Feral Mike - Feral Mike & the Beast of Burden

A LATTE SIPPING, PONSONBY DWELLER GOES ADVENTURING BY BICYCLE

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THE BIG PLAN
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For those of you new to this blog, I am engaged in a solo cycle ride from one end of New Zealand to the other over the southern summer - 2009/10. My aim is to keep off the busy highways and stick as much as possible to minor/back country roads, in the hope of seeing as much as possible of the 'real' New Zealand. I finished a 'trial run' from Auckland to Cape Reinga and return in early November 09 and am now making my way south from Auckland to Wellington. The trip is for purely selfish reasons - to get some serious exercise after years of being desk bound.

CHARITY FUNDRAISER
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But I would also like to be able to do some good, by fund rasing for a charity. My chosen charity is Oxfam, which I've supported for many years by making regular contributions. I believe Oxfam does an outstanding job providing the essentials for people less fortunate than the rest of us - things like providing clean drinking water and sanitation and helping people to help themselves.

If you enjoy reading my blogs and are prepared to help Oxfam in its work, here is their address. Copy and paste it into your web browser and make a donation by credit card. Remember, every little bit helps.

http://www.oxfam.org.nz/events/teams.asp?a=show_team_pages&eventid=20&teamid=3838

AND FINALLY ON THIS PAGE
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A few lines from a poem that sums up my attitude towards this journey:

Give to me the life I love,
Let the lave go by me,
Give the jolly heaven above
And the by-way nigh me.
Bed in the bush with stars to see -
Bread I dip in the river -
Theres the life for a man like me,
Theres the life forever.

R. L. Stevenson

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Joined on: August 23rd 2009
Last Login: November 27th 2009

Blog Entries: 19
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Blogs & Travel Journals

by Feral Mike, order by Date newest first.

By Feral Mike
November 25th 2009

CYCLE TOUR - A PERFECT CAMPSITE Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Taupo

Lonely Road
Setting off on the 26k ride at Pureora, the trees ghostly in the misty morning.

For the second morning in a row I was woken by the dawn chorus. The first of the birds to announce the new day were the tuis at 4.50 am. The others joined in a few minutes later. The kaka were by far the noisiest as they screeched in the air high above me. I listened in vain for the beautiful notes of the kokako, which I'd heard once before not too far from here. But on this occasion it wasn't to be. It was far too early to get up, and it was too cold. I snuggled deep into my [View Full Entry]

By Feral Mike
November 25th 2009

CYCLE TOUR - LANCE ARMSTRONG BACKS FERAL MIKE FOR ROUND TAUPO RACE Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Taupo

A Thoroughbred On Steroids
Feral Mike was offered the use of this bike for the Round Taupo Race. It's an oldie but a goodie, but with 14 gears and none of them very low he decided he was no match for the bike. He's no thoroughb... [more]

Introduction by Lance Armstrong Howdy y'all, It gives me great pleasure to write this introduction to Feral's latest blog. You see, he and I go back aways. We've shared the excitement of the Tour de France for years - he sat on the couch watching me on tv and offering advice. Now he's doing some pedaling of his own, and taking part in some event called the Round Taupo Race this weekend. We've also both shared a passion in the past for Sheryl Crow. I got over her, but I think Feral still has a soft spot for her. Anyways, there's [View Full Entry]

By Feral Mike
November 23rd 2009

Feral Mike's Campground Stew Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Waitomo

Little Flame Thrower
I find this little stove by Kovea works well, but there are plenty of other similar designs on the market. It packs into a small plastic box, and its tripod legs keep it well balanced even when it's s... [more]

Ingredients 1 onion 2/3 cloves garlic 2 courgettes 1/2 tomatoes 1 red/yellow/orange pepper Italian herbs I chicken stock cube salt and pepper to taste Cajun seasoning 250 gms tofu 3 or 4 small mushrooms Couscous or bread roll (or 2) Chop onion into small pieces and fry in a little oil (spray can canola etc is convenient), add finely chopped garlic. Once they've started to fry gently, toss in chopped courgettes,tomatoes,pepper and add seasoning. Add a little water if it looks like it's sticking to the pan. If there's some white wine lying around, now's a good time to add it. [View Full Entry]

By Feral Mike
November 19th 2009

Bike Tour - Pssst! Port Waikato, but Don't Tell Anyone Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Raglan

Sunset Beach
Sunset Beach is well known for its spectacular errr.. sunsets. But the evening I visited, it was overcast with a hint of rain and the salt spray hung in the air - obscuring the Waikato River mouth.

Here I am in Raglan, looking at a real estate leaflet with properties for sale in Port Waikato. $284,000 for a "classic beach bach" doesn't sound too bad. Here in Raglan, you would be lucky to get a section for that. The two settlements have a number of things in common. They are both on the West Coast. One has a harbour, the other has the country's biggest river spilling out into the Tasman. Both are close to centres with much bigger populations - Hamilton and Auckland. But that's about where the similarities end. Raglan is reggae vibe and way cool. [View Full Entry]

By Feral Mike
November 17th 2009

CYCLE TOUR - DISCONBOBULATED Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Auckland » Central

The Start of the Second Leg
Outside the Britomart Tansport Centre in Downtown Auckland. Northland was home terrtory in a way, now I was about o set off to places less wll known.

By the time the train pulled out of Auckland's Britomart Transport Centre I was feeling slightly troubled. Not in any kind of serious way, just a bit flat. I'd had a wonderful week at home with Judy - a week in which we'd caught up with family and a few friends and had time to ourselves, an opportunity for me to tell her about my travels and to hear what was happening with her. And to plan for the next few weeks and months. Now, suddenly, I was on a train to an uncertain future and all that I cared about [View Full Entry]

By Feral Mike
November 14th 2009

CYCLE TOUR - WHAT TO TAKE Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Auckland » Ponsonby

Weighing the Beast of Burden
Avanti Montari, 27 speed. With its front & rear pannier racks, cycle stand and two filled water bottles, it weighs 19 kilograms.

Everything Including the Kitchen Sink Gentle Readers, With the ride about to resume, I have been sorting through my gear and preparing for the next leg to Taupo and Wellington. By now you will be so filled with enthusiasm for your own cycle trips that I have decided to provide you with a handy-to-use inventory. In other words, what to take. Right Front Pannier Sleeping bag and silk liner Thermarest inflatable mattress Small pillow, pillowcase, boxer shorts Weight 4 kg Left Front Pannier 1 emergency dinner - Back Country Cuisine freeze dried meal Water [View Full Entry]

By Feral Mike
November 9th 2009

CYCLE TOUR - BACK AT SCHOOL Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Whangarei

Waiting, waiting
The entrance to Carruth House, where boys waited for their parents to pick them up at the end of term and on the occasional weekend home. My father was always running late, and I would find myself alo... [more]

A man I could only assume was a teacher strode towards me purposefully. I'd barely got the bike on its stand and was lifting my camera to take a snap when he demanded to know what I was doing. For a moment I was 14-years-old again, and I felt a wave of resentment. Then I remembered my 59 years and as civilly as I could told him I was taking a picture, and let the words hang in the air for a few seconds before explaining I'd once been a boarder at Carruth House, Whangarei Boys' High School. I asked him [View Full Entry]

By Feral Mike
November 8th 2009

CYCLE TOUR - CLAIMS IT WAS ALL A HOAX Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Whangarei

EXCLUSIVE!!!!! - Feral Mike in Ponsonby
This is the man our usually unreliable source says is Feral Mike, in front of a well known Ponsonby cafe. Our source says Feral Mike never left the city and his blogs are all a work of fiction.

A man looking remarkably like Feral Mike has been spotted lurking (see exclusive pictures) in cafes in Ponsonby, Auckland, leading to a claim that his solo bike ride of Northland never happened. Did Feral Mike Ever Set Out? An unreliable source says Feral Mike didn't leave the city, but has been lying low until the past few days and making up his blogs by stealing information and pictures from the internet. The source claims Feral Mike's confidence is growing because he believes he's got away with the scam. As a result, he's become brave enough recently to appear in public wea [View Full Entry]

By Feral Mike
November 5th 2009

CYCLE TOUR - THE COFFEE SAGA CONTINUES Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Bay of Islands » Russell

Trevor Scrub Cutter
On the road to Mimiwhangata, I chatted to Trevor who works for the Webb Brothers, owners of several very large blocks of land in the area. One of Trevor's workmates had been cutting out ragwort and Tr... [more]

The search for a real latte ended in failure. But the day was not ruined. By late afternoon I reached a stunning DoC campground at a place called Mimiwhangata. The last few kilometres were along a gravel road with a steep climb and final descent. Best Kept Secret Mimiwhangata has to be one of the best kept secrets. It's a beautiful, sheltered spot with bush and farmland behind it. The campsite is a five minute walk from the carpark, up, over and down a steep path. And the facilities are limited, just toilets and cold water. The main beach is [View Full Entry]

By Feral Mike
November 4th 2009

CYCLE TOUR - ONE MORE CUP OF COFFEE Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Bay of Islands » Russell

Pies but No Coffee
Well before arriving in the Bay of Islands, the signs are up to capture the tourist dollar.

One more cup of coffee for the road One more cup of coffee 'fore I go To the valley below Bob Dylan It was a perfect morning and I was in the perfect mood to enjoy it. The sun was shining but the day was still cool, and with no overnight dew my tent was dry when I packed it up. I was fed and watered and the road lay before me - full of promise. What more could a person want? Coffee! Even before I'd reached the 100 kph sign on the outskirts of Russell the thought had flashed through [View Full Entry]

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