Nick - Day 9 - Rest Day

I am world famous!!!

The highlight of the camp so far - I have just been interviewed by Bevan for IM talk!!

Otherwise today has been great. A well needed rest day, and a chance to collect my thoughts ahead of a few challenging days in the South Island.

A sleep in this morning - didn't get out of bed till 0730. Even at home, with an 18 month old awake at 0600 every morning, i NEVER get a sleep in like that.

A very social breakfast at the Ibis Hotel in Wellington. The highlight of the day was Petro discovering a waffle maker, keenly pouring two cups of mix in, to which I added another two and watching as it erupted out the side of the machine. The attendant rushed over to keenly point out to the sign that clearly stated "One cup of mix at a time". I was hiding behind the breakfast bar!!

The ferry trip across was about as smooth as it gets, much to the delight of our Foreign visitors. A few nervous moments at the start of the trip as a gorilla in an orange jumpsuit threatened to secure our bike to the wall of the ferry with the trailer hitches hanging on the wall. When big E started using Bunjie cords to carefully secure them - the gorilla asked if he was a member of the Seafarers union, cos if he wasn't he clearly didn't know what he was doing!! Not sure what happened, but the guy came up on the deck about 30 mins later and sheepishly apologised to John.

Easy bike into Blenheim, and a cruisy afternoon. My Right knee has developed moderately sore Patella tendonitis, so I have started regular anti-inflammatories and losec. I also had a pretty severe, but effective massage this afternoon. My ITB's are really tight with all this riding and the pain I experienced this afternoon was pretty severe, but if I want to ride again tomorrow it has to be endured.

So here we are at the top of the South. I am confident I can do it, I reckon I am stronger, I just hope my body hangs in there.

Nick