Kepler In A Day Again!

2020-11-03

Monday and Tuesday this week were forecast to be splendid mild early summer days. Finding myself not over busy and feeling antsy I had planned on a quick trip up Mt. Titiroa. On Sunday quite randomly I found needed to be in town on Tuesday for a interview so that postponed my original plan.

Instead I opted, perhaps unwisely, for a one day Kepler, usually I bail at about 50km at Rainbow Reach but this time I was determined to do the full loop track.

As usual I had a fabulous time over the tops to Moturau but that last stretch always hurts and this time I had 15km of it.

I went slowly and felt contained, completely within myself, though somewhat sore. It took 14 hours and I found while I seem to have more endurance than ever I seem to have become a little slow. I am ok with that, most of what I do, where there is not a track within sight, is slow and deliberate anyway.

Living down in the south, we are not accustomed to heat. As much as we enjoy the luxury of a warm sun, for us 20C is a hot day. I had a Tuke with me, a new one rushed together on Sunday as my personal one now lives permanently with Sammy Stoat. It was great, I barely noticed it. I did learn though that X-Pac works well against the skin even on a hot day for us, against a merino shirt it does get sweaty but the only time I noticed was putting it on again after a short rest. Perhaps the most welcome lesson to me, my Whittakers Chocolate supply, safely stashed in the base pocket, never came even close to melting.