Relaxing on the beach
In Tairua I met some really interesting people, again an American who was a "surferboy", another cyclist from America, a Canadian who lives in the middle of London and writes poems and plays and a really strange older American who could not stop making comments about the movie we were watching (how annoying!).
The next day, I rode for 36km over a 200m hill. I managed to cycle all the way up and even overtook the American cyclist who left earlier than me. I was so proud of myself! However, a few hours after I arrived in Whangamata I didn't see well anymore....the first sign of migraine! Sch.....eisse.... After an hours sleep I felt ok again and went for a walk on the beautiful beach and just relaxed a bit on the beach. We were only two people in the backpackers I stayed in and I even had the whole dorm for myself which was just right.
Surfer in Whangamata
In the morning, I left quite early because I knew it was going to be a quite long and exhausting ride....acutally, I wanted to ride as far as I could get and was targeting Tauranga which was 92km from Whangamata. After about 30min a cyclist who trained for an ironman triathlon rode up to me and started talking to me and cycled with me for a while. He was obviously quite impressed of what I did, especially because I didn't do any big cycling at home. Anyway, as soon as it went up a hill he was understandibly bored with my pace and said goodbye. To be honest, I was quite glad....he was just to fast for me..... Then, after about another hour another cyclist (this time a lady) overtook me and said there was a 6km climb ahead....thanks.....I already know and I don't need any comments about it.
Whangamata...
.... Well, I did really well with this 270m climb. It wasn't too steep and I again was able to ride all the way up....YES!! By the way, I think that is it what motivates me so much. I can celebrate a personal success every day! Never could experience that before. However, after the hill the wind started playing against me! I hate this wind. It was blowing against me all the way to Waihi. I was so annoyed and therefore, I took a break. But the wind didn't seem to stop....so I decided to stay overnight in Katikati. I had already ridden 56km and was desperate to get out of the wind and out of my saddle. My butt hurt so much!! Unfortunatly, the backpackers I wanted to stay at was not yet built!!! Can you belive that?! It is in the BBH book but doesn't even exist yet! The next backpackers I went to was full.
Whangamata
Ok, I thought, lets ride all the way to Tauranga. After a long lunch break, I started riding again and was soon so fed up and really exhausted because the wind was still blowing against me! It was so strong that I even had to peddal downhill!!! That's it, I thought. If I find this Kingfisher Backpackers which should have been about 10 km further on, I am going to stay there. I was sooooo glad when I saw the sign and the owner told me they've got a free bed! I turned out to be a really good decision as I had a room on my own again but this time with tv and ensuite bathroom. The backpackers was situated on an avocado farm. There was only my and a really nice German couple.
Today, I only had to cycle for 40km but I was struggling so much. I just was too exhausted and again.
I was desperate to see this sign!
....yes the wind my biggest enemy!!! My gradmother used to say "der Wind der Wind das himmlische Kind" (in English: the wind the wind the holy child) but I was thinking of this.... today it felt like "der Wind der Wind das teuflische Kind" (in English the wind the wind, child of the devil!)!! However, originally I wanted to stay in Mount Maunganui and was riding all the way there (which is about 10km from Tauranga). Unfortunatly, I hadn't booked a backpackers and they all happend to be full up! I really didn't know what to do now because I really didn't want to ride the 10km back to Tauranga. So I went to "my friends" at the visitor center and they helped me booking a backpackers in Tauranga and told me to take the ferry back to Tauranga.
Beach in Whangamata
I was sooooo happy that I didn't have to torture my butt anymore..... After all the pain and exhaustion I went through the last two days, I felt like doing something good to myself. So I went to the cinema to see "the devil wears prada". It was quite a good movie. I am going to stay here for a few days to relax and heal my butt :-)
I'm sure a few of you must think I am not enjoying cycling anymore after reading this....but as crazy I might be...I'm still loving it!
Photos will follow!
