Lake Hawea 2016

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!

For tva are sen gjorde jag mitt forsta mtb race  pa flera ar, 35 km traverse i Lake Hawea. Jag hade kopt min cykel tva veckor innan, sa inte mycket tid att trana. Det var en snabb och rolig bana, men nar jag sag alla lortiga, leriga, trotta, glada cyklister komma in fran de langre banorna sa onskade jag sa valdans att jag ocksa var sa dar trott och lortig! Forra aret gjorde jag 95 km for forsta gangen. Mitt mal var att cykla under 7 timmar, och jag slutade pa 6.30 (det tog mig ett bra tag att fatta, min klocka var fortfarande pa sommartid, sa jag var valdigt saker pa att jag slutat pa 7.30).

I ar campade jag med var lilla husbil utanfor Hotel Lake Hawea, fixade till de sista detaljerna pa cykeln pa kvallen, laddade med en stor, fet hamburgare, och sen upp 4.30 pa morgonen (jag sov anda inte mycket), for att ta bussen upp till starten vid Kidd's bush. Stamningen vid starten ar fantastisk, och klockan 7 satter alla 250 cyklar ivag medans de spelar Eminems "Lose yourself". Den forsta delen ar ganska lattcyklad, sen borjar berg-och-dal-banan, det gar upp och ner hela tiden och floderna och vattendragen ar iskalla. I pre-race informationen sa de att floderna skulle vara knahoga, men det maste ha varit for en valdigt lang person. Jag fick da min rumpa blot.

Det ar riktigt stenigt och stokigt runt Hunter river passagen. Den sista delen, efter Timaru creek, ar ganska lattcyklad, aven om backarna branner det sista ur benen. I ar overraskades jag anda inte av backen vid Timaru creek. Jag var mentalt forberedd pa den, och den kandes minsann mycket mindre i ar! Vid Dingleburn station serveras det scones och te, jag hade inte tid att stanna men min polare Mince at 6 scones. Efter runt 80 km horde jag nagon ropa "That's a damn good-looking bike! Hook on!". Det var Kath the legend som for forbi som en kanonkula. Jag var trott, och hade just tvingat i mig en energi-gel, och sag hennes fighting-face och bestamde mig att jag skulle kampa jag med! Jag sag hennes ryggtavla en bra bit innan hon forsvann i ett moln av damm mot sin 7e seger i "epic". Den varsta backen av dem alla ar den sista, pa vagen in till Lake Hawea och malgang. Den lilla vagbulan kanns som ett helt berg!!!

Pa vagen hem fran 35 km traverse for tva ar sen sa jag till Rafa: "Inom ett par ar sa kommer jag att vara inom topp-tre pa 95 km". Och har ar jag nu! Jag kickade min tid fran forra aret med 40 minuter. Jag hade varit supernojd med vad som helst runt 6 timmar, och slutade pa 5 timmar och 51 minuter, en tredjeplats i min aldersgrupp och femma av alla brudar. Och jag som trodde att jag inte tranat tillrackligt! For mycket surf pa senaste tiden, och det ar inte alltid superenkelt att gora en PhD i fysik, vara mamma och trana infor ett langt lopp (speciellt inte nar det ar bra surf dessutom). Jag overraskade mig sjalv den har gangen. Jag har ocksa lart mig att ata under racet, vilket gor att jag kanner mig mycket battre efter malgang.

Det har ar ett fantastiskt arrangemang, det ar avlagset, langt, utmanande, omvaxlande, men framforallt ar det roligt for man traffar sa manga trevliga glada manniskor att surra med och cykla ihop med. Jag och tjejen som slog mig med en minut cyklade, surrade och skrattade fran start till mal. Jag drog henne uppfor och hon gav mig mer mod att slappa pa bromsarna nedfor (hon var riktigt duktig nedfor!).

Jag horde flera fantastiska historier darutifran. En tjej fragade en helt okand kille om han ville ha en kram, da han hade det riktigt jobbigt och med tarfyllda ogon kampade pa uppfor backarna. Han sa ja. En annan brutta hade 6 (!) punkteringar. Hon fortsatte och sa vitt jag vet sa kom hon i mal. Snacka om att vara envis!

Jag ser redan fram emot nasta ar och jag maste satta upp en ny tid for mig att sla.

Two years ago, I took part in my first mtb race for years, the 35 km traverse in Lake Hawea. I bought my bike only two weeks before, so I didn't have much time for training. It was a fast flowing course and it was fun as. Then I saw all these dirty, tired, happy bikers coming in from the longer courses, and I so, so, so much wanted to be as dirty and tired as them! Last year I did the 95 km for the first time. My goal was to go under 7 hours, and I almost managed to convince Rafa that he was wrong when he told me that I finished in 6.30. It took me quite a while to realize that my clock was still on summertime, and I was certain that I'd finished in 7.30, so that extra hour was just a bonus.

This year I camped in my camper outside Hotel Lake Hawea, finished off the last details of my bike in the evening, loaded myself with a big, greasy, yummy burger, and then up 4.30 in the morning (I didn't sleep much anyway), to catch the bus to the start in Kidd's bush. The feeling at the start line is so exciting and at 7 am everyone is off to Eminem's "Lose yourself". The first part is pretty easy, then comes the roller coaster, it goes up and down pretty much all the time, and the river crossings are ice cold. The pre-race briefing said that the river crossings are knee-high, but that must have been for a very tall person. I had my bum wet. 

The part around the Hunter river crossing is pretty rough and rocky. The last part, after Timaru creek is pretty easy, but the hills still burn the last out of the legs. This time the hill at Timaru creek didn't scare me though. I knew it would come, and it felt much smaller than last year (ha! I got you Timaru creek hill!). At Dingleburn station there are scones and tea, I didn't have time to stop but my friend Mince told me that he had six of them. The little girl asked him "do you want a scone?". He replied "do you want 10 dollars?". After about 80 km I heard someone shouting "That's a damn good-looking bike! Hook on!". That was Kath the legend who past me like a bullet (I'm riding her old bike, and it is a damn good-looking bike indeed). I was tired at that time and just squeezed a gel into my body, but saw her fighting face and decided that I should fight too! I saw her back for a wee while before she was gone in a cloud of dust towards her 7th win of the 125 km. The worst hill of them all is the one on the sealed road that leads into Lake Hawea and the finish of the course. That little bump feels like a whole mountain!!!

On the way home from the traverse two years ago I told Rafa: "In a couple of years I'll be in the top three in the 95 km course". And here I am! I slammed my own time from last year with 40 minutes. I would have been stoked with anything around 6 hours, and finished in 5 hours and 51 minutes, and a third place in my age group and fifth woman overall. And I didn't think that I had trained enough! Too much surfing lately, and it's not always easy to try to manage a PhD in physics, being a mum and have time to train for long races at the same time (especially not when surf is on). I surprised myself this time. I've also learnt how to eat during the race, which made me feel much better after finish. 

This is a fantastic event, it's remote, long, challenging, changeable, but most of all, it's enjoyable because people are so friendly and happy. I find the most amazing friendly people to chat with, and to bike along with. Me and the woman who beat me with a minute, biked and chatted and laughed from the start to the end. I dragged her uphill and she gave me courage to go faster downhill (she was really good!). 

I heard about some awesome stories from out there. One woman asked a guy, a complete stranger, if he wanted a hug, since he tearfully struggled up the hills in the end of the course. He said yes. Another women apparently had six (!) punctures. She kept on going, and she finished, as far as I know. Talk about having a mind made of steel!

I just can't wait until next year and I will have to set up a new time for myself to beat.

Check out more great photos from Studio5.

Hunter river crossing, 2016. Photo Studio5.

Pre-race, 5.30 in the morning 2015. Photo; Rafael Moser.

Post-race, 95 km 2015, Photo Rafael Moser.

Traverse 35 km, 2014. Photo Studio5.

The Old Ghost Road

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!

Spoklika moln pa Old Ghost Road, nara Reefton, annu en fantastisk mountain bike trail i Nya Zeeland. Vilken tur jag har som har vanner som gillar aventyr (och single malt)! Old Ghost Road are perfekt for det. Ramla inte ner for stupet pa bergssidan bara! Tyvarr vara alla stugor fulla, utom en natt, sa vi fick noja oss med halva Ghost Road den har gangen, men det var inte dumt det heller.

Las mer om Old Ghost Road har.

Misty mountains on the Old Ghost Road, near Reefton, another amazing mountain bike trail in New Zealand. I'm lucky enough to know a few people that are always up for adventures (and single malt). The Old Ghost Road is perfect for that. Just don't fall down that mountain wall. Unfortunately we couldn't do the full trail since all the huts were fully booked except for one, but that only means that I can look forward to do the full trail another time.

Read more about the Old Ghost Road here.

Lantern festival in Christchurch

Welcome to my blog about biking (and other things) 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!

Jag kom till Christchurch precis i tid till Lantern Festivalen dar man firar Apans ar. Jag har aldrig sett den tidigare, och den lyste verkligen upp Hagley Park med lampor, musik och firande manniskor. For mig var det nastan en kulturchock att komma fran direkt fran Roxburgh och se alla dessa manniskor pa ett och samma stalle!

I arrived in Christchurch just in time for the Lantern Festival, where the year of the Monkey is celebrated. I've never seen it before, and it really lit up Hagley Park with lights, music and celebrating people. It's kind of a culture chock to come straight from Roxburgh to see all these people gathered in one place!

Things are happening in Gore- MLT Moonshine trail 2016

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!

Det 10:e MLT Moonshine Trail mtb racet i Gore holls for tva veckor sen. Det var forsta aret for mig, och jag ar glad och motiverad over min andraplats i Southland Isuzu 39km, bara tva sekunder fore trean, vilket race! Energy-gelen som jag fick av en snubbe i sista uppforsbacken maste ha varit laddad med 2 sekunder for benen! Moonshine Trail ar en rolig, malande, backig, harligt ben-brannande cykeltur i Gore, med en bra blandning av grusvag, traktorvag, och nagra vattendrag att korsa, lagom for att kyla fotterna. Jag kanner mig i bra form, dessutom hade vi tur med bra vader och glada funktionarer och fantastiskt arrangemang. Gore ar inte alls sa trakigt som vissa pastar! Jag hoppas komma tillbaka for Ships cone nasta ar, 3km och en sista harlig uppforsbacke extra innan mallinjen.

The 10th MLT Moonshine Trail mtb race in Gore went off two weeks ago. For me it was the first year and I'm happy to be the 2nd woman in the Southland Isuzu 39km, only two seconds between me and the 3rd woman, great fun racing! The energy-gel that I got from a nice rider in the last up-hill must have been loaded with a two-second boost for the legs. The Moonshine trail is a very enjoyable, grinding, hilly and wonderfully legburning ride in Gore, with a great mix of gravel road, farm tracks and a few river crossings, enough to cool the feet down. We were lucky to have nice sunny weather, happy cheering merchants and fantastic arrangement too. Things are happening in Gore- I'll be back for Ships cone next year, which adds an extra 3km and nice climb to the course.

Thanks for great photos from Gore camera club: Bob, Allan, Glennis, Leanne.

Farm track.

Race-face is on!

River crossing.

Southland Isuzu 39km. Great happy racing!

Knobby's range and Mt Benger A&P show

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!

I helgen var det Mt Benger A&P show (en show de har varje ar dar de visar gamla bilar, traktorer, har hasttavlingar, djurutstallningar, baktavlingar, karuseller, mat, ja allt man kan tanka sig). Det var ocksa den sista dagen for Goldfield karavanen, runt 400 hastar och fotgangare som har varit pa vandring en vecka, med start runtom i Otago, och slutar i Roxburgh. I ar ville Mt Benger A&P show arrangorerna att vi mountainbikare fran Roxburgh och Alexandra skulle gora en gruppcykling fran Alex till Roxburgh via Knobby's range, och sen vara med i paraden. Vilket tillfalle att utforska Knobby's range! Tyvarr blev det bara 5 av oss som cyklade.  Knobby's ar en fantastisk tur, lite over 4 mil traktorvag som ar lite knolig pa sina stallen, den ar perfekt for mountainbiking! Det var roligt att se sa mycket folk i Roxburgh, for showen. Jag hoppas att cykelturen som vi gjorde over Knobby's kan bli en arlig tradition, och jag hoppas att fler kommer med nasta ar.

Last weekend was the weekend for Mt Benger A&P show. It was also the final day for the Goldfields cavalcade, around 400 horses and walkers that had been on the trail for about a week, starting from around Otago and finishing in Roxburgh. This year some of the organizers of Mt Benger A&P show asked us mountain bikers of Roxburgh and Alexandra if we wanted to do a group ride from Alex to Roxburgh over Knobby's range and then join the parade. What a great opportunitiy to explore Knobby's range! Unfortunately the turn-up wasn't that great, only five of us ended up biking. It's a great ride, around 40 km 4WD, a bit rutted in places, over a few hills,  perfect for mountainbiking! It was a great day out and nice to see so many people gathering for the show in Roxburgh. I hope that this could be a yearly thing, to do a group ride over Knobby's range, and I hope that more mountain bikers would turn up and join us next year.

Roxburgh seen from Knobby's range, with mighty Mt Benger in the background.

Hogs back

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!

Vilken harlig dag ute i Castle Hill i Canterbury forra helgen! Vadret var strunt i Christchurch, men pa den andra sidan om den forsta bergsryggen som leder in till Sydalperna var det klarbla himmel. Helt fantastiskt att det kan skilja sa mycket. Fotona nedan ar fran Hogs back, en superrolig, intermediate niva, inte jattelang men valdigt vacker mtb trail. Den finns i Castle Hill, 50 km fran Arthurs Pass. Annu en fantastisk del av Nya Zeeland, och annu en fantastisk dag ute i bergen.

What a nice day out in Castle Hill in Canterbury last weekend! Weather was crap in Christchurch, but with a snap with the fingers it turned into a cracker day, once over the first climb into the mountains. Amazing. The photos below are from Hog's back, a superfun, intermediate level trail, not very long but scenic, in the Castle Hill area, 50 km from Arthurs Pass. Another amazing part of New Zealand, and another amazing day out in the mountains.

The Big Easy

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. 

Isaak camping in
Albert Town.

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.

Breakfast with Marie and Isaak in Albert Town, before the race last year. Photo: Maries camera.

Bikers gathering before the start of the Big Easy 2015. Photo: Marie.

Downhill, Big Easy 2015. Photographer Silver Vision Photography.

Me and my old green bike, Big Easy 2015. Photographer Silver Vision Photography.