Holiday week.

Wednesday on holiday with mum and dad in Tauranga. It has been wonderful weather so that has been a bonus for us. Yesterday we visited the kiwi fruit farm that we used to stay at. A bag of kiwi fruit, avocados and passion fruit later we had looked at all the vines. Not in such great repair and dad thinks that they should have sold for the offer. House was looking okay but needs repairs. 
Back into town with a stop at the wine shop and lunch at palmers. Dad had the wrong time for his appointment so we decided to catch up with friends who own a cafe. Found the cafe, they weren't there but Kenneth who I went to school with was. Got to lawyers and left dad while mum and I went for a walk around the town. After meeting back up we went to the bernina shop and got an invite to the club class being held in the morning. Back to hotel for a rest. Decided to go to fish and chip place for tea which was lovely. A night at hotel reading, watching TV and embroidery followed. 

Thursday mum and I were up and off to the bernina class. Really interesting and lots of people. Learnt about different buttonholes and there uses: also great for appliqué. Next session was about making a woollen wrap. Was a great idea and might try from some fabric I have at home. Other product demonstrated was shrink fabric. I bought some to try when I get home. Back to the hotel to pick up dad and over to mount maunganui for lunch. Found a nice garden cafe for lunch. Had a great Kumera soup. Next stop was the packing business to meet with Helen who deals with the sale of the kiwifruit. We had a great tour of the packing plant and watched them pack the gold kiwifruit. For tea mum and I found a chinese takeaway which was called Rok the Wok. It was very nice.
Friday we travelled to Taupo so I could do the 100Km flyer with karen and phil on the Saturday. I was the support car driver. It was a horrible day as shown by the photo of the intrepid bikers at the start of the race. The race went along some interesting roads and both Karen and Phil felt the cold. Phil finished in a time of about 4 1/2 hours while Karen completed 75km and had a police ride to the end. A bit of a worry as she never went past me, while I was waiting in the car.

Karen and Phil off to the start of the 100km race.

Sunday monring - all recovered and getting ready to drive home.

Sunday we drove home in wonderful weather and that was the end of the holiday.

Done and conquered!

We did it!. The Tenix Round The Mountain Relay team of Beer and Bubbles completed the adventure, did not win any spot prizes but passed the finish line in style. Karen, Phill and I took just over 7 hours to ride around Mount Egmont on a nice sunny, slightly windy Taranaki day. Phill started the first leg, while Karen and I went supermarket shopping for beer and bubbles. Karen took over the ride at Okato and did the 35 kms in 1 hour 13 minutes. I took over from Opunake and a long while later I reached Kaponga (26 kms) where Phill zoomed off up hill to Pembroke Road School. This was when the head wind kicked in a bit but by 1pm Phill and Karen had swapped riders, Marilyn was most impressed with all of us, and Karen had the difficult task of riding the head wind to Inglewood.
Phill took over at Inglewood for the last 20km stretch so Karen and I raced to park the car and ride back to meet Phill a kilometre from the end with beer and bubbles in our pockets. Riding the last kilometre we were passed by a number of professional riders (zooming really fast - they started at 11am) but still we finished as a team and given a warm welcome by those waiting.

Another beautiful taranaki day - what a great view to keep me inspired.

Along the Opunake Road

Finished 26Kms under my belt!!!!!!!

Karen says are we on for next year already.