To the Start Line

'Twas the night before leaving..........  Bags are packed, and at the weight limit.  I will be cursing myself when I have to haul that bag in and out of our accommodation daily.  But - I'm not willing to give anything up.  I always blame it on "sunscreen and contact solution", but I don't think anyone ever believes me.  

It's going to be a long, long day tomorrow.  We don't leave Calgary until 4:30 in the afternoon and the total travel time is a little over 24 hours.  Three flights and a shuttle bus.  Yawn!  I believe NZ is 20 hours ahead of us.  I hope I get a bit of sleep on the 14 hour flight from Vancouver to Auckland, but I don't hold out much hope.  We're starting to get messages from various members of the group as they transit their way to the start point.  Some are already in NZ and others haven't left home yet.  

I haven't done much this week other than get ready to go and spend some time on the bike trainer in the basement.  I haven't been out skiing or playing hockey- don't want to risk a last-minute injury. Also the tendons in both hips are a mess.  A visit this week to physio gave me some hope that things might improve some day.  More importantly, though, he figured I could manage them during the bike trip with lots of TLC.  I'll just have to make that a priority.

That's all for now.  More at the other end.  Sure hope flights are on time and luggage arrives!      

Interim status - made it to Auckland without incident.  Now waiting on a puddle-jumper north to Kaitaia.  That’s as far north as one can get by plane.  Fingers crossed, though, as other flights to “Northland” are being cancelled due to weather - winds and heavy rain. Sure hope it clears off in the next two days so that we can get some of the views in the brochures.  

Well, a puddle-jumper indeed.

This was a Cessna Grand Caravan, and I think the Dodge namesake is just about as big.  Maximum capacity 12 passengers (we were half full).  Not even a co-pilot, although I think I could have filled in in a pinch.  I was alone in the first row so had a great look at flying process.  Not much to see out the windows, though, as it is (apparently) uncharacteristically wet for this time of year.  Too bad because I think the views up the peninsula would have been spectacular.  I'm a little bit concerned that our first day of riding on 90 mile beach might be a bit of a mudfest.

Gotta say - it's great to be back in New Zealand.  I find the NZ accent just exudes cheeriness, warm-heartedness, and competence.  I also find so many similarities to Canada that even though we're separated by thousands of miles, I feel more at home here than I ever do in the US.  

That's about it for now.  Everyone else should arrive in Pukenui tomorrow.  Both excited and nervous!