The truth about NZ

My lips are pretty damn chapped, even though I'm using chap stick several times a day. Maybe I need a better brand?

When I was still in Auckland, one guy told me to take a train through the suburbs to get up north. Thanks, but no thanks. I told him that was cheating. He is probably related to the guy who tried to talk me out of doing this ride in the first place...

I keep hearing stories from the locals about how bad this area is. High unemployment, gangs, and lots of drug use? Everything you don't hear in the travel guides. Makes me wonder...

One reason I had second thoughts about this ride was that just about everyone I talked to tells me that the drivers here are the worst in the world. Hmmm.

And to think that in some strange way I've actually enjoyed riding on the busy roads more than I've enjoyed riding on the side roads. I guess I feel like I'm going faster or something. Or maybe I like the company? That's probably it.

And on the rare occasions when I do go really fast (50+ km/hr), I feel a bit like a bad-ass cycling next to the cars. I know that is pretty ridiculous and bordering on naive, but I really did have such thoughts on occasion...

People are always telling me to watch out for the big trucks. My response: "Actually, they have to watch out for me. I can't do anything about them..."

Speaking of trucks: One time yesterday, while I was riding here, a truck passed me in the opposite direction and gave me the biggest blast of full-on, frontal whoop-ass that a truck has ever given me. Luckily, nothing happened to me, besides the fact that I got a bit shaken up (not stirred). That was intense.

I'm pretty proud of my accomplishment(s) so far on this ride, but now that I've experienced RAAM, I'm quite aware that what I'm doing pales greatly in comparison. The riders who finish that race make me seem like a wimp... But everyone has their own riding style...

The weather looks iffy for the next week or so, so it's good that I'm staying here. I think.

Funny thing... I did not plan to stop anywhere for more than one night on the loop. In other words, I have almost no clothes. One set. That's it. At least here I picked up some work clothes (that are anything but fashionable). Yeah, so I have to wash my one pair of underwear every night in the shower. Fun, fun. But they dry super fast. They are the best: ex officio.

Google it.

Talk to you later!