Touring - First tour finished! :)

Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.



PDA

View Full Version : First tour finished! :)

Dupre
03-05-07, 01:36 AM
Just had to write something here as I'm so proud having just returned from my first ever cycle tour!! My partner and I went from Hastings to Wellington in New Zealand's North Island and returned by bus. Clocked up 332km in mainly flat terrain (with 2x350m hills). Stayed in hostels, motor camps and cheap hotels. It took us 3 days and one evening with some headwinds and some tailwinds.

It all went very smoothly apart from my rear tyre giving way and needing replacing (thankfully near Masterton, and the shop had an after hours number in the window - thanks Lambert Cycles!!!).

Anyway, we're pleased as punch!! To anyone else considering a cycle tour, it comes highly recommended!!!!

Dupre.

Cave
03-05-07, 02:51 AM
Hey, well done!

BTW, you can cut a piece of tyre to use as a tyre boot, this can get you out of trouble and to the next town (I've never had to do it, but I did donate mine to a bloke who flatted in front of me on the recent Great Tassie Bike Ride - worked a treat for the rest of the ride).

I'm in Christchurch in May and planning to do some day- or overnight-touring in Canterbury while I'm there. New Zealand really is an incredible place to visit. The beer and the Pinots are awesome, too. Pity about the cricket and rugby teams, though. ;)
Shemp
03-05-07, 08:29 AM
What, no photos to share? Glad you had a good time!

Brian Sorrell
03-05-07, 11:54 AM
Please post photos! My wife and I spent three weeks in NZ as our honeymoon. We loved the stretch from Napier to Wellington -- I wish we had biked it!
tacomee
03-05-07, 11:58 AM
Nice job on you're first 3 day outing. sorry to hear about your rear wheel however.
BigBlueToe
03-06-07, 07:33 PM
I've also heard that you can use a folded dollar bill for a boot. Wait a minute - you're in New Zealand. I don't know what kind of paper money you have. Anyway.... I went on a tour with a guy who had a tire blowout and was cutting pieces of stuff to use as a boot, with varying success. I was going to be in stretches where bike tire availability was zero for days, so at the next opportunity I bought a spare tire and carried it the rest of the way. Of course, I didn't need it, and I've never needed one, but I still think I'd carry one if I was venturing far from civilization.

Cheers on a great tour. When I was a kid my older brother rode 60 miles to a state park with just a sleeping bag. He and his buddy slept under a picnic table, then rode home the next day. I thought it was the coolest-sounding thing ever.

But I digress.