Night is not the enemy.

Mini tour number 5 completed. I must have virtually crossed America in training kilometres by now. Actually my odometer on my bike computer has just clicked over to 12,000 kilometres in the year that I changed the battery in it. Considering in winter time I struggled to do 150 to 200 kms a week then most of that distance was done this summer. Also bearing in mind that I also have another bike I use mostly for commuting, so that is a lot of mileage clocked up in 12 months.

I'm off again on another mini tour.

This mini tour was only 3 days as I'm working now and that is all the days I could scrape together, and I felt great. After 6 weeks of feeling jaded, I finally felt like I'd got my 'mojo' back . I know the weather was favourable but it was more than that. I felt like I could just keep going and going.

Just a hint of Autumn colours in the willows.

I am happy and enjoying the early morning riding.

Talking of keeping on going, I recently helped out with a week of extreme long distance cyclists all endeavouring to do all the qualifiers for the Paris / Brest / Paris in one week. Credit to them - they all achieved it. It was an eye opener to see how these riders achieve such long distances. They seem to enjoy riding at night.

I can see the positives of riding at night:
- it's calm and peaceful.
- there's very little traffic.
- the wind dies away to nothing.
- it's cool and you don't suffer from hot foot.
But I like to see the scenery, and it's definitely an advantage when the shops are open. But I totally admire the dedication of these riders, and I did learn that night is not the enemy.

Yes I have a new job - and I really enjoy it. But the best bit of all is that they are going to keep my job open  for me while I am away doing the Trans Am. Most of my training is completed now, I might get one more 3 day mini tour in at the end of next week and possibly a small trip away at the end of May before departing for the States. I'm guessing that the northern hemisphere folks are just getting started on their training. I hope I  don't loose what I have gained in the 6 weeks I have to work full time in April and May, I will have to be really dedicated on my days off to go for really long rides.

Not a bad photo from outside the public restroom in the Marlborough Sounds.