Waiting on a set of pannier bags from Christchurch to arrive. Actually we are waiting on a fair amount of gear. Bike shorts and shoes. We head into town hoping things arrive but really we are too early. Up one of the steep hills to try on a pair of shoes and I can’t make it up so need to push the bike. I think there will be a lot of bike pushing in my future. After all that sweat the shoes don’t fit! Oh well down hill is fun!

My hiking boots are away to be assessed and have been away a month now. I am over waiting for them, plus better to bike in different shoes so I have ordered some Hoka One One. These are supposed to be the bees knees for comfort so I am pretty excited.

We head to Macpac to pick up Rowan’s bag which needed repair. They lost my silk liner so they had to refund me. We came in on Saturday but they couldn’t find the bag. So we are back hopeful that they have it. Although now we are not hiking it is not the end of the world if they don’t find it. Turns out they still can’t find it and the refund us. I wonder if someone sold it.

We got a pair of pannier bags from the restore for $20, they are not waterproof but the other ones coming are. I have a pannier rack from rider18 (a small shop), Rowan still needs the rack. Torpedo7 is having a big sale so we pop into there for a rack, lights, helmet. I have been borrowing one of Kelvins helmets and Rowan’s bike came with a helmet. In our research we found that in Australasia we have some of the highest regulations when it comes to helmets. Shops can’t sell helmets that don’t conform to these regulations. So there is no difference or very little between a cheap helmet and an expensive helmet safety wise. I am sure comfort and other factors are the main difference.

We get one torch for the front which means we can easily bike at dusk if we get caught out. Our two rear lights are actually universal and can blink red or white so we can use them front or back. We just need another front torch for me.

Kelvin & Paula have been amazing letting us stay for so long to get our gear sorted. Tomorrow we plan on going to Mapua for a few nights to get out of their hair. I am a bit nervous for such a long bike ride but it is fairly flat the whole way.