Red Rocks

Woohoo – a sunny day! The weather this weekend certainly made up for last. It was absolute perfection and so we were eager to check out the bike route we had planned to do the previous week. It was a loop starting at our place and heading out along a ridgeline all the way to the coast, running along the coast and then heading back to headquarters through the city. The entire trail is called "Red Rocks" - in reference to the beautiful red rocks that burst out of the cliff faces. We’re so lucky to have these trails right at our doorstep. Amazing.

Sections of it were pretty hairy but we got through them alright. The first section of the route was called the “rollercoaster” and that’s exactly what it was! I don’t think we hit a flat section for the first hour of the ride!

Look closely. I'm in there somewhere... About 2/3 of the way and kissing my bike for getting me down that thing!

2.5 hours in. Heading toward the edge of NZ's North Island.

When we did hit the top of the mountain, though, the views were incredible. There was not a cloud in the sky, only a slight breeze, and the warm sun on our faces. We could even see the snowy peaks of the South Island!



We took a moment to enjoy the views and our incredible fortune for being here before we started our descent. This is where the tricky part started. You see the cliffs in the pic below?


Well, that’s what we climbed down…! We practically carried our bikes the whole way down the loose gravelly path to reach the beach. Pete gave parts of it a go and did really well. I decided for the less crazy option and walked my trusty bike to the ocean. Once at sea level, we got a chance to check out a few surfers enjoying the waves before making our way back to the city. Said hi to a seal en-route. He seemed to be enjoying the sunshine as much as we did. His chilled out attitude reminded me of Ollie and Tonka. Oh, how I miss our critters...

The last stretch through the city was pretty intense. Someone once told us that everything in Wellington is always uphill and this road was true to his word. By the time we rolled into our driveway, I could barely stand. Our evening was spent relaxing, enjoying the sunset and Pete’s homemade veggie chilly (yummm!). It was a perfect end to a perfect day. And after 5 solid days of rain (and hail!!), I think we deserved it!