Longest Day Ride 2011

It wasn't long after last year's effort that I decided I would do it all again this year.  The Longest Day Ride is an annual 'event' that was invented by Tama Easton as a damn good excuse to take a day off work to ride bikes from sunrise to sunset and an excellent way to raise money for Arthritis New Zealand so they can help and support people like Tama who suffer with arthritis.  This year the team raised over $4000.

My plan was similar to last year - drop the kids off at preschool and then start riding.  Megan had offered to join me and we would ride from my place on the same loop I did last year.  Megan invited her workmate Vicki to come along too and our group of three would tackle the challenge together.  We had ridden together once before and seemed to all get along fine and ride with similar ability.

Somehow, my Longest Day Ride ended up coinciding with my husbands day off to go kayak fishing near Coromandel.  I felt a bit sick when I was told of this, and figured my day was done and that at best I could drive the course and offer support to the girls as they did the hard graft.  He assured me that he'd be back in time to pick up the kids at 5pm and I was free to ride myself to smithereens.  Game on.

Travelling lighter than last year

Waking up at 4:30am on the morning of your Longest Ride of the entire year is not really a great start to the day.  However, if I was going to do this then that was my lot.  I slid out of bed at 6:30am feeling tired already and somewhat burdened with the guilt that I wasn't already on my bike.  Megan had left Te Awamutu at sunrise (just before 6am) and was making her way north towards Hamilton to meet up with me.

Sunblock embrocation

Ready, 8:30am

I muddled through the morning routine and got the kids off to preschool in record time.  I was home again just after 8:00am to change and slather myself with sunscreen ready to depart at 8:30am.  Meanwhile, Megan had made it as far as Dora's for breakfast with Vicki and another workmate.  Nice!  They lingered while Megan had a second breakfast (why wouldn't you?), sent a text to say they were on their way and rolled up to my place just after 9am.  After some gear shuffling, more eating, a Red Bull, removal of a layer of clothing and some smack talk, we were on our way.

Zero

We headed west on the bike paths, through the gully system and up onto Wairere Drive.  A short discussion resulted in us opting to head for the hills first and save a lap of Pukete Mountain Bike Park as an option for later in the day.  We were an hour behind my not-too-strict schedule and wanted to be able to ride at a relaxed pace.  We chatted as we rode, sliding into single file to let traffic pass.  The busiest stretch of road was soon behind us and we stopped at Whatawhata to fuel up (and empty the tanks too).

So hardcore

More fun with friends

Ride time

We crossed over the Waipa River and turned onto Te Pahu Road.  Our next 50km would consist of a good proportion of gravel and a couple of good hills (also on gravel).  I was hoping for some good views this time around as there was only high cloud and plenty of blue sky in between.  We finally got to Old Mountain Road and the steepest hill of the day.  I rode up a short way and stopped to click off a couple of photos.  I had thought I would walk this section as I had done last year, but this time around with relatively fresh legs I decided to have a crack at riding the whole thing.  I stopped a couple of times to take in the view (and some air) and walked a short way, but was quite pleased with how I rode.  I was thankful I had decided to pack my gear into my camelbak and strap spare tubes onto my bike to avoid carrying the extra 810g the Freeload rack weighs.

It looks flat - it's not

Nearly at the top

Home is back that way

Our reward for that bit of serious effort was some great downhill down the western side of the deviation into Waitetuna Valley.  I loved it!  Fast, loose, and super fun.  As I rounded a particularly tight left hand corner I met a car going up the hill.  Thankfully, I was all the way left and there was a good amount of clearance between us.  I yelled out "two more" into the driver's open window and waited anxiously for Megan and Vicki to appear around the corner behind me.  With everyone safely together again, we carried on and turned left into Waitetuna Valley Road.

Past the wind sticks (in the distance)

It needs an extra sign for cyclists: "And a bloody big hill"

The start of something big, long, and inclined

The view west, from the top

At this stage we were heading along the 'back straight' of our loop, up Waitetuna Valley to Limeworks Loop Road.  First, we had to overcome the longest climb of the day.  I didn't take any notice of how far it was, how fast I was going, or what gear I was in.  Okay, it's obvious I was in granny gear, I was staring at the road 10m in front of me, and I would occasionally stand on the pedals to relieve my tired and sore muscles.  I would sometimes look at the view too, and it was amazing.  Hills covered in forest, pines, sheep, tracks, slips, and dark menacing cloud.

Kaniwhaniwha Stream rest spot

We eventually rolled down to our picnic spot and Megan and I sat on the rocks and soaked our legs in the icy cool stream.  I threw some water on my face and head to freshen up before casually mentioning that people say the shock of cold water like this can bring on cramp.  Well, that was the fastest Megan had moved all day!  She was out of there like a rocket to prevent any cramps in her legs.  I sat a moment longer enjoying the chill of the water on my tired legs.

We sat in the shade beside the stream and ate some lunch; a PB sandwich, beef jerky, lollies, and Red Bull. By now I was sick of the taste of the electrolyte mix in my Camelbak and I was really looking forward to getting some plain water when we returned to Whatawhata.

A lot of toothbrushes

Light relief in Whatawhata

We rolled past the toothbrush fence and Vicki and I stopped for a couple of photos.  I regretted not doubling back to take a photo of the Jandal fence art I'd seen earlier, and a few rundown old sheds that could have been great shots.  By now, Megan's Meltdown was imminent.  She kept on riding past the toothbrush fence and left us in her dust.  She had forewarned of a Meltdown - it wouldn't be out of the question to have a 'moment' after over 8 hours riding on little sleep and no training.  By this stage of the day we were well accustomed to riding on our own.  We didn't seem to ride together or talk much after our first big hill climb on Old Mountain Road.  We were all suffering a little and the time out helped me to just get on with it.  I really enjoyed the fresh water, an iceblock, and a long sit down in Whatawhata.  Eventually it was time to move on and we debated the various route choices that would take us back into Hamilton.  We opted to take the main road straight into the city - the fast track to proper food!

It's raining

It's pouring

Good food with good friends

We made it back to Hamilton Central just as the rain started.  We took shelter under the umbrellas outside The Bank and were looking at the menu when it decided to bucket down.  Megan sorted us out with a table inside and somewhere dry to store our bikes.  The food was great and the cold coke was perfect.  I was mildly amused when I was asked to remove my hat in accordance with their "policy of no hats on inside" whilst You Can Leave Your Hat On played in the background.  I did warn them that what was underneath my cap was worse, but obliged and removed it anyway.  I was sweaty, salty, dirty, and greasy from my sunscreen, so a bit of a messed up hairdo wasn't going to ruin my overall 'look' that much!

Finally, the rain eased, and my dinner settled.  We rode up Victoria Street, bid farewell to Megan who was riding to her Mum's to get a lift back home, and carried on along the Riverbank for the final few kilometres home.  Vicki peeled off towards her house with a good 110 kms or so on her computer.  I carried on north towards home.

McSteamy

Last light to ride home

The light was starting to fade, but I knew it was far from sunset and I could ride for another hour or so. I felt I had it in me, so I kept going.  I rode the river path as far north as I could - even the pinch climb up to Pukete Road (my legs have a bit of go when needed!) - and contemplated a lap of the Pukete Mountain Bike Park.  I figured my fatigue could quickly get the better of me on the more technical and strenuous mountain bike trail and didn't want to end my day badly.  I could happily plod on slowly, so after snapping off a photo of my bike with the glowing sky behind it I turned back the way I came.  I crossed the Pukete Pedestrian Bridge and descended onto the river path on the eastern side of the river.  With the last section of path still under construction, I was diverted up an access track and out onto the road.  Finally, on the home stretch.  I followed the gully system back the way we had started 11 hours earlier.  I made it up the last pinch climb there too!

Done

I achieved my goal of riding for longer, doing over 100kms, and experiencing it all with friends.  Even though I felt like I was riding too slowly at the beginning of the day, I know if I'd ridden faster I wouldn't have made it through to the end.  Having company on the ride made a massive difference to my mood and I didn't have the mental battles I had last year - I smiled a hell of a lot more and had way more fun.  My stats aren't too flash: 6 hours 21 minutes of riding (4 hours 40 minutes stopped), average speed of 16.1km/h when moving, maximum speed of 58.2km/h on that same gravel road as last year, and 102.35km travelled.

And ever since then I've been thinking about what to do for next year's Longest Day Ride.  Who's in?