Day 18 - Pahiatua

 Another fabulous day in paradise!!!!  Well - if your idea of paradise is not eating all day….cycling 90km and smelling your sweaty clothes all day.  😂😂😂

We had a lovely evening at the tavern…..the food was fabulous, and there were only a few other customers there.  The two couples from Edinburgh pointed out an alternative route for today.  The book had us going to Ashhurst via 31km of gravel roads, and 11km of pavement.  Gravel is not my favourite, especially when it’s deep.  The alternative is a bit longer, about 200m more of elevation, but it’s all in pavement.  Worth a try.  

Well the alternative was fabulous.  Minimal traffic and just a great road.  One hill was a bit steep that I had to walk a bit of it, but otherwise it was great.  Passed by so many farm yards….and saw so many with beautiful flowers.  Lots of sheep again today…..even saw a sheep herder.  Not on foot, and not accompanied by dogs….but rather was racing along behind the sheep on a dirt bike!!!!  An older gentleman with a button up shirt, and an Australian type dark brown wide brimmed hat, racing around on a dirt bike!  It looked like so my fun 😀😀😀

I got into Ashhurst and everyone was waiting for me….i was about to enter the grocery store for some food….breakfast and snacks was only two granola bars so far, and it was 1:30.  They were adamant….so u headed over….surprise, Mary a trail Angel was there with a coke and muffin!  She has been doing this for years….watches the website, and is ready for when the cyclists arrive.  I sat down and had a 45min visit with her.  So lovely.  Drank down a chocolate milk and headed off.  

The first hill was massive, but I rode up the entire way….stopped twice to take some photos.  Just a couple of hills, and then it was mostly flat….with a headwind, that changed every time we turned a corner ti go a different direction!  Finally I was in town.  Annabel had made arrangements for a cabin for us….allows a quicker start in the morning.  So I headed to the only restaurant in town that was open….takeaway.   I ordered two cheese burgers and fries….chatted with another cyclist- Bill from London who wants to cycle across Canada!  Those were the best two cheeseburgers ever!  I was so hungry after not really eating all day.  I almost wished for a third!!!!😂😂😂

So a nice night in a warm cabin, with new friends….a great shower and laundry being done.  Trying to figure out how far to ride tomorrow.