October Changes

Once again, I’ll start an entry by noting how long it’s been since I’ve updated; a very long time. The reminders by way of emails and phone calls have been helpful in finally getting me back to the keyboard. Thanks for that.
I see it’s been over a month since I’ve been here, and much has happened during that month. In fact, much has even happened on this blog, without me here. Anonymous continues to post comments and suggestions, such as dropping plenty of hints from CyclingNews.com. Among these Anonymous suggestions was a suggestion that I apply for an editing position at Cycling News Australia; another was a plan to get a high school Mountain Bike team going; and lastly and a warning of The Landis Formerly Known as a Cyclist making his way to New Zealand for a bike race. Thanks, Anonymous…what would I do without you?

Well, quite a lot apparently. Here’s a bit of what’s been happening in my life over the past while. I’ll start as far back as I can remember…

Last time I checked in with you, I was sporting a 3 piece Canadian Tuxedo and on my way to a party with my volleyball team. We had a good time. After that, who knows…it’s been over a month!

I do know that I went on another hike in northern New Zealand, in a place called The Bay of Islands. Sounds nice, doesn’t it? And it was. Spectacular, really; living up to its name and then some. We took about 20 students and 5 staff to do the Cape Brett Track. It involves a 22km walk to the end of a peninsula, a night in the hut there (or under the stars) and then a 22km hike back out the next day. It was extremely challenging, but to date the most scenic and beautiful hike I’ve done here in New Zealand. To top it off, we sat on a ridge with a 200m drop to the sea to watch the sunset. When we turned to head back to the hut after the sun disappeared, we were surprised by the full moon rising directly opposite, wedged between an island and our hut. The night was clear and calm. It was absolutely perfect. Here’s a glimpse at what I took in that weekend.

I also competed in the K1 bicycle race, the same that I did last year. It’s an 86km bike race around the Coromandel Peninsula. It’s yet another beautiful area of New Zealand, boasting Cathedral Cove amongst its highlights. It’s also known for its hills. The full version of this race, the K2 (194kms) is considered the toughest single day race in New Zealand. And with the lack of training I’ve got up to this year, especially compared to last, there was no way I was going to attempt it. But, with just over 2 more years left in NZ (more on that news later), my goal is to complete the K2 before I go. Ideally, I’d like to go around in under 6 hours. This year I completed the K1 in 2:54….the EXACT same time as last year. Unreal. Apparently, training (or lack thereof) has no bearing on results. The last climb of this race, the Whangapoua, was nearly the end of me. It’s 3.5 km long with an average gradient of 7.5%. I was, at one point, travelling at just under 7km/h. The entire race I was passed by maybe 2 people, until that climb. I was urging myself to keep down the little food I’d taken in along the way with every pedal stroke I made on this hill. The descent was even more interesting; It’s a smattering of switchbacks, with posted speeds of typically 25km/h, aside fro the last hairpin, posted at 15km/h and aptly named, “The Devil’s Elbow”. Halfway through this descent I realised I had a slow leak in my back tire and it was now less than half full. No wonder I was wobbling around those turns! I thought I was just dead tired. I coasted to the finish, a kilometre away, very gingerly and survived intact, but very much in pain.

Pain at the top of climb #1, Pumpkin Hill.

Aside from what I’ve been doing, there’s also the question of who I’ve been meeting. Among these people are various Principals, Deputy Principals, and a Rector. Why have I been meeting these people? Funnily, it’s because of a single person that I met a while back. She (Lauren) is a fellow Canadian (from B.C.) who’s living here in New Zealand for the moment, while she finishes her third degree…this one in veterinarian medicine. In trying to figure out how to describe her and me and what it is, I’ve hit a wall. This, in a way, is kind of how I feel about her. That sounds bad, I realize, but I only mean in the sense of our meeting being unexpected and a little bit jarring; but in the most excellent way possible. Just when you settle in, get comfortable and push the cruise control button, you find yourself resigning from your job and moving to a new city. OK, that sounds a bit drastic. Actually, I got to know Lauren while snowboarding, cooking, running, emailing, spending a weekend on Waiheke Island, talking, visiting, playing basketball and volleyball, dancing, working out, more visiting, and more talking. I then applied to jobs in her city of residence, Palmerston North, had some interviews, received an offer, accepted, and resigned my position here in Auckland. Wow. So there it is. I’m leaving Auckland for Palmerston North and a position at Palmerston North Boys High, starting at the end of January 2011. And I couldn’t be happier; even though people think I’m nuts for moving to Palmy, as it’s so lovingly called by the locals here in NZ. This is all something new for me, just when I didn’t think any more new was coming my way here in New Zealand.

Mudbrick Vineyard, Waiheke Island.

So, aside from a beach volleyball tournament this weekend, the next month’s worth of weekends will be spent visiting, moving stuff to Palmy, exploring NZ with Lauren, and getting ready for the big hiking trip to Nepal’s Himalayans this coming December/January.

That's all for now. I'll be back next week with some pics and hopefully a few good stories about the upcoming weekend.