I had a “lifestyle leave” day off work today. It’s a great initiative where you ‘buy’ five or ten days extra holiday (with a pay reduction) to use however you want. Part of changing jobs is you go back to zero leave owing so it was a good way to get some extra discretionary leave.
For me that meant sitting up until 2:30am watching the Monaco Grand Prix, sleeping (some dozing) in until about 8:30am, a leisurely breakfast watching the America’s Cup and a bit of Indy 500 (recorded that morning), an afternoon bike ride, and evening dog walk.
I had intended to ride out to Piha, on the West Coast, as it is a lovely ride but rather too busy, with narrow twisty roads, in the weekend or on public holidays. However the remnants of a head cold meant the 3 x 350m climbs (there & home via Karekare) would have been a bit much so I just did a, much flatter, random Westie tour.
I tested out the cross country (CX) capability of the new bike a little by incorporating the Te Atatu foreshore gravel path, a loop through Massey checking out an option for my morning commute, and home via Swanson & Henderson Valley.
The Massey bit was trying a short park path from Huruhuru Rd to Redwood Drive that will avoid climbing Makora Rd. It doesn’t avoid a hill, Redwood is much steeper, but misses the narrow busy parts of Makora Rd (from the motorway off ramp to the right turn at the top) and Royal Rd motorway on-ramp traffic.
After I got home faced a CX bike dilemma. Do you leave the bit of mud picked up riding off path in Te Atatu (to give right of way to some walkers) as ‘CX cred’ or clean it? I cleaned it!
As Alfie had missed his morning walk I took him around the block this evening, lovely clear night!
