Day 21 - Wellington!!!!!

 I’m just over half way!!!  Whoop Whoop!  I didn’t think I would get this far!!!!…,one day one km at a time.  

Thanks to everyone following and commenting and texting.  Not sure if you know, but the even has a website where you can track everyone.  It’s at ta26.maprogress.com   My name is Loose Wheel.  It’s fun to see how everyone is moving along.  

I think today was the longest riding day so far….but it’s done and I’m eating dinner now…at 9pm!

I got up early-0630, and to my great surprise, no dew this morning on the tent.  Yippee.  A quick pack up and off into town to find a tea and breakfast.  A nice quiche and a cinnamon roll and off I went.  I wasn’t in a hurry this morning….just enjoyed the day…even the gravel roads leading to the rail trail.  Nice quiet back roads and I stopped often to take photos.  

The start of the rail trail was after 25km of cycling on paths, paved and gravel roads.  At the car park the rail trail began….single track, up and down, super narrow with steep drop off….but I managed.  That was the first two km, the next 4.5 were a steady 7-8%grade all the way to the summit.  It was actually ok, and I was able to cycle all of it.  At the first tunnel I pulled out my front lamp, and walked through it…same for the second and third.  They were between 150-250m long.  Much too long to attempt without some kind of light.  

And then I was at the summit.   Awesome….and the downhill was a gentle 2%…..even better.  I’m not comfortable on the steep gravel downhills, but this was perfect.  I knew it was about 10km….and I watched the markets counting down….but wait, at the 7km mark there was an uphill….a steep uphill.  What?  I checked my Garmin, I checked my guide book….yup, turn off and go up hill….steep.  It started at 11% and went up to 17%!!!!  What is going on????  For 1.5 km.  I was pushing my bike up this steep hill, putting my bike in a track, while I walked where the grass was growing….but there were thistles in the grass….scratching my legs with every step….up and up….ughhhh!  When I was almost at the top I met someone coming the other way…..’what are you doing here’ he asked.  I explained that I was on the TA and the route came this way.  No….he shook his head.  Both paths lead to the car park….but the original one just kept going down…while the one on the route was up!!!  *%#%€>+.  You can fill in the blancs, and I said them all!!!  A change just for this year!  

After that it was still 48km to Wellington, and it was after 3:30!  I needed to get a nice on.  A few missed turns, a few extra km….but eventually I was close.  I got onto this perfect path, and was wondering why I was the only one on it….after about 1.5km security arrived!  It was closed, and I missed this sign too.  They should put the signs at my eye level….I’m not used to scanning the sky in case something might be there!!!!  😀😀😀.  He was kind, but escorted me to the proper place to ensure I got going on the correct path.  

Eventually I made it to the hostel, and got some food.  It’s going to be be an early start tomorrow, I need to be at the ferry before 0745….its only about 2km away….but with my lack of directional awareness who knows how long it’s going to take me😂😂😆