“If I had a hammer I’d hammer in the morning , I’d hammer in the evening all over this land ….”

I had 2 lazy days in the Wairarapa , getting my venison and then a day with my old beekeeping buddy Peter Sales and his wife Kathryn . We had a great catch up in Greytown where Peter has a nice new flash home . My highlight was the chance to sort out my hammer requirement. Tent erections require a peg hammer . My mod on my little steel hammer had failed so it was back to basics . Peter has lots of odds n ends and we found a small butty chunk of an old railways sleeper , most likely aussy Jarra . Then together we plotted the creation of little Thors wooden hammer . Peters workshop was brilliant.

Very happy with the finished product which will make further tent erections less troublesome. It’s fit for purpose but heavy as sin , but hey what’s another kg or so when you’re got 40 !

Had something of a brain fade leaving Peters as I forgot my helmet . I realised about 5 kms into the ride and sent him a text

“ hey Peter , please bin the helmet , life too short to retrace one’s mistakes “

Peter however had in the meantime jumped into his E Kona and chased me down for a last goodbye and helmet relocated to its reluctant perch .

The ride up over the famous Rumatakas incline was fun , some long tunnels and after the summit some fast downhills . All the way down to my birthplace ( Upper Hutt ) and finally a coffee

Slowed my ride in as I was heading to a “ warm showers “ host who wasn’t home till 4:30 . Stopped at Petone for an early dinner .

The host just happened to live way up in Khandallah which meant a long steep climb that made me thankful for the E assist . But a lovely hostess greeted me with her generous hospitality, bed for the night and a house to myself as she had some social engagements to attend .

That’s the North Island finished .

Left my nice warm showers digs down a bridle path that descended precipitously towards the Wellington CBD , taking it easy as the brakes struggled to hold me and my mega load . Only a short ride to the bluebridge terminal

The north island has been a rollicking adventure and the magnificent South Island now beckons