RobiNZ Personal Blog

Vale to my Samsung Active 2 Smart Watch

Vale to my Samsung Active 2 smart watch which finally died today while I was doing housework. Technically is it still alive... I thought the strap had broken but it was the entire watch face dangling off the case, hanging by a ribbon connector! Has been a great device (does most of my ride/walk tracking) and lasted far longer than I thought it would after the 'hare incident' in Roxburgh in February 2022... After finishing cycling a leg of the Clutha Gold Trail I was riding slowly around a park paying more attention to possible 'framing' for a photo of... Read more →

Missing Greg at the Hokitika Wildfoods Festival 2023

Today it's the Hokitika Wildfoods Festival 2023. This time last year I was in Hokitika, mid-ride on the West Coast Wilderness Trail, and had hoped to see, Kiwi musician, Greg Johnson performing at the 2022 festival. It was a bizarre coincidence as his music played a significant role in my decision to take off around NZ on a bike and he lives in Los Angeles. When I rode the trail was decided, by other fixed events, before I even realised the Festival was that weekend, never mind Greg was performing. That our paths crossed on the remote West Coast of... Read more →

Te Awa River Ride | Hamilton to Cambridge | Time Out 2021-22

A new section of the Te Awa River Ride (Waikato River) recently opened; from Hamilton Gardens to Tamahere. It links the Ngaruawahia-Hamilton and Tamahere-Karāpiro sections I've previously ridden so I shot down to Hamilton for the day to complete the set. This ride concentrates on the new part as already covered the Hamilton CDB and Cambridge path in those earlier posts. Ann St Park I threw my Tern BYB folding bike into AHBART (Abarth 500 Esseesse) and headed back to Ann St Park, Beerescourt, Hamilton, near the CBD. Found it when I rode the Ngaruawahia-Hamilton section and was a good... Read more →

My inadvertent long-term sleep experiment | Time Out 2021-22 After

I've been wearing a Samsung Active 2 Watch to track sleep for several years and inadvertently, combined with lifestyle changes, it became a sleep behaviour experiment. The Samsung Health app popped up a summary, 12 months of records from my year of mostly cycle touring, and I realised it could answer a question I had long wondered about. While the sleep records of a consumer device are probably not that accurate, given it has all been with the same device, they are likely consistently inaccurate so can still be used for comparison. My 'normal' sleep, or not... I've always been... Read more →

The wrap up: 10 Months Cycling New Zealand | Time Out 2021-22

So, it ends: 10 months, 2 weeks (317 days) cycling or drive/cycling across most of New Zealand. Highlights? So many... there are 95+ blog posts... but a few highlights: Expected, but unexpected In many cases I knew what I was getting into, but sometimes it was the unexpected which added delight: Farewell Spit: I'd long wanted to visit but the combination of a small group, fantastic guide, and unusually calm, for the West Coast, weather made for an exceptional day in an incredibly special place. Loved my Takaka Rocks home too. Lake Dunstan: A fantastic trail, keep an eye on... Read more →

Waikato River Trail | Mangakino to Waipapa | Final Time Out 2021-22 Ride | Waikato

I've been cycling, or road trip cycling, since 25th September 2021 but seems all good things must end. It's a good end, as start new job in a couple of days, but makes this my last 'official' ride of the Time Out NZ 2021 - 2022! Decided to pop down for the day to finish the Waikato River Trails, the Mangakino to Waipapa section that was closed when last in the area (May 2022). Part of the trail passes through a commercial forest area, currently closed weekdays but open weekends. That's how I came to be on the misty shores... Read more →

A year ago, today, life changed | Time Out 2021-22

It's strange how sometimes seemingly trivial things combine to change your life. A year ago, today, I had a lovely rich chocolatey breakfast, at 'La La Land' in Raglan, then set off to drive home from a weekend of cycling. Approaching Port Waikato the sun appeared, and I decided to do a short ride to burn off some of that breakfast indulgence. On that ride, I stopped to take a photo, looked at the road ahead and decided I wanted to keep riding. That led to a major change, a break from work, and cycling all over New Zealand. In... Read more →

Hillary Trail | Whatipu, Ōmanawanui and Puriri Ridge Hike | Time Out 2021-22

Whatipu Te Ar Tūhura Hillary Trail: Ōmanawanui and Puriri Ridge Tracks (Whatipu to Mount Donald McLean) Back to Whatipu on another wonderful day. My destination, Mt Donald McLean, is the far distant peak on the left of the photo. Ōmanawanui Track The first section, Ōmanawanui Track, climbs the ridge between the Whatipu Road and Manukau Harbour. It climbs rapidly... Looking across to Awhitu Head, the other side of the Manukau Harbour. Had some Pīwakawaka (Fantail) for company on the climb, would see more later. Looking towards Auckland, not all the climbing is on steps. A short section of fixed chain... Read more →

New Lynn City Commuter Path | Time Out 2021-22

Set out for the Waitakere Ranges but looked like rain up there so tried the new New Lynn Avondale Path and SH16 path to the city. The new path has its issues, some ugly junctions and road crossings, but cycling to the CDB on path or quiet suburban roads from home is good is great. From town went along the waterfront then up through Parnell to the Auckland Domain and home. A nice day for a ride, left the rain in the hills, sun on the Lightpath shared path Home to City in about an hour Took the new the... Read more →

Avondale - New Lynn Path First Ride | Time Out 2021-22

Time to try another new cycle path which opened recently. The $45 million Avondale - New Lynn Shared Path connects the Waterview Shared Path to New Lynn. Prior to this there was no safe off-road cycle route to New Lynn or beyond. Another wonderful day, will this weather end? Towards Waterview on SH16 North-Western Cyclepath. Waterview reflections from SH16 North-Western Cyclepath. Taking a new turn on the Waterview Shared Path. Often used the ramp on the right (to go along SH20 towards Onehunga) but there was little reason to take this short path to Blockhouse Bay Road before. The new... Read more →