The weekend before Dave left, we participated in the K2. Described as 2,300 metres of screaming descent and possibly the most scenic and challenging one day cycle race in the Southern Hemisphere.

The event is named after Kuaotunu, an enchanting community on the wild eastern coastline of the Coromandel Peninsula. In Maori, the name Kuaotunu means “to inspire fear in young animals” ! The 2 represents the almost 200km that the ride will cover. By coincidence K2 is the 2nd highest, and probably the most difficult to climb, mountain in the World.

It travels in an anti clockwise direction covering the entire peninsula. Starting in Coromandel Town and going on to Thames, Tairua, Whitianga and back to Coromandel. We, however, carved our own K1 and did a 100km loop from Coromandel to Thames and back.

I remember going on a long and arduous ride in Utah last summer with Dave and telling my mom when we got back that I had just hit a wall about 3/4 of the way through the ride. I meant that I had hit a physical wall and felt like I couldn't go any further, but my mom thought that I had actually hit a wall. Again, I felt like I hit a wall about 85km in and allowed myself to be persuaded to hitch a ride with some lovely women that i'm sure felt very sorry for me.

In some ways I think that the experience was somehow analogous to childbirth -- me yelling at Dave, "What did you sign me up for?" and "I don't think that i'm going to make it." And of course there were the requisite expletives in response to Dave's sweet support; I am sure that my behaviour did not elicit much confidence in Dave.

Dave is in Utah at the moment and I am sure that he is relishing all the time with family and friends. We are missing him quite a bit here and a few times every day Aaron, Lynsey or I will whine, "Is Dave home yet?" We, of course, are also missing our families and friends and hope that Dave has enough time to squeeze in all the hugs we sent.

 

What did you think of this article?

Liked
Disliked
No Opinion