Back in Black

Yet again I have taken to road by cycle, a black BMW 650 GS adventure touring motorcycle. It makes a mockery of my former futile touring efforts, easily cranking out 300 kms in a day. Certainly quite a bit of the astounding scenery, though no time just yet to give it a sufficient blogging. One week left to cover 3/4 of the south island (its taken 5 just to do 1/4).

One quick note, the "city" of Westport (pop 4000) is worth the trip for the public restrooms alone. Push-button convenience and space age technology combine in a delightful marraige of happy toiletting: push a button to magnetically seal the door (red flashing L.E.D.s warn would be interrupters of work in progress), push a button to dispense a perfectly metered amount toilet paper. Motion sensors dispense hand soap, run the water, and blow dry your hands. Once you start washing your hands, the toilet flushes (linked to the motion sensors). However, it should warn that a thorough washing of the hands will also result in a thorough flushing of the toilet. Its a wonder its not on the postcards.

Brave Sir Robin

In my most recent encounter with the wind, I am remind of Monty Python's Holy Grail:

Brave Sir Robin ran away
Bravely ran away, away
When danger reared its ugly head
He bravely turned his tail and fled
Yes, brave Sir Robin turned about
And gallantly he chickened out
Bravely taking to his feet
He beat a very brave retreat
Bravest of the brave, Sir Robin

Certainly retreat had never once entered my mind planning the whole event, and after laying out a fat wad of cash I tired my best to buck up and carry on in quiet desperation. Of course the wind had other intentions, cruel, wicked intentions.

I thrashed my way up Porter's Pass (995 m), depleting all reserves on the 20 km climb to the peak (the last 4 km at a disheartening 10% grade). I was looking forward to the duly deserved 9 km downhill coast and my leaden legs needed a break before the next 60 km of ups and downs. At that point, the wind litteraly blasted me to a dead stop. Wind: 1, Nick & Gravity: 0

Its takes a big man to admit when he's wrong, and a much smaller man to sneak quietly back to Christchurch with his new found friend, the tailwind. Forget the bicycle, I'm taking cycle guru Pete's advice, I'm trading up.

A special note to Natane and Lee, who had asked why Aliminum for Americans? I had never thought it odd, but as Lee pointed out, Aluminum is in stark contrast to the trend of Cadmium, Potassium, and Paladium (to name a few). As Bill Bryson explains, the credit (blame) goes to Noah Webster, who favored shortening of numerous words, which he published in his dictionary. Not many of the odd spelling stuck, but Aluminum (shortened from Aluminium, because the extra "i" is so tiresome) did.

Sorry, no time for corrections.