Welcome to my blog about biking in New Zealand! Note that it's written in Swedish AND English, with the Swedish version first, followed by the English version in italic font. Enjoy your reading!
Forra helgen var det dags igen, for Big Easy mountainbike race i Wanaka. Jag gjorde den forra aret och har sett fram emot att gora den igen. Min syster Marie var har i Nya Zeeland forra aret, och hon och min son Isaak skjutsade mig upp till starten vid Snowfarm (hon cyklade inte, men var fantastisk support). Jag ar ganska imponerad av att min gamla van orkade hela vagen upp utan att koka. Bra jobbat lilla van! Min syster ar tillbaka i Sverige sen lange, och det var valdigt tomt utan henne i ar. Jag hade hela tiden min lycko-sten (som hon gett mig i present) i fickan, sa hon var anda med mig hela vagen over berget.
De ganska snabba nedatlunatande kilometrarna i borjan, som tar oss fran Snowfarm till Roaring Meg ar en bra uppvarmning for klattringen upp till Mt Pisa summit pa nara 2000 m. Jag minns att jag var valdigt nervos for nedforsbacken forra aret. Vissa forstar inte hur jag kan vara nervos for en nedforsbacke nar det ocksa ar mer an 1100 m uppfor att oroa sig over. Jag ar ingen nedforsakare, och jag tar 2300 m nedfor (ackumulert vertikalt) over sten och elande pa storsta allvar. Jag minns att jag nastan hade kramp i fingrarna forra aret (fran allt bromsande) och mina ben ropade efter en uppforsbacke som omvaxling.
I ar kandes banan mycket lattare. Jag ar antagligen mer tranad (hoppas jag), jag har en ny cykel, har gjort mer nedforsbackar och jag var mentalt forberedd. Istallet for att bli overraskad av en till uppforsbacke runt hornet, sa blev jag overraskad av att vara pa toppen nar jag trodde att jag hade en bra bit till att cykla. Jag lar mig ocksa att ata battre da jag cyklar, det hjalper att ta gelen vid ratt tillfallen (eller att ta dem over huvud taget).
Vyerna fran toppen ar helt fantastiska och naturen med, och det ar otroligt att vadret var sa perfekt i ar igen. Nedforsbacken kandes inte lika svar som forra aret, det var riktigt roligt (sa lange jag far satta farten sjalv, utan att ha for brattom). Jag ar anda glad att nedforsbacken avbryts med nagra sma uppforsbackar da och da. Det ar anda fortfarande en hel del bromsande, atminstone for vissa av oss. Jag uppskattar de sista 12 km fore mal. Det ar jamforelsevis platt och otekniskt, och benen har fatt ny energi allt nedfor. Det ar alltid en sa fantastisk frihetskansla att komma nersusande fran ett stort berg.
Jag cyklade nastan 20 minuter fortare i ar och jag var riktigt nojd med mitt race. Jag cyklade i mal med energi kvar i benen, och superstokad efter en fantastisk rolig cykeltur. Det har racet ar antagligen det basta av de jag gjort hittills, det ar superroligt och inte for langt, inte for kort, inte for svart, inte for latt, och fantastiska vyer. Jag ser redan fram emot nasta ar. De har bra spot-prizes ocksa, och lunchen ar supersmaskig! En tur upp till Obelisk ar bra traning infor Big Easy, nedforsbacken liknar Prospect hill track (las om turen jag och Blair gjorde i Januari har).
Jag har tyvarr inga foton fron i ar, sa alla foton fran 2015, tagna av Silver Vision Photography och Marie.
Last weekend it was time again for the Big Easy mtb race in Wanaka . I did it last year, and this is one of the rides that I have really looked forward to do again. My sister Marie was here in New Zealand to visit me last year and she and my son Isaak drove me up to the start at the Snowfarm that time (she didn't do the race but was a fantastic support). I'm pretty impressed that my old van made it all the way up without overheating, well done van! Marie is back in Sweden since long, and it was very empty this year, without her. I carried the lucky-stone that she gave me though, so in some way she was with me all over the top of Mt Pisa.
The pretty fast going down(ish)-hill slope that takes us from the start at the Snowfarm down towards Roaring Meg is a good warmup for the climb up to the top of Mt Pisa at almost 2000 m.
I remember being pretty nervous about the downhill last year. Some people didn't understand how I could be nervous for a downhill when there's a 1100 meter climb to worry about... I'm not a downhiller at all, and I take a 2300 meter descent (accumulated vertical) over rocks and rough surfaces quite seriously. I remember my fingers being almost cramped at the end of the downhill last year (from using the breaks) and my legs screaming for an uphill for a change.
This year the course felt much easier. I'm probably fitter (I hope), I've got a new bike, done more downhills and I was mentally prepared. Instead of being surprised by another uphill around the corner, I was surprised by being at the top when I actually thought I had quite a bit to go . I'm also learning to eat better during the rides, taking the gels at the right time helps (or take them at all).
The views from up there are just fantastic, the nature is rough and amazing, and I couldn't believe how lucky we were with the weather again this year. The downhill didn't feel bad at all this year, it's actually pretty fun, as long as I go my own pace. However I'm glad the downhill is interrupted by a few smallish uphills. It is still quite a lot of breaking though, at least for some of us. I actually really enjoy the last 12 km on the flat(ish) part before the finish. It's as if the legs have new energy after the long downhill, and it's just flat and easy. It's always a special refreshing feeling of freedom coming down from a big mountain.
I did almost 20 minutes faster this year than last year, and I was very happy with my race. I finished with quite a lot of energy still in my legs and feeling very good and stoked from a great fun as ride. This race is probably the nicest I've done so far, not too long, not too short, not too easy, not too difficult, fun and amazing views. I already look forward to next year. They have good spot prizes too, and the lunch is healthy and tastes awesome, yum! A trip up to the Obelisk is a good preparation for the Big Easy, the downhill is very similar to Prospect Hill track. Read about the New Year adventure that Blair and I did to the Obelisk here.
Unfortunately I have no photos from this year, they are all from 2015, some from Silver Vision Photography, and the rest from Marie.
Forra helgen var det dags igen, for Big Easy mountainbike race i Wanaka. Jag gjorde den forra aret och har sett fram emot att gora den igen. Min syster Marie var har i Nya Zeeland forra aret, och hon och min son Isaak skjutsade mig upp till starten vid Snowfarm (hon cyklade inte, men var fantastisk support). Jag ar ganska imponerad av att min gamla van orkade hela vagen upp utan att koka. Bra jobbat lilla van! Min syster ar tillbaka i Sverige sen lange, och det var valdigt tomt utan henne i ar. Jag hade hela tiden min lycko-sten (som hon gett mig i present) i fickan, sa hon var anda med mig hela vagen over berget.
De ganska snabba nedatlunatande kilometrarna i borjan, som tar oss fran Snowfarm till Roaring Meg ar en bra uppvarmning for klattringen upp till Mt Pisa summit pa nara 2000 m. Jag minns att jag var valdigt nervos for nedforsbacken forra aret. Vissa forstar inte hur jag kan vara nervos for en nedforsbacke nar det ocksa ar mer an 1100 m uppfor att oroa sig over. Jag ar ingen nedforsakare, och jag tar 2300 m nedfor (ackumulert vertikalt) over sten och elande pa storsta allvar. Jag minns att jag nastan hade kramp i fingrarna forra aret (fran allt bromsande) och mina ben ropade efter en uppforsbacke som omvaxling.
I ar kandes banan mycket lattare. Jag ar antagligen mer tranad (hoppas jag), jag har en ny cykel, har gjort mer nedforsbackar och jag var mentalt forberedd. Istallet for att bli overraskad av en till uppforsbacke runt hornet, sa blev jag overraskad av att vara pa toppen nar jag trodde att jag hade en bra bit till att cykla. Jag lar mig ocksa att ata battre da jag cyklar, det hjalper att ta gelen vid ratt tillfallen (eller att ta dem over huvud taget).
Vyerna fran toppen ar helt fantastiska och naturen med, och det ar otroligt att vadret var sa perfekt i ar igen. Nedforsbacken kandes inte lika svar som forra aret, det var riktigt roligt (sa lange jag far satta farten sjalv, utan att ha for brattom). Jag ar anda glad att nedforsbacken avbryts med nagra sma uppforsbackar da och da. Det ar anda fortfarande en hel del bromsande, atminstone for vissa av oss. Jag uppskattar de sista 12 km fore mal. Det ar jamforelsevis platt och otekniskt, och benen har fatt ny energi allt nedfor. Det ar alltid en sa fantastisk frihetskansla att komma nersusande fran ett stort berg.
Jag cyklade nastan 20 minuter fortare i ar och jag var riktigt nojd med mitt race. Jag cyklade i mal med energi kvar i benen, och superstokad efter en fantastisk rolig cykeltur. Det har racet ar antagligen det basta av de jag gjort hittills, det ar superroligt och inte for langt, inte for kort, inte for svart, inte for latt, och fantastiska vyer. Jag ser redan fram emot nasta ar. De har bra spot-prizes ocksa, och lunchen ar supersmaskig! En tur upp till Obelisk ar bra traning infor Big Easy, nedforsbacken liknar Prospect hill track (las om turen jag och Blair gjorde i Januari har).
Jag har tyvarr inga foton fron i ar, sa alla foton fran 2015, tagna av Silver Vision Photography och Marie.
Last weekend it was time again for the Big Easy mtb race in Wanaka . I did it last year, and this is one of the rides that I have really looked forward to do again. My sister Marie was here in New Zealand to visit me last year and she and my son Isaak drove me up to the start at the Snowfarm that time (she didn't do the race but was a fantastic support). I'm pretty impressed that my old van made it all the way up without overheating, well done van! Marie is back in Sweden since long, and it was very empty this year, without her. I carried the lucky-stone that she gave me though, so in some way she was with me all over the top of Mt Pisa.
The pretty fast going down(ish)-hill slope that takes us from the start at the Snowfarm down towards Roaring Meg is a good warmup for the climb up to the top of Mt Pisa at almost 2000 m.
I remember being pretty nervous about the downhill last year. Some people didn't understand how I could be nervous for a downhill when there's a 1100 meter climb to worry about... I'm not a downhiller at all, and I take a 2300 meter descent (accumulated vertical) over rocks and rough surfaces quite seriously. I remember my fingers being almost cramped at the end of the downhill last year (from using the breaks) and my legs screaming for an uphill for a change.
This year the course felt much easier. I'm probably fitter (I hope), I've got a new bike, done more downhills and I was mentally prepared. Instead of being surprised by another uphill around the corner, I was surprised by being at the top when I actually thought I had quite a bit to go . I'm also learning to eat better during the rides, taking the gels at the right time helps (or take them at all).
The views from up there are just fantastic, the nature is rough and amazing, and I couldn't believe how lucky we were with the weather again this year. The downhill didn't feel bad at all this year, it's actually pretty fun, as long as I go my own pace. However I'm glad the downhill is interrupted by a few smallish uphills. It is still quite a lot of breaking though, at least for some of us. I actually really enjoy the last 12 km on the flat(ish) part before the finish. It's as if the legs have new energy after the long downhill, and it's just flat and easy. It's always a special refreshing feeling of freedom coming down from a big mountain.
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| Isaak camping in Albert Town. |
Unfortunately I have no photos from this year, they are all from 2015, some from Silver Vision Photography, and the rest from Marie.
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| Breakfast with Marie and Isaak in Albert Town, before the race last year. Photo: Maries camera. |
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| Bikers gathering before the start of the Big Easy 2015. Photo: Marie. |
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| Downhill, Big Easy 2015. Photographer Silver Vision Photography. |
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| Me and my old green bike, Big Easy 2015. Photographer Silver Vision Photography. |
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