The TA, It’s all on, like Donkey Kong!
It wasn’t supposed to be this way. The Tour Aotearoa is due to start in less than a week, and Auckland had a Coivi-19 scare. The whole event was in jeopardy. Not the best way to start a week. Fortunately, Auckland only had a 3 day lockdown. Now we’re at level 2, so it’s all on.
I start my journey on Monday morning. Riding out to the airport with my dear friend, Sherie. I’ll just get her to sit on the front, and I’m happy to draught. From there, I catch a bus with Real Far North Tours. All I need to take is a sleeping bag, and they sort out all of the rest. My bike will be put into a trailer, and I get to zone out on the bus.
I’ve watched all of the YouTube videos, read all of the blogs, and now it’s my turn to live in the moment on this incredible journey. For I am privileged to be able to ride for 16 days, without a care in the world. I am privileged that I have a wife that affords me the luxury of being able to undertake such an event. Yes, I’m very privileged.
Although this bikepacking adventure isn’t exactly what I had planned as my first foray into the murky world of bikepacking, it’s definitely equal to what I was supposed to undertake, just safer.
See, I had planned to ride from Salt Lake City to Jasper, Canada. From there I had planned to ride to Bella Coola, and then down the length of Vancouver Island. It was to be a journey of a lifetime. The blessing is that I am safer in NZ, than anywhere else in the world.
So, I will try and keep you updated with my progress. Or, you can dot watch on MapMyProgress
