Whakatane to Rerewhakaaitu

 My great start turned out to not be. First up the camp kitchen was locked and that was where my did and drink bottles were! Fortunately the security guard turned up just before 6.00 and unlocked things. 

All good and I was in my way by 6.15 but decided I could pop a bit more air in the bach tyre. Detour to the B P Station only to find they don't do air (would you believe that - a first for me). Not to worry a bit more of a detour further back in to the city to the Caltex station and there once again I managed to let all of the air out of the tyre. BUGGER!

So here I am and have been for over a hour outside the whakatane bike shop waiting for it to open simply for me to borrow a track pump and inflate the tyre again. I could have put a tube in but decided I'll give the tubeless option one more try. Putting a tube in on the side of the road is a messy affair if you don't have water to wash away all the sealant from the tubeless tyre.

Hopefully once under way again I will have a bid rest of the day. 

I was out the bike shop door and underway by about 8:06 AM, an hour and twenty wait just to get some free air!

A back wind and flat terrain ate up the first 50 km's then the lack of a back wind, hills and gravel roads brought my average speed crashing back down again.

I just missed passing ywo women from Christchurch who are friend's  of  friend's of mine by about 2 minutes as they turned off the Road I was on heading in to Te Teko 2 minutes ahead of me!

I stopped in the forest for a drink and a chap doing the Kopiko pulled up and we chatted he was Richard and yes he knows my friend Richard in Christchurch (they both did the TA in 2020). 

I haven't spoken with anyone else except a couple who rode by my shelter on their bikes afet some chat they tell me they have been here since the 60's and they knew the farm I worked on and told me where it was. Then they said they had friends doing the Kopiko who finished last Saturday - That's when I said that would be Robyn and Henry!!! Snap, right again.

I pedalled on to the Lake Rerewhakaaitu DOC campsite and had the whole of the shelter with two tables all to myself - so I brewed up a couple of billies of tea and had some curried egg rolls. Reipie?

Buy individual buns from supermarket

Buy half a dozen eggs

Boil the eggs the night before (eat two)

Do not shell eggs

At campsite shell eggs and mash along with curry poweder, salt, pepper and a little bit of condensed milk out of the tube.

Taste test and adjust seasoning to suit.

Cut buns and spread egg.

Close buns and eat. 

I'm not complaining but yesterday it was close to 30 probably and I bought a UV protective long sleeved shirt to ride in - today it's been overcast all day and I for the first time have pulled on my merino top and have my down jacket on - such is our NZ weather.