7Pq2YornMtKzsvUYs3-8g/s4000/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(75).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga8o0fP73RuGQjSYWQtR8tQ81n9fnB5wio7rYxSrUruW0hEQ5cjVDQdDImDsks7l30sJOhTofTHy0eoaefP6FaYPml9DDtN-VqVqFtVj4pbKTMfQkESKqjM5jOPZCKAurcJjKBpMyEwvuXPHEbocRHdRSnu7W5UrLZluuKU7Pq2YornMtKzsvUYs3-8g/s320/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(75).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx8f92AqZ7bGKXIcyUh_oeiXr7Ry-3IBARCMLJjMuvgf6UmmdzT13XtsEDCrkxfNVOm24pNXA1MA5LuutYvLfpfkxe5xbd8NQFaPcaJxVn2tFfU_7JHImn4ANSI2OG5oCdJej6XVCKF5J4zTSG2Fc2qw5LYwCXM3ETbh8v5vhlFwez7a1C22UUf4KQhw/s4608/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(48).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx8f92AqZ7bGKXIcyUh_oeiXr7Ry-3IBARCMLJjMuvgf6UmmdzT13XtsEDCrkxfNVOm24pNXA1MA5LuutYvLfpfkxe5xbd8NQFaPcaJxVn2tFfU_7JHImn4ANSI2OG5oCdJej6XVCKF5J4zTSG2Fc2qw5LYwCXM3ETbh8v5vhlFwez7a1C22UUf4KQhw/w320-h240/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(48).JPG" title="Helicopter Flat Hut" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTFYkY0-XCQX8khSVrwXaL0zKB6lSmCBUppzsBc99eQiYtzhpmXw-gv1w4RpiAR805szaqpB3o5rmQyv5k7dU8bSEtRACbgx8uSw2SgycM4iF17oNxlXFC2ku9gvPwnsCyG6sXJvwpUtaFUZRjqeEY5BFcny4giXUukTNXKpqBEZz2M_-aZwSsnpApLw/s4608/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(65).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTFYkY0-XCQX8khSVrwXaL0zKB6lSmCBUppzsBc99eQiYtzhpmXw-gv1w4RpiAR805szaqpB3o5rmQyv5k7dU8bSEtRACbgx8uSw2SgycM4iF17oNxlXFC2ku9gvPwnsCyG6sXJvwpUtaFUZRjqeEY5BFcny4giXUukTNXKpqBEZz2M_-aZwSsnpApLw/w320-h240/Wangapeka%20Xmas%202023%20(65).JPG" title="Stone Hut" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16118678952822575516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016956869819266769.post-301338329888969502023-12-05T20:31:00.000-08:002023-12-05T20:31:18.928-08:00The Crown Jewels of Bike Packing - The Heaphy, Old Ghost Road and the Paparoa Track<p> Bike packing has really taken off in New Zealand over the last 15 years. </p><p>Every bike shop, every manufacturer has specialised bikes, packs, tyres, etc available! What a change and it is great seeing everyone out there enjoying the incredible network of trails we have. Routes have been put together to challenge everyone ... Tour Aotearoa, Cape to Cape, Sounds to Sounds, Te Waiponamu, Renegades Muster, the Great Southern Brevet, the Kiwi Brevet, the Geyser Mega Grind, the Carrot Cake Chase and the list goes on.</p><p>But for back country trials my favourite three are (and they are pretty much on my door step!) The Heaphy, The Old Ghost Road and the Paparoa Track.</p><p>Rugged wilderness ... HUGE views ... peace and quiet ... Stunning flora and fauna</p><p>While each of these rides can be completed in a day (by the fit), I ask why? Life is so busy and these places are an opportunity to slow down and (as they say) smell the flowers. Enjoy being in the moment, where you are, who you are with and soak in the surroundings.</p><p><b>JEWEL No 1 - THE HEAPHY</b></p><p>The Heaphy, ohh so much history here as a ride, it was a paper road through what was North West State Forest Park, but with it becoming Kahurangi National Park and mechanical vehicles were not allowed, access to the paper road was closed. Long negotiations followed after a few years an agreement was formed that it could be ridden during the winter months (1 May to 30 November), a first in a National Park! We owe a big thanks of gratitude to both sides of the negotiation table.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6_0i09ze52r5n-k_5uGIMcm7bGghNUmdRHgWGSp8N0gmC-dXZq_Rd0KRjlz5TZquu8eUUzka-ZEQbduBLjXbnGGirA3MFm1HDdfkf5E_83Qeoo72fAYFUGrGPukQi2rqLwE0YNZqny52Kk1EXDYDQV9sIWdr0Kljl-MMFGT6amTsqueNPuyY_s36UYA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="1899" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6_0i09ze52r5n-k_5uGIMcm7bGghNUmdRHgWGSp8N0gmC-dXZq_Rd0KRjlz5TZquu8eUUzka-ZEQbduBLjXbnGGirA3MFm1HDdfkf5E_83Qeoo72fAYFUGrGPukQi2rqLwE0YNZqny52Kk1EXDYDQV9sIWdr0Kljl-MMFGT6amTsqueNPuyY_s36UYA=w647-h136" width="647" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>At 78 kilometres long, but with a 430 km shuttle from one end of the track to the other it involves some serious logistics.</p><p>We avoid this by doing a there and back option, leaving from the Golden Bay road end, staying at Saxon hut for the night, then the next day doing an out and back ride to the coast, without any gear and on the third day ride back to the car, followed by a cold pint at the Mussel Inn on he way home.</p><p><a href="https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/nelson-tasman/places/kahurangi-national-park/things-to-do/tracks/heaphy-track/" target="_blank">The Heaphy Track</a><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="1760" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggMOcxmGvRrV25QJlItf4IqGyKkYV_Zkp6g85tBfXU_EICpDhDZI10Z3oMGlu7y5AO1TUgW-Aeh3HqwEZykeFoTMWWfwYqIukjzRpmrMwCmLwpZtv3cEvOER6zrF4irC22oSLfqub6fGlpG86Fjz3vkI85lYHtUhck9l6nuqDbPbUXqByq5C_ma8WX8w/s320/Heaphy%20Oct%202021%20(79).JPG" width="181" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGqMrxeQ_HuAbyZkqtH4i62Lm1GGAnWL-Q4s4C0bKH-8v_XD1mDIf3hqWeVC6rUqkE4SnPJ3wVu4g3bpYd9oqth7MmbihP-YGsbHLCEhPvHfurmsW1YZaxQ51JsgOvL44pYRHGOYVeiTAdjnACh8otrO6b3qVjbKLjYdAs8jzmdm3PrzrwlwJG0FFRw/s3120/Heaphy%20Oct%202021%20(90).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1760" data-original-width="3120" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGqMrxeQ_HuAbyZkqtH4i62Lm1GGAnWL-Q4s4C0bKH-8v_XD1mDIf3hqWeVC6rUqkE4SnPJ3wVu4g3bpYd9oqth7MmbihP-YGsbHLCEhPvHfurmsW1YZaxQ51JsgOvL44pYRHGOYVeiTAdjnACh8otrO6b3qVjbKLjYdAs8jzmdm3PrzrwlwJG0FFRw/s320/Heaphy%20Oct%202021%20(90).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><b>JEWEL No2 - The Old Ghost Road</b></p><p>This is a magic ride into some BIG back country, carved through rock and bush which takes in some stunning vistas.</p><p>We start this 85 km ride at Lyell in the Buller river valley and climb to stay at either Lyall Saddle or Ghost Lake, the following day head out to Speciman Point Hut on the Mokihinui River, the last day is a cruisy morning out to the trial end for a shower and beer.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7D_h47AEbrDJvOK2nOXP3RMfRZPtsdbrGOT3Jd86XcRXCtnhfzcBzHUWV8r0UM1WpzsmmV09AqmcIegsQAPzRzjggfKUTn6d1KoVmKllknbPpR0D6D41NfXiX4VgMc8KUMpiNNYSdWdGge2rdhTX_wth1vifCVosP8ZzF7KMRqcVGzDkQIBLPbzmVDQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="261" data-original-width="626" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7D_h47AEbrDJvOK2nOXP3RMfRZPtsdbrGOT3Jd86XcRXCtnhfzcBzHUWV8r0UM1WpzsmmV09AqmcIegsQAPzRzjggfKUTn6d1KoVmKllknbPpR0D6D41NfXiX4VgMc8KUMpiNNYSdWdGge2rdhTX_wth1vifCVosP8ZzF7KMRqcVGzDkQIBLPbzmVDQ=w579-h240" width="579" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>There is no way in hell that i want to ride this in one day, there is so much to take in and I want to just enjoy being out amongst the wilderness, this is a really special place, which we have the privilege's of visiting due to a small group of people tenacity and hard work... THANK YOU!</p><p>There is a great video on building the trail on the website check it out <a href="https://oldghostroad.org.nz/" target="_blank">here</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhftnXaOq0RDoG3d8t_vXn32OC38XsJBAlfHH8en9F3DGK8nBtMAIuhUpdKnUXWaQWwEFhcXoGH1xqXKPIq1vhwjsrMhf6A2pIb1Q9ggIj-QFfHrtl7Za1UYV5VA-8HtYkpEqa-JiKZYA2xeBQVZ3bciI3OQNd_LBQz-T8F3e8ExWBSdSE2uqKSXlL_9Q/s3264/DSCN5849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhftnXaOq0RDoG3d8t_vXn32OC38XsJBAlfHH8en9F3DGK8nBtMAIuhUpdKnUXWaQWwEFhcXoGH1xqXKPIq1vhwjsrMhf6A2pIb1Q9ggIj-QFfHrtl7Za1UYV5VA-8HtYkpEqa-JiKZYA2xeBQVZ3bciI3OQNd_LBQz-T8F3e8ExWBSdSE2uqKSXlL_9Q/s320/DSCN5849.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU8KG9rDyp7UrOYa9ssKB0cVWNI6wV5K37MvuGrK99sA_Ox_stscsYaL9ONJheUqH7bLrrCeLdcXazX2jvM4ICC140zEfY2-OgcG3uIrMq4YJRwsArH8bZi3JTDiSeN-XopMTYSlJrWPpgdyB1BbHdkmbX9-I1-5TJhZmBjLYyCnnNTSbBjASz30qqMQ/s3264/DSCN5855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNHwk9BssPPu-G8cpJOAVFYSKEeKqXaw7czIuJIX2SIrq8_e97xRi0gGOvFhfAjspOBQB5MS-DWqO_EMmCTIKoCxEIUAq8E-SfhAn711oyZHiliC8BVjS-Mnm4xxAxBI39tqPuU4Wt-9ZHoV7rmO4Pb-FnjTFqEiy54YDvnjc17MfJcN-_PMnAg73KmA/s3264/DSCN5966.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNHwk9BssPPu-G8cpJOAVFYSKEeKqXaw7czIuJIX2SIrq8_e97xRi0gGOvFhfAjspOBQB5MS-DWqO_EMmCTIKoCxEIUAq8E-SfhAn711oyZHiliC8BVjS-Mnm4xxAxBI39tqPuU4Wt-9ZHoV7rmO4Pb-FnjTFqEiy54YDvnjc17MfJcN-_PMnAg73KmA/s320/DSCN5966.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><b>JEWEL No 3 - The Paparoa Track</b></p><p>Like the previous two trials, the landscapes are stunning and vary so differently between the three tracks. At 55 kilometres this is the shortest track but dont underestimate the climbing involved on day one ... that can be said for the other two as well!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5mak1sneUzEimk7O_rItcrviBj9DD-hYfb0XqHaGQqJtYlcnXY2zfsbg1Qv2jRCinpZaiMIpS6lerKZOhVqZnLJBSN9CIH7hgm6ZUHElbEUsE1E2ijc3cmZhzV43A6mz5cH9rHAcWt_BXm6IQAWonwqgCwLTyOOYqY8DRWcAY3oRHAp1JkKnPnyzQiQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="1897" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5mak1sneUzEimk7O_rItcrviBj9DD-hYfb0XqHaGQqJtYlcnXY2zfsbg1Qv2jRCinpZaiMIpS6lerKZOhVqZnLJBSN9CIH7hgm6ZUHElbEUsE1E2ijc3cmZhzV43A6mz5cH9rHAcWt_BXm6IQAWonwqgCwLTyOOYqY8DRWcAY3oRHAp1JkKnPnyzQiQ=w616-h129" width="616" /></a></div><br />'The escarpment that you traverse along between the moonlight tops hut and the Pororari hut has to be seen to be believed.<p></p><p>We do this over two days finishing in Punakaiki, for a meal and pint.</p><p><a href="https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/west-coast/places/paparoa-national-park/things-to-do/tracks/paparoa-track/" target="_blank">The Paparoa Track</a><br /></p><p>Shuttles can be arranged for all these trails which makes it easy to do, fill the car with people and split the costs, it makes it reasonable. All the huts are well serviced so you don't have to carry much but you do have to book in advance, check the links to the websites.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqWkAD0B0DXtJ1-YlmkZ66qUVfT0MHnFHDlQP09Nm6t16bs_3xEcU-nIVwnf8qYWnwLum2bWH9YHd3HraJBPRyR3NI3e_KMgCEaB1bCVpocT8dJlJZpFvDeTxjLhoGd2ka8k6ltxehk689mGMLV4Hcfn8yVhPHefyHPiseVv7m3_QNiDQNX-xQmytwoQ/s2048/2022_0605_19145600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqWkAD0B0DXtJ1-YlmkZ66qUVfT0MHnFHDlQP09Nm6t16bs_3xEcU-nIVwnf8qYWnwLum2bWH9YHd3HraJBPRyR3NI3e_KMgCEaB1bCVpocT8dJlJZpFvDeTxjLhoGd2ka8k6ltxehk689mGMLV4Hcfn8yVhPHefyHPiseVv7m3_QNiDQNX-xQmytwoQ/s320/2022_0605_19145600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHiS9rt7PP1dsLgFci4Kp6ft1gRKiKQ16cYzr743uRkkLixJkz_rZwBm3FyusS1sLJy1LVAdg3w_dpDnzHI8dM8J62VsZtRg2AOy83A62bILixNohpcxcpO5pQFV0ESXnvo93QlKxZi60fmK9cCtO2vb9CUk48X4rrWckEqZX6VxKZNRvql-1QYL-OgA/s2048/2022_0605_19150500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGsaNLFbLuNaJZrJSCLknO9IVGFO8US6ZY0yB3SZseUjDll3Z9SOdzOWaz3IfEfwcqZ0Y25LcxAFj1XBVSQ61L6Uyk_iaML2g_GllGxuU4N0y_y-aBcsLKkaaYDYlMJyywvVi-YaZqbfBCpoCo0UZjIckpeRCtHL8QFoeJ029TIOAxr0edYhcyCCiXEg/s2048/2022_0605_19171900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGsaNLFbLuNaJZrJSCLknO9IVGFO8US6ZY0yB3SZseUjDll3Z9SOdzOWaz3IfEfwcqZ0Y25LcxAFj1XBVSQ61L6Uyk_iaML2g_GllGxuU4N0y_y-aBcsLKkaaYDYlMJyywvVi-YaZqbfBCpoCo0UZjIckpeRCtHL8QFoeJ029TIOAxr0edYhcyCCiXEg/s320/2022_0605_19171900.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16118678952822575516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016956869819266769.post-64339380757552545722023-12-05T12:11:00.000-08:002023-12-05T12:11:40.316-08:00Update on the house<p> It has been a while since I have written anything ... anything at all!</p><p>We have now been in the house for nearly 5 years, we have made a few changes to the solar system and gas use.</p><p>The Solar system as you will recall is 3.2kW with batteries and we were off grid (not connected to the main national grid). It was designed around a 3 to 4 day storm cycle and low use. </p><p>2021 was not a great year weather wise and it showed us some of the limits of the system we had installed, particularly around longer storm cycles. We had a few nights where we turned off the fridge freezer and had candle lit dinners.</p><p>I had a gut feeling that power was being wasted somewhere and I could not work that out. So we contacted the designer of the system and supplier of the inverter. I thought we should have more power than we were getting. There was an issue with the inverter which was fixed but we still appeared short.</p><p>Then we got some bad news about the gearbox in the car, so it was time to consider upgrading the car. Part of that particular debate was do we go to an EV or hybrid or stay with an ICE car? Would we have enough power to charge an EV or hybrid? What would we take to charge an EV or Hybrid? </p><p>Both issues of the solar system output and the car clashed, after lots of research and discussion we kicked of the plan ... lets upgrade the inverter, connect to the grid and buy a Hybrid!</p><p>We contacted Colin White at Glenn Roberts Electrical, they upgraded the inverter and connected us to the grid. This means we could feed our surplus power into the main national grid and when we required extra power we could buy that. It also proved the point that we were producing a lot more power than we were using (even after charging our car)!</p><p>By doing this what surplus we make during the spring/summer/autumn period covers the extra we need during the winter months. We end up making a little profit at the end of the year 😀 We did away with the generator which also reduced our costs and footprint</p><p>Going forward we will add some additional panels to the roof.</p><p>The second change we did, was triggered by the gas company putting the rental up of the 45 kg bottles. We use gas for cooking and in winter for boosting the hot water. </p><p>Knowing now we had surplus power to use, we started to boost the hot water through winter with electricity rather than gas. this means we could go away from renting the big 45 kg bottles and use 9 kg bottles. Our gas use went from about 80 kg to 27 kg a year, not only saving money but reducing our emissions too from approx., 270 kg/pa to 87 kg/pa, a solid reduction! The dollar savings were good too approx., $200 pa.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhq2vZe2BUJi9FedxIYmk3BvAUh-iRM62duDRH_cSwFaViPGlap4mGvfz-axQoizod7j9Z7yA00HUkFBI_xOjJxbaoX8GEwePdILWWe_RxnOF-6hgkMqgExQznN2EMeVIfbFg0-DEmChIeeAtX6jvxsjmkCWtc9zpQEzTkRH2uF_-ujGfhEMz0Omh1IGA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="120" data-original-width="676" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhq2vZe2BUJi9FedxIYmk3BvAUh-iRM62duDRH_cSwFaViPGlap4mGvfz-axQoizod7j9Z7yA00HUkFBI_xOjJxbaoX8GEwePdILWWe_RxnOF-6hgkMqgExQznN2EMeVIfbFg0-DEmChIeeAtX6jvxsjmkCWtc9zpQEzTkRH2uF_-ujGfhEMz0Omh1IGA=w654-h116" width="654" /></a></div><i>This shows the running costs (for the last two years) and the carbon emissions from running the house since the 1st April 2019, heating is with a log burner and we go through 4 m3 of wood each winter.</i><p></p><p><i>We are working on our water usage and will write something about that as it becomes an issue going forward.<br /></i><br /></p><p>The third change was to choose a vehicle, what a headache this was, so much information out there to sift through. In the end it comes down to what use does your vehicle do? Long trips versus short trips? do you tow? do you need a 4WD? What sort of charging network is available nearby or where you intend to travel?</p><p>Fortunately, I had a pretty good idea of the distance we travel each year (15 to 16000 km), that we tend to do two large road trips (2500 km ea) a few trips to Christchurch (900 km return) each year, the odd trip to Nelson Lakes or across to Golden Bay, the rest of our trips were local maybe 15 km each. </p><p>The second aspect was there were not a great charging network around the South Island at the time of purchasing (it is getting better).</p><p>With all this in mind we purchased a plug in hybrid (PHEV), we can plug it in at home (just a standard socket), the power is free 😁 it either charges from the house batteries or from the solar panels! We are getting approx., 50 kms from the single charge which is about two to three trips into town and back, the longest we went without putting fuel in it was about 11 weeks (prior to buying it we were spending about $100 a week on fuel). I estimate that 60 to 70% of our motoring is local. On the open road it is also surprisingly economical, averaging on petrol only 19.7 km/l (5.1 litres per 100km).</p><p>This has all helped with reducing our travel emissions, we try not to fly rather take an extra day to travel.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMwbm8X3G_7jYpzMtsNPuRNv90wJes0OiH5tuZFN_N6CYKZfLw5PQr7b0V6Nt6IC7RvahJ13_D1eiBCDr2rABdX9CyVJB8y-sYihO2fksp7tx3MgaGxnh5Ydyxl2jzl9Cqjq1tE06liGwMdrEBxxogmmlVrSWgS1Om2OF4cXz7upT9m2P0tApbhOT03A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="102" data-original-width="674" height="91" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMwbm8X3G_7jYpzMtsNPuRNv90wJes0OiH5tuZFN_N6CYKZfLw5PQr7b0V6Nt6IC7RvahJ13_D1eiBCDr2rABdX9CyVJB8y-sYihO2fksp7tx3MgaGxnh5Ydyxl2jzl9Cqjq1tE06liGwMdrEBxxogmmlVrSWgS1Om2OF4cXz7upT9m2P0tApbhOT03A=w607-h91" width="607" /></a></div><br /><i>this shows our reduction in carbon emissions since 1 April 2017, certainly not flying and not being self employed helps!</i><p></p><p>Like anything you learn new things and refine as we go along, while there is very little I would change on the house design, if we were to build again I would forget the gas altogether and put in as much solar PV as I could afford, I would still keep the solar evacuated tube system for the hot water, these are so efficient and we are getting over 300 days of hot water without having to boost it.</p><p>Overall our carbon footprint has come down since 2017, quite quickly initially and now it is refining tasks/actions to get minor gains.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTqIF4NESzSx8yaELz13fikRTxcdgYr9d6guGY6oBxFvk3nz1cg7HwRCzrvesxY7itAjRMUwfcqSB53asvt7CSTxA6rTaxEmHSVyeWVVFscTVVg8k0ivxzAtoHWBRUW6xUDOnMvZmnLsTnUu1elE0JcJqrz60IFdApswUdUY09KaJK0WjtNtyMyxA6Zg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="185" data-original-width="906" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTqIF4NESzSx8yaELz13fikRTxcdgYr9d6guGY6oBxFvk3nz1cg7HwRCzrvesxY7itAjRMUwfcqSB53asvt7CSTxA6rTaxEmHSVyeWVVFscTVVg8k0ivxzAtoHWBRUW6xUDOnMvZmnLsTnUu1elE0JcJqrz60IFdApswUdUY09KaJK0WjtNtyMyxA6Zg=w604-h123" width="604" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p>Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16118678952822575516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016956869819266769.post-15151869752944382732020-03-28T20:57:00.002-07:002020-03-28T20:57:58.113-07:00Summers finished and so has the tramping ... Lockdown has put an end to that!This summer saw us get out for a few trips, there is never enough time to do everything!<br />
But I am grateful for the trips I did get in and the people I shared them with, Helen, Karen and Dean.<br />
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Our first foray into the hills was an old favourite in Nelson Lakes National Park, the Bushline Hut, this has one of the best sunrises and is so worth getting up for.<br />
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Just over an hour and a halves drive and roughly two hours walk from the road end, this beaut little hut resides nuggled into a piece of native busk looking down on Lake Rotoroa and St Arnaud village.<br />
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Our next trip was in Kahurangi National Park to Mt Owen, I don't know how many times I have driven by and looked at the Mt Owen massif yet never been up to it.<br />
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Again with the company of Helen, Karen and Dean we drove to Tapawera and into the Wangapeka carpark to spend the day climbing through the bush and out onto the tops to Granity Pass Hut, to spend the night and return the same way.<br />
The rock formations are stunning and it is well worth the effort to get to, certainly I will be going back.<br />
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Our third trip before the Lockdown was five days into Kahurangi National Park again to the Thousand Acre Plateau, this is an absolutely stunning place to visit, we were fortunate to have fine weather for the length of our stay with minimal contact with others it certainly felt like a wilderness trip.<br />
With three nights in huts and another in the tent Helen and I took our time to explore and relax.<br />
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Until next summer post lockdown!Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16118678952822575516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016956869819266769.post-34864479595112111272020-03-28T19:44:00.004-07:002020-03-28T19:44:40.606-07:00Living off the Grid<div class="MsoNormal">
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It has now been twelve months since we moved into our house
and began living off the grid.<o:p></o:p></div>
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For us interesting has been a year of learning …<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>But first what is OFF THE GRID?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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For us it means we are not connected to the National
electrical power supply network, so we don’t draw our power from the Dams, Gas,
Geothermal or Coal fired power stations. In effect we are our own power
station. (just about).<o:p></o:p></div>
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We are still connected to the Town water supply, storm water
and sewer system.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Why?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Mainly to reduce of carbon emissions footprint and have some
control on the power prices. Ever noticed how power prices keep going up?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>What makes up our system?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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We have 12 photovoltaic panels on our roof (each 270 W,
totals 3.24 kW), these convert sunlight to electricity in our case on average
they will produce between 5 and 7 Kilowatt hours (kwh) per day.<o:p></o:p></div>
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These face directly North, and are set at a tilt angle of 51°
to maximise the sun during winter hours when the day is shorter. see picture below from the <a href="https://solarview.niwa.co.nz/dosignin">NIWA Solarview</a> website<o:p></o:p></div>
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These are feed into an inverter which does two things, if we
are drawing power within the house at the time it converts the electricity from
DC to AC and sends it to the house. Any surplus stays as DC and goes into the
battery bank to use at a later time. Then it goes back through the inverter and
converts it to AC. Simple!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The battery bank is made up of 24 batteries (600 amp hours (Ahr))
which gives 3 to 4 days of power storage. If we have to weather of storm longer
than that we have 6 kilovolt (kV) petrol generator, that we can charge the batteries
up with, this I have been told would take approximately one hour.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-09nuO35t-go/XoADqbZlazI/AAAAAAAABR4/MPkV4kLEYPIRZXZY1eC1KN_VNI_aJf52QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2019-02-19%2B14.40.54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-09nuO35t-go/XoADqbZlazI/AAAAAAAABR4/MPkV4kLEYPIRZXZY1eC1KN_VNI_aJf52QCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/2019-02-19%2B14.40.54.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Battery bank in the garage with the Inverter next to it (redbox)</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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Our hot water cylinder (250 litres) is heated by 20 solar
evacuated tubes, these very good at heating the hot water at around 90 to 95%
efficient. Whereas a PV panel is only between 20 to 25% efficient at converting
sun to power. The cylinder can be boosted with gas. It has also been wired for
electrical supply, if we ever expand our number of PV panels.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--f05JDh-vbw/XoAIR39WLdI/AAAAAAAABSg/Gwk-iOruXboKbbhN6H7AvlvHnfIXMzvjgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20200329_152013%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--f05JDh-vbw/XoAIR39WLdI/AAAAAAAABSg/Gwk-iOruXboKbbhN6H7AvlvHnfIXMzvjgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/20200329_152013%255B1%255D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Evacuated solar tubes at rear and the PV panels at the front</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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Nearly everything in the house is electrical, with the
exception of the following we have (as mentioned) gas boost to the hot water
and a gas hob and oven.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The house looks like any other on the street inside or
outside.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Did it work? How has it gone? <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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In the short answer yes and well.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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In some detail …<o:p></o:p></div>
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Hot water was boosted on 51 days, that means 314 days of fee
hot water.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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From the 6<sup>th</sup> of May when I started to record
power use to yesterday (27<sup>th</sup> March) we have used 1450.24 kWh or 4.44
per day. This is within the plan production of power from our system.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Generator use has been limited to giving it a service run
every three months to make sure it starts and its battery sis still charged. On
two occasion, as we have used when using larger machinery, once was a concrete
mixer and the second while using a large sander and vaccum at the same time.
This demonstrates how small our system is.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Our smallest power use day has been 1.7 kWh, this was while
we were on holiday and did not have anyone staying in the house so was
basically just running the fridge/freezer and inverter, and our largest has
been 7.42 kWh.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4ZihBBnfxlk/XoAIhPYP3QI/AAAAAAAABSk/7P66KCLZF_gkTagDOYaPl3llDdW28bTXwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20200329_151919%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4ZihBBnfxlk/XoAIhPYP3QI/AAAAAAAABSk/7P66KCLZF_gkTagDOYaPl3llDdW28bTXwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/20200329_151919%255B1%255D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Nine of the twelve PV panels visible, there is another row of three sitting behind the row of six</i></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>What did we have to change to make this work?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
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This was the interesting part, it was a matter of changing
habits more than anything</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Turning lights off as you leave a room</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Turning appliances off at the wall when you have
finished using them</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Not using the dishwasher and washing machine at
the same time. </li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->In summer we can use the washing machine and
dishwasher on the same day but needs to be alternative days in winter</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Using the dishwasher and or washing machine mid-morning
in winter as that time for the power storage to be built back up in the
afternoon.</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Sometimes having to leave the dishes or washing
to be done on the next sunny day (generally a storm cycle in Nelson is about
three days).</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->We use a slow cooker on sunny days when we want
a casserole or roast</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Up until December we did not have a toaster or
electrical kettle, since buying them power consumption has gone up between 0.75
and 1 kwh a day. We may be able to use them for 8 to 9 months of the year,
reverting to using gas for these tasks.</li>
</ul>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>How did it effect our emissions footprint?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Comparing the 12 months previous it looks like this<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 150.25pt;" valign="top" width="200">
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<br /></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 150.25pt;" valign="top" width="200">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>2018-2019<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 150.3pt;" valign="top" width="200">
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<b>2019-2020<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Power<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 150.25pt;" valign="top" width="200">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
185.1<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
0<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Gas<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 150.25pt;" valign="top" width="200">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
57.9<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 150.3pt;" valign="top" width="200">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
206.5<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
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<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 150.25pt;" valign="top" width="200">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Petrol Genie<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 150.25pt;" valign="top" width="200">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
0<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 150.3pt;" valign="top" width="200">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
12.5<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
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<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 150.25pt;" valign="top" width="200">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Total kgCO2e<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 150.25pt;" valign="top" width="200">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>243<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 150.3pt;" valign="top" width="200">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>219<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
A 10% reduction, the key to further reductions will be using
less gas … there is always something to work on and this is a start.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>How much did it cost to run the house for the last twelve months?</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Gas $138.00</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Petrol $ 10.00</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now if we can just get that gas volume down!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16118678952822575516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016956869819266769.post-26602759655987258382020-03-08T21:38:00.000-07:002020-03-08T21:38:29.279-07:00The House which Helen and Brett Built<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">For years
Helen and I had discussed small houses, tiny houses, sustainable houses, eco
houses, etc. Finally after giving up on searching for a house a. we could
afford, b. one which fitted our requirements or had potential to fit our
requirements. A piece of land came up which had some potential.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The block
of land was a back section with the building platform cut in and retaining wall
in place, it faced east and north, it was close enough to Helen’s work, could
not be built out, it had potential if we were smart with our design.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">It did not
take long to decide to buy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">That was
January 2017. Now it was time to work out what fitted and what we required …<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">After
twenty years on the tools as a builder, I had built on hillsides, seen a lot of
ideas, some that worked and some that hadn’t, seen the amount of waste that
occurs during the building process and seen how houses had just got bigger and
bigger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g9joremhXG8/XmW_J621PkI/AAAAAAAABOU/8sH5Gi4S3lMiJ-XFdAnALYIF_hMCZ0kLwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2018-11-03%2B10.31.56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g9joremhXG8/XmW_J621PkI/AAAAAAAABOU/8sH5Gi4S3lMiJ-XFdAnALYIF_hMCZ0kLwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/2018-11-03%2B10.31.56.jpg" width="320" /></a><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Design Concepts<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Our design
concept was easy to narrow down … the first three points were non negotiable …<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->It had to be off the grid powered</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->It had to be warm</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->It had to minimise waste</li>
</ul>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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The next few points had some flexibility to them ...<o:p></o:p></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Two bedrooms</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->One bathroom</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Large garage</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Easily maintained</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Easy accessed for worn out and abused bodies after
too much adventuring</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->It had to be small but not tiny</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Good storage</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->No wasted space</li>
</ul>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
The concepts of size and volume combined with how they feel
in terms of spaciousness is often hard to pick up from drawings, so we spent
time measuring rooms and discussing how they felt.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Finally, we came up with a sketch plan that we thought would
work, then it was a matter of what materials to use ... we researched
Structurally Insulated Panels (SIP’s), the marketing is all about extra
insulation and speed of building, while I had seen one in-person and liked the
concept, there seems to be a few minuses.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are two types ... one is filled with polystyrene, the
second is filled with polyurathane (PUR) foam. Talking with a builder who had
used the polystyrene ones, commented that the site ends up covered with
polystyrene beads. Also at the time I was researching these ... they were all
imported from either North America or China ... that's a lot of travel miles for
a product. I found a company in Central Otago who was making their own PUR
panels, but the more we looked into using SIP’s the more expensive it became,
due to them requiring to be a Specified Engineer Design (SED), as they fell
outside NZS3604. While they came with plywood or strandboard on either side,
you still needed to line both sides, often requiring to create some sort of
cavity on the internal side to run the electrics and plumbing in. These were
costs which we could not afford so it was back to the drawing board. In the end we choose traditional stick
framing. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our Architectural Designer, Jade, bless her paitence,
reworked her drawings for us.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VMLQfKqfD7M/XmW_Oqb6pAI/AAAAAAAABO4/6NYwNheaTZA2c9-eJ0hS0tcdXp7TZ_ofgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2019-02-14%2B14.25.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VMLQfKqfD7M/XmW_Oqb6pAI/AAAAAAAABO4/6NYwNheaTZA2c9-eJ0hS0tcdXp7TZ_ofgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/2019-02-14%2B14.25.26.jpg" width="320" /></a>While this was all going on, I worked out what power we had
used during the last three years, and chased up people to quote for a solar
system design and build. As this was a non negotiable, the figure was taken out
of our total build price and what the balance was left was what we had to build
the house with.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Solar
Power and Hot Water<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The solar power system is required to supply 5 to 7 kWh per
day, it has a 600Ah battery bank which gives about 3 to 4 days power storage,
this is in turn backed up with a 6kW petrol generator.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The seperate Solar Hot Water system, is a 250 litre hot
water cylinder fed by a 20 solar tube roof mounted system. This is backed up
with an instant gas hot water heater.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The hot water cylinder does have the ability to be heated
electrically and the house has been pre-wired for this.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><b>What do we have in the house which requires power or
heating?</b></i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Electrically, most modern appliances with the exception of a
microwave, toaster and kettle. The oven and hobbs are gas. The house is heated
with a Masport Cromwell Ultra Low Emission Burner (ULEB) log burner, no wet
back. All the lights are LED.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Since January we have added a toaster and, kettle back into
the equation and this has bumped our daily power usage up so ever slightly.
This will help reduce the amount of gas we would use, while it may only be for
eight months of the year it is still a reduction.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<b><i>Has it taken much to adjust to solar power and a limited
supply?</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8s22CkZs-60/XmW_Pr-H_AI/AAAAAAAABO8/Tr_fyZfUBBIEH4v7WhfSUaIahsam1n5GACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2019-02-19%2B14.40.54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8s22CkZs-60/XmW_Pr-H_AI/AAAAAAAABO8/Tr_fyZfUBBIEH4v7WhfSUaIahsam1n5GACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/2019-02-19%2B14.40.54.jpg" width="320" /></a>Not really, it was just a matter of changing some lazy
habits ... turning lights off when you leave a room, turning appliances off
when you have finished using them.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Plan to use the dish washer and or washing machine on sunny
days and during the day, when power is being created, learn to use the slow
cooker for meals and baking on sunny days ... the gas oven on grey days. We try
to minimise the gas used.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i>How has that worked over winter (June/July/August)?</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
During our first winter the power use has average 4.5 kWh
per day, no use of the generator. The hotwater 41 days on gas and 50 days on
solar, with 91 days of log burner use.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Over the last 11 months we average 4.99 kWh power useage per
day.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Back
to the design ... Waste Minimisation<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
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Waste minimisation ... house builds in New Zealand create
large amounts of waste, somewhere between 12 and 18 m3 on an average sized
home.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is partly because most designs are unique, lots of
corners, multi faceted pitched roofs, complex shapes. Not only does waste cost
money, it also costs extra in time, resulting in a higher price per square
metre.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9rHYbUOPnMo/XmW_OOCf5oI/AAAAAAAABOw/hL6sF7-T6qMfjk402MrWwQdYayduhUAFQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2019-01-15%2B12.09.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9rHYbUOPnMo/XmW_OOCf5oI/AAAAAAAABOw/hL6sF7-T6qMfjk402MrWwQdYayduhUAFQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/2019-01-15%2B12.09.20.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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While our design is not just a box, it is still simple,
trying to minimise the number of corners, the roof is single pitch, our
kitchen, bathroom and laundry all back onto each other minimising the length
the pipe work has to run and the volume of hot water wasted.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Discussion were had with each Trade about minimising their
waste, asking them to take time to think about what they were doing and how
that would effect the “philosphy” of the build, all were considerate.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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In the end we sorted out the likes of cardboard, plastic and
polystyrene to be recycled, leaving 7.25 m3 of mixed waste to go to the rubbish
station. Could we do better ... definitely! It would only take some minor
tweaks to get that down more.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> How warm is the house?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
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The concrete slab is a Firth Rib Raft with insulated edges
R2.3 (minimum required R1.3). To prevent
heat leakage, the walls are 145mm thick and have R4 (minimum required R2) insulation,
and the ceiling has R5 (minimum required R3.3) insulation.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gr0fc-o7740/XmW_J216jpI/AAAAAAAABOY/pFSauB2JzGEHqE892unc2GR64KGZ7Jg0ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2018-11-08%2B16.22.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gr0fc-o7740/XmW_J216jpI/AAAAAAAABOY/pFSauB2JzGEHqE892unc2GR64KGZ7Jg0ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/2018-11-08%2B16.22.21.jpg" width="180" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TzCOY6i-Gx4/XmW_J-aTxBI/AAAAAAAABOc/Kg7onyOJ2A4o0c0Dx6UlAerBVQ5IRUdFACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2018-11-08%2B16.20.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TzCOY6i-Gx4/XmW_J-aTxBI/AAAAAAAABOc/Kg7onyOJ2A4o0c0Dx6UlAerBVQ5IRUdFACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/2018-11-08%2B16.20.45.jpg" width="320" /></a>The windows are double glazed R0.26. These are not thermally broken, the reason
being it was going to cost an additional $4000 to lift the window R-value from
R 0.26 to R0.3?. That gain was so
minimal, it was better to make the external framing 145 mm deep rather than 90
mm and up grade the insulation from R2.6 to R4.0 for the same price.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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The logburner easily heats the whole house to 22 degrees and
without curtains over winter it has dropped to 16 degrees in the morning. Which
we find is comfortable.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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During low winter sun, the early morning sun reaches in and
to the back wall of the kitchen warming the house up very quickly!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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So we achieved our three non-negotiables with surprising ease
and we love that fact.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What
other features have we included?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
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The house is 100m2 and the garage is 38m2. The average size home in 1900 was 131 m2 in 2010 it was 205 m2, oh and families have got smaller!</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CKOjcukgXGw/XmW_L2_-94I/AAAAAAAABOo/4tNI5jnAB_UeCM1IJEbE_Pefv4WhNnXygCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2018-12-12%2B14.32.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CKOjcukgXGw/XmW_L2_-94I/AAAAAAAABOo/4tNI5jnAB_UeCM1IJEbE_Pefv4WhNnXygCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/2018-12-12%2B14.32.21.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0EhvyAEWJ9U/XmW_L0fM5oI/AAAAAAAABOk/sCPlsxC56AAD65x0Md_JrOFwuvaYnLCEQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2018-12-05%2B17.06.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0EhvyAEWJ9U/XmW_L0fM5oI/AAAAAAAABOk/sCPlsxC56AAD65x0Md_JrOFwuvaYnLCEQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/2018-12-05%2B17.06.55.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is two bedroom, one bathroom, all the
doorways are 910 mm wide allowing easy access for a wheelchair, there are ramps
to the front door and off the deck or through the internal access garage, only
the back door currently has steps.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With having single pitched roofs, four degrees over the
house and ten degrees over the garage, we maintained the same with the ceilings
internally, this gives us a nice spacious feeling to what would be consider
smallish rooms, it has also allowed us on the eastern and northern aspects to
have windows and doors 2.3 metres high, adding to that spacious feeling.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gV8y0uLeal4/XmW_Q3L5_eI/AAAAAAAABPE/O-yP0iWTSgkEhrYZctAsJKWPxpDF-5P3wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2019-03-22%2B13.10.41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gV8y0uLeal4/XmW_Q3L5_eI/AAAAAAAABPE/O-yP0iWTSgkEhrYZctAsJKWPxpDF-5P3wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/2019-03-22%2B13.10.41.jpg" width="320" /></a>We have created some natural air conditioning, the back of
the house (office and bathroom) are in the shade for most of the day which mean
the air is cooler there, the windows in theses rooms open mid way up the wall,
while at the front of the house the windows open at the top, with having a
sloping ceiling the hot air rises to the front of the house and exits, this
pulls cooler air in from the rear of the house. Sounded good in theory and
actually works.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cslcCpqvTsI/XmW_SdlISPI/AAAAAAAABPM/16SpDXT1Vv4hXpEKUfgzio6zFaRv5Kb8gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2019-04-02%2B08.16.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cslcCpqvTsI/XmW_SdlISPI/AAAAAAAABPM/16SpDXT1Vv4hXpEKUfgzio6zFaRv5Kb8gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/2019-04-02%2B08.16.25.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We also have ceiling fans which are DC motors, they only
draw 40 watts to operate, these help circulate the air in winter and summer. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the garage that has allowed us to have a 1.1 metre wide,
shelf six metres long above head height for storage, and a retractable dry
rack.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Trying to not have wasted floor area in a house is not easy.
Hallways are often one area that only
have one use ... we tried to make sure we could make use of every area, our
hall is only 1.8 m long.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Maintenance<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The house is easily and cheaply maintained, the roof and
west and south elevations are colourcoated long run corrugated iron, these only
need to be washed down regularly. The east and north elevation are macrocarpa
weatherboard, which are easily and safely accessed from a small mobile scaffold
for restaining. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The soffits are painted and also easily accessed by a small
mobile scaffold.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Around the back where the stormwater and sewer pipes are
laid, we have put a floating deck, this can be lifted in sections for access to
the pipes, rather than a concrete path, which is more intensive to remove and
replace if there is an issue with the pipes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Materials<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-djgxXCwG8Uo/XmW_Qt5HwUI/AAAAAAAABPA/boy_bxK5JlIOxRhLCX4IJXJaZ-60MnfBQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2019-02-20%2B16.48.31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-djgxXCwG8Uo/XmW_Qt5HwUI/AAAAAAAABPA/boy_bxK5JlIOxRhLCX4IJXJaZ-60MnfBQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/2019-02-20%2B16.48.31.jpg" width="180" /></a>The choice of products is not easy and like the design is
always full of compromises. We tried to use local products firstly from Tasman
... like the Macrocarpa weatherboards, and Tasmanian Oak decking, which was
grown and milled here, to New Zealand grown and manufactured products, to
products that were fully or partially recycled in their content. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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We use the Macrocarpa with a band sawn face, on the weatherboards
and also for the skirting and architraves, this has a reel texture about it and
helps create the feel in the house.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The weatherboards are not perfect and have lots of
character, this contrasts with most modern materials which I find just a bit
too perfect.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our kitchen bench top is plywood, initially it was only to
be temporary, but it has grown on us …<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Internally, the walls are painted, all finishes were low VOC
and waterbased.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The carpet is New Zealand wool and we have some ceramic
tiling in front of some doors, the tiles help to create a heat sink to store
heat which releases as the temperature drops.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our entrances, kitchen and bathroom floor we have a used a
floating solid bamboo product. Bamboo grows at one inch a day more like a weed
but is hard wearing and sustainable.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
house build <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FWe7MBuHwng/XmW_RfeG1lI/AAAAAAAABPI/oY8MC6Vo_WY0CHPjnr8ddeVsDw2Yc5frQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2019-04-02%2B08.16.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FWe7MBuHwng/XmW_RfeG1lI/AAAAAAAABPI/oY8MC6Vo_WY0CHPjnr8ddeVsDw2Yc5frQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/2019-04-02%2B08.16.11.jpg" width="320" /></a><b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
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This went relatively smoothly without any major hick ups and
the only real delay was with the windows due to the company over committing
their production resources, the costs of this does add up, as we left the site
for a fortnight ... extra rent for two weeks, extra mortgage repayments, extra
hire time on the scaffolding, extra project management time in rescheduling
other suppliers and trades. The smaller the build the bigger the impact
percentage wise.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Subtrades on the whole were good, they stuck to their quotes
and time frames, advised us of any variations. </div>
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The exception being the
Electrician who in the end lacked business and communication skills and
understanding of Building Laws.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A83JJQuPEXM/XmW_MpAGwUI/AAAAAAAABOs/5PLZxesy4YwcvhYegxxt7gHsbO1wsMmFwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2018-12-20%2B08.56.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A83JJQuPEXM/XmW_MpAGwUI/AAAAAAAABOs/5PLZxesy4YwcvhYegxxt7gHsbO1wsMmFwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/2018-12-20%2B08.56.20.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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<b>Thanks to<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Jade Architecture - Design<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Chris Barnett Construction – Ribraft floor<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Warren Burgess – Carpenter and good bugger<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Allen Plumbing – Plumbing, Gas Fitting and Drain laying<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Solar Peak – Solar Hot Water<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Go Scaffold</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
MBE Electrical – Solar Power System<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mitre 10<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Contour – Roof and Wall cladding, windows and garage door<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Totally Timber – Macrocarpa and Tasmanian Oak<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
ET Engineering – Structural Steel Posts<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Duke and Cooke – Valuers<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tasman Consulting Engineers<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
TSB - banking<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>Also to<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Rick and Trudi for feeding us at least once a week, Luke for
his technical support, Jacqui G for her cakes and all our friends and families
for supporting us.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The house has exceeded our expectations, it was great to
take four months off to build this home and to put a number of different
concepts to the test. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Finally to my best friend and fellow adventure buddy, Helen,
for getting on the tools learning new skills, trusting me with so much, putting
up with me being so tired and grumpy, working full time at the hospital then
spending her days off working on the house. THANK YOU for your love and support.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Oh yeah ... it came in about $5k (2%) over budget, but we do
have a couple of items that were not in the orignal budget ... a small garden
shed and wood shed and approximately 47 m2 of hardwood decking. With the final
build cost being just over $1800 per square metre.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Helen’s
report on Brett and Helen’s home. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wJ52-RlrE2A/XmW_U2AthcI/AAAAAAAABPY/GxFESEXbsD4gWFEKDpblKJTrA-tKBjUtwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/DSCF1695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wJ52-RlrE2A/XmW_U2AthcI/AAAAAAAABPY/GxFESEXbsD4gWFEKDpblKJTrA-tKBjUtwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/DSCF1695.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I’ve spent years Nursing patients in differing environments,
people of all shapes and sizes, from all sorts of backgrounds. And overtime I’ve become acutely aware of the
environment in which we live impacts on us all.
If we can look after our physical environment, we can be healthier
individuals – loosely put as we know there are so many variables to the state
of our health in the end.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zL_uQ9aZTeg/XmW_OuchJZI/AAAAAAAABO0/fxg3Hqmp0Mga1VGXUfDC1MZS6pRu7ANcQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2019-01-15%2B16.29.33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zL_uQ9aZTeg/XmW_OuchJZI/AAAAAAAABO0/fxg3Hqmp0Mga1VGXUfDC1MZS6pRu7ANcQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/2019-01-15%2B16.29.33.jpg" width="320" /></a>So my focus of late has been to try to look after our
physical environment better, and this is a focus I was keen to have for our
home. We had been looking to purchase
our own home for a while. The radius was
large, out to Tasman and Wakefield, and to Cable Bay. Old and new homes, and building sites. There was alot chewed on, we did put an offer
on a piece of land out at Wakefield, but I realised being able to push bike to
work was important to me, and when we realised the sellers still had developers
fees to pay which were being passed on, it was an easy out. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fihFMRPZFN0/XmXG_4FdbXI/AAAAAAAABQY/XQkfwJXnfkM8ywGWYp1em8jY0XzWYh4TACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20181220_142152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fihFMRPZFN0/XmXG_4FdbXI/AAAAAAAABQY/XQkfwJXnfkM8ywGWYp1em8jY0XzWYh4TACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20181220_142152.jpg" width="180" /></a>We came to a point where we stopped looking, stopped
visiting open homes. Then one day an
email came through on homes and pieces of land for sale, and there was a piece
of land that just seemed to get the taste buds going. And the rest is history – it was an easy
decision, with the building platform already cut with a retaining wall in place,
and did I mention the view, oh its terrible, not!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A back section we soon purchased, and the nights awake
began, mulling over the build concept. A
small home is all I wanted, I couldn’t see the need for a large home, at the
end of the day its the mortgage we’re working for, the maintenance and the
power to heat. I wanted as small a
mortgage as possible, extra insulation to keep us warm when we’re older. I also was keen for an off the grid home,
powered by the free resource of the sun, and in keeping with taking care of our
environment, I was keen on low amount of waste made during the build. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With plenty of visits to the site, and time spent literally
inside our design, we eventually came up with a plan to present to our Design
Architect. I can’t quite remember the
rest of the process, somehow we came up with a design which got approval from
Council, and on Brett’s birthday, end of October, the first pieces of earth
were moved as the build finally got underway.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zuRYL6TF-Rk/XmXHASeW3ZI/AAAAAAAABQg/EMgbPRxA_04GBlPZ7B9G2Bw-n0kzoxCqgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2019-10-17%2B08.06.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zuRYL6TF-Rk/XmXHASeW3ZI/AAAAAAAABQg/EMgbPRxA_04GBlPZ7B9G2Bw-n0kzoxCqgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/2019-10-17%2B08.06.27.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While Nelson experienced a drought over summer, we hammered
away, feeling slightly better about not getting any mountain biking done over
summer, the tracks were closed anyway. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mj5RP1BLNQM/XmXHBYtw8iI/AAAAAAAABQk/ot6jm3p13RIP3EoBz5UqZRfPdIGQzXICQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20190602_160542%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mj5RP1BLNQM/XmXHBYtw8iI/AAAAAAAABQk/ot6jm3p13RIP3EoBz5UqZRfPdIGQzXICQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20190602_160542%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" width="180" /></a>I had never been exposed to building a house before. In hindsight maybe some months of gym
workouts to prepared myself to use a nail gun would have been, ah,
beneficial! And also to have researched
the process of steps a house undergoes to take shape. Not having been in the position of learning
like that for a long time was pretty bloody hard, especially with the rate that
Brett works. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Poor buggar, all those
questions! <o:p></o:p></div>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YYyMQNGnRo4/XmXHCPAxBKI/AAAAAAAABQs/ZTMGATcnT_kMlJqcr3ITSJPKAqoIQQCBwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20190607_195839.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YYyMQNGnRo4/XmXHCPAxBKI/AAAAAAAABQs/ZTMGATcnT_kMlJqcr3ITSJPKAqoIQQCBwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20190607_195839.jpg" width="180" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OUxE-i7D3pc/XmXHCmQUNEI/AAAAAAAABQw/HiDcsBEcTM8LrwSS-k4LM8QBIyAfjIfHQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20190621_144428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OUxE-i7D3pc/XmXHCmQUNEI/AAAAAAAABQw/HiDcsBEcTM8LrwSS-k4LM8QBIyAfjIfHQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20190621_144428.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After 5 months of slog we finally moved into our home. It was fully enclosed, but still needed alot
of work done. Now 5 months on there is
all but a handful of small jobs needed completing. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was really pleased with the small amount of waste produced
from our build. But have some
reservations about using natural gas for our oven, and back up for hot
water. Being pretty conscious about the
impacts we have on our environment, and burning gas I struggle with, this was
for me an oversight in the planning of the build. Without trying to justify, by living we are
compromising our earth, I’ll just keep peddling to work. How would I do it differently to natural gas
if there was a next time – I’m really not sure, maybe more solar panels to
create more electricity, but then there is an end life to everything including
solar panels.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mvxtsIL8Jas/XmXF2fDsfXI/AAAAAAAABQM/UWHNkhsspBMCE0MSuTeTA7Xhe3b1nW1PgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2019-09-21%2B07.54.09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mvxtsIL8Jas/XmXF2fDsfXI/AAAAAAAABQM/UWHNkhsspBMCE0MSuTeTA7Xhe3b1nW1PgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/2019-09-21%2B07.54.09.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
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The position of our land has a north and eastern view, out
to Boulder Bank, north of Nelson, and east to Fringed hill and the mountain
bike tracks calling our names. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0iGg83bI9dM/XmXG_0MXYBI/AAAAAAAABQc/Az5kEUpEfCQQA6Bpcx2OYIwWS8Hc14pjQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20190523_141721%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0iGg83bI9dM/XmXG_0MXYBI/AAAAAAAABQc/Az5kEUpEfCQQA6Bpcx2OYIwWS8Hc14pjQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20190523_141721%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" width="320" /></a>Immediately below us is a regenerating gully, and the bird life coming
from it is special. We watch birds
entwined in their intimate mating dance, those out hunting, and those catching
insects on the wing. I’ve been busy
planting native plants kindly donated from friends, which will one day feed
more native birds. And I’m in the middle
of creating some raised vege gardens. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our home has exceeded our expectations. The view changes with the weather and the
light from the time of day. Our fire
keeps us and the cats warm at night. And
the space we have created just feels right, and well thought out. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1MzLIRs_OZw/XmXHB0yBraI/AAAAAAAABQo/l48cOH4zwDQD7McMm32wBh0OAW8PzAjjQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20190604_071941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1MzLIRs_OZw/XmXHB0yBraI/AAAAAAAABQo/l48cOH4zwDQD7McMm32wBh0OAW8PzAjjQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20190604_071941.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DPDaN-ux4f0/XmW_S7spMdI/AAAAAAAABPU/LwIa41z-QRQd-jlC3KnD8ROFgFkE8FomACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2019-05-03%2B08.00.50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DPDaN-ux4f0/XmW_S7spMdI/AAAAAAAABPU/LwIa41z-QRQd-jlC3KnD8ROFgFkE8FomACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/2019-05-03%2B08.00.50.jpg" width="320" /></a>The help and support we have had throughout the build has
been appreciated, thanks Trudi and Rick for feeding us, and telling Brett to
have the odd day off! And to Jacqui G
for the cakes, yum! It was a hard slog,
but nothing comes with sitting around.
And thanks to Brett for the love and support to keep going. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16118678952822575516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016956869819266769.post-60595063419169208152018-05-17T17:38:00.003-07:002018-05-17T17:38:56.379-07:00<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Carbon Zero and Sustainability<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When we set up West Wind Projects, one of the goals we had ticking over in the back of our mind was, <b>how do minimise our impact?</b> and secondly, <b>how can we give back?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the start of our third year we have started to find our feet and a clearer direction of where the business is heading. While reviewing how the second year progressed, these two thoughts came to the surface again …<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was time to look at what impact we were having … what our carbon footprint was.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Working from home certainly helped but made it difficult to dived what was work and what was personal in terms of our CO2 emissions. In the end, I just dealt with home and work as a single identity.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Step one</b> was to calculate our emissions.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><i>Seven and a half tonnes of CO2 emissions!</i></b> <o:p></o:p></div>
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Due to the nature of our work and that we have to visit sites away from the office there will always be an impact, sometimes I am able to plan site visits that are close to each other in the same trip but that is rare.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Step Two</b>, was to purchase Carbon Offset credits to neutralise this.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We decided that we would purchase them from the <a href="http://rameka.carbonforest.nz/">Rameka Forest Restoration Charitable Trust. </a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Why?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<li>·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">The Trust is a Non-Profit </span>organisation<span style="text-indent: -18pt;"> which means that all the dollars we spent </span>go<span style="text-indent: -18pt;"> back in to maintain and </span>growing<span style="text-indent: -18pt;"> this forest.</span></li>
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<li>·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">It is a local project, near Takaka, Golden Bay, so it is easy to visit and see for ourselves where our money is being spent.</span></li>
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<li>·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">The Rameka Track, which goes through the property is a historic trading track in the area, which flows from Cannan Downs on top of Takaka Hill to Takaka township, so has historic value.</span></li>
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<li>·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">The track is one of our </span>favourite<span style="text-indent: -18pt;"> mountain bike rides.</span></li>
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<li>·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">The property is open to walkers and mountain bikers to use, so everyone benefits.</span></li>
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<b>So, what did it cost? $25.00 per tonne, 8 tonne cost just $200.00.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Step Three,</b> this is a bit trickier … <b>What can we do to minimise that in the next 12 months?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Basically, it is finding small gains … <i>(remember this is for work and home)</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<li>·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Asking yourself … Do I really need to print that document out?</span></li>
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<li>·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Finding paper which is recycled or from a sustainable source</span></li>
<li>·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">In my testing instruments using rechargeable batteries.</span></li>
<li>·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Recycling old batteries</span></li>
<li>·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Not using or accepting plastic bags when purchasing items.</span></li>
<li>·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Using low power lights e.g. LED’s</span></li>
<li>·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Separating the rubbish out</span></li>
<li>·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Recycling soft plastic, </span>aluminium<span style="text-indent: -18pt;">, tins, glass, paper/cardboard, etc</span></li>
<li>·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Composting green waste</span></li>
<li>·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Selecting cleaning products which are </span>recognised<span style="text-indent: -18pt;"> as good for the environment</span></li>
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That is just the start as the list goes on, but most important is creating an awareness of your actions, creating good habits to leave the world in a better place than when we entered it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Step Four</b>, came about from the second thought, <b>how can we give back?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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At this point we are only Carbon Neutral.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In the past we have helped out at Rameka Trust planting trees or building bridges, and that in itself is rewarding. How does a Trust like this grow? It either buys more land with trees on it to absorb more carbon or it plants more trees, and it has done both in the past.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This is when we came up with the idea, of donating <b>One Tree for One Report. </b>Very simply for every report we write throughout the year we will donate a tree to the Rameka Forest Restoration Charitable Trust to be planted.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So, we have gone from being Carbon Positive to Carbon Neutral to Carbon Negative and everyone benefits.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16118678952822575516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016956869819266769.post-78775822941914158172018-03-04T19:08:00.000-08:002018-03-05T11:09:49.911-08:00Tour Aotearoa 2018 North Island version<div class="MsoNormal">
Two years come around fast these days … It was soon February the 9<sup>th</sup> and we were busy catching a flight to Auckland to start this year's tour.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RszyIu0fsL0/WpyrQPrtjxI/AAAAAAAABF4/gSLFFx-uZlEi9nbmXfeccxJAxSSTqw4QwCLcBGAs/s1600/DSCN7351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RszyIu0fsL0/WpyrQPrtjxI/AAAAAAAABF4/gSLFFx-uZlEi9nbmXfeccxJAxSSTqw4QwCLcBGAs/s320/DSCN7351.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Te Paki Stream</td></tr>
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As with all adventures, it starts well before the departure date, planning, riding, logistics, gear choices are where it all starts. Like any adventure – it is a journey with a certain degree of unknowns, and that to me is what defines an adventure. At times there are some adventures which involve a degree of risk and when we look at risk it usually involves the ability to lose something or (at times) someone of value. Bikepacking Tour Aotearoa to me has a pretty low-risk factor, sure there are some sections on the road and some on the trail but the real risk is low. This I think is one of the reasons why there has been an explosion in Bike packing numbers in recent years … Adventure with low risk that is accessible to a moderately fit person who wants some fun with like-minded people!<o:p></o:p></div>
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The 2018 start has seen 6 waves of 100 riders … that is huge!<o:p></o:p></div>
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While leading up to this year's event I did less long rides but more hill climbing with the goal of getting stronger on the hills, so I didn’t lag behind Helen as much during the climbs.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My gear was 95% unchanged since 2016, being pretty comfortable with my set up, the big change was a new frame for my bike, instead of riding my Carbon Specialized Stumpjumper hardtail 29er I had found a Jamis Dragon 29er hardtail in Steel (Reynolds 853) and put a Muru Titanium front fork on it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i-qgMJSqcQI/Wpyi0kGU7PI/AAAAAAAABDU/WLjM2qqaKC4ROzU0ngM0M_snaddD0HOWgCLcBGAs/s1600/DSCN7333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i-qgMJSqcQI/Wpyi0kGU7PI/AAAAAAAABDU/WLjM2qqaKC4ROzU0ngM0M_snaddD0HOWgCLcBGAs/s320/DSCN7333.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Te Paki Stream</td></tr>
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2016 was a dream run 22 days, with3 half days of rain. 2018 was always going to be different … we just didn’t know how different!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Our plan was to start in wave 1 of February the 10<sup>th</sup> and ride the North Island jump on the ferry and ride to Nelson, finishing at home, some 1760 km. Holiday time is a bit short this year with planned adventures for later in 2018. So with two weeks our sleeve we set off.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Meeting the rest of our friends in Auckland and having picked up our two vehicles, loaded our bikes in, we headed north a 6-hour drive to Waitiki Landing 20 km short of the Cape, here we had accommodation and assembled the bikes. For most of the trip it had rained, waking in the morning it was still raining, breakfast and a short drive to the Cape later it was still raining!<o:p></o:p></div>
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A big thanks to Chris and Harvey who gave up their time to drive our vehicles back to Auckland. Cheers guys!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Well, 8 am rolled around and a 100 riders rolled out down the road … turning into TePaki Stream and on to 90 Mile Beach we were in for our first surprise, a fairly high stream, at times over of bottom bracket and hubs, a soft stream bed, it is normally firm and easy to ride one, a tough start then out on to the beach, still raining. The pace and choice of a line couldn’t be decided upon so I pretty much stuck to my line and pace, at times the rain eased to showers and even paused for a moment, the wind flirted around fortunately never a headwind. Stopping in Utea for some water and a breather we continued on to Ahipara.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Like all relationships, Helen and I don’t agree on everything and we struggled to communicate on the beach which left both of us frustrated, so we cleared the air and decide to push on, in the rain, to Broadwood, where it was raining. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Having the knowledge, we earned in 2016 was starting to give us an advantage, where we could get supplies, where we could eat, where we could sleep, just a little less worrying. Pitching our tent under the picnic shelter day 1 was complete 140kms done!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast day two ... salami cheese and an Em's power cookie</td></tr>
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Day two, still raining, the shop was closed in Broadwood so we had a snack of salami, cheese, and half an Ems Power cookie washed down by a cup of black tea, this fuelled us to Kohukohu, at the head of the Hokianga Harbour, were it had stopped raining, a full breakfast and coffee was ordered and consumed. We headed off down the road and caught the Rawene ferry across the harbour, stocked up on some essentials and pedaled off around what I think is one of the most picturesque coastlines in NZ, through Opononi and Omapere in search for a photo with Tane Mahuta in the Waipoua Forrest.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Back on the bikes for a descent down through all the Kauris and long climb to Kaitui, we turned off the sealed road for a gravel back through Donnellys Crossing and eventually into Dargaville, 135 km done for Day Two some of it wet and some of it dry! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Northland is an interesting province with so much history and stunning coastline, forest and some of the friendliest locals, it is also one of the poorest areas in the country, this Tour puts so much back into the communities along the way, we had decided to stay at the Great Northern Wairoa Hotel in Dargaville, this 100+ year old girl, when we were discussing this with the owner. A quick calculation our spending for the day was about $210 for the both of us, there were another 598 riders … it soon adds up for these small places. Most of that went on food to fuel our motors.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Overnight we washed and dried all our gear, showered and slept, for today was planned to be a short 68 km out to Poutu Point, relax in the sun, then catch the 6 pm sailing to Helensville.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A pretty simple plan … we even had some shade to ride in as the sun had come out, the toughest part was following the Grader on the gravel section of road. Ice blocks and cold drinks, time to sort gear out prior to the Lady Frances arriving. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Sure enough, we loaded up about 20 riders and their bikes, plenty of chit-chat, seeing if there was anyone still coming down the road, soon we cast off … 10 minutes later… the engine packed a sad, threw a wobbly and spat a piston! Sitting on top of the engine cover the noise was not nice metal on metal, crunching away we soon came to a halt. I looked across at Bruce, who raised an eyebrow and quite understated says … “that doesn’t sound good!” <o:p></o:p></div>
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Sure enough, it wasn’t good, here we are early evening sitting on the notorious Kaipara Harbour Bar without any means of propulsion. But skipper a wily old sea dog had a plan, he had a mate who would tow us into Helensville, we just had to wait for him to arrive … so there we sat enjoying the atmosphere of the sun setting, cups of tea and gingernuts with great conversation. What more could you ask for?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Dusk fell, we watched the weather start to change, a few electrical storms over the land, darkness fell just and four hours after breaking down another charter boat pulled alongside, hooked us up and headed off to Helensville just so we didn’t miss out it started to rain. Now we have all heard about a slow boat to China this was the slow boat to Helensville, arriving at 2.30 am, so much for a short day!<o:p></o:p></div>
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A feed of cold soggy chips we laid our heads down for a quick sleep in the Cruising Club rooms.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Four hours later people started to stir and pack up gear for the trip across Auckland, in 2016 this was the surprise of the Tour, it was easy to ride all the way across the City of Sails with very little time spent on busy roads. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Sure enough, it was raining, yep day four, four days with rain! We traced the GPS track into town up over Mt Eden, through some parks, down out past the airport, up and out of town to Clevedon. It eventually cleared after Mt Eden and we were able to ride in some sunshine. Checked into the Hotel, needing to wash and dry gear, not a bad day for four hours sleep, another hundy km in the bank.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Day five, I had been looking forward to the first half of this day, around the coastline to Miranda, we are so blessed with stunning coastlines in NZ and this is no exception. We spent the day leap-frogging fellow riders Geoff and Maureen from Hawea, the last half of our day was spent on the Hauraki Rail Trail … now the Surveyor who mapped out this route had the easiest job … it is bloody arrow straight for way too long! It does my head in, worse than Canterbury roads!<o:p></o:p></div>
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We crossed countless cattle stops, watched dairy farmers herd their cows through the river … WTF! Along the way, we got our compulsory photos of a cow and the L&P bottle in Paeroa and continued out to the campground at Te Aroha. Just prior to Te Aroha we caught up with Phil “the machine” Paterson completing the Tour on a single speed (12 ½ days – legendary) the flats are the hardest part for a single speed.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We thought we had escaped the rain for the day but no … half an hour before we finished for the day … down it came … Still feeling the effects of only four hours sleep two nights ago, we grabbed a cabin at the motor camp, showered, changed washed gear and order pizzas to be delivered! Still not a bad day 136 km.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Waking early, we were away by 7, with plans for a solid day, it would still be flat until past Matamata where we would join the Waikato river trails – single track was beckoning <span style="font-family: "segoe ui emoji" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol-ext; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji";">😊</span>. Stopping for breakfast in Matamata, my stomach started to churn, a couple of quick trips to the loo, we pushed on hoping that was all. Fortunately, there are loos along the river trail and Awakino. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Lunch was at the now infamous Rurhburb Café in Awakino we Helens cousin Philip meet us for a brief catch up. Leaving here I wasn’t feeling the strongest but the Tour goes on … suck it up buttercup!<o:p></o:p></div>
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The river trails are old school mountain bike tracks which tend to follow walking routes, not always the best gradients to ride, at times I needed to push what Helen was riding, she was getting stronger. We rolled into Mangakino, 128 km later, just before dusk, I was buggered, hungry and just wanted to sleep, decision making wasn’t high on my agenda. This is where riding a Tour like this in a Team is beneficial, Helen just made the call, fish and chips now then we will book into the Bed and breakfast across the road. Feed and showered I started to perk up.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The afternoon I had been my low point of the whole tour, running on empty for most of it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The morning came around too soon and we mounted our steads at 7.30 and headed off, now today I was really looking forward to … The Timber Trail … at 85 km, this is probably the North Islands premier “long” ride., stunning bush and forest, a great track with plenty of history. But it was just going to be a long day where my back started to tighten up, I was just not getting the power out and felt like Helen just dragged me along all day, it really gets into head and screws you over. Well, we kept on plugging away popping out the other end of the trail, with 127 km completed, 879 km from Cape Reinga as the Tour route goes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We elected to stay in Ongarue about 20 km shy of Taumaranui. The community here had opened up the towns hall for the first time in 20 years, spruced it up, put some mattresses on the floor, hung some solar showers up and a group of them were putting on dinner and breakfast, this is the start of how a small settlement like Ongarue benefits from being on the Tours route. It was heaven!<o:p></o:p></div>
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P.S. Like yesterday no rain today … two days in a row … unheard of!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Day eight dawned, clear we headed off into the thriving metropolis of Taumaranui, resupply at the supermarket, coffee and a chat with Helens cousin, then onto the back roads out through Hikumutu Owhango, Retaruke to Whakahoro and the Blue Duck café. Again, I was really struggling, my back was tight, like yesterday I popped a few Voltaren, I certainly wasn’t getting any relief.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unfortunately, the discomfort takes away your focus of where you are and what you are doing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We enjoyed a toasted sandwich and drink at the café and pushed onto the Kaiwhakauka Track which leads you through the Whanganui National Park to the Bridge to Nowhere.<o:p></o:p></div>
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10 km in is Mosely's shelter, a three-sided hut with running water and a long drop … what more could one ask for? The Kaiwhakauka track is a muddy, slippery piece of single track, which had had a whole lot of work completed prior to the Tour, it was still a muddy, slippery piece of single track. This is one of the tougher sections of the route but one of the most enjoyable too … if you are a mountain biker. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We had not long finished dinner when Steve Halligan came through on his mission, calm and coherent, we had a chat, Steve filled his water bottles and pushed on for his quest to get to Bluff as quick as possible. (10 ½ days … well one!)<o:p></o:p></div>
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You guessed it … the day finished with some rain … this was so far our shortest day with 93 km completed. It also set us up nicely for tomorrows riding.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I just love sleeping outside in the bush, it is so peaceful and relaxing, while our days may be long and hard, nights like that made it so worthwhile.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Morning arrived and we were on a deadline, 11.30 at Maungaprua landing for the jetboat pick up, 40 km to get there. Along the way we stopped to admire the new monument to the Returned Servicemen who were gifted this land on their return, only to walk off it later, it was just too tough to break in and farm successfully and to this day is not farmed.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Bridge to Nowhere sums the area up. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Our jetboat arrived, Tom senior from Whanganui River Adventures picked us up, Tom is part of the family which owns the company and have lived on the river for many generations now, their passion for sharing the river is evident, with a strong customer focus, they go out of their way for the TA riders. A set schedule of pickups making it easy for us to plan, they spot track the riders through the track, provide a bike wash, feed and accommodate all with a smile. Thanks.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We left Pipiriki and headed along the river to Whanganui, day three of a tight back which was getting worse, certainly by the time I had climbed gentle Annie and was heading into town, I was not comfortable at all. Helen literally towed me into town along the flat.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We stopped in the same motel we stayed in last time, unpacked, washed and walked around the corner to the Chinese takeaways. Previous knowledge is a good thing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There is one rule all riders should abide by, sleep on any decision before making one. I didn’t have a comfortable night and in the morning, we discussed the situation about my back. In the last 12 months, I had been to the Emergency Department twice to get the pain under control. A CAT scan shows a deteriorating disk, I have to learn to manage it, do what I can when I can, sometimes that may mean doing less than I aimed for.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So I pulled the pin and now got to watch Helen some us some of her potential.<o:p></o:p></div>
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1115 kilometres of riding completed in 9 days, I am pretty damn happy about that! Especially as I got to share it with my best friend.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Helen, continued, riding from Whanganui to Ashurst that day, 178 km. Then onto Martinborough, 177 km. Popped over the Rimutaka Incline to Upper Hutt, 60 km, to spend half a day with her niece. Catching the ferry the following day and riding through to Pelorus River campground, where I had driven over to meet her for the night. Leaving early the following morning, Helen headed up and over the Maungatapu Saddle to arrive at Alton Street Cycle in Nelson at midday. 1760 kilometres completed!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home with her girls</td></tr>
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Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16118678952822575516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016956869819266769.post-31293112252882735742018-01-28T14:05:00.000-08:002018-01-28T14:05:19.636-08:002018 ... here we go again!2018 has rolled around and so has Tour Aotearoa ...it has been two years since we last completed the first edition, somewhere along the way we thought it would be good to sign up for the second edition, so did 600 other riders!<br />
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So on Friday the 9th of February we will jump on a plane to Auckland then drive to Cape Reinga to be on the start line at 8 am Saturday.<br />
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The cool things about Brevets are they are NOT a race, there are time limits and for TA no faster than 10 days or slower than 30 days, stick to the route, if you leave the route you must rejoin the route where you left it. Because TA is uniquely Kiwi it incorporates Kiwi ideals like being able to drop in and stay with family, it is encouraged to smell the roses along the way, talk to the locals, enjoy the where you are at and with who you are traveling with and who you meet.<br />
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For Helen and I we have made the decision only to complete the North Island, partly due to us wanting to save some leave for later in the year when we are building our house and secondly we don't visit the North Island very often so this creates a great opportunity to visit some of the backcountry and out off the beaten track places.<br />
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It will still be 1700 kilometres of riding to get home again.<br />
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While the same level of anticipation is not there, I am sure it will still be a fantastic adventure, different from 2016. Some things will be the same I am sure of that ... those days when you get on the bike in the morning and you don't want to sit down! The hills will still go up!<br />
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Once we start you will be able to follow us on this page <a href="https://touraotearoa2018.maprogress.com/">tour aotearoa 2018</a> we take no responsibility for time wasted stalking us or other riders :-)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a3kOoQiHLM4/Wm5IyuGZuFI/AAAAAAAABCk/bnFu_-xsXR00HEby_u3J-EGrVoH8GlxcwCLcBGAs/s1600/2018-01-24%2B11.03.12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a3kOoQiHLM4/Wm5IyuGZuFI/AAAAAAAABCk/bnFu_-xsXR00HEby_u3J-EGrVoH8GlxcwCLcBGAs/s320/2018-01-24%2B11.03.12.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Dragon ... my stead for the trip.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16118678952822575516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016956869819266769.post-39388483724154174522017-06-19T22:28:00.003-07:002017-06-19T22:28:50.284-07:00Why the outdoors is good for my mental well-being and confidence …<div class="MsoNormal">
15 years ago I was working full time teaching in the outdoors with a fledgling company, a young family. Having just completed a trip of a lifetime on the Grand Canyon … life was pretty good on the whole! Sure, not everything was perfect, my wife at the time was from England struggled with the cultural differences and distance from her family and I didn’t really get it and was/am not the best communicator, but we were making a go of it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My confidence/well-being (I see these intrinsically linked) was high! When life got turned upside down in a moment. For those who don’t know a client drowned while I was instructing … not the work story you want to live out …<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I see confidence is like an egg shell … press on it one way it is incredibly strong but smack it from the other direction it shatters … my life-dream on kayaking full time, having it as a family business disappeared overnight … along with my confidence and well-being … it was a dark and moody place one at times I just didn’t want to see. At times I just wanted it to end or I end it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I withdraw into myself … trying to answer the why, how, when, what … not communicating well with anyone … eventually, I went back to what I knew … sitting in a boat or on a bike or running, racing as an individual the only focus was me … it was how I could survive … one session at a time … it felt familiar … it allowed some of that eggshell to be repaired, to grow stronger.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I ended up, back building, not by choice but a necessity, I did not enjoy my apprenticeship and really struggled with going back on the tools. It felt like life was one big deep dark rut with no way out.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Racing in multisport and triathlon events certainly gave some hope, it got me back into the hills and rivers back into areas where I felt at home, it grew my confidence, but the demons were still there.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I started to identify what I required to be in a positive frame of mind and kept looking at where I could do this …<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The first was to surround me with people who had a positive outlook on life … get rid of the negatives … this meant not seeing or minimising contact with some friends and family or work colleagues.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The second was to create goals, firstly in the area of recreation as it was the most familiar area, secondly in my career.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The third was to learn what triggers the dark periods … this is an ongoing process …<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The fourth was to learn how to minimise the effect of those triggers … removing myself from a situation, withdrawing to think about what has gone on – sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The fifth was to learn how to get out of the spiral … which is the second step … set goals small steps.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Along the way the goals became bigger and bolder, the went from being solo to being duo/group/team goals. Each time I went back to my roots of being in the outdoors, being active in the outdoors, sharing activity in the outdoors … the stronger my confidence and the better my well-being has become.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, what is about the outdoors which builds this confidence and well-being, I believe it is life becomes simplified, less complicated back to the basics of shelter, warmth, food, companionship, shared experiences, trust and reliance on yourself and others.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Where has it lead me to … a point in life as I enter my 52<sup>nd</sup> winter, where I am nearly back to the point I was 16 years ago with confidence but a stronger and more knowledgeable way of dealing with the dark holes. I still recognise that I am not the best communicator but I am working on it!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Life is not easy, it is full of challenges – some we choose to take on and others we have no choice to take on – but what is our choice is what we can learn from them, sometimes the learning does not appear immediately …<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Brett<o:p></o:p></div>
Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16118678952822575516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016956869819266769.post-52001656730964998402017-05-01T23:08:00.000-07:002017-05-01T23:08:02.188-07:00Wow! Where did the last 12 months go?It has been 12 months since I last wrote anything, can't believe where that time has gone.<br />
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Last may I hadn't long returned to living in Nelson again, I am still here, settling back into the Nelson lifestyle and loving it!<br />
<br />
During that year I set up and continue to develop and run my own business. I knew from having lived in Nelson previously, there are not a lot of jobs going so knew I had to create work ... so <a href="http://westwindprojects.co.nz/">West Wind Projects Ltd</a> was born.<br />
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One year down the track it is starting to feel like a full time job ... so what am I doing?<br />
I specialise in Property Inspections mainly Pre-Purchase, so when someone is purchasing a house and requires a building report. Other reports have been Pre-Sale, Earthquake Damage and Certificate of Acceptance.<br />
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While it was slow last year, I took the opportunity to upskill myself and through the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors, have been studying for a Diploma of Building Surveying. This has been great in giving me a stronger professional network, access to a large number of resources and expertise.<br />
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Too say the last year has been challenging is a bit of an understatement! But I have loved just about every minute of it ... there is always tough times ... but that is often where the most learning was.<br />
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Meanwhile on the recreational side of life, my mountain biking skills have developed ... just that there is no choice living here in Nelson :-) After seven years I got back on the river to do some whitewater paddling, slipped into the hills for the odd walk, Found some coastline to explore sea kayaking. #lifeisgood<br />
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If that wasn't enough we purchased a VW van and fitted that out for trips away ... GAV as he affectionally known (Get Away Van) ...<br />
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Meanwhile we spent sometime at Project Remeka planting trees and building a bridge. I also manage to get away for a few days to work as crew on the NZEnduro race one of the wettest vents I have worked on ... but helps of fun!</div>
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So what will the next 12 months bring Helen and I ... plans for a new house are currently being drawn up at the moment ... I think that will keep me busy and loose some of this extra waist line I am developing while sitting behind a desk ... more on that as it happens.</div>
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Also we have signed up for Tour Aotearoa again ... yep once in a lifetime event ... twice!</div>
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Cheers Brett</div>
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Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16118678952822575516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016956869819266769.post-56573720730401231182016-05-19T19:18:00.000-07:002016-05-19T19:18:02.113-07:00Statistic's from our Tour Aotearoa ride 2016<div>
<br /></div>
<br />So after a few months recovery of just cruising on our bikes having fun riding the local trails, I have put together the statistics of our days ... how varied they were ... mostly because we stopped to catch up with family and friends except for a very wet day down the coast.<div>
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Hopefully it will help with someones else planning of completing the route. We pretty much rode during daylight hours and had plenty of time to look around and enjoy the scenery.</div>
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<div>
<br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 845px;">
<colgroup><col style="mso-width-alt: 9289; mso-width-source: userset; width: 191pt;" width="254"></col>
<col style="mso-width-alt: 6180; mso-width-source: userset; width: 127pt;" width="169"></col>
<col span="4" style="width: 48pt;" width="64"></col>
<col style="mso-width-alt: 3108; mso-width-source: userset; width: 64pt;" width="85"></col>
<col style="mso-width-alt: 2962; mso-width-source: userset; width: 61pt;" width="81"></col>
</colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 191pt;" width="254"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Activity
Name</span></td>
<td class="xl66" style="border-left: none; width: 127pt;" width="169"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Start time</span></td>
<td class="xl70" style="border-left: none; width: 48pt;" width="64"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Total Time</span></td>
<td class="xl70" style="border-left: none; width: 48pt;" width="64"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Riding Time</span></td>
<td class="xl71" style="border-left: none; width: 48pt;" width="64"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Distance</span></td>
<td class="xl71" style="border-left: none; width: 48pt;" width="64"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Ascent </span></td>
<td class="xl70" style="border-left: none; width: 64pt;" width="85"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Avg Moving Speed</span></td>
<td class="xl67" style="border-left: none; width: 61pt;" width="81"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Accom</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="border-top: none; height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Mossburn to
Bluff</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Mon, 14 Mar 2016</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">6:45:23</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">5:59:00</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">142.5</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">567</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">23.8</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="border-top: none; height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Arrowtown to
Mossburn</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Sun, 13 Mar 2016 5:37</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">11:35:31</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">8:15:54</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">152.48</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">930</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">18.4</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Pub</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="border-top: none; height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Haast to
Arrowtown</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Sat, 12 Mar 2016 4:39</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">13:57:31</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">11:04:26</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">207.51</span></td>
<td class="xl74" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">2,607</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">18.7</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">family</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="border-top: none; height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Franz Josef to
Haast</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Fri, 11 Mar 2016 5:26</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">11:56:39</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">7:31:48</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">153.32</span></td>
<td class="xl74" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">1,640</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">20.4</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Backpackers</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="border-top: none; height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Harihari to
Franz Joseph</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Thu, 10 Mar 2016 5:31</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">9:47:52</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">3:18:56</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">63.86</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">609</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">19.3</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">motel</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="border-top: none; height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Kumara to
Harihari</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Wed, 9 Mar 2016 5:29</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">11:34:20</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">8:01:56</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">148.01</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">899</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">18.4</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Pub</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="border-top: none; height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Reefton to
Kumara</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Tue, 8 Mar 2016 5:01</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">11:01:39</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">6:07:08</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">109.96</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">584</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">18</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">motel</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="border-top: none; height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Murchison to
Reefton</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Mon, 7 Mar 2016 5:19</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">10:07:16</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">7:00:34</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">123.99</span></td>
<td class="xl74" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">1,346</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">17.7</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">motel</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="border-top: none; height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Wakefield
to Murchison</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Sun, 6 Mar 2016 6:33</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">10:50:53</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">8:10:47</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">138.81</span></td>
<td class="xl74" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">1,638</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">17</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">cabin</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="border-top: none; height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Momorangi to
Wakefield</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Sat, 5 Mar 2016 6:31</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">11:56:46</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">7:27:07</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">116.99</span></td>
<td class="xl74" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">1,818</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">15.7</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">camp</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="border-top: none; height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Upper Hutt to
Momorangi</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Fri, 4 Mar 2016 6:04</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">12:56:29</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">10:53:38</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">123.21</span></td>
<td class="xl74" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">1,297</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">11.3</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">camp</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="border-top: none; height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Pahiatua to
Upper Hutt</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Thu, 3 Mar 2016 5:27</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">14:16:05</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">10:32:15</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">192.13</span></td>
<td class="xl74" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">1,495</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">18.2</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">family</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="border-top: none; height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Rangiwahia to
Pahiatua</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Wed, 2 Mar 2016 6:45</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">10:35:13</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">7:43:24</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">130.24</span></td>
<td class="xl74" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">1,468</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">16.9</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">motel</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="border-top: none; height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Whanganui to
Rangiwhia</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Tue, 1 Mar 2016 7:18</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">11:24:20</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">7:03:31</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">106.26</span></td>
<td class="xl74" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">1,623</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">15.1</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">camp</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="border-top: none; height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">DoC Shelter to
Whanganui</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Mon, 29 Feb 2016 6:31</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">13:18:46</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">9:31:03</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">141.32</span></td>
<td class="xl74" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">2,362</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">14.8</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">motel</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="border-top: none; height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Taumarunui to
DoC Shelter</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Sun, 28 Feb 2016 9:46</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">8:43:29</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">5:48:09</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">79.46</span></td>
<td class="xl74" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">1,254</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">13.7</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">camp</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="border-top: none; height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">CNI to
Taumaranui</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Sat, 27 Feb 2016 6:33</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">7:40:07</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">5:47:24</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">63.76</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">970</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">11</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">family</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="border-top: none; height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Arapuni to CNI</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Fri, 26 Feb 2016 5:49</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">13:33:03</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">8:35:29</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">94.55</span></td>
<td class="xl74" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">1,958</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">11</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">camp</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="border-top: none; height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Miranda to
Arapuni</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Thu, 25 Feb 2016 6:15</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">12:38:04</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">8:21:15</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">152.19</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">378</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">18.2</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Backpackers</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="border-top: none; height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Helensville to
Arapuni</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Wed, 24 Feb 2016 5:07</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">14:55:38</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">9:35:03</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">160.62</span></td>
<td class="xl74" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">1,344</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">16.8</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Motel</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="border-top: none; height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Waipoura
Forest Camp to Helensville</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Tue, 23 Feb 2016 6:46</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">13:33:57</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">10:28:34</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">166.77</span></td>
<td class="xl74" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">1,408</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">15.9</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">cruising club</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="border-top: none; height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Ahipara to
Waipoura Kauri Forest Camp</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Mon, 22 Feb 2016 6:43</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">12:39:29</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">8:02:58</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">125.05</span></td>
<td class="xl74" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">2,163</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">15.5</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">cabin</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="border-top: none; height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Cape Reinga to
Ahipara</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Sun, 21 Feb 2016 9:55</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">10:19:35</span></td>
<td class="xl72" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">7:48:48</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">106.42</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">369</span></td>
<td class="xl73" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">13.6</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">camp</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl65" height="20" style="border-top: none; height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></td>
<td class="xl75" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">266:08:05</span></td>
<td class="xl75" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">183:09:07</span></td>
<td class="xl76" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">2999.41</span></td>
<td class="xl76" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">30727</span></td>
<td class="xl81" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">16.38</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="border-left: none; border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl68"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Ave riding time per day</span></td>
<td class="xl77"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></td>
<td class="xl78"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">8:24:00</span></td>
<td class="xl79"></td>
<td class="xl80" style="border-top: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">1397</span></td>
<td class="xl69" colspan="2" style="border-left: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">average climbing per day</span></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16118678952822575516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016956869819266769.post-79032650393648794932016-03-26T21:22:00.000-07:002016-04-07T20:45:39.800-07:00Tour Aotearoa - Done and Dusted!Well ... the time had finally arrived ... TOUR TIME!<br />
<br />
It was with a bit of apprehension and excitement that I left Christchurch for Cape Reinga! To say the least - 3000 kilometres - known! Unknown was the 22 days 1 hour 45 minutes and 30,000 metres of climbing it would take!<br />
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This tour was not to dissimilar from other experiences I had completed ... Sea Kayaking in Alaska or Kayaking the Grand Canyon ... they all had a start point and a finish point ... they all had a big unknown in the middle ... How was the body going to hold up? How was the mind going to hold up? Had I made the right equipment choices?<br />
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We were about to find out ... things were about to get real!<br />
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Helen and I had a few goals for the event ...<br />
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Ride during daylight hours to enjoy where we are</div>
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Complete at least one 200 km day</div>
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Enjoy time with who we meet along the way</div>
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Aiming for 21 days but would not be upset with 24 and ecstatic with anything less than 21</div>
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Eat well to maintain a healthy body</div>
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<b>Low Moments</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gordon, Jill, Emily and Helen on 90 Mile beach</td></tr>
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The low points on this journey, were not many fortunately, but the first came early ... three hours into the event on 90 Mile Beach, if the head wind, flat unrelenting pedalling to get anywhere wasn't enough ... my lower back started to lock up ... dam frustrating as we had got ourselves into a nice wee group with some Nelson friends Jill and Gordon, and Emily from Wellington. I was soon reduced to stopping and stretching and Emily shared some Voltaren with me.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ginny Wood nearing Ahipara</td></tr>
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As we were holding up the other three, Helen and I bid them farewell and were reduced to walking, watching other groups go past. At one point we even waved a car down to see if I could get a ride out of here! Eventually the Voltaren kicked in and I was able to resume some riding ... eventually being picked up in a group of seven and rolling into Ahipara about 7.30 that evening ... one of the toughest days riding I have ever had!<br />
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There were times the event was a little frustrating, certainly catching the Jet boat down the Whanganui river, having to wait while the driver shepherd a couple of overweight tourists wearing inappropriate footwear up to the Bridge to Nowhere and back again ... didn't he know we were in an event ... time was kilometres not being ridden!<br />
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Catching the Ferry across Cook Strait ... who knew they would be so fully booked ... half a day in Wellington !<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's a serious bike rack powered by 500 cu in of V8 ... this was the better of the two companies to deal with!</td></tr>
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These two days felt like they were disjointed and we could not get the flow to happen ... it played with your mind as by this stage you were into the habit of packing, eating, riding, eating, riding, eating, riding, eating and sleeping!<br />
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<b>Equipment Failures</b><br />
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Even though I had taken care in choosing and testing my gear ... there are still those moments where shit happens! Riding out of Helensville on Day Four, taking it easy climbing as my back was still tight first thing in the morning and the body is adapting to the levels of fatigue ... I mess up a gear change and drop the chain between the cassette and spokes ... eventually Helen manages to get it unjambed! The problem was it bent the rear derailleur and stretched the chain, these were replaced in Mt Eden by Mt Eden Cycles!<br />
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What we hadn't realised was that when the chain had dropped onto the spokes it had damaged them, so while riding into Whanganui the first one went PING! The drive side spokes are the only ones we couldn't replace on the road, so it required a stop in at the bike shop. One spoke replaced and some additional bar tape added to my grips for some additional comfort!<br />
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The second one went PING! riding into Masterton. So for peace of mind we called into the bike shop and purchased a new back wheel and had the old one couriered home to be rebuilt at a later date!<br />
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<b>How to Navigate on Tour</b><br />
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About half way through the Tour I worked this out ...<br />
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You come to an intersection, one road goes up, the other goes down ... you go up!<br />
You come to an intersection, one road is sealed, one is gravel ... you take the gravel one!<br />
You come to an intersection, one road is gravel, one is a 4WD track ... you take the 4WD track!<br />
You come to an intersection, one is a 4WD track, one is a single track ... you take the single track!<br />
You come to an intersection, there is a sign giving two routes to the same town, one is direct, the other is three times longer ... you take the long way!<br />
You come to an intersection one road goes up and is sealed, the other goes down and is gravel ... you take the gravel road down because around the corner you know that it will go up and eventually become a 4WD track, before turning into a muddy single track ,which takes you away from where you are heading!<br />
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Simple! Just follow the Pink line on your GPS!<br />
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<b>Food</b><br />
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Food was one of the major concerns each day ... the rule of Brevets is ... if you see a place which sells food ... stop and stock up because you don't know where the next place is, whether it will be open or what it will have in stock!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A plate of Asparagas rolls and a pie for morning tea in Winton</td></tr>
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Well ... I broke that rule riding from Franz Joseph to Haast, we rode right on past the Salmon Cafe, which Helen wanted to stop at and I said don't worry there is another cafe at Lake Paringa! WRONG ... there is no cafe at Lake Paringa ... lunch was later consumed at 5.30 in Haast at the Hard Antler pub! I am not going to live that one down very quickly!<br />
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<b>Trail Angels</b><br />
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These people just really made our day!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warm scones and Elder Flower Cordial in the middle of nowhere!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paul cleaning and oiling our chains near Mangakino - Legend!</td></tr>
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<b>Highlights</b><br />
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The whole Tour was one big highlight! It took us into rural New Zealand, along back country roads, allowing us to interact with many locals. It is helping small communities by hungry riders needing accommodation, stopping and spending money, the economy of some of these places would have trippled overnight!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Broadwood's only store!</td></tr>
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Family and Friends ... along the way we stopped to chat, eat or ride with Marty, Tank, Grant, Philip, Gillian, Penny and her two kids, Maria and Campbell, Jo & Crunchie, Sara & Harold, Paul, Max & Margaret & Mel, Jenny (Helen's mum), Helen's Dad, Tom & Paula, Louise, Debbie, Pete, Olwyn, Dillon, Jacqui, Bruce, John, Toni, Mary Jane, Damien, Lucca ... thanks for the support out on the track!<br />
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While others stalked us by the Maprogress site, sending messages and the occasional phone call ... thanks too! It was a little spooky at times who knew exactly where we were ... texts which would say ... Welcome to Reefton ... we hadn't even stepped off our bikes!<br />
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The tracks, the Kennetts have put together a fantastic route taking you onto some beautiful bike trials and back roads. I will let the photos speak for me ...<br />
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<b>Would I do it again? Hell Yeah!</b></div>
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<br />Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16118678952822575516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016956869819266769.post-90620203654243324892016-02-15T23:11:00.001-08:002016-02-15T23:11:34.317-08:00Growth and ConfidenceAt the beginning of October I was made redundant ... not that unusual in the construction industry ... never good timing!<br />
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Financially it is a set back and was stressful ... there was plenty of difficult dicisions to be made. Some plans had to be put on hold, some postponed, some cancelled altogether!<br />
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It has given me time out from working which has been a good thing ... to take time out and reasses where I am at, what do I want to do, where I want to live, what my skill set is, what gaps are in my skill set, what does really interest me, what sort of risk am I comfortable with.<br />
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Along the way I learnt that there was no access to help through Government agencies ... to many assetts, to skilled ... etc. I wasn't able to access my Kiwisaver funds ... not in financial difficulty enough!<br />
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Well, all that did was force me to put my family home on the market and cash up ... the outcome was and is quite freeing ... it has opened up more options for me.<br />
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For the last fourteen years I have struggled with self belief and the confidence to back myself. I know where this started ... with the drowning of a student, on a kayak course which I was running ... The subsequent costs ... losses ... closing the business, investigations, inquirees, dreams, family and confidence. Having to go back into a job or industry which I didn't have a passion for ... really put me on the back foot, always doubting what I was doing,and I had become risk averse.<br />
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During that time I had often taking on roles (not always by choice) that meant I was working out on a limb on the edge of my comfort zone ... this in the long run builds on skills, confidence ... if there is the right support in place you get to grow. Looking back over the last five years I have had that support. It has come in many forms, role models, counselling, mentors and friends.<br />
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They say success breeds success, the need to build in small successful steps, to reflect on what you have learnt along the way ... confidence grows.<br />
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The redundancy has been a catalyst ... sure you go through the classic frustration, anger, blame phases ... but popping out the other side of that is what you can turn that situation around and into.<br />
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Well, I am looking forward to new challenges, once I have finished riding the <a href="http://www.touraotearoa2016.maprogress.com/">Length of New Zealand</a> I will be heading to live in one of my favourite parts of the country, setting up a new business and getting on with life!<br />
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#bringiton2016<br />
#2016yearofpositivechangeBretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16118678952822575516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016956869819266769.post-50691747252251775772016-02-15T14:43:00.000-08:002016-02-15T21:37:07.969-08:00Tour Aotearoa Starts Soon ... Very Soon!!It is ony a few days out until the start of Tour Aotearoa ... the length of New Zealand Brevet ... me, my bike, my gear and my visa card to get from one end of the country to the other ... approxiamately 3000 kilometres of riding!<br />
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Am I ready ... well as ready as I can be!<br />
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We fly Christchurch to Auckland on Friday morning, grab a van and head to Kaitaia. Friday night in Kaitaia, before meeting Helen down the road to ride to Tupotupotu campsite about 5 kms prior to the Cape.<br />
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We depart at midday in Wave One (118 riders), waves two and three a further two and three days later, respectively.<br />
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Our thoughts are three days to Auckland building into the event with days of around 130 km each then building up the mileage from there on. Reckoning on about 21 days of riding to reach Bluff.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kkHZyBuO6r4/VsK1JV98VII/AAAAAAAAAyg/5N_mFM6WPpY/s1600/2016-02-14%2B16.59.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kkHZyBuO6r4/VsK1JV98VII/AAAAAAAAAyg/5N_mFM6WPpY/s320/2016-02-14%2B16.59.45.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All my gear</td></tr>
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To follow us you can jump onto this link ... <a href="http://www.touraotearoa2016.maprogress.com/">www.touraotearoa2016.maprogress.com</a> and if you want to know more about the event you can visit here <a href="http://www.touraotearoa.nz/">www.touraotearoa.nz</a><br />
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Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16118678952822575516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016956869819266769.post-52886108253004709832016-01-07T14:16:00.000-08:002016-01-07T14:16:36.516-08:00New Years Excursions - Big River WaiutaWith the New Year looming we headed south to the Town of Light - Reefton, once we had set up camp we wondered over to one of the hotels only to bump into some other mountain biking friends. A quiet evening was had in good company and the New Year arrived.<br />
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The first ride of 2016 was to be a cracker Big River-Waiuta, this is a classic ride and is included in both the <a href="http://www.kiwibrevet.blogspot.co.nz/">Kiwi Brevet</a> and <a href="http://www.touraotearoa.nz/">Tour Aotearoa</a>, it has been around for years now.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cAr3baA_9ac/Vo7dSVnBDhI/AAAAAAAAAvI/EcNJSRHv2Hw/s1600/2016-01-01%2B09.57.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cAr3baA_9ac/Vo7dSVnBDhI/AAAAAAAAAvI/EcNJSRHv2Hw/s320/2016-01-01%2B09.57.10.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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It is rich in mining history from the early days up to about 1960, it gives you a glimpse of big back country, it has a mix of four wheel drives tracks which give way to single track which was the old miners path.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6VKEFTdGCXU/Vo7dSAnge0I/AAAAAAAAAvE/mUelU-T9RBM/s1600/2016-01-01%2B09.58.04%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6VKEFTdGCXU/Vo7dSAnge0I/AAAAAAAAAvE/mUelU-T9RBM/s320/2016-01-01%2B09.58.04%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nJD_FwHJhYw/Vo7dhoH0yfI/AAAAAAAAAvc/7bpkUN2pDWw/s1600/2016-01-01%2B10.47.30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nJD_FwHJhYw/Vo7dhoH0yfI/AAAAAAAAAvc/7bpkUN2pDWw/s320/2016-01-01%2B10.47.30.jpg" width="240" /></a>The day started with breakfast at the local bakery ... not to be missed! Helen and I headed out from Reefton, soon turning off onto the four wheel drive tracks for a couple of hours stopping occassionaly to enjoy the vistas and a snack.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--HBAmGv7mOo/Vo7dtPDqh1I/AAAAAAAAAv0/3b5EZOig9BQ/s1600/2016-01-01%2B10.58.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--HBAmGv7mOo/Vo7dtPDqh1I/AAAAAAAAAv0/3b5EZOig9BQ/s320/2016-01-01%2B10.58.28.jpg" width="240" /></a>We arrived at Big River Hut for lunch two hours after starting, we enjoyed sitting in the sun, chatting with others who had ridden in. After an hour we found the energy to get back on our bikes and tackle the single track through to the ghost town of Waiuta.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Lp-mYXiNyIc/Vo7dsYgJDfI/AAAAAAAAAvs/pJ0FUSr-1lM/s1600/2016-01-01%2B11.06.22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Lp-mYXiNyIc/Vo7dsYgJDfI/AAAAAAAAAvs/pJ0FUSr-1lM/s320/2016-01-01%2B11.06.22.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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The next two hours starts with you being lulled into a false sense of fun ... a bit of boardwalk ... a bit of nice single track ... all rideable ... a little slippery in places but fun! Then it changes some hike a bike, a bit of pushing up some short steep inclines, suddenly the character of the track has changed!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p-Lla98gSMA/Vo7dvQBlawI/AAAAAAAAAv8/nUDPZ9LKBwQ/s1600/2016-01-01%2B12.06.03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p-Lla98gSMA/Vo7dvQBlawI/AAAAAAAAAv8/nUDPZ9LKBwQ/s320/2016-01-01%2B12.06.03.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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Half way through there is a slip which requires a it care with ... it is still lots of fun just a bit more effort required as you ride through some stunning forest. It must have taken a lot of man hours to carve this track out originally by hand!<br />
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Suddenly the track broadens and you near the end, through a gate and you pop out onto a four wheel drive track for a kilometre arriving in the town of Waiuta, this historic place now deserted is worth a visit whether you are driving or riding through.<br />
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Most trips end here with a vehicle being left as a shuttle, but no we were riding back to Reefton which meant we had seven kilometres of fast smooth gravel road to descend, then wind our way along a cute valley which pops onto the main Grey Valley road.<br />
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On reaching the Grey Valley, Helen and I sat down to have a snack and mentally prepare our selves for the last 24 km on tarseal back to Reefton, when Linda and Craig ride up, while we did have breakfast with them they left an hour or so later. Now Craig is a bit a of a legend in the NZ brevet scene ... strong and fast! We all rolled out back to Reefton together Craig leading and when he asked if we were all on ... I knew the train was leaving and it was going to be a quick ride!<br />
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Well I wasn't wrong, we were soon sitting on 32 kmh and at times it started to edge up, but my Yorkshire genes came to the fore when I brought a ticket for this train and I got the 50% off one ... true to form ... I got off the train just a bit quick for me ... Helen, well she brought the full price ticket and was hanging on, until she looked back and saw I had popped! Oh well, we rolled on with Linda, Craig was in his happy place totally unaware we had all got off the train! After a while Craig rolls back down the road to us and we cruise up the pass and into Reefton together for an ice cream and a swim in the river!<br />
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2016 has started with a great day on the bike ... bring it on!<br />
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Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16118678952822575516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016956869819266769.post-39893690394420336752016-01-07T00:26:00.000-08:002016-01-07T00:26:12.762-08:00November and December MissionsNovember brought slightly warmer but windier conditions!<br />
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Helen and I spent a long weekend in Hanmer Springs, rolling around the local tracks while I am rebuilding my confidence on technical mountain bike tracks, the leg has healed fine and is strong and getting stronger ... well ... the head is taking a bit longer!<br />
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We also snuck over into the big country to ride the St James Cycleway, I love this ride!!! The big mountains, the huge valley, the sense of remoteness it has so much going for it! It is an adventure! And the riding is great too! What more could you ask for!<br />
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We park at the St James Homestead, rode the 20 kms up the Clarence Valley to Mailing Pass (head wind all the way!) dropping down into the Waiau River along that lunch at the swing bridge, back up over Charlies Pass, with a quick bite to eat and a hot brew at Charlies hut before riding out to the car, the last 5 or 6 kms are such a blast, smooth flowing track ... what a way to finish! Just under 9 hours for the 86 kms including stops.<br />
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But wait there is more!</div>
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<b>A Marlborough Loop ... </b></h2>
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With four days up our sleeves, we left Helen's flat in Nelson and rode up to St Arnaud, a warm day which climbs steadily to Nelson Lakes National Park, we found a cold beer to quench our thirst to watch the drizzle set in ... nice timing!</div>
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The next day brought a forecast of westerlies ... a whole day with the wind at our backs and it was down hill! St Arnaud to Blenhiem to spend a lazy afternoon in a cafe, before riding out to Rarangi on the coast to camp.</div>
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The third day brought hills and wind ... the eleven hills through the stunning Port Underwood and a very strong headwind (yes! it was still blowing a westerly and we were now heading west!) from Picton to Pelorus Bridge ... bloody tough going but just had to suck it up buttercup!</div>
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Between our camp and home was really only one hill ... the mighty Maungatapu ... 8 kilometres, 1 hour 35 minutes of climbing, just you ... your bikes smallest gear ... and the hill! But what a downhill ... wahooooo! just a little sketchy at times on a fully loaded bike haha!</div>
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Finally Christmas arrived and we were able to sneak in a couple of hours down the Hutt River Trail from Upper Hutt to Petone, then onto into Wellington and around to Island Bay to finish the month off!<br />
<br />Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16118678952822575516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016956869819266769.post-86949219654089966212016-01-06T23:42:00.000-08:002016-01-06T23:42:41.115-08:00Catching up - October Missions!Shite! I haven't written anything since August ... talk about being lazy! Although I do have an excuse ... just not a very good one!<br />
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After surviving the winter riding with Anja's High School cycle team once a week during July and August, I received notice that the surgeon had a slot where he could remove the two screws from my knee which were bothering me, so in I went for the afternoon and out came the two screws!<br />
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Along with redundancy and searching for a new job!<br />
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The following morning we headed back up onto the Summit Road dropping down to Little River and followed the Rail Trial home.<br />
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Overall a successful wee trip to test the knee out and fitness. I was a little slow on the up hills but knew that would come with more riding.<br />
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Late October brings a long three day weekend ... and we headed up to the Marlborough Sounds to join Gordon and Sharon and Gordie and Jill. Three of them are joing in the fun during febuary and March and are riding the Tour Aotearoa, Gordon will be completing the double as he has already walked Te Araroa Trail!<br />
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<b style="font-weight: bold;">Day One</b><b>, </b>we left Havelock and rode through the Queen Charlotte Drive to Anikiwa where we joined the Queen Charlotte track popping out at portage for lunch then following the road around the northen side of Keneperu Sound to <a href="http://www.hopewell.co.nz/">Hopewell Lodge</a> ... this is a very special place to come and stay ... peaceful and friendly, great hospitality and pizzas to die for! Not to mention the mussels!</div>
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<b>Day Two</b>, we left reluctantly left Hopewell heading out through Crail and Ellie Bays to Monaroa up over the hill back into Keneperu before ending the day at Punga Cove for the night.<br />
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<b>Day Three</b>, we left Punga Cove and rode back along the Queen Charlotte track to Anakiwa back along the road to Havelock. Helen and I had decided that we would complete this trip with all our gear for the Tour Aotearoa, which meant we were fully loaded, by the time we got to Te Maihia my leg was giving me enough gip for me to pull the pin. I had found out how much climbing I could do before it became too much. with that in mind I was only going to get stronger from here.<br />
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October was rounded out by celebrating my 50th!</div>
Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16118678952822575516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016956869819266769.post-83493952976429714442015-08-01T00:09:00.000-07:002015-08-01T00:09:00.887-07:00Holiday Time - Cairns to Karumba - Part two<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b>Day Four - Mount Surprise to Georgetown - 94 km</b></h2>
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The days ride ride was a warm day starting with some rollers heading towards the Newcastle range, this would be the only significant climb on the route after we left the Tablelands. this was a short punchy climb of a couple kilometres long with a great view back to the Undara Volcanic National Park<br />
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Of course our superb support crew had everything set up for us once we got to the top, where we stopped for lunch.<br />
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After lunch it was downhill all the way to Georgetown, this was to be a fast descent, but as luck would have it, I missed out, the spokes in my front wheel had loosen and when I got to 56 km/h the bike would wobble. So nursing it down to camp, I dropped it off to the boys at Pump and Pedal, who were the tours support mechanics for a bit of tender care.<br />
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Fran, our Support Crew Boss was released from her duties, jumped on her trusty stead and rode into Georgetown, cunningly Fran picked the longest downhill section for her first ride!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fran and John in Pack Three</td></tr>
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Once again we had the joys of camping in the local rodeo ground, this allowed us to spread out, clean and service our bikes, enjoy hot showers and re-hydrate!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bikes cleaned and serviced ready for the next day</td></tr>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-55sn0K5t6ns/VbxZMI4YPqI/AAAAAAAAAkE/9bRfz_HJM1Y/s1600/IMGP1530%2Bcopy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-55sn0K5t6ns/VbxZMI4YPqI/AAAAAAAAAkE/9bRfz_HJM1Y/s320/IMGP1530%2Bcopy.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The long shadows as the evening draws closer</td></tr>
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<b><i>Day four - 92.6 kilometres - 616 metres of climbing - 2 hours 56 minutes ride time</i></b><br />
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b>Day Five Georgetown to Croydon 146 km</b></h2>
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<b><br /></b>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for our Pack to depart</td></tr>
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<b><br /></b>
The first of the two big days, with lunch at the halfway mark we rolled on out Pack Two was absolutely smashing it great rotating meant it was a reasonably easy ride, lunch was once again provided by the locals at Gilbert river. It was soon to heat up in the afternoon getting to mid 30's and for this kiwi boy coming out of winter, it was on the hot side!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Team One Good Leg!</td></tr>
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Today was noticibly flatter which was going to set the tone for the rest of the event, we had 504 metres of climbing but we had descended 679 metres, so were now only 117 metres above sea level with some 228 kilometres to ride!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deb and Cli on the front</td></tr>
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We pulled into town, stopping at the local waterhole for a cold XXXX and to ice my knee. It had finally blown up in the last 20 kms ... well that wasn't to bad an effort after 569 kms!<br />
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<b><i>Day Five totals - 148.5 kilometres - 504 metres of climbing - 4 hours 27 minutes ride time</i></b><br />
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b>Day Six - Croydon to Normanton - 151 km</b></h2>
<div>
RACE DAY!!! Today Packs one and two were going to race the tourist train, <a href="http://www.gulflander.com.au/">The Gulflander</a>, from Croydon to Normanton 151 kms. The organisers had co-ordinated this with Queensland Rail, the train averages about 35 km/h, so for Pack Two it was going to be a bit tight ... we just didn't know how tight!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Packs One and Two with the Train and its Driver at the start</td></tr>
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Of course being cyclists, the rule book was consulted ... it gave us a start line ... a finish line ... a route ... and that was it ... plenty of room for interpertation!</div>
<div>
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<div>
Now the railway pretty much followed the road crossing it in several places, so we were able to follow each others progress. Of course the train had to stop at stations, we had to stop for food and water, the 1951 train had 102 horspower we just had two legs! But we had a few tricks up our sleeve ... the first was we had a lead vehicle to draft off, we were able to sit on 38 kms an hour, but our trump card was Waughie our friendly Police Officer who was spending his weeks holiday escorting us from Cairns to Karumba, Pulls up at one of the train stations, goes on board, breath tests the driver and then checks the ID of every passenger! A nice wee delaying tactic.</div>
<div>
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<div>
We hit the first water stop at 50 kilometres, but my knee had blown again, with the intensity of the pace we were riding at and the weeks mileage adding up, I was not a happy camper! So while the team was refilling their water bottles I threw my bike on the lead vehicle and jumped in ... it was going to be no good pushing through the pain and causing longer term issues.</div>
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<div>
Meanwhile the train driver had his own ideas, he was able to skip a couple of stops and make up a bit of time!</div>
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Of course, the team was feeling pretty confident, so confident that they stopped for a photo opportunity!</div>
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With about a kilometre to go and 20 minutes before the train was due in (1.30 pm by its schedule), heading into Normanton, we hear the train blowing its whistle, there was a sudden realisation by the riders they actually needed to sprint, cross the train tracks, take a sharp left hand corner to get to the train station before the train. </div>
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From the car you could see the riders looking at the train then looking at the rail crossing then back to the train trying to judge whether they would make it or not!</div>
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<div>
Pack One was already in some ten minutes earlier, Pack two were out of their saddles sprinting the train was having to slow to stop at the station ...<br /></div>
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Pack Two had made it with only seconds to spare!!!!</div>
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<div>
The Gulflander was twenty minutes ahead of schedule! Possibly a first for Queensland Rail.</div>
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<div>
<b><i>Day 6 Totals - 50.3 kilometres - 32 metres of climbing - 1 hour 18 minutes riding time.</i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b>Day Seven - Normanton to Karumba - the last day!</b></h2>
<div>
It was a day just to enjoy each others company, a few bevies along the way, today Pack Two cruised plenty of chatting until we rolled into the outskirts of Karumba.</div>
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<div>
For the last two days we had been travelling through the Savannah lands this is flood plain country plenty of streams and marker posts showing the depths. The terrain, flora and fauna had changed every day, for me who had not been here previously I absolutely enjoyed this aspect of the tour.</div>
<div>
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<div>
Eventually all the Packs rolled in, the Dirty Boys arrived, together the 200 riders rolled into Karumba together. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5vmn4-vNIhY/VbxrEQ2Fb9I/AAAAAAAAAls/VAnq-3gOVuE/s1600/2015-07-03%2B14.06.47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5vmn4-vNIhY/VbxrEQ2Fb9I/AAAAAAAAAls/VAnq-3gOVuE/s320/2015-07-03%2B14.06.47.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Aussie family - What a team!</td></tr>
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<div>
Mission accomplished!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karumba Gulf of Carpenteria Sunset</td></tr>
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Celebrations started!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pack Two</td></tr>
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<div>
<b><i>Day 7 - 76.6 kilometres - 89 metres of climbing - 2 hours 27 minutes riding time.</i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b>The Aftermath </b></h2>
<div>
More than a few beers and whiskies were drunk in celebration, during the evening it hit me just how far I had come in the last 12 months ... it overwhelmed me ... one year ago lying on the forest floor with a fractured femur ... I had managed to ride 680 of the 780 kilometres in seven days ... I was pretty much back, a lot of mental hurdles had been conquered this week.</div>
<div>
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<div>
To Paul and Sam, the biggest thanks for inviting me to share this experience with your families, for the support over the last year, you are both special people!</div>
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We spent the next day and half driving back to Cairns, spending the night at Innot Hot Springs, before heading to Daryl's place in Palm Cove to unload pack up and go our ways.</div>
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Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16118678952822575516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016956869819266769.post-46863471363887424412015-07-18T22:16:00.003-07:002015-07-18T22:16:45.731-07:00Holiday time ... Cairns to Karumba Charity Ride ... Part One<br />
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<br />
Twelve months on from breaking my femur, which has totally absorbed my time rehabilitating it. It was time to take a holiday, so when starting in my new role at <a href="http://www.interex.co.nz/">Interex Projects</a>, I negotiated some leave.<br />
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Back in November, good friends Paul and Sam, while on the <a href="http://www.southernalpstour.co.nz/">Southern Alps Tour</a> mentioned that they were going to ride <a href="http://www.ridefnq.com/">Cairns to Karumba</a>, the seed had been planted, the problem was in November I was only riding 20 -30 km at a time. C2K was 780 kilometres over 7 days! Fortunately I still had seven months to continue to build some strength and endurance.<br />
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Cairns to Karumba is a charity ride which has raised over the last 18 years $1,000,000 + for distance education.<br />
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Time soon rolled around, I was visiting the Orthopaedic Consultant for a twelve month check up the week before I left for Australia, I have been getting a niggle where the distal locating screws are a bit long and the muscle rubs over them. Simple fix! The answer is to remove them!<br />
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So with that being planned it was time to pack up the bike and bag, finish of those last minute instructions for work and catch that big silver budgie over the ditch to Brisbane, hang around in the airport for a few hours and head on upto Cairns.<br />
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Although I had spent time in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast, I had not been to Far North Queensland, although from my time working in Papua New Guinea I had passed through the airport to change flights but never got any further. But it was those flights which had peaked my interest to visit especially having seen the Great Barrier Reef from the air.<br />
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Arriving late Thursday and picked up by Paul and his lovely wife Fran, it was back to the motor camp to meet the rest of the crew, assemble my bike and have a cold beer or two, just to set the tone of the next week to come!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre race team dinner</td></tr>
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Friday was a quick ride (30 km) to check the bikes out, find a coffee, register and be briefed. Our support crew Fran, Darryl (Paul's good mate) and Pete (Sams uncle) got the Camper Vans, food water and beers organised. Sam's husband Jason and two kids Zac and Lilly also joined us, Jason would be riding the mountain bike stages, while Zac would join him for some of the time. Lilly would hang with the support crew and later on become the Jenga champion!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="240" src="https://scontent-lax1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/1610946_860841637330102_2311043746647153954_n.jpg?oh=7f122b91172d5d6a77d846d8f842e86b&oe=561C8BAA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lilly and Daryl battling it out for the Championship title</td></tr>
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Now the night before it started to dawn on me that this shit was about to get real! In the last 10 months since I was allowed to get on the bike (for 3 minutes at a time) to now I had only acculliminated 2700 kms of riding, the longest one being 100 km. This was not a lot!!!<br />
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Questions kept popping into my head ... How far will I make before I have to pull out? Will my leg hold up? Will my niggle around the screws play up? While trying to keep rational and sensible about it ... Its ok you can jump in the support vehicle anytime ... to the irrationale ... what the feek are you doing! It's 780 km, thats like a third of what you have ridden in the last 12 months! You won't make it up the first hill out of Cairns!<br />
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But if you don't try you will not find out!<br />
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<b><br /></b>
<b>Saturday - Day One Cairns to Atherton 96 km</b><br />
We rode in from the campground to the start on the Esplanade in Cairns to depart with a full Police escort to the base of the Karunda Range, there we were split into two groups to be guided up the hill. This being the main road onto the Tablelands combined with the first weekend of the school holidays, it was fairly busy, but the local police did a fantastic job at looking after us and managing the flow of traffic!<br />
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We had chosen Pack 3 to ride in, as they said it would have an average speed of 25-28 kmh, so were in the front half heading up the hill. I was riding pretty conservatively, when I notice this portly old bugger riding with sandals on! You can guess what the conversation was in my head! Over the next week I got to know Don who turns out to be lovable old Irishman with a ditty for every occasion! Being a local Don knew the roads and conditions, later in the week he was telling us that this ride was a warm up for a trip in August which was to include Spain, France and Italy! Oh, the joys of being retired!<br />
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With many stops we travelled through some absolutely beautiful rolling countryside, it made for some great riding. Eventually we rolled in through the town of Atherton to the Woodlands motorcamp.<br />
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Day one complete 103.8 km 1583 metres of climbing 4hrs 42 min riding time.<br />
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<b>Sunday - Day Two Atherton to Mount Garnet 103 km</b><br />
Today dawned overcast which later turned to drizzle, but the gorgeous rolling riding continued today, we were still not really riding in our packs but there were still many stops ... every 20 kms these were starting to get on my wick, I am carrying two water bottles so can ride for two hours no need to stop every 45 minutes!<br />
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Paul, Sam and I rode together enjoying the climbs and descents, cresting Queenslands highest sealed road (1043m) we descended into Ravenshoe. Here we were treated to a fantastic lunch provided by the locals and also to pay our respects to the town. Which had had an unfortunate tragedy, where a driver of a vehicle had a medical incident, crashing into some gas bottles outside a cafe which exploded killing two and injuring 22. The ride organisation presented a cheque to the townspeople to help with the recovery.<br />
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After lunch we headed out in Pack 3, this was a little frustrating as we were not allowed to rotate and we had to stop every 20 kms, It was not long after leaving Ravenshoe the rain stopped but we hit about 3 kms of road works and we all turned red with wet dirt!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the road works</td></tr>
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We eventually rolled into Mount Garnet staying in the rodeo grounds. We washed the bikes down while enjoying a cold beer or two, it was easy to settled down into this daily routine!<br />
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Day two completed 106.1 km 1273 metres of climbing 4 hours 29 minutes riding time.<br />
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<b>Day Three Mount Garnet to Mount Surprise 113 km</b><br />
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Day three was a day we would have a change in attitude. But first we left for 40 Mile Scrub with pack three, to be treated to lunch by the locals, now there is no towns between Mount Garnet and Mount Surprise but there is a parking area which has a shade shelter and a toilet. This is where the locals meet us.<br />
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Outside this rest area was a compulsory stop sign, with 4 police cars sitting there, this made a good point for the event organiser's to encourage those who stop to donate! Unfortunately a road train rolled through without stopping which meant the boys in blue stopped him down the road - cost au $340 !!!<br />
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When it was time to move on, we decided to move ourselves up to Pack 2, within a few kilometres Paul, Sam and I had agreed that this was a good move. This is where we would stay for the rest of the week, the pack leader Tony was an expat kiwi, and kept the pack rolling at a reasonable pace without stopping at every drink station available, it was of a reasonable size, about 16 riders all of who were capable at taking a turn on the front, the bonus was they were a pretty friendly bunch too!<br />
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We were meet a couple of kilometres out of Mount Surprise we were meet by some local kids who rode in with us ... pretty cool!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cli with a young local who escorted us into town!</td></tr>
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Day three completed 117.9 km 569 metres of climbing 4 hours 11 minutes ride time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pzei4m17JiQ/VasxcSr2cuI/AAAAAAAAAi0/KgWTCw1Uqk0/s1600/2015-06-29%2B14.49.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pzei4m17JiQ/VasxcSr2cuI/AAAAAAAAAi0/KgWTCw1Uqk0/s320/2015-06-29%2B14.49.20.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We assumed our usual position at the end of the day!<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Part two coming up soon<br />
<br />Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16118678952822575516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016956869819266769.post-76796165953759404012015-05-02T00:56:00.000-07:002015-05-02T00:59:52.072-07:0010 months gone ... 10 months to go!It has been 10 months since I busted my femur and I am starting to feel like life is getting back to normal!<br />
<br />
The last month has been a good example of that, with a visit to sunny Marlborough to complete the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1777758159"></span>Forrest Graperide<span id="goog_1777758160"></span></a>, a 100 km circuit taking in Blenhiem, Picton Queen Charlotte, Havelock and back to Renwick.<br />
Rolling up to the start I was pretty nervous starting with hundreds of other riders, but it was fine being able to stay with the group on the flats but fading on the hills ... pretty much expected ... what was surprising was my endurance which lasted pretty well, finishing stronger than expected.<br />
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Returning home I finished my job at Fletcher EQR after 4 and 1/4 years, it was a fantastic experience, very satisfying and a great learning experience ... but it was time to move on! I have landed a great job as a Project Manager with a small but growing firm. <a href="http://www.interex.co.nz/">www.Interex.co.nz</a><br />
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I had a week off between jobs so took advantage of some late summer sunshine and headed over to Banks Pennisula for an overnight trip. The Pennisula being a couple of old volcano cones, doesn't have any flat land so you are either going up hill or going down, until you get onto the plains again.<br />
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The trip was 80 km each day, from home through to Lyttelton catch the ferry across to Diamond Harbour pop up over Purau saddle to Port Levy then up and over Pigeon Bay up and along the Summit Road before descending down into Okains Bay for the night. About 2400 metres of climbing.<br />
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The trip home I had planned an easier day with just the climb out of Okains Bay to the Summit Road and along to Hill Top and a quick descent down for my morning coffee at Little River, from here I jumped on the Little River Rail Trail for a flat ride home.<br />
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A pleasant couple of days right from my front door!<br />
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Now if that wasn't enough, @velolassie and I took advantage of another long weekend and headed across to the West Coast to ride the <a href="http://www.westcoastwildernesstrail.co.nz/">Wilderness Trail</a> which takes a route from Greymouth to Hokitika via historic towns of Kumara and Milltown, approximately 100 kms long 85 kms of it on trail, the balance on sealed road. It is not technical and saw plenty of riders of all ages enjoying the trip. Most complete over three days, we rode for about 7 hours stopping for two of those, one hour to enjoy a farmers breakfast at the Empire Hotel in Kumara, about half an hour at Cowboy Paradise for a cuppa ... the rest were photo stops.<br />
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Our plan was to ride there in one day stay the night in a B&B and return the next day by the trail to pick up the car. Soon after arriving in Hokitika it started to rain and rain it did as only it can on the West Coast.<br />
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We reassessed our plans quite quickly and blugded a lift of a friend back to Greymouth to pick up the car ... soft! Yes we are, no denying that.<br />
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It did rain that Sunday Hokitika got 90 mm in that 24 hour period, while Hokitika Gorge (only 27 km away) got 290 mm!<br />
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We spent the day drinking coffee and exploring some of the back roads behind Hokitika.<br />
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So ten months have past since breaking my femur and it is ten months to go until the Tour of Aotearoa!<br />
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<br />Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16118678952822575516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016956869819266769.post-58106115879760804302015-04-05T22:06:00.000-07:002015-04-05T22:06:01.130-07:00Good Buggers<div class="MsoNormal">
Throughout my life I have meet a lot of different people,
but I have only meet a few Bloody Good Buggers</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You see, BGB’s are few and far between, they are mates who
always have a smile, an ear to listen with, the occasional word … sometimes the
word is refreshingly honest … they are always there during the tough times and
good times, without judging.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We all know the real BGB … the sandbagger … one who turns
up for ride or race saying … “no been too busy to train, haven’t had a chance
to get out much this week” … then goes and drops you on the first hill!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We all know the real BGB … the ulterior motive … “Hey you
want come over for a BBQ? Oh can you bring your tools and just do this one small
job” ... This also worked in reverse too!<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We all know the real BGB … the chatterbox … when you are
struggling along out of breath on a bike ride, run or hike and BGB is still
talking and pushing the pace!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We all know the real BGB … the father … the one who adores
his daughters or son, challenging them to enjoy life!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We all know the real BGB … the Family man … always
checking in on how the family is doing and helping wherever and whenever he
can.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We all know the real BGB … the business man … always
having a wise word.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Warwick, Rob and Steve we have shared many adventures, many meals, many hours
riding our bikes, paddling our kayaks, spinning yarns, building, laughing, sharing, helping, drinking coffee, beers or whiskies. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Guys, I have appreciated your advice, your support and valued
your friendship!<o:p></o:p></div>
<h2>
<br /></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Warwick Martin, Rob Daly and Steve Redden … You’re a Bloody Good Buggers! RIP<o:p></o:p></div>
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Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16118678952822575516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016956869819266769.post-7828139721895045782015-02-02T23:19:00.001-08:002015-02-02T23:19:08.267-08:00Dad and Anjas Adventure Week 2015After last years Otago Rail Trail Trip Anja and I set our eyes on heading to Abel Tasman National Park to go sea kayaking but some silly old git goes and breaks his leg and turns that plan on it's head. So an alternative plan was decided upon about three weeks out waiting to see how strong my leg would be and what limits that would impose.<br />
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We had five days up our sleeve and great weather forecast for both sides of the South Island. We talked about doing an overnight hike ... Anja had done a few good day trips but never an over-nighter.</div>
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It wasn't hard to chose a couple of trips as a couple of my favourite wee hikes are over in the Paparoa Range and are great introductory trips. </div>
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Anja also wanted to visit the newly open Tree Tops Walk just south of Hokitika over looking the stunning Lake Mahinepua, this man made walk way takes you around the trees at between 20 and 47 metres of the ground.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fully mature Rimu trees about 400 years old with Anja standing at the bottom</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anja holding a Rimu sapling probably the same age as herself!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the walk way and look out tower</td></tr>
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The afternoon was spent looking around this walkway enjoying being upclose with the birds and looking at what grows in the tops of the trees.<br />
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The West Coast is a beautiful part of the world and you can't beat having a meal down the beach, so a pizza from Fat Pippis ...<br />
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In the morning it was time to load our packs and head to the start, This was to be Anja's first overnight trip where she needed to carry her own gear. We stopped at the Formly The Blackball Hilton for one last meal then drove up to the car park ... with this being Anja's first overnight camp and into wilderness back country ... there were a few nerves! So we talked about other challenges she has faced and how it may have some tough moments but the rewards were huge that feeling of satisfaction cannot be replaced.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Right Dad ... Let's go!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snack time!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snack time again!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wow we are getting up there!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We here!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No internet here ... can't beat reading a book with that view!<br /><br /></td></tr>
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Just over four hours up the hill to Ces Clarke hut, we chilled out taking in the view over the Gray Valley and Lake Brunner, Watching the sun set it was time for dinner ... <i>You did bring dinner ... didn't you Dad? </i>Whoops forgot to pack the main course! Bad parenting there haha! Fortunately we still had alot of cracker cheese and salami so we just filled ourselves on that ... I don't think I will live that one down for a while!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">South Island Robin</td></tr>
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With a good nights sleep we packed up and headed back down the hill, three hours later, lots of chatting and we were back at the car.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pancake Rocks</td></tr>
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Lunch was back in Greymouth we drove up the coast to Punakaiki, where we enjoyed a nice dinner some chill out time and got to watch a west coast sunset, these are pretty special as the sun dips below the horizon line.<br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anja at Punakaiki</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset at Punakaiki</td></tr>
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This drive must be one of the most spectacular drives in the world ... I never tire of it!<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">West Coast</td></tr>
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<br />The next day saw us continue our road trip further north up to Tauranga Bay for some lunch and a walk out to the seal colony, before heading up the Buller Gorge then onto Reefton.<br /><br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">West Coast</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only in New Zealand ... Watch out for Penguins!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walk at Charleston</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch at The Bay House Cafe Tauranga Bay</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NZ Fur Seals at Cape Foulwind</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buller Gorge</td></tr>
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Reefton is a quirky little town where you can get huge ice creams, great coffees and fresh goods from the bakery! The locals are friendly and let us in on where the local swimming hole was ... 31 degrees at 4 pm ... it was welcomed!<br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swimming hole in Reefton very hot day very nice swim!</td></tr>
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<br />Our last day was to drive from Reefton back to Christchurch via Arthurs Pass on the way we stopped off at Waiuta, this is a ghost town, once a thriving gold town, with it's own hospital and two churches, it is slowly being overgrowing by native bush!<br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old mining town at Waiuta</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brunner Mine Bridge</td></tr>
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Another week of adventures was ticked off ... but more importantly a week of Dad and Daughter one on one time ... PRICELESS!!!</div>
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Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16118678952822575516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016956869819266769.post-79934530687380438502015-01-12T00:11:00.000-08:002015-01-12T00:11:34.826-08:00Six and half months on … Six months ahead<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>Happy New Year!</i></b></div>
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So what has been happening during the last seven weeks …
well it has had it’s ups and downs!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Progress continued at a slow rate for a few weeks, a little despondent
waiting to visit the Consultant mid-December. While being a little nervous
waiting to talk to the Consultant as the last conversation was quite frank
around rate of the bone was healing and the consequences of it not doing it’s
thing properly. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But this conversation had a totally different tone about it!
It ended with … “You are properly the wrong person to tell you this … but you
can and go and do whatever you want … your strength and endurance will limit
you so I am quite safe in saying that!” Just what I wanted to hear … straight
off to the Physio c’mon Ryan we have work to do!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sure enough … Ryan change my rehab program to some serious
core workout oh how it hurt!<o:p></o:p></div>
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With two weeks off over Christmas and New Year, we spent it
at home catching up on gardening, building my rides up, enjoying the odd glass
of wine sitting in the sun! Longest ride 45 kms. Progress is being made and in
a really positive way.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am back at work now trying to find that balance between
work and fun … so here are my goals for the next six months<o:p></o:p></div>
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March 28<sup>th</sup> – the Graperide 101 kilometres road ride – goal to
finish<o:p></o:p></div>
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Late June early July to join a couple of Australian friends
in a wee jaunt from Cairns to Karumba 708 kilometre’s over seven days.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_FzruVsBA0Q/VLN-_T3w-6I/AAAAAAAAAXw/GuG88f84Qr4/s1600/IMG_0138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_FzruVsBA0Q/VLN-_T3w-6I/AAAAAAAAAXw/GuG88f84Qr4/s1600/IMG_0138.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Otago Rail Trail December 2013</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wpsh7xhLi1U/VLN-4V-sFXI/AAAAAAAAAXo/JMsUjcCh0m8/s1600/The%2BBallroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wpsh7xhLi1U/VLN-4V-sFXI/AAAAAAAAAXo/JMsUjcCh0m8/s1600/The%2BBallroom.jpg" height="208" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Ball Room - Fox River - Punakaiki</td></tr>
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With that in the back of my mind … it is that time of year
where it is Dad and Daughter Adventure Week. Anja and I are heading to the West
Coast for five days with a couple of small goals of heading into the hills for
Anja’s introductory overnight hikes, which is a bit of a change from what we
had planned after last year’s trip, but life would be boring if everything went
to plan.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16118678952822575516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016956869819266769.post-66413421522834279212014-11-23T23:53:00.000-08:002014-11-23T23:53:04.139-08:00Half Way! 20 of 40!<b>Wow 20 weeks!</b><br />
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It has been six weeks since I wrote anything, for the most of the time it has been good and positive! With the occasional bit of down time.<br />
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Progress has slowed a bit but that was expected ... big gains early then tapering off.<br />
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The mobility is nearly the same as my good leg, the strength is way less!<br />
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The couple of times were I felt down about it, has been when I have been with a group and they have headed out to do something i.e. a run or ride which I would normally be on. This has been balanced out by remembering that twenty weeks ago I needed two other people to help me out of bed or looking back at my rehab log and seeing the progress!<br />
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We went for a x-ray at 18 weeks<br />
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You can see the pin which goes down the centre of the femur and the two top screws which hold it in place pointing into the ball of the hip. The green line in the top picture is the line of the break. The bone is slowly knitting together and on the 11th December we will go for another x-ray so should see some progress.<br />
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So what have I been up to?<br />
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I got back into my kayak! for 30 minutes<br />
I have been for my first road ride! 19 kms 1 hour<br />
I have walked for an hour at a time<br />
I did my first race ... the swim leg of a Half Ironman Triathlon in a team<br />
I have been hunting Giraffes<br />
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In between all that I have been back at work full time setting up a new team as we enter the final stage of the EQR Residential Rebuild in Christchurch, which also means I am looking for a new job come 30 April as the Project finishes.<br />
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It has been twelve months since we did the second part of the trilogy of rides which make up the Southern Alps Tour. The third part, finished last part completing the 2400 kilometres of riding throughout the South Island.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading up Takaka Hill</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riding into The Portage in the Marlborough Sounds</td></tr>
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Well done guys!<br />
It was a pleasure to look after you.Bretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16118678952822575516noreply@blogger.com0