Planning starts.

There are a few things I will need for my adventure. I've got Birdy and a sleeping bag but the list of other things keeps growing. Most importantly is a tent, sleeping mat, carrier rack for Birdy and panniers. So I went off to Dunedin on a shopping spree...got my tent, sleeping mat and rack.
Of course the first thing I did when I got home was put my new tent up. Only took me 20 or so minutes AND I read the instructions.

hmmm I wonder how this works.

A place to sleep.

oh so that is what it does!

I wanted to sleep in it that night but as these things happen...I had caught a bug so that put paid to any thoughts of sleeping in my tent for a few nights. Then we had rain, rain and more rain for weeks (well I exaggerate but it felt like weeks!).

But yesterday, the skies cleared and it was a perfect day for a ride and tent sleeping. So I rode the Clutha Gold Trail from Roxburgh to Lawrence (77kms/48 miles). What a stunning day for a ride and the Clutha River after all the rain, was nearly bursting it banks!

Finally after my ride and before I did anything else, I put my tent up ready for my first night. I have to be honest with you and say I didn't put it up in the wilderness somewhere....it was on the front lawn at home!! I had such a cozy night despite the wind picking up and a little bit of rain. The sleeping mat was so comfortable and the only thing I needed to make it super comfy was a pillow. I am trying to figure out how to carry a feather down pillow on a bike without it getting wet!

"One day you will wake up and there won't be any more time to do the things you've always wanted. Do it now."

                                       Paulo Coelho