Day 8 Westport to St Arnaud ...156km

Today I have been asked to write the Blogg and give the support person's perspective of the tour so far. I must admit that it was with some trepidation that I accepted the role of support on a trip where I was to be the lone female and in the car for half the day on my own but this has proved to be the totally unfounded as I have enjoyed every minute of the trip so far. The guys have been absolutely terrific and I have enjoyed the solitude in the car immensely. The camaraderie of the team has been wonderful and the humour very contagious. I have had a wonderful time driving up the coast listening to my music stopping at all the sights to admire the scenery and take lot's of photo's (not just of the blokes in lycra). Apparently my skill as a photographer has improved. The only "fly in the ointment" has been getting sick and I have had trouble shaking a very chesty cough. I have been very worried about passing on my illness but so far so good.

Our daily routine has become a well oiled machine. We are all usually up by 6.30am to have breakfast and generally like to be on the road by 7.30 am. Our packer extraordinaire, Pagey gets the car packer, a task that has become some what easier as we head up the country (I should be able to take a passenger up the North Island). The norm is to stop for coffee at some point during the ride, so I usually drive a little way ahead work out my camera angles for the shots. Lunch is after the ride followed by a siesta or a walk for those feeling energetic.

So to today's ride, an uphill ride for the guys for most of the day even when it was flat there was a 2% gradient. It was a beautiful ride through the very scenic Buller Gorge, unfortunately I was a bit tardy getting away and missed all the scenic shots with riders but did manage to get some stunning shots of the river. The boys suffered their first road rage from an abusive and very stroppy young female driver. They were following all the rules keeping left and riding in single file.
Pageys stats for the day: 8 road kills, 5 one lane bridges and one lot of road works very inconsiderately on a hill. Today we also lost Brian as he had to return home. The King Richard award............. goes to the Teflon Don Steve Northey. This was awarded as he pointed out an indiscretion of a member of the public. Whiplash occurred for the rest of the boys as they turned to look, followed by an immediate adjustment as Tod loudly called "Don't look Ethel". All of this occurring in the presence of the recipients wife.
Tomorrow is Geoff and Al's last stage....Picton

Ange