Cannell's Blog

New Blog Alert...

2007-04-23T17:34:00.000Z

The reason why my profile has changed is because I'm setting up a new blog to track progress towards the Island Games and beyond. Check it out at:

www.manxtriboy.blogspot.com

-AC

Back to work again

2007-04-15T20:44:00.000Z

Well it didn't take long to get back into work again. My 'phone has been kept busy with clients ringing up needing work done yesterday. Doh! Bit of a shock to the system anyway.

Training is going well too. Won the Ramsey Park run on Friday night and posted a PB of 21.09 for the four mile course. Must have done something right in NZ!

I'm trying to decide on a blog or a website to keep a log of my training. I suspect a blog will be much easier and feel I'll go down that route.

Gem, if you're reading this, I've lost your email! Please let me know it manxtriboy@hotmail.com!

Over and out for now...

-AC

Back in the UK!

2007-04-08T23:55:00.000Z

Jet-lagged to fook following a stint of close to 48 hours awake, crossing multiple timezones and a big ocean, I'm back home in the UK.

It felt good as I went through the "British Passports" part of immigration control at Heathrow, good to hear familiar accents again, and oh to see Marks & Spencer again! (hmm)

I'm staying in Reigate with my mate Darren, an exiled Manx lad that I went to school with. Have pretty much been taking it easy watching DVD's, chatting about the good old days and our new stories. Great to see him again!

Tomorrow I'll be back on the Isle of Man. My journey will be over but I'll be glad to see my family and friends and my Island of course! Not so keen on the idea of returning to work though - but needs must.

Looking forward to testing what effect cycling 5,000km in 4 months has had on my triathlon prowess. With the Island Games in 82 days, it's going to be an interesting summer!

I'll be discontinuing this blog soon. Instead, I'm thinking about keeping a Island Games training diary online. So, I'll finish with this picture taken by my touring bud Baz: this was the dream; we lived it!

-AC

Port Hadlock Pictures

2007-04-08T23:47:00.000Z

Here's some pictures from the area that Matty lives, Port Hadlock, WA.

Top: Suffering from withdrawal symptoms from cycling I decided to swallow my pride and have a crack on an old Peugeot bike. Yes it's a woman's bike. Note the daffodils in the background, a strange sight after being used to moving into autumn in NZ.

Middle: Matty's chosen art form - traditional wooden boatbuilding. Inspiring stuff!

Bottom: Nice view taken from Marrowstone Island.

-AC

Seattle Pictures

2007-04-08T23:34:00.000Z

As promised, here are some more US pictures.

Top: Looking down on the "disagreeing" orientation (due to a dispute between colonial landowners) of Seattle's grid-pattern layout from the Space Needle.

Middle: Me in front of Music Museum. I liked the shiny purple background!

Bottom: Matty looking pensive in front of the Internation Fountain.

-AC

Livin' it up!

2007-04-06T02:25:00.000Z

Here's a story for you: Matty & I decided to go into Seattle yesterday for a day trip and a skeet up the Space Needle, a 600ft 'spaceship' that towers above the city and features a revolving restaurant.

Whilst at the top, around 5pm, Matt said, "I'm not too sure what time the buses finish going back to Port Hadlock, we best get a shift on yessir!" Port Hadlock is where Matt goes to School for his Wooden Boat Building course, and to get there from Seattle, you have to get a ferry, then a bus, followed by another bus.

We managed to get the first bus, but unfortunately that's as far as we got! To a little place called Poulsbo, about 20 miles (and a 100 dollar taxi ride) shy of Matty's house is where our buses ran out. We tried hitch hiking but because it's illegal (as is walking on the freeway) we sacked it off and instead managed to book into a nearby Holiday Inn Express for half price because the nice lady at reception took pity on us.

And that pic' above is of us silly buggers taking a spa at 9:45pm at the hotel. The air temp was probably around 5 degrees but it was 'sweet as' in the water! My how we laughed.

Aside from missed buses, spa baths and continental breakfasts NW America can be (if I was harsh) summarised by: Conservative Christian Purists who drive around in Dodge Ram 4 by 4s with bumper signs proclaiming "Stop Global Whining" as their vehicles single-handledly destroy the world despite their instance to stick profusely to the conservative speed limits on roads lined almost invariably of pine and fir trees.

It is actually a very scenic part of the world and the re-occurrence of Spring and cold fresh air is a nice contrast to New Zealand's rather more humid and (almost) tropical air.

Will have more pictures of America later.

-AC

Wearing Jeans Again

2007-03-28T00:46:00.000Z

And here I am, taken this morning wearing jeans for the first time in 85 days. Things feel a little strange, like something is missing. But I won’t dwell upon it; there is much to keep me busy over the next 3 days, because on Saturday I fly to the US to see my long-lost brother Matty, something I’m looking forward to greatly.

-AC

Quiet Contemplation

2007-03-28T00:43:00.000Z

I left Christchurch early yesterday morning (thanks to Brent and Chris, not just for dropping me off at the train station but for everything they’ve done for me – I am sincerely grateful) and embarked on a combined 12 hour rail-and-sail journey up the east coast and across Cook Straight back to Wellington.

I left with a heavy heart knowing soon I’ll be back in my IOM routine of cutting grass and hedges. I tried to occupy my mind with reading but the train carriage was too unsteady and noisy so I was glad for a five minute break at whale-watching-Mecca, Kaikoura where I could find some peace.

The ferry was much better – a nice calm sailing which made for better reading and relaxing. Wellington greeted me with a lovely calm day but felt cramped and a little claustrophobic compared to the wider avenues of Christchurch. Still I was welcomed warmly by Walter and Muriel and before I could unpack was whisked away for a pot-luck buffet style dinner with the Manx Society of NZ – a rather more sedate affair than it sounds!

-AC

The Five-Grand Total

2007-03-28T00:41:00.000Z

Five thousand, one hundred and fifty-seven point six kilometres.

In New Zealand, that’s how far I’ve come.

-AC

The Giants Garden

2007-03-28T00:40:00.000Z

In Akaroa I was delighted to be shown around local artist and horticulturalist Josie Martin’s “The Giant’s Garden”. It is an astonishing wooden colonial home and garden filled with huge wonderfully colourful and vivid ceramic mosaic sculptures that reflect Josie’s wild imagination. The planting is eclectic and colourful also, with natives and exotics that compliment and enhance the artworks on a tiered site with lots of levels that beg to be explored. I would recommend it highly to anyone who finds themselves in Akaroa: you should not miss it!

-AC

The last tour…

2007-03-28T00:35:00.000Z

On Sunday afternoon I waved goodbye to my adopted family at Avon City Backpackers (L to R: Lenny, Me, Annett, Mattias and Mike; missing is Irinka and a hundred others that made my stay there brilliant) and headed south on Ali for one last tour. Having done over 20km in the morning cycling to Riccarton market it was another 84km to Brent & Chris’ Bach in Takamatua so I took it steady.

The weather was incredible; I thought 10 days ago that winter had set in, but with warm sunny days being the norm over the past week or so I have been proved wrong. My route took me onto Banks Peninsula over the Port Hills where I enjoyed panoramic views of Diamond Harbour to the east and the City and the fertile Canterbury Plains to the west.

4 hours and some fairly hard climbs later, I arrived in Takamatua in near-darkness, with sweat on my brow and fire in my belly – I made sure my last ride with Ali was memorable. I only stopped to take photos including this one on the way into Akaroa Harbour.

-AC

European Flavours

2007-03-28T00:33:00.000Z

Last Friday I was treated to a lovely Austrian speciality called Kaiserschmarn which was very lecker (tasty). It was cooked by my new Deutsche-speaking friends and was essentially scrambled pancakes infused with sultanas and chopped apples served with plum compote to make it suss (sweet). Pictured here at Mattias, Annett and Mattias! Also there were Bastion, Andrea and Robert. They have inspired me to go to Deutschland to learn German, though it may have to wait a while so I can save some cash!

-AC

Irrigation…

2007-03-28T00:31:00.000Z

…is big business in NZ.

-AC

The Birch Manor Team

2007-03-28T00:29:00.000Z

Here are some of my work mates at Birch Manor nursery. Back row, Left to right: Chris (Boss A), Nelda, Dale, Irene (Gemma’s Mum), Brent (Boss 1), and of course Andy (stupid hat and grin). Front row: Gemma and Mondo the Ayreshire Terrier.

I will miss them all, along with the others not working that day: Fiona, Jacob, Tom and Sharon.

Look after yourselves folks, I’ll see you again someday!

-AC

When I grow up Dad, I want to be…

2007-03-28T00:25:00.000Z

…a rock climber.

I remember this was my reply as a four-year-old to that all-important question a parent asks their kids at various stages in life. Well, last Wednesday accompanied by my friends Gemma, Mattias and Annett, I got a taste of my youthful ambition at a climbing wall in Christchurch.

It was great! I reckon if I wasn’t so wrapped up in triathlon I would be out there conquering El Capitan in the Yosemite National Park, US, and other such monsters of the geological world. Hard work, it really tests your shoulder strength and the best way to complete a climb is slow and steady. It would become meditative once you get into it. Definitely something I will do more of in future.

-AC

Akaroa again, a roof and my street.

2007-03-20T07:01:00.000Z

It doesn't rain but it pours eh? I don't post for ages and then, boom! Three at once!

The other reason for my blog's inertia (apart from serious toilet issues) is because I've been busy at work cleaning the roof on some fibreglass hot houses that my boss is leasing. Trouble is, they're not very hot, rather they're covered in thick lichen which keeps them cool and means hours of scraping and water-blasting to remove it. Not a great deal of fun but we're getting there.

Public Health Warning - do not attempt to shoo flies away with jet-sprayer at close quarters: contact with skin will remove layers and cause intense pain!

Was at Akaroa again weekend before this just gone. Cycled there from work - 76km with a lovely 7km all-or-nothing twisty hill climb after about 60km. The weather was beautiful and I loved it: 28-30kph average, 76kph max (into headwind) on the downhill into Akaroa Harbour through some lovely bends. Just had bike fixed - rear wheel trued, new tyres, brakes fixed (by me!) - so she's running well.

This is going to make it difficult to sell it next week which is what is going to happen. I can't believe it, Ali (as it's affectionately known) has been with me through thick and thin and as we speak the ODO rests around 4,860km - that's over 3,000 miles! Going to be a shame to see her go but she's got a good home - a young lad from work called Jacob is going to buy her off me. Sentiment aside I need the cash anyway!

Here's a final pic' for now. It's of Worcester Street taken last night as the sun was going down. You can just about make out the famous cathedral tower in the background. On the right of the picture is where my backpackers/home is located.

My My Christchurch adventure is almost over but I've still a few things up my sleeve. Watch this space: eventually, I'll get it posted!

-AC

Unwell...

2007-03-20T06:57:00.000Z

I've actually been unwell the past week or so which is the real reason I've been slack on the blog front. Picked up some food poisoning and it's still affecting me, hopefully another week or so and my toilet habits will be back to normal again! Remember kids, when your Mum tells to you to wash you hands before eating, make sure you bloody well do it! Also cook eggs and poulty extremely well before consumption...

-AC

Long time no speak...

2007-03-20T06:54:00.000Z

Once again I remain guilty of neglecting my blog. So, just to show I care, here's a pic' I took of a barn on the way to work the other day. Don't ask me why!

-AC

Akaroa

2007-03-04T06:05:00.000Z

My Apologies for the lack of interest I've shown in the blog over the last fortnight. I have been busy at work and last weekend I was out of town in the wonderfully varied landscape that is Banks Peninsula (eastwards of Christchurch). I stayed at my boss' (Brent) Bach there and enjoyed some stunning weather and stunning scenery. Arriving there on Sunday evening and being treated to a tremendous cajun-grilled monkfish meal, before sleeping for the first time in a bed for ages, really helped to get me off to a great start with Akaroa and Banks Peninsula.

Interestingly - and I digress - upon arrival in NZ, Captain Cook charted Banks Peninsula as an Island and Stewart Island as a peninsula (despite a divisive 30km wide stretch of salty water). Perhaps he was blind or just plain lazy?

Anyway, by Monday morning I had ventured up the picturesque Takamatua Valley (where the Bach is - 3km north of Akaroa) on a 90 minute fell-run to arrive back at 10:30am with the temperature already at a rather warm 36 deg celcius in the shade! By 2pm the temp was up around 42 deg C and I had to postpone a planned cycle into the hills to partake in some ice-cream eating. In the meantime I took this picture of Akaroa looking from the jetty where the sight-seeing boats depart.

After an ace two-scoop cone of choc chip orange and cookies and cream, I did manage to get up into the hills and on to the Summit Road which essentially skirts atop the vast steeply-sided (and very deep) basin that makes up Akaroa Harbour. It was a long and twisting climb and it felt great compared to the flat terrain of my daily commute to work; it was fantastic to be in amongst the scenery and in such appealing conditions!

The view of the harbour (pic' below) greeted me at the top and made me think, 'yup I could live here quite happily'. Perhaps the heat was getting to my head, because no one place in NZ (despite the wonders I have thus far seen) has captured my attention so readily. I was inspired, on a rocky bluff overlooking this vista, to capture the place with one of my rudimentary pencil sketchings and was quite pleased with the result despite not finishing it. The weather was changing rather rapidly as vast swathes of dark clouds began rolling in on an increasing SE'ly wind so I had to head back to base quick.

And so I did! Driven by the drama of the changing weather, on the descent from the Summit Rd I attained the fastest speed on a bicycle I have ever been - a crackling 84kmph (1kph faster than my sweet-as carbon racing bike back home). That's over 52mph and man did it make me feel alive! Though ironically at one point I could have been easily killed when I mis-judged a tightening right-hand corner! We left Akaroa on Tuesday morning under a veil of low cloud that left me contemplating my return to this enchanting place...

Since arriving back in Christchurch my time has been taken up by yet more work (which I'm still enjoying by the way!) and by a certain someone special that will, without doubt, make my returning home all the more difficult than it already is, given the wonderfully inspiring things that New Zealand has opened my eyes to.

Woke up today with this feeling...

2007-02-19T06:55:00.000Z

...that this picture of the sunrise in the eastern Christchurch is awesome! The big palm is an NZ native called a Punga, I took it on the way to work.

The other pic' is what I got up to today: damp-proofing my tent with recycled pizza boxes. No, I didn't eat all the pizzas myself - those days have been left at Nottingham Uni'.

-AC

Cycle, plants, run, cycle, eat, sleep.

2007-02-14T10:08:00.000Z

Enjoying the job, working hard - 50 hour week! Just a few pics' to keep interest. On my day off (Mon) I went into the city centre and spotted some guys playing BIG chess: which one is the King and which is the Queen?!

Below is a pic' of Birch Manor where I''m working. Took it earlier today - the weather finally improved after the cold drab conditions of the past 5 days or so.

And then there's me on the way home today on me bike - just so you know I'm still alive! I look a bit knackered because I'd been on a 5km training run just prior to jumping on the bike. It feels very strange to be running again after so much cycling - I hope it starts feeling natural again soon.

Also, I booked my flights home the other day and am due to arrive on Manx shores on 9th April! I'm looking forward to going home but it will be with a heavy heart that I leave NZ. This also means I'll miss the Easter Running Festival which is annoying - I forgot to check the dates before I booked it. Hey ho - I'd probably be jet-lagged for the event anyway.

Over and out... for now...

-AC

Working holiday begins...

2007-02-07T08:06:00.000Z

I've got a job in a plant nursery called Birch Manor. It's in a place called Prebbleton about 13km SW of Christchurch city centre. I'm living in my tent in the back yard of a backpackers 2km to the east of city centre! I take a scenic route to work on the bike - about 20km long which takes in some pretty nice countryside that's literally right next door to the hustle and bustle of town.

The job is great; plants are all over the place, and there's loads to do so I'm always kept busy. It also means that I'll learn a load of new plants and meet new people so I'm chuffed.

I also get at least 40km a day on the bike done 6 days a week. That just leaves running and swimming. I've neglected both for the best part of 6 weeks so I'm probably rubbish again! I'm looking now towards the Easter Festival in the IOM in April and specifically to the 10km road race where I'll be able to compare my fitness of last year to this.

There should be plenty of scope to improve both with a 50m pool and a running track at QE2 Park - the base of the "Friendly Games" (Commonwealth Games, 1974); not sure how the Manx team got on that year.

So, I'm afraid, my touring is on hiatus for now as I earn a crust to pay for my flight home. I'll probably try to squeeze in a few days of touring (there's still so much more I want to see but alas, I will not see it all) before I head home as planned at end of March.

Headwinds & Hills

2007-02-03T05:11:00.000Z

From Dunedin I headed about 110km up the coast to a small town called Oamaru. It's a nice place by the sea and with the local rock being predominantly limestone many of the central buildings are constructed using it. It gives the place a sense of unity and with its beautifully kept gardens it would have been a nice place to explore for a day. However, I felt I had to push on and wanted to head into the mountains 80km west of Oamaru.

It felt like a big mistake. As soon as I left I realised that, what was a nice offshore tailwind, was rapidly declining into a hurtling westerly headwind. And so it was for 80km to my next stop at Kurow I had the worst day on the bike so far. It is perhaps the worst time I've had on a bike, ever! The fact that another spoke on my back wheel broke didn't help my mood either. Suffice to say that when I arrived after 5:30hrs in Kurow I was both relieved and very grumpy!

It's funny how easy the body and mind forget hardship though, and after a decent rest and some freshly baked bread (a gorgeous German lass working in Kurow and staying at the campsite, was kind enough to give me some brot straight out of the oven!) I was looking forward to an epic 125km ride through Mackenzie Country - a lonely and solemn place with a charm all of its own.

That was two days ago and of the 125km, 80km was on the notorious gravel roads. Luckily, after the trials of the previous day, Mother Nature was forgiving this day and gave me good weather conditions to play with. I really love the hummocky landscape of Mackenzie Country with its river-carved hills and tussocky grasslands. There's something about the air here too; it's so crisp and clear and the light of day just makes every detail jump to your eye.

The first climb was the Haka, apparently supposed to be quite hard. I reckon it would have been with a terrible headwind (which would be the norm) but I had it good and got to the top with relative ease. This was 60km in from Kurow and I still had to go through the Mackenzie Plain then up over Mackenzie Pass. I had a great view of the plain at the summit of Haka - a red arid saucer with Mt Cook and his mates in the background.

Mackenzie Country also has good signs to look at too! The first one is of the sign that marked the summit of Haka pass - I reckon this has to be a contender for the sign with the hardest life in the world! The second again made me laugh: at first I thought I really was headed towards Burke's Ass Village, but realised it wasn't his 'Ass' but his 'Pass'! I'm just glad I wasn't going to Dog Kennel Corn. Odd.

Once I was up and over the relatively easy Mackenzie Pass with a nice tail wind, the landscape rapidly changed from barren scrubland to greener hills with decent-sized trees. This told me I was moving into Canterbury and would soon (after another 30km) be able to set up camp for the night at Fairlie. In fact when I arrived, the fella on reception at the campsite was that impressed with my efforts he took a fiver off my camp fees! Legendary.

This morning I left Fairlie with a fairly tight schedule - I had to be in Geraldine 46km to the east to catch a bus just after lunchtime. I decided to time-trial it to cover the ground quickly, safe in the knowledge that on arrival I could have lunch in a cafe then sit on a bus all the way to Christchurch to rest up. I did managed to get one picture early on in the ride looking back towards the hilly countryside around Fairlie.

And here I am again in Christchurch and man am I glad I took the Bus! I've never seen roads as long and straight (boring) as those that traverse the Canterbury Plains. My plan now is to look for a job. I've been reviewing my finances and if I'm going to get back to the lovely IOM I'm going to have to earn some money for my flight. Tomorrow my hunting starts: I'll seek out all the bike shops in the City (that way I can fix my bike too - it's battered!) and if they won't have me I'll try all the Plant Nurseries! And if they won't have me I'm back on the road again for another week before going back to Wellington where I'll just have to take any job going.

Christchurch seems the ideal location for me to set up - it's known as the Garden City and there's the NZ Multisport and Triathlon Centre. Once I've recovered a bit from my exertions over the past 4 weeks (right achilles sore, tired quads etc, knees are good though) I'll be keen to get into another block of training.

-AC

Rainbow Road Pics by Baz

2007-02-03T05:03:00.000Z

Here are two totally awesome (sorry to sound like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle there!) pictures that my touring bud Baz took whilst we were on the Rainbow Road about 3 weeks ago. The first really captures the dream that we had before we arrived in New Zealand - rugged terrain, right in the mountains, big sky and forest - tremendous. The second is a picture of yours truly just summiting the highest climb of our tour at around 1,390m (I think): the Island Saddle, in the heart of the Southern Alps.

-AC

Big hill, small mind

2007-01-31T08:10:00.000Z

Today started with a climb up the official World's Steepest Street. It was indeed very steep 1 in 2.89 or something like that at it's steepest. It's Baldwin Street in Dunedin.

Later on, much to my own amusement I saw this sign.

-AC

Going Solo

2007-01-30T18:32:00.000Z

Baz flew out of Invercargill last Friday - on that morning we headed to Bluff and back - where I spotted my favourite number plate so far. Since then I've headed east (not west as planned due to poor weather forecasts) through the Catlin's Coast - a rugged stretch of NZ's southern coastline filled with wildlife and a nice windy, hilly road.
The Catlin's was pretty awesome. There are very few cars that go through despite its charms. It was quite bleak to begin with - see the driftwood picture - but by my second day solo I had gone through plenty of lush rainforest.
My favourite part of the Catlin's was the tremendous wildlife on show. I was treated to a great display of wild Hooker's sea lions (NZ natives) on my first gravel-road diversion to Waipapa Point. The first picture of them features a female waving for the camera, "wassup?!" and the second shows a mighty male (can grow up to 3m long weighing in at 400kg) who hauled himself out of the water to pose for a few shots before deciding he'd had enough and made a token charge to me and the other tourists in his crib. I chuckled to myself as he lumbered towards us!
First thing I had to do to make Baz jealous was head as far south as I could on mainland NZ so I made for Slope Point (further than bluff by some 4 minutes in maritime terms). This involved a pretty lung-busting 4km long climb on gravel road followed by 10 minutes descent and cross country over farmland. A bit of an anticlimax when I got there but worth a picture (third from top); the cliffline scenery was pretty spectacular too. Someone recognised the Manx Flag too and I was chuffed when the old boy said "you're a long way from home mate, eh?"
Next up was the wonderful Curio Bay and it's flax-sheltered campstie. I decided to swim in the surf at nearby Purpoise Bay and was astounded when I was greeted by the diminutive and very rare Hector's dolphins. About 5 of them swam within 3 or 4m of me and tumbled in the surf to say hello. It was a priviledge to watch and something I'll never forget. The next day I decided to get up before sunrise to catch a glimpse of another rare local - the Yellow-Eyed penguin. I was again chuffed, when I spotted half a dozen waddling and hopping their way to the sea for their daily fishing exploits; it was hilarious to watch! The picture below the big daddy sea lion shows the coastline just before sun-up.
The following day I left Curio Bay under a foreboding and moody sky: the rain covers came on in earnest. My first pitstop was at the ironically named Niagara Falls - a piddly "waterfall" named after the real Niagara by a colonial surveyor with a sense of humour. It looked more like a weir to me but made me chuckle all the same.
The rest of that day was taken up by a series of great climbs on winding roads, set against a rainforest backdrop, before I hammered my way into Balclutha with a nice tail wind. I stayed at a small campsite, arriving minutes before the heavens opened, with great facilities including a small homely kitchen and lounge that I would recommend to anyone wanting to stay in the area.
The following day I made for Dunedin and got a tad worried when I saw this sign about halfway (second-to-last pic') nestled in the midst of the rolling green pastoral farmland that characterised the area. What followed was a 10km gravel-road section featuring 5km of tremendous 'pussy ring' (smallest chainring on front) climbing - Baz, you would have loved it!
That climb's descent saw me fly into Taieri Mouth before I made my way painfully and slowly up the east coast to Dunedin - there was a stupidly strong headwind that I had to keep telling myself would only make me stronger. That reassurance lasted most of the way until I nearly cracked when I saw in front of me an almighty climb within striking distance of Dunedin's southern suburbs. I hardened myself up and told myself, "get the f**k up that hill you pussy, and p**s all over it!"
It worked and here I am in Dunedin. The day I arrived I did very little except eat and formulate a plan for yesterday when I went into the city to stay at a backpackers for a rest day and use it as a base to venture into the town. I won't bore you with what I did but suffice to say it's a city with great architecture, a fantastic sports hall of fame and the home of the legendary Speight's Brewery and its awesome 90 minute tour!
Today I'm leaving Dunedin northwards to conquer the steepest street in the world before heading onwards up the coast. Not entirely sure of my route but I hope to make Christchurch by the end of the week...
-AC

2007-01-30T03:20:00.000Z

Still Alive!

2007-01-25T04:39:00.000Z

"The Ledge" was awesome! There wasn't really time to get nervous; as soon as I was harnessed up, dragged to the edge to look down, told to smile at the camera and given the good advice of "don't hold back lad, just go for it", I found myself gaining a 6 yard run up and then sprinting toward the edge to perform perhaps the scariest swan-dive ever!

The sensation is just like those dreams where you're falling and your stomach goes sick, only instead of waking up, the bungy snaps you at the waist and you're flying upward towards the base of the platform. For a fraction of a second during that free-fall I thought 'this is it, those rocks are getting awfully close!' but then of course, 'phew, that cord of elastic-bands worked then!' Whilst dangling there waiting to get pulled back up, I did the thing that came naturally and hung on to the bungy for dear life! The weather was stunning, so the scenery looked amazing from up above Queenstown.

To 'come down' after that we decided to have a go on the Luge - a concrete track which you 'drive' down on 3-wheeled sledge-type things (luges I guess?), followed by a game of crazy golf. T'was good fun!

We're now in Invercargill after cycling about 110km to Lumsden yesterday (it took about 4 and a half hours) and another 85km today. The scenery coming out of QT was great as we followed the edge of Lake Wakatipu and the precipitous Remarkables mountain range. However the rest of the way has been a combination of Scotland and the Isle of Man (rolling hills with plenty of sheep; then a low flat plain for most of today's cyling). The long straight roads and lack of scenery combined with a nasty headwind made today easily the most tedious and we were both glad to arrive in Invercargill.

The plan for tomorrow is a 60km 'time trial' to Bluff and back. Then Baz has to catch a plane. I think I'll be heading west to take in the Southern Scenic Route to Te Anau, after which I'll head to Milford Sound.

I'll try freeze framing my video of the bungy and post them on blog at later date. For now here's a few pics of last few days.

What's the matter, you chicken?

2007-01-22T21:00:00.000Z

In Wanaka, two days ago, we decided to go to the Paradiso(?) cinema to watch Mel Gibson's film Apocalypto. I wouldn't recommend it if you don't like blood and gore because it's pretty graphic, but all the same it was fairly entertaining, perhaps worth waiting until the DVD comes out though. The real reason for the trip was to see the cinema more than anything. Instead of normal uncomfortable seats, there are rows of sofas and sweet granny chairs with loads of throw cushions to increase comfort. There is even an old Morris Minor you can sit in (see picture below).

The weather was tremendous in Wanaka and with it's surrounding mountains and lake it really is a beautiful town. It's apparently like Queenstown used to be before it got big-headed; more peaceful and less strained to make an extreme-sport sell. Anyway, I took a picture after leaving the cinema and was surprised it came out so well.

The following day, yesterday (22/01), we headed to Queenstown along the Cardrona valley. It was easy going for much of the way up the valley until the last 5km or so when the road began it's journey up the crown range. At the top we were greeted by a great view down the valley to QT with a great descent in front of us that saw us tear through corners and hair-pins faster than the cars! Ace fun.

And now it's the calm before the storm - in less than two hours I'll be placing my life in the hands of somebody else as I leap from "The Ledge" (http://www.ajhackett.co.nz/index.php/pi_pageid/22). Am I scared? Pretty much.

-AC

The Cycling Monster!

2007-01-22T08:55:00.000Z

In case you thought I was dawdling around New Zealand with the sun on my back and in holiday mode, think again because here is a low-down on the man, nay, the myth, I've been trying to keep pace with...

Name: Barry Andrew Stewart (Known as "Andy" in Bali)
DOB: 27/12/1981
Location: Kent
Height: 5' 9"
Weight: 69kg

0-60 time: quick
Max speed: 80-85kph
Max power output: about 1,200 watts
Quad size: ridiculous
Calve size: outrageous

Strengths: climbing hills, sprinting away from Cannell, doing no-handies, removing reflectors from wheels to enhance bicycle aesthetics, descending hills, bike ettiquette, bike fashion sense (compared to Cannell AKA Mr. Safe), cycling into headwinds and finally beating Cannell uphill whilst only using one leg!

Weaknesses: having to drag an 80kg Manxman around NZ! Perhaps ice cream? Singing.

We're now in Queenstown and hoping to get a bungy jump in tomorrow on our rest day. After that, assuming we're both still alive etc, we're making our way south to Invercargill and Bluff, the most southerly point of NZ before Baz flies out on 26th and I'm left to my own devices. God alone only knows what will happen then?

-AC

Lakes and Mountains

2007-01-21T04:53:00.000Z

After arriving in Wanaka following a short ride/recovery day of around 40-50km that took in more of Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea in lovely weather, we made the decision to head NE towards Mount Cook and the glacial lakes of Pukaki and Tekapo.

The first leg of our northerly diversion took about 5:30hrs and saw us travel over 115km over Lindis Pass (965m high) and down into a small village called Omarama. The best thing about this journey was a sheep farmer who rather than use the traditional sheep-dog method of gathering sheep, (that we're all used to in the IOM and the rest of the world!), had rather show-boatingly gone for a more aerial approach and bought himself a helicopter. I know sheep are big business here but this guy is taking the mick! He was especially pleased to pose for us during his work.

The next part of our journey was again in beautiful weather and carried us further north into Mackenzie Country (a vast area of tussocky sheep country set within tall mountain ranges in the distance) where we hoped to spot Mt. Cook - the highest point in NZ at around 3750m - and it's blue foreground in the form of Lake Pukaki. And so we did...

In keeping with the sheep theme we ended this day by viewing the Church of the Good Shepard on the edge of Lake Tekapo (where we had earlier swam in it's stratified waters - warm for first 12" or so, icy cold beneath!). The weather was spot on all day but the ride was a little dull given the straightness of the roads and the lack of any up-close scenery - all 90km+ of it.

Here's another picture of yours truly looking rather cocky (don't know why - I've been trying to grow a rather dodgy-looking travelling beard!) with Lake Tekapo in the background sporting my rather bright triathlon trainers!

We've basically spent the last two days retracing our 'steps' back to Wanaka. Tomorrow we tackle the highest main road in the country that will see us into Queenstown (the extreme sports capital of the world) where perhaps a bungy jump or sky dive is on the cards.

-AC

Apologies for the dodgy text and picture layout, haven't quite got the hang of this blogger thing yet!

West Coast, Haast & Wanaka Pics

2007-01-17T06:16:00.000Z

The pics below show some of the highlights over the past 5 days or so. First one is of the majestic Frans Josef glacier. On this particular day we ventured out in good weather only for nasty clouds and rain to come. It was our rest day so naturally we decided to tackle a 6 hour walk. Baz lasted about 2 hours before he quite rightly decided that there was little point going on with the rain blocking out the scenery and went back to the hostel (complete with sauna) we were staying in. Meanwhile I decided I wanted to climb to the top of the hill (over 1,000m). For the first half of the climb I was tramping through, quite literally, rainforest as shown in pic 2.
The 3rd pic shows the west coast at Knight's Point on the day I predicted apocalyptic rain and clouds but as can be seen, it was all good! This was the day I was suffering up the climbs but the view at the top of this one was well worth the effort.
No.4 shows a nice tree line at Haast - there really wasn't much else of any scenic value - that is until we headed up the Haast Valley in great conditions yesterday - next two pics.
Finally, our campsite last night on lake Wanaka - awe-inspiring.
-AC

The West Coast, Haast & Wanaka

2007-01-17T06:05:00.000Z

Haast: We made it!

2007-01-14T19:54:00.000Z

Well after all that Apocalpytic forecasting for yesterday's epic ride from Fox Glacier, the 120km journey down the West Coast to Haast wasn't that bad. In terms of the weather anyway. For me, however, it was a whole new world of pain! Everything seemed to hurt, especially my arse, quads and right ITB. So I've decided to take a rest day today and let Baz crack on to do his own thing without the panniers on - I think he wants to either find a few mountain bike tracks near the coast or ride Haast pass for fun (I'll be doing that tomorrow with him). I'm quite glad it's a free day because once again the weather is dominated by west coast rain.
Here's to Lake Wanaka, our next major stop after we pass over the Southern Alps once more, where the weather is supposed to be more equitable.
-AC

The West Coast Washout

2007-01-13T20:46:00.000Z

I have no pictures to show; only words. Right now back home everyone will be finishing their dinner and getting ready for bed. Spare a thought for we face today a 117km ride from Fox Glacier to Haast on the West Coast of the South Island in the pouring rain. We arrived yesterday just after noon and since then all it has done it rain. We had a similar fate on our way into Franz Josef glacier a few days ago during a 110km ride in the rain. Everything was wet, wet to the bone.
They say that this region gets 5-6 metres of rainfall a year, sometimes as much as 200mm of rain overnight. I can believe it.
My only solace lies in the fact that Baz will probably do more than his fair share at the front as usual. I think if it was up to him life would be one big steep climb with just a few short sharp descents every now again to keep interest; just as long as he was on his way up in the long run. For some reason that gives me hope, that today can only make us stronger.
Sweet as!
-AC

Those 'pics

2007-01-09T08:49:00.000Z

1. View from ferry looking out into Marlborough sound. Sweet as eh?
2. Another view of the sounds from Queen Charlotte Drive, a twisty turny road with ace descents. Vegetation (and good weather) gave the place a tropical feel.
3. A boat house just before we arrived in Havelock, our first camp.
4. A river on day 2 at Picton Bridge scenic reserve.
5. Baz on day 2 showboating from the camera. I've seen a lot of his backside so far on this tour!
6. Me racing a young (and rather rigid) Ernest Rutherford, the Kiwi that split the atom.
7. Me cheesing it up in action on day three where we had a crazy headwind for 90km to St. Arnaud, an alpine ski resort.
8. A view from the Rainbow Road out of St. Arnaud - a 112km off road track that took two days to traverse.
9. Baz crossing one of the dozens of fords on the Rainbow Road.
10. Me on the Rainbow Road with big mountains and scree slopes in the background.
11. The view down the valley to Hanmer Springs, a spa resort.
12. The view of the Cantebury plains on out way to Christchurch.

We're now in Christchurch, it's day 6 and we've travelled over 500km. Knee is sweet - new bike position working well. Tomorrow we climb aboard the Tranzalpine Train to go to the west coast at Greymouth where we plan to head south.

Must dash, cyber cafe about to close.

G'day...

-AC

South Island Pictures

2007-01-09T08:35:00.000Z

Beaches and BBQs

2007-01-02T04:41:00.000Z

Though New Zealand is suffering its worst summer on record (just my luck) I've just spent 4 days over the New Year at a Bach (pronounced "batch") or beach house in Raumati South (48km north of Wellington). I was with my cousin Neil, his girlfriend Heidi, and their friends Rebecca, Charlotte and Adrian. We had a great time chillin' (quite literally) around the pool, playing beach cricket (see pic' featuring Adrian, Neil and Rebecca) and having barbecues. The cricket was great fun; we even had a few random supporters honking their car horns in the car park next to the beach every time we did something Australian-like. That was, of course, until Rebecca broke the bat - a perfectly formed piece of Tasman Sea driftwood!
New Year was a rather more sedate affair this year: drinking champagne in front of a log fire was a far cry from the up-all-night party and skinny-dip-at-6am foray on Ramsey beach during last year's festivities! Just what the doctor ordered really - some rest and relaxation and time to forget about the niggle with the knee.
On the injury front, things are looking good (fingers crossed), I got out for 3 runs whilst in Raumati South and didn't feel any undue pain, so I'm hopeful (if we take our time) that the South Island will be ours for the taking!
I say "ours" because in less than 2 hours, Baz, a mate from uni' (and a sub-22 minute man for a 10-mile time trial on a bike) gets here with full intent of conquering New Zealand's scenic tour de force. All I hope is that he shows me mercy, and gives me time to catch him up on the hills!
-AC

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

2006-12-22T05:28:00.000Z

Just like to say Season's Greetings to one and all. Things here are going slow. I was hoping to get a mini tour in for 4 days prior to Christmas, however, I'm being sensible and staying off my knee until my mate Baz from uni' gets here on the 2nd Jan when we're due to tackle the South Island. My New Year wish will be that I stay healthy in 2007 and achieve what I know I'm capable of.
Anyway, I hope you all have a great Christmas and New Year. Take care.
Oh and one more thing: if you have a sense of humour anywhere close to mine and you fancy a right good laugh, check out www.youtube.com and do a search for "Legacy of Mann". Some of you might recognise the main character - for this wonderfully funny piece of cinematography, Captain Isle of Man, I salute you!

Island Games: Rhodes 2007

2006-12-14T22:37:00.000Z

Woo Hoo!
Just had confirmation today that I've made the IOM Triathlon Squad for the Island Games next year! It's due to take place on the Greek island of Rhodes and selection is the culmination of a decent summer this year racing triathlons in the UK.
It's been a dream of mine since 2003 to represent my country on an international stage and getting to the Island Games gives me exactely that opportunity.
So, as you can probably tell I'm chuffed, and glad the waiting is over on the team selection. Now it's time to get down to business and get myself as fit as possible for next July.
Congratulations to my fellow team mates who will also be going to Rhodes. I think www.manxtriclub.com will be updated with team details and some more humourous mug-shots in the not-too-distant future!
-AC

Crocked again!

2006-12-14T22:16:00.000Z

Still in Wellington. I was due to head up to Tauranga (on east coast of N.Island) with Gary on Wednesday to continue my pre-Christmas tour. Unfortunately, it's been put on hold for a few more days at least due to a knee injury. Nope, it's not the same one from last year - this one's a brand-spanking new one! I reckon I've strained the ligaments in my left knee that attach the quadriceps to the patella.

With all the practice I've had with knee injuries, it's healing quite nicely, so hopefully there'll be chance for another few days of (light) touring before Christmas. One day I'll learn to pace myself.

Anyway, to maintain interest, I've attached this astonishing shot of my catch on a recent fishing trip around the south coast. It was tricky to bait the hook, and the strain on my 4lb line made for quite a battle, but even the fishing-mad locals were that impressed they had to take a picture!

In all seriousness, this big fella (or lass) had been lying there for 3 days and had died a few hours before this was taken. As interesting as it was, it was pretty saddening to see such a majestic creature in that way. And, I have no idea what kind of whale it was: does anyone else know?

-AC

Wgtn

2006-12-10T20:25:00.000Z

Back in Wellington again. Arrived yesterday after my cousin Gary picked me up in Napier. In just under 4 hours he had un-done all my hard work as the miles just flew by in rewind. I felt quite sad as the hills I 'conquered' were cruised over by the car. Anyway, I need the rest because my left knee has been giving me jip.
So it's time now to recover and reflect on my first week of touring. It's been ace and I've learned a lot about what modifications I need to make to my setup. The main thing being I need better wet-weather gear!
I mentioned the weather was 'med-like' in Napier? Well it was, for the first day. But then things took a tumble and it went cold and wet - we even had hail. All the locals kept telling me this is the worst it's ever been at this time of the year! Just my luck.
No matter, I still enjoyed my time in Napier getting to know what Art Deco is all about, visiting the National Aquarium and meeting up with Ken Maclaren, a triathlon guru and coach, and his lodger Guy, a fellow tri-boy who invited us to a BBQ in the craziest house in Napier where we played American 8 ball pool in the dark, on a snooker table, without any lights!
-AC

Napier: The Art Deco Capital of the World

2006-12-07T04:18:00.000Z

Am now in Napier on the east coast after cycling around 250km in the last two days. The scenery was very samey over the past couple of days - northern Wairarapa is pretty much sheep-country and a lot like the IOM in that respect. There were a few highlights, the main being the cafe at Norsewood where I got a great big chunk of carrot cake and cream and had a good chat to some other cycle-tourists from Switzerland. I also managed to increase my land speed record to a whopping 68kph! The low point was really the fact that most of it was on state highway 2 - there were a few scary moments involving narrow bridges and big sheep trucks!

I've decided I'll stay in this region for a few days until Sunday when I meet up with my cousin Gary who's playing golf in nearby Hastings. The plan is to head back to Wellington with him for 2 days R&R and re-stock and then go back with him to Tauranga where I can continue my touring 'til Christmas.

The weather here has been awesome so far - really hot and sunny, just like the Algarve. The town of Napier was destroyed by an earthquake in 1931 I think, and they rebuilt it in Art Deco style. In my professional opinion it looks 'pretty cool', i.e. I'm not even sure what Art Deco really is; apparently here is like Miami Beach but there is some Maori influence mixed in.

Last night was pretty scary. I decided to freecamp on the banks of the Tukituki river around 40km south of here. I kept thinking, 'it'd be just my luck that the farmer will come on this particular day at this time and have a pop at me with his shotgun!' Then I experienced just how inquistive cows really are. They found me super-quick and wouldn't bugger off, so I had to tentatively chase them away so they wouldn't blow my cover! Never mind, it was worth it because I got to bathe in the river and the scenery was stunning. I've tried to upload a 'pic of the view looking down at the river valley where I stayed. Hopefully, you can see how misty it turned overnight, and imagine how cold and wet the tent was in the morning when I got up (at 0500) and left at 6am! It was worth getting up at that hour for the view though.

I spent the rest of the morning trying to get warm and found a cafe in Havelock North where I got a full cooked breakfast. It went down a treat, I even ate the butter out of the little pack. That's the beauty of cycling everywhere - you burn it all off! I arrived in Napier around 1100 and got the tent out to dry it off. Luckily everything is nice and dry now so I'll be comfortable tonight. The plan for tomorrow is to see some more Art Deco buildings (and learn what it is) and to hopefully see the Gannet colony 25km away at Cape Kidnappers. I've also got to find a cheap spot to camp. Perhaps I'll find a river somewhere near! Without the cows...

-AC

The beginning...

2006-12-04T00:54:00.000Z

After leaving Wellington I headed north up the Hutt Valley and into the Rimutaka mountain range and my first proper climb which peaked at 555m, where I stopped at a cafe for an apple and some cake! I then descended into Featherston on the Alpine-like twisty roads reaching mighty speeds up to 60kph - great fun. I rounded off the day by heading south to the coast, on the west side of Lake Wairarapa, through Pirinoa and down to Ngawi. Total distance was 155km and my legs were buggered! But it was worth it because the weather was stunning!
In Ngawi I free-camped near the beach, and considering I was on the south coast of NZ, I was truly surprised at the distinct lack of wind. I got talking to a couple in the local boozer about my travels and they offered me a shower and a bacon butty in the morning. Of course I accepted, and sure enough in the morning (which dawned still and bright) Ken and Venessa picked me up! To them I am very grateful.
Day 2, Sunday, proved to be another tough day in the saddle as I headed around Cape Palliser, where it's easier to get around if you're a fur seal, than a cyclist! It was rugged and at one point I was pushing the bike through 'the desert' (quote from a local) which was a wide patch of thick gravel and sand. I covered 75km this day over 6 hours after arriving in Martinborough, 30-40km was off-road or on 'metal roads' (gravel tracks), and there were a number of climbs to keep me busy. Weather was sweltering hot and with the wind behind me, it felt still and even hotter! I was very glad for the excellent shower at the camp site in Martinborough.
Day 3, and I'm still in Martinborough a chic wine-producing village. I've decided to have an easy day today and will make my first attempt at stealth camping tonight on the road to Greytown and the North!
I wish I was a smarter man; perhaps then I could do this country justice in words. I'll upload a photo or two to help me out when I get the chance, but for now my words will have to suffice.
-AC

Ready for off?

2006-12-01T05:49:00.000Z

Well, it's time. Tomorrow I'm off on my first cycle tour around the North Island, the plan at the moment is to head east to the coast and go north. Simple really.

Here's me and the bike with all the kit. It weighs a fair old bit so the hills should be a good work out. This is good news: the cold southerly winds from Antartica are going mad - carting all this stuff will keep me warm.

Check out the Manx flag; oh yeah, I look cool. Just wait 'til I crack open the lycra! Anyone fancy a sweepstake on how long it'll take me to get beaten up by locals that dislike nerdy tourists?

That, and getting my stuff half-inched are my biggest worries, not to mention running out of food and water, getting lost and being devoured by wildlife. Hmmm...

Yes Mum, I have clean underwear, suncream, reflective clothing and a mobile 'phone. All I have to do now is get up at 0500 tomorrow, and pedal.

-AC

First pic'!

2006-11-29T02:25:00.000Z

This is me on a recent tramping (i.e. hiking) trip in Tongariro National Park, North Island. The scenery was awesome: craggy volcanic rocks and terrain, with steaming vents and emerald-coloured mineral lakes. In the background (top right, poking through clouds) is Ngauruhoe, aka Mt. Doom out of Lord of the Rings film.

Will update again when I begin my bike tour soon...

Welcome to Andy Can's Blog of aceness!

2006-11-27T21:16:00.000Z

"Aceness"...

Not enough people use the word 'ace' (referring to something that is great) anymore. That is a shame; though it is not the point of my blog. The point of my blog, at the moment, is a means for me to record my goings-on whilst I'm here in the wonderful country that is New Zealand.

I arrived on 8th November and am supposed to be leaving around March '07. This is still the plan, but who knows what may happen between now and then?

-AC

Andy Cannell