11.13.06
Race day was horrible weather ... cold and wet and windy. I stayed long enough after my race to watch Andy kick everyone's butt and win his first World Cup of the year and then shoot some photos with his camera. I made it home just in time to miss another huge ice-cold rainstorm. The race organizers put on a nice formal dinner for everyone that night.
 |
 |
my table at our dinner (click photos to enlarge) |
|
I woke up the day after the race to a bright, warm, sunny day. I couldn't believe our bad luck with the weather! Anyway, Yvonne, our host mom, took us for a drive down the coast along the age-group triathlon bike course. It was absolutely beautiful and we got some great shots of the ocean and the volcanic Mount Taranaki.
 |
 |
||
 |
 |
||
|
 |
||
 |
 |
||
 |
I am very lucky to have met and stayed with the Peacocks during my stay in New Plymouth. They not only provided us with a really nice private apartment to stay in, but also fed us well, drove us around, and were helpful with directions and other things that only locals know about. I hope I can see them again when I return! |
||
 |
 |
||
11.11.06
I arrived in Christchurch, New Zealand on Tuesday afternoon and hung out there until I flew up to New Plymouth, NZ on the west coast of the North Island. It is right on the edge of the sea and it's a tiny town with some rolling hills and some scenic rocky boulders on the shoreline. There's a big volcanic snow-covered mountain called Mt. Taranaka which (when you can see it through the clouds) is so picturesque it looks fake. I dunno if the weather will clear up enough for me to get a photo.
I am staying in a homestay with a very nice family, the Peacocks, who have a neat eclectic house with cool decorations, a nice garden with herbs and veggies, and a cozy apartment addition with beds, a kitchen and a bathroom for me and Margie Shapiro. They have some cute pets too - Stitch the cat and Bourbon the dog. Yvonne can really cook some awesome meals and when I asked for a recipe, she says, "Recipe? I just throw in whatever I've got in the kitchen at the moment!" So that's the secret...
 |
 |
The Peacocks' home (click photos to enlarge) |
|
 |
 |
above: kitchen, below: front hall |
above: dining area, below: front hall |
 |
 |
our apartment (below) |
|
 |
 |
patio (below) |
Bourbon |
Stitch |
 |
 |
 |
We have an ominous forecast for tomorrow - 59 degrees, high winds, and 80% chance of showers. I am ready to race hard in any kind of weather so bring it on. I would appreciate a dry day though, especially after last weekend's race. The water temperature is very cold, in the low 16 C (not sure what that is in F) and I will probably wear 2 caps to keep my head warm. We have a one-lap swim, 6 lap relatively hilly bike course and a run course that has some hills as well.
It is really neat how so many locals really get into the triathlon festival here. They are so friendly! Margie and I went shopping today and several people asked if we were in the race and said they would be cheering us on. The crowds really make the race more fun for us too.
