I'm spending the next few months exploring New Zealand. This index will update as that journey progresses with links to blog posts and other external resources.

'The Why' and 'The Plan' sections have an overview of how I got here and initial plans but will be blogging 'The Reality' in depth as it happens.

The Reality:

This is what I've been up to:

Planning | July 2021 onwards
Auckland rides in COVID L4/L3 Lockdown | September 25 2021 - ????
Other Indexes
- All the posts tagged TO2122 [PB]
- All the photos on Flickr [FLK]

The Why:

On July 26, 2021, at 12:41 I stopped cycling, snapped this photo (how I know the time), absorbed the view and decided...

A few weeks before, July 9th, I saw Kiwi (albeit US based) musician Greg Johnson at the Powerstation; a stunning evening:

Since then, I have been listening to his ~200 Track 'Box Set' on repeat or shuffle. At 4:32 on August 3 I was wide awake, thinking about some upcoming work changes, and the phone shuffle playlist picked one of my favourite tracks, from the early 'Vine Street Stories' album:

'Don't Wait Another Day'

Taking that advice, I picked up my phone, fired up OneNote (how I know the time) and wrote what I said at work later that day:

Thanks for sharing the new tribe/chapter/squad design with me yesterday (Mon 2nd). After due consideration I have decided, although included, I do not see a place for me in it.

What next?

I've yet to visit Europe, had saved for that but then COVID-19 changed the world. With no desire to travel anywhere for a long time, even though fully vaccinated, I'm taking this opportunity to invest some of that locally with a summer break in New Zealand.

It will be from October to at least the end of March. Then I will decide what's next, find my Lemonade Stand?*

* Greg shared how hearing wealthy friends talk about their retirement plans (shares, investments etc) made him think about his own...

The Plan @ 25 Sept 2021 (COVID-19 status permitting)

I have no firm plans for the next few months but have put together an evolving list of things to consider:

(re)Connecting

With myself, people, activities I have drifted away from...

Was looking forward to seeing/doing more with Alfie which wasn't to be but (if anything) it reaffirmed this move.

Cycling/Drive Touring

Visiting parts of NZ I haven't been, or which have changed since last visited. I have travelled/cycled most of the South Island but that was before most of the cycle trails were established. Have yet to visit Golden Bay/Farewell Spit or spend much time on the Wairarapa Coast so those go on the list.

Italics are tentative, removed if completed or confirmed.
Links in this section will go to resources, like area or cycle path sites, not my content:

Local

Woodhill MTB
Day/overnight trip | Any time
- Waiheke
- Great Barrier
- Manukau South Head
- Kaipara North Head (Pouto)
- Kaipara South Head

North Island

Northland Revisit | 2021-10 (purple)
- Whangarei Heads
- Twin Coast (Hokianga to Bay Of Islands) reprise
- Waitangi MTB Park

East Cape/Napier Revisit | 2021-11 (orange)
- Napier Hawkes Bay Trails
- Motu & East Cape reprise

Wellington | 2021-11 (light blue)
- Hutt / Rimutaka Trail
- Pencarrow Coast
- Wairarapa Coast

Waikato/Central/Taranaki | 2021-12/2022-01
- Waikato (pink)
  - Coromandel road and trail
  - Waikato River Trails
- Central/Taranaki (magenta)
  - Rotorua
  - Timber Trail and Taupo
  - Mountains to Sea (Ruapehu - Whanganui)

South Island

Upper South | January/Feb 2022 (yellow)
- Nelson Coppermine and Queen Charlotte Reprise
- Golden Bay & Farewell Spit (Booked)

Otago & Southland Revisit | February 2022 (red)
- Queenstown (visited lots but never cycled the trails there) & Around the Mountains
- Roxburgh Gorge & Clutha Gold Trails
- Lake Dunstan Trail
- Oamaru & the new leg of A2O (Omarama to Kurow was not built when did the A2O)

West Coast Trails Revisit | March 2022 (navy blue)
- West Coast Wilderness (Booked)
- Paparoa Track (if hut allows or as 2 day rides from ends)
- Old Ghost Road (Booked)

Reading

This is a few of the books I own, but haven't had the motivation to read... now with time...

Read
- rich enough? | Mary Holm
  - Lives up to its tagline, "Read this one book, set up your money, and get on with your life!". Simple financial advice from starting out (Kiwisaver, first home) to retirement and beyond. You can hear Mary on Radio NZ, but this book is a good easy to read summary of the practical advice shared there. Recommended!
Reading
- Quantum Man: Richard Feynman's Life in Science | Lawrence M. Krauss

Listening

I haven't listened to much music recently. if did it was just a background shuffle. Now I'm listening to music, not tracks, not shuffled, albums, as the artist intended.

Work through my backlog of thirty-One episodes of Matthew's brilliant "Ice Coffee: the history of human activity in Antarctica', and about 30 hours of Sean Carroll's excellent, but demanding, Mindscape podcast.

Gear for the trip

Tailfin Aeropack Top Bag: This adds to my existing Tailfin rack. I got as found in wet weather opening the panniers for 'mid ride' stuff, like camera or money, let in the wet. Having that sort of stuff in the top bag will be much better. Also allows a more 'bike packing' (rear bag only) setup for tighter trails.
- Tailfin AeroPack Review: A premium, rigid seatpack - BIKEPACKING.com
Personal Locator Beacon: For when I get lost.
Full Suspension Mountain Bike: Recommended, strongly, for the Old Ghost Road Track. I could either rent, just for the track, or buy...