Three more sleeps

July 27, 2015

Only three more sleeps until we leave so excitement is mounting.

As far as equipment is concerned little has changed from last year. We are still riding the same bikes which have had an extensive service and new tyres. We aren't taking camping gear as I hate to admit it but I think that crawling around in a small tent is no longer an option for me. The only addition to our line up of gear is a small immersion heater that will boil a cup of water in less that a minute. I am very proud of this bargain as it cost $1 and delivery from Hong Kong to New Zealand was free - you cant get better than that.

Fitness of course is an issue. I have done some really extensive training sitting on the couch watching the Tour de France and hoping that somehow that will rub off on me. Any way the first part of our trip in Germany will be pretty flat so I will rely on the tried a true plan of getting fit during the first few weeks.

The jobs around the farm and vineyard are almost finished. Nearly all the lambs have been born, the pruning and dormant spray has been done, the wine has been racked, Peter has taken over wine sales and Ken has been clearing out sheds while I get the house into a habitable condition for Wendy and Rod who will be house sitting.

Ken has just got back from the bike shop where we have had the bikes professionally packed for their long flight - it is a kind of insurance that no substantial damage will occur. Just hope he can put them back together, We have packed up the rest of the stuff and an initial weigh in makes it seem that we wont be over weight, it is amazing the difference that not taking camping gear takes.

Living in a small rural community is really special. Yesterday, Sunday, we went to our small and very beautiful local church. We were surrounded by friends wishing us well. Thank you all of you who are following this journey along. Tomorrow evening is the meeting of our quilting group and on Wednesday I am going into Auckland to have lunch with my old Dunedin friends. You can see that getting ready for a cycle tour involves socialisation.

I think they know we will put them in a paddock with fresh grass the day we leave but Jess is keeping an eye on them

St Marys on the Hill is not an ancient European stone church however it really is very beautiful, it is built of Kauri, has a fine stained glass window that was built in Britain and a peel of three bells and was built and donated to the people of Pokeno in 1899 by Miss Harriet Johnstone an early settler of the district

Josh doing a good job of packing up the bikes

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