Tues Dec 27: Drizzly ride

December 27, 2016

Another lovely ride today in NZ liquid sunshine. It wasn't really wet just an annoying drizzle. The route was changed from going toward the mountain to a countryside ride because the mountain was in the clouds. For this part of the world the ride was reasonably flat. Of course there was the requisite coffee stop this time at a little café in a sea container called Petit Plage since it is near the beach. The sea comtainer is painted the colours of the French flag and owned by a fellow from St Malo. They also have a café in town called Petit Paris. After a quick lunch we took the car again and headed down the coast for a walk on a beautiful beach. After the walk we drove on some narrow twisty roads to Pukeiti a huge garden and park with giant rhododendrons and ferns. We did a short walk because the Sav Blanc was calling our name. Once back at the homestead Patti helped Ham cut the grass of which there is a rather large amount.

The driveway here is about a quarter mile long straight up a hill measuring at 18%. I have no intentions of trying to ride it since I would have to ride on cold legs, however Patti made it up on the Marinoni this AM.

Our ride was mostly through farm country and we came across this charming fellow grazing at the side of the road.

The black sand beach with New Plymouth in the background. Yes I have a jacket on because there was a cool wind off the Tasman Sea.

A few star fish stuck to the rocks at low tide.

You can see how big these trees and ferns are when Patti is standing under them.

Mt Taranaki trying to poke out if the clouds.

Today's ride: 48 km (30 miles)
Total: 167 km (104 miles)

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