Current Location: Te Anau, Aotearoa
After riding the bus one last time (I’ve vowed that it be the last time while in New Zealand) is that the seats are more uncomfortable than my bike seat. I can literally sit in my bike seat for 4 straight hours without any uncomfortable while I can’t sit in a bus seat for longer than 2 hours without getting uncomfortable. One of the many things I don’t care for on the bus. The view from behind the glass also loses some of the charm that a bike affords, the hills seem so inconsequential as compared to a bike and distances seem so small, but it’s infinitely more gratifying to do it by bike.
I find that I’m truly more comfortable when moving forward or just moving, as long as it’s not backwards. I’ve found myself in Te Anau for the past 3 days now waiting to get onto the Milford track. I did a 100 mile ride yesterday sorta by accident. I meant to ride to Milford Sound which should have been a 120km (~80miles) to Milford Sound, but in between here and there is a 1.2km tunnel that is unlit, something I was none to keen to try. So what ended up happening was me riding to the Divide, turning around and making my way back. I find that my body takes care of itself while riding and my mind is free to wander, it’s peaceful.
I’m disappointed to an extent with how expensive this hike is becoming, I guess also because I haven’t moved forward in the last few weeks since I’m back where I was a few weeks ago, a touch discouraging as the days keep getting shorter and the I know the cold is coming. Which isn’t to say that I’m not excited to do the Milford, I just hope the experience will outweigh the cost.
As for how wwoofing affects my theory of being happy when moving forward I think it gives me a purpose which I think I need from time to time. When I’m riding my bike that is my purpose and when I’m wwoofing it becomes my purpose but when I’m waiting for something I’m purposeless which makes me restless.
New muscles hurt after switching over to clipless peddles, I imagine I’ll be used to it after a week or so. I fell for the first time yesterday, fortunately it was into the dirt and not the gravel. I was more interested in using the bathroom than getting out of the peddles. I tried to step out like I’m used to and thought “uh-oh, I’m trapped”, Thump. Fortunately nobody else was around.
I’ve added a few pictures
Name this lake!