Our Tour Aotearoa experience

My reflections on how it all went

When we first signed up for the North Island leg of the Tour Aotearoa, it seemed like a daunting challenge. And it many ways it was. We had to significantly increase the amount of cycling we were doing, and push ourselves to seek out hills (not just gentle rolling hills - we needed steep hills and hills with gravel roads).

The training was relentless, and exhausting. And yet the weekly distances we were cycling were still well short of what we expected to do on tour.

So, it's been a real surprise to discover how well we coped. I am reluctant to say 'how easily' because some days really were tough, especially in the first week. Yet somehow it all seems quite straightforward now, and I suspect we could just keep riding.

Part of me wishes we had signed up for the full Tour, and gone on to cycle the South Island as well. But I am happy to be home and pause for now.

What went well

If I had to give the tour a rating out of ten, it would be an easy nine. I loved the supported nature of the trip, which meant we didn't have to worry about planning our route, organising our accommodation, finding and carrying food, or carting all our gear on our bikes (or booking shuttles for transport). Our main job was to simply get up and ride.

Theresa and Tim (our guides) did a fantastic job at making sure we knew where we going and where lunch would be set up every day. They were up early each day getting breakfast set up for us, and made sure we had a good range of snacks to keep us fuelled and lots of protein-rich choices for lunch. Nobody went hungry.

In the evenings, they made sure that we had somewhere to get dinner, often giving up their own time to dine with the group. There weren't many options in the smaller places we stayed so they booked places a few days ahead, and twice convinced cafes that close mid-afternoon to open especially for us for dinner.

The maps provided by Escape Adventures for the Ride with GPS app (although frustrating in busy places like Auckland) were generally easy to follow so we needed minimal briefing on our route.

The cycling itself was great and I really enjoyed seeing the country at a slower pace (than in a car) and riding along some back roads that we would not otherwise have visited. I also loved the physical challenge, and discovering I could manage any hill, any gravel road, any long distance ride in front of me.

The first week was the most physically challenging, with the longest rides, some big climbs and the most days of back-to-back cycling. But it was also my favourite week - partly because it was all new and exciting, partly because of the fast pace, and partly because of the places we were cycling.

It's hard to pick a favourite day, but the first day riding from Cape Reinga and along Ninety Mile Beach was memorable (if a bit tough in a head wind). I loved the day we rode up through Waipoua Forest and visited Tane Mahuta. While I didn't overly enjoy riding through Auckland, I got a lot of satisfaction out of doing it.

The ride from Raetihi to Pipiriki and along the Whanganui River was one of the more scenic days and a definite highlight for me. Parts of the Waikato were also stunning (especially the hills around Matamata and the area around Lake Karapiro). And I was surprised how much I enjoyed cycling through the Wairarapa and the final day over the Remutaka Incline and along the Hutt River.

The Timber Trail was great, but I'd like to go back and do it again with fresher legs and at a slower pace. And I feel that we could have (and perhaps should have) pushed ourselves to cycle the Mangapurua Track to the Bridge to Nowhere.

We were really lucky with the weather (we only got drenched once). And the group got on well, although the energy started to dissipate towards the end as everyone got tired - there is only so many times you can have the same conversation with the same people!

Some not-so-great aspects of the trip

Any good story needs a bit of friction or things not going to plan, but thankfully there were few of these on our trip. Neither of us got a puncture or had any other mechanical issue with our bikes. (The bikes that had issues were the flash electric bikes.) We didn't fall off, crash or come away with any injuries. We didn't forget to take some important piece of gear or leave anything behind. And we didn't clash with any of the other cyclists.

But there were some not-so-great aspects of the trip. The main thing that let the trip down was the accommodation. In many places, it was perfectly fine - a simple motel unit with a comfortable bed, a bathroom and tea and coffee-making facilities.

But we often found we had hot stuffy rooms and/or uncomfortable beds that made it hard to sleep. One place was right next to the railway line (the main trunk line so there were plenty of trains in the night). That meant that over time we got progressively tireder, which is not ideal for cycling or feeling like socialising with the group. I was a bit run-down by the end of week one, and so I picked up a cold.

In some places, we stayed in shared accommodation (holiday homes) or cabins with shared bathroom facilities. Nobody really liked that. At one place, the cabins were tiny portacoms that got freezing cold at night. (At this same place, we had cold showers because someone neglected to change the gas bottles.) At another place, there were nine of us sharing a bathroom with no lock on the door. It wasn't a big deal but I was surprised the tour company hadn't booked better accommodation given the demographic of the group (people that are used to their own space) and what we had paid for the trip.

Related to the accommodation was the size of the group. I didn't really mind having a bigger group because it meant there was a variety of different people to talk with. But it did mean that accommodation options were more limited, and sometimes we would turn up and there wouldn't be enough rooms for everyone. On the final night, the guides almost faced a revolt because we had all been expecting our own unit, but that's not what had been booked and there was quite a lot of juggling involved before everyone was roomed for the night.

The size of the group was also too big for the van, which could only seat nine of us (plus guides). Fortunately there were few times when we needed the van, but it would have been difficult if they had had to move everyone in an emergency.

Overall, though, these things were small annoyances in the scheme of things. I really enjoyed the trip and am pleased we did it. It turned out to be a very achievable adventure.

A few thank yous

When I write these posts, I am never entirely sure how they will be received (or if I am boring you senseless). So it has been great to get your comments, and 'likes', and texts and emails telling me that you are enjoying the posts. Thank you for that. (And I know Chris loves the feedback on his photos.)

A special thanks to my North American subscribers. It's been great knowing that my posts are being followed by fellow cyclists as well as by friends and family. I hope I have piqued your interest in cycling in New Zealand.

Finally, a very happy 23rd birthday today to our lovely sons, Cameron and Alex. Thank you both for taking excellent care of the house and garden while we were away, including making a much better tomato chutney than we ever have!