That has to be the hardest bike race I've ever done! I signed up for the 40k rather than the 35k, because what's a wee 5k extra? It was a huge push up a hill that went on and on and required good physical strength to get it up the incline. I had run out of physical strenght and was on strength of spirit. The mist swirled around us and I would have sworn I was in Scotland - maybe Mull or something like that. (Rob and Stacey don't actually live in ayrshire/Galloway, but somewhere that looks like it. About 50minutes north of Invercargill in the deep south). When we finally got to the top, the wind was driving into our faces with large splodges of icy rain that felt like hailstones. I had to get off the hill and tried to go as fast as possible, but the faster I went the colder my hands. It was exhausting, painful and the track covered in cow poo so everyone finished the race a sort of greeny-brow colour and very smelly. I took 4hrs and 18mins and Spook took 3hrs and 4mins. I got 3rd lady vet out of 7, 3 of whom didn't finish - I admire them for their good sense!! Gemma and Lisa had a great race, decked in home-made tartan skirts and toory bunnets, which helped them to strike up conversations all the way round the course. The new recipient of the prize to Fort William is a young and very tall man whose hands were still shaking from the excitement 30mins after he won.
We're enjoying a night of hospitality at Rob and Staceys, but I feel a little nervous at being 3hrs away from the children, so we will head off first thing tomorow morning and leave the girls here for the next leg of their Kiwi experience. Stacey will take them to Invercargill tomorrow where they will stay with a couple who do tours of Stewart Island - penguins and albatrosses and things. We will see them later in the week on their way north.
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