February 1 - Sanson to Levin - 93 km; Train to Wellington

It was clear and calm when we woke up, so we decided to ride and we left the motel at 0640.   We quickly passed yesterday's endpoint and made good progress to Foxton.  The landscape is flat, almost Manitoba (a few more trees).  Foxton is another little one main street town.  This is the first thing you notice as you enter town - the judge's tower on the local race track.  Many small towns have them.  The pubs all have one armed bandits and live TV betting on horses, dogs and who knows what else (if it moves you can bet on it?)

We're on the Foxton flats now - where the wind really blew yesterday.  We appreciated the calm today.  The highway is on the viaduct - expendable cyclists get the cycle track in the flood way.

We noticed there is competition in the "Poo" market (remember yesterday they wanted $5 for a bag of Sheep Poo).

And, another humourous photo.  Here's where Kye can stay on our next trip, but only if he pulls his sox up with the training, eh Rick?

Onward - we made it to Levin at 1030 (great progress) and stopped for a bite at Whispers, where the group ate on the previous NZ trip.  Then we pulled into a bike shop for route advice and spare brake pads (South Island coming up!) .


By 130 pm we made it to Paraparaumu, the furthest stop out on the Wellington commuter rail system.  $8 per person with no charge for bikes was too good to resist, so we hopped on the train.

Here's a view of the coastline from the train.  I was on the wrong side of the coach to get a shot of the harbour as we came into town.

Laura decided to treat me (treat herself?) so we are staying in the Holiday Inn for a couple of days.  I called down to Reception to ask them if I had to turn on the bathroom exhaust fan when I started my camp stove (well, not really).  (Ian, I forgot to mention I got a great little butane stove way back in Thames.)    

Tomorrow (maybe the next, also) is a tourist day, then off to the South Island.  My GPS says I've pedaled 976 km so far.