Tour Aotearoa Day 20: Rangiwahia to Palmerston North, 67 miles, 3,182 feet elevation | From High to Low

Accommodations

Route Tracker

We got some rain last night and the tent was soaked on the outside. Actually it’s soaked most every morning we camp because it’s so dewy and damp. That makes for a heavier front end on Tom’s bike. Each night when we get to our campsite, we set it out to dry before settling in for the night.

And since we camped at higher elevation last night, it was colder and foggier than most mornings. The fog and clouds made for a magical feeling as we began our day of cycling. Ya we just climbed all the way up from that road down there.

Tom’s ribs on his right side are still pretty sore from his fall on the Mangapurua decent. Not sure how he’s lugging that wet tent up and down the hills everyday but he’s rockin’ it.

Before we knew it we had 30 miles in and it was time for a snack break.

And we picked a spot under a magnificent tree, one that’s stood guard over a lush valley for at least a hundred years.

Since it was Thursday here in NZ, and our traditional date night, we ventured into town for date night and were on the hunt for a local brewery. Mission accomplished.

As we entered the camping holiday park, we decided to opt for a cheapo cabin instead of tenting outside or staying in the upscale cabins. We hung the tent and fly out to dry on the clothes line and had our nightly route rap for tomorrow, selecting tomorrow’s stopping point.

So you know what that means… Tom gets to pack up and carry a DRY tent tomorrow.😊

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