Kiwi brevet 2012.Day 1
Blenheim to Molesworth Station; 120km
Now if riding the Kiwi Brevet once is not enough for one person, who would be insane enough to ride it twice. Guess that would me! The main reasons for doing this event again; are that it is an event with no winners. In my book everyone that completes the Kiwi brevet is a winner. The other reason for doing this event again is the adventure aspect of it. From day to day you don’t know what you will be presented with: weather and track conditions? Where will I stay tonight? How will my bike, body and mind hold up today? Preparations for my second brevet went fairly smoothly although I didn’t train as much with a dodgy left knee giving me a little grief. The setup had been thought about for since the completion of my first brevet. Cooking gear and lightweight tent would be carried again just to give me flexibility in where I stayed. The goal of this epic adventure was to go under my previous best time of 7 and ½ days.
So when I cued up on the start line with 59 other riders there understandably a little nervous energy on how my body, mind and bike were going to hold up. But once it all kicked off at 9.00am on Saturday 4th of February that was quickly forgotten as we made our way towards Jacks pass and the Awatere valley. The ride started in pleasant overcast conditions which soon became very typical hot and dusty conditions. The field soon split into two: The riders that wanted to ride the 200km through to Hanmer Springs on the first day and then the more leisurely riders that took their time to ride 120km to Molesworth station. I was definitely in the latter. No point blowing a head gasket on the first day! I took my time riding in and arrived at about 6.30. Quite a few riders struggled with the heat of the day. I rode with Dean for a while and gave him one of my bottles of water as he was finding it tough. This was 4th time riding through Molesworth station and every time I am truly blown away by this grand landscape. Pretty hard to imagine that they farm this remote and rugged terrain. A top days riding!
Now if riding the Kiwi Brevet once is not enough for one person, who would be insane enough to ride it twice. Guess that would me! The main reasons for doing this event again; are that it is an event with no winners. In my book everyone that completes the Kiwi brevet is a winner. The other reason for doing this event again is the adventure aspect of it. From day to day you don’t know what you will be presented with: weather and track conditions? Where will I stay tonight? How will my bike, body and mind hold up today? Preparations for my second brevet went fairly smoothly although I didn’t train as much with a dodgy left knee giving me a little grief. The setup had been thought about for since the completion of my first brevet. Cooking gear and lightweight tent would be carried again just to give me flexibility in where I stayed. The goal of this epic adventure was to go under my previous best time of 7 and ½ days.
So when I cued up on the start line with 59 other riders there understandably a little nervous energy on how my body, mind and bike were going to hold up. But once it all kicked off at 9.00am on Saturday 4th of February that was quickly forgotten as we made our way towards Jacks pass and the Awatere valley. The ride started in pleasant overcast conditions which soon became very typical hot and dusty conditions. The field soon split into two: The riders that wanted to ride the 200km through to Hanmer Springs on the first day and then the more leisurely riders that took their time to ride 120km to Molesworth station. I was definitely in the latter. No point blowing a head gasket on the first day! I took my time riding in and arrived at about 6.30. Quite a few riders struggled with the heat of the day. I rode with Dean for a while and gave him one of my bottles of water as he was finding it tough. This was 4th time riding through Molesworth station and every time I am truly blown away by this grand landscape. Pretty hard to imagine that they farm this remote and rugged terrain. A top days riding!
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