Day 1

Got up at 5.15am, all prepared.... Sunglasses broke. Bugger.  Forgot water bottle... It's ok,  I have a spare.

 The train is actually comfortable, much like business class seats,  I had a Isle sear and the guy on the window sear  could move out with our me having to get up all the time. 

It's a different carriage from the the last time I went, very quiet,  smooth,  a little bit of swaying but not too much to get sea sick, but enough to rock you to sleep,  I kinda slept most of the way. 

Think I may have drooled at one stage. 

There were no long stop at the National park like last time, only a5min stop to pick up, drop off passengers on the way. 

The Planning

There is nothing like a plan coming together and its all smooth sailing, without a worry or issue to frustrate your journey like walking a mile with a pebble in a shoe.

Expectations is to expect the unexpected and check everything is in place for the inevitable.
NZ weather is a mixed bag, expect rain, hail, snow...and sunshine.

Accommodation has been booked already and months in advance, as the trip was schedule during school holidays,  a busy period.

This journey started with the Nationa wide World famous Kiwirail scenic trip, and morphed into the WestCoast bike trail as the main attraction.

kiwirailscenic.co.nz

The trains, ferry has been booked and the schedule is as follows.

First day. Monday check in at Auckland Britomart.

(see the link for more details,its all there)

• Board the new Northern Explorer at 7.20 am
• Arriving in Wellington around 6.25pm
• Overnight in Wellington

Tuesday check in the Wellington InterIslander

• Sail from 8.30 am
• Arrive Picton 11.45am

• Hop on to the Coastal Pacific at 12.30pm   kiwirailscenic.co.nz  
• Arrive Christchurch 6.00pm
• Overnight in Christchurch

Wednesday check in the TranzApine

• Depart 8.15am
• Arrive Greymouth 12.45pm
• Cycle 37 Km on the WestCoast Trail to Kumara.
• Arrive Kumara approx 5pm and stay at the Royal thearte

www.nzcycletrail.com/west-coast-wilderness-trail

Thursday, continue on the West Coast Trail up to Turiwhate

• Cycle from Kumara up to Turiwhate peak, around 25Km
• Cycle back from Turiwhate peak to Kumara for a cuppa. 25 Km
• Cycle from Kumara to Greymouth 37Km
• Overnight in Greymouth.

As you can see on this day, I would expect to travel over 87km? (depending how far I want to go).

Its fairly downhill on the way back, so I could go easy on the 50km battery range on the bike.

Friday check in the TranzApine

• Depart Greymouth 1.00 pm
• Arrive Christchurch 6.05 pm
• overnight in Christchurch

Saturday check in the Coastal Pacific

• Depart Christchurch 7.00am
• Arrive Picton 12.00pm
• check in InterIslander, Departs 1.45pm
• Arrive Welliington 5.00pm
• Overnight in Wellington

Sunday check in Northern Explorer

• depart Wellington 7.55 am
• Arrive Auckland 6.45pm....Home.

So, as you can see, the Rail to Ferry to Rail to Rail, all sort of fit in nicely as a week long trip.

There is the option of stopping at some other stops and spend a day or so there, but then you have to consider accommodation and timings.

More to follow when I start on this journey.

E Bike?

The choices...

I like riding bikes, but the last time I did a mountain trail with no prior training, I almost spew my guts out. 

Time, age and work prevents me getting prepared for the Bike Trail.

I want the ride to be enjoyable, sight seeing stuff.

So I though a little help would be nice and decide to test ride some e-bikes.

A visit to Butes bikes, the guy there was great, show me the in outs and I tried a 300w 26"wheel  cruiser, It was smooth, quite, and I can feel the power but had a bit of trouble going up a short steep hill (I had my pedal gearing too high).
Then I tried the compact foldable 300W  20" one, it was sweet , the smaller wheels but same motor means more torque, and made up the steep hill effort less, (but the top speed was lower due to smaller wheel, the trade off).
I can say the bikes were nice and well made...but at over $2000, a bit pricey for me.

So the other option was to buy a kitset to install on my old existing bike.
Found a golden motor kitset for $1,300 which includes 36v 12ah battery.
This motor is version 3 of the magic pie,  at time of this blog, they just released a new version,  the magic pie vector,  a true sine wave controller.

As I browse the internet, trade me,  the seller also sell already made up ebikes with same motor and battery, these are 500w motor, upgradable to 750w (with 48V).
Cost was about same as butes bikes,  but not as nice but a 500w motor!
Choices  choices... But there no model near by to test drive, the seller was in New Plymouth.

He also advertise the bike at half price! I assume a demo model,  making this cheaper than the kit set? 

After weeks of saving and hope it does not get sold sooner, I bit the pocket and brought it.

I took the bike for a test ride, just one weekend there was a fine day in winter. People were out about on the Orewa bike trail.

I came a cross a old fella with a E-bike and stopped to have a chat with him as he was unloading..

Next minute another bunch of people with e-bikes came along and joined our chat session.

I notice all their bikes were the Pedego brand,  mine was the odd one out with it massive motor.

The Pedego has a reducing gear type hub, so is a bit smaller.

my bike with a pannier.