Winter Solstice - Hamilton to Auckland ... and back. 22nd June 2011

So I decided to ride to Auckland and back to Hamilton on the shortest day. This is also known as the Winter Solstice, when, in the Southern Hemisphere, the sun is furthest north in the sky. This happened at 5:16am on the 22nd June 2011

I managed to get on the road about 4:45am, with a High viz jacket, two flashing lights on the rear and a 900 lumen light on the front, I was lit up like a Christmas tree. I was heading out of Pukete, over the main road to Te Kowhai to stay on the west side of the river all the way up. Then through the back of Ngaruawahia and the back of Huntly. All was going well untill I hit the railway lines in Huntly, my two bottles in the back cages flew out onto the road, and at that point I must have snapped that spoke!

The Huntly Bridge in the morning

Picked up my bottles and off again. Missed my turn at Rangiriri, so had to consult the directions I had written the night before, just in case I did get lost. I did ... haha. Turned back and found my turn.

I had to ride along a gravel road between Rangiriri and Pukekawa. A GRAVEL ROAD on the way to auckland .... at this point I saw a sign that read 'Mercer 10Km'. Even though I wasn't going that way, I thought it pretty awesome that I was that close to Mercer.

Before I reached Tuakau I went over the Port Waikato bridge over the Waikato river. Through Tuakau, then into Pukekohe. I was going to take a photo of the racecourse, but was very disappointed at the lack of signage, so I didn't bother. Pukekohe needs to work on their street signs too, I got lost again, but thought if I kept going straight through I should reach the main road out.

Out of Pukekohe, onto the main road, heading towards Drury, under the motorway, the roads were starting to get very busy now. But, I did not have any trouble with the traffic at all. Bar one bus that cut me off while on my way home.

Going through Manurewa  I got a flat on the front. I had packed two tubes, and two co² cannisters, so a change of the tube was quick and easy on the side of the road.

I had decided I was going to Avanti Plus in Manukau. I was heading up Great South Road, unwittingly passing the intersection I was to turn off, rode another 6kms further through Manukau. After I realised, turned back and took the right turn, I arrived at my destination.

The staff where only happy to let me refresh and repair my broken spoke and replenish my kit.

Now for the trip home. All was well, untill I got to Tuakau ... started to get pain in my left knee. I stopped and gave it a bit of a stretch, felt a bit better, but the pain soon came back. Stuggling up the big hills I had ridden even more, as they were a steeper gradient on the Auckland side. Back on the gravel road I met a farmer and his herd of cows. Knee was still in a world of pain. Turned off at Rangiriri and thought mustn't be too far to Huntly now then ... Past the Huntly Golf Club and knee was unbearable to ride on. Stopped and started walking, it would have only been a few minutes, and a passing motorist and fellow cyclist Wayne, decided to kindly stop and give me a lift home. Thank you very much Wayne!

In the end, I cycled a total of 229.07kms in 10hrs 57mins. with an average speed of 25kph.

And with some better preparation and a re-thought strategy, I would do it all again. Not in a hurry though - time to rest and sort this knee out!