Taihape Torment

Day 2 of the ride and far more difficult than most of us expected. Napier (sea level) to Taihape (442m/1450 ft) with 150km of ups and downs on the way. I got my fastest speed on my bike on one of the descents - 84.4kph (Dave hit 90!!). It wasn't a race and we had a lovely long lunch with our support team at about the 84km mark - had intended to stop at 100 but we'd had some very big climbs and needed a rest. There was a glimpse of road way off in the distance and we all hoped it was not our route because it looked steeper than a steep thing but it was indeed our route. There was language uttered that I dare not quote here or the moderators will be called in.

I stopped and took this photo with my cruddy mobile phone (was NOT carrying my Nikon around that day!!)

19km to go and over 8 hours since we left Napier the rain came down, along with an icy cold southerly making everyone miserable. We got to the last turnoff, where one of the support guys told us there was 9km to go and it was all downhill - you should have seen the spirits lift. We all found racing legs we didn't know we still had and hit Taihape screaming our heads off!! Quick hugs all round at the motel then hit the showers.