The last couple of days have been a bit lack lustre much more up and down farm land we stayed at some nice camp sites and I had a great burger at Apiti, Chris destroyed a can of Chilli beans which bounced off his bike. So mostly just head down bums up with a few stops we’ve been smashing some kms out and had our biggest day so far 128kms. We must also be getting fitter as we’ve been pushing our bikes less.
I’ve had a lot of people messaged me worried about my butt (thank you for your concern and don’t worry I won’t put a photo of it up). Butt is surprisingly good applying chamois creams multiple times a day and changing my padded bike shorts each day to change the pressure points. (Still waiting for an Arjo Auralis bike seat) 60-80kms a day usually all good but a sweaty butt gets a bit niggly latter in the day but not sore like you’ve been sitting on a plank all day.
My seat is a leather saddle and it must be moulding to my butt. My cycle shorts are designed to be worn under shorts to save the fruit bowl look provided by Lycra shorts but sometimes when it’s hot you’ve just got to take your pants off for max ventilation - even if your bike shorts are made of mesh and kind of see through.
The other thing to do is butt venting; standing in different positions when going down hill to for maximum air flow to all necessary places this is however not great for setting high speeds (highest speed so far 75km phr whilst not butt venting)
The last couple of nights I’ve applied moisture-riser to my butt which i think also helps.. so that’s the update on my butt.. thank you for your concerns.
So on the whole I’m feeling pretty good and not getting to camp and flopping on to the ground hoping it will suck me in whole each night. I will have now done more 80km+ rides on this trip than in my life time and hills are just mostly another road but in a lower gear.
It’s easy to put time into being concerned about a sore butt, but hands can be a big issue too and I’ve got a couple of other hand positions on my handlebars so I can mix it up and change the pressure points as tingly fingers and hands aren’t good and typically don’t get as much concern as a butt does. Good bike gloves help too.
I’m definitely testing muscles and can’t currently crouch properly. if I’m not holding on to something to pull me back up i’d probably end up on my back like a turtle. So need to keep stretching.
My knee was giving me gyp but I’ve backed off and not trying to keep up with Chris and for the last couple of days it’s been all good. And I think it’s just tight muscles which I’ve been trying to also stretch.
Mentally the hardest thing was definitely the beach and everything seems to be setting you up for the next part of the trip but we aren’t focussed on racing this so we haven’t got that pressure on ourselves lots of stops, good food, water and banter keeps us rolling. Our bikes have been going well so we haven’t had any technical challenges so that also helps.
Looking forward to rolling into Wellington today one island ticked off
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