On the RoadPhotos and Travel

Seems like New Year’s is a fine time to discuss future plans.

There were many reason for quitting my old life and shipping out. High amongst them was finding a new place to live, maybe a new way of living, maybe a new career. Mostly it was just increasing the potential for finding such things, more than sitting in my apartment provided.

But other issues weighed. I missed my family and would like to spend more time with them. But job opportunities for me are few there and I didn’t know what I would do there.

And at the same time, after a year and a half, I was getting aimless in my travels. That came to bear while I have been cycling around, trying to figure out where to go next. With the unbelievable privilege to be able to go ANYWHERE in the world, I couldn’t decide. S. America? Iran? India? Turkey? What to do? What does that mean.

Some of you know that my father and some partners started Newport Biodiesel 5 or 6 years ago. Since then it has been growing in leaps and bounds. I have spent the last half of the year building a web app for them, getting them off pen and paper and onto iPads. But it’s time for Dad to retire…again and enjoy life even more than he already does.

Ideas merged and I floated the idea of replacing him and the idea was accepted.

And so very quickly, plans have changed.

I fly to San Francisco on Jan. 11th and will be there a few days while I collect my few things in storage. I will rent a car there and drive across the country to Rhode Island to settle down and begin a new phase. My travels and galavanting around the world are coming to a swift end. I am swapping 20°C for 20°F, 41°S for 41°N.

But I think the benefits are many. I will have a good job for a small, dynamic and growing company. Not only will I take over as collections manager, but I will be the lead nerd: continuing to implement technologies for the business: polishing the web app, building wireless monitoring systems for tanks and such. Much to learn and do, things to figure out and invent, being part of a small team rather than a cog in the machine. And on the personal side, I will get to be near my family for the first time in many years. I will get to take part in gathering and reunions that I have missed out on for over 15 years. Being in one place for a length of time, perhaps I can finally meet someone and get on with building my own family.

So I didn’t know how or when my travels will end or what I would be doing when they did, but for now, this gets a few birds with a single stone.

And this blog is about to get REALLY boring.

Thanks for reading.

D

A highlight on Fox Glacier..with help from Lightroom.

Last I wrote, I had recently left the bottom of the south island. I write to you now from the very top of it!

I left Queenstown and it was a one day, 60km ride back to Cromwell. Cromwell, as dear reader will recall, is where I had stopped for a week, being a helper. It was nice to see friendly faces again but I didn’t stay as long this time. Have to keep moving. After 4 days of helping it was to the West!

Heading into the Southern Alps.

Headed through nice looking Lake Wanaka and then to the edge of Mt. Aspiring National Park. From there is was the long slog over the mountains and through the woods. This was the pass through the Alps and into the wild west. Turns out the pass while high, wasn’t as bad as I had been fearing. And due to my starting elevation, the crazy downhill was twice the height as the climb. It was here that I finally broke the speed limit: 47 in a 45 zone. But I had to be flying down a mountain to do it. The bummer with steep downhills is that you burn up that potential energy in relatively few kms. Then it was a flat ride through a river valley to the Haast, on the west coast.

And heading down the Alps.

My path was along the right side of the river.

The west coast is know for being desolate. There are very few residents and towns and the road is long and narrow. But on the feature side, the mountains come really close to the coast and the woods are rainforesty.

But as it were, the rain started shortly after I tucked in a the hostel. And it was to persist for days. This was Monday and the only sun in the forecast for the week was Wed. So I took the bus to Fox Glacier.

On Wednesday, I was scheduled for the 8:30am helicopter flight onto the glacier. That was cancelled to weather and I was bumped to 11:30. Happily, that one went. We flew up to the middle of the glacier and spent 2.5 hours walking around. Crampons rule! No slipping! Had  a great time, got really sunburnt and as it turns out, the afternoon flight was cancelled too, so we scored the only flight of the week.

And on cue, it was raining heavily the next morning, so it was back on the bus. At this stage, time is running short and I don’t have days to sit around the hostel, waiting for weather.

So it was the bus up to Greymouth. This means I didn’t bike the West Coast at all, a really big cheat, but whatever. I spent an extra day in Greymouth (getting new bike tubes) and the next day was sunny.

So for the last 5 days, I have been making my way up North. Things are warmer here and the landscape is different: more mild, different trees, more sun, less wind. Spent a day in Nelson, relaxing and enjoying the cool town. I also got that stupid tire replaced. Since the first flat outside of Queenstown, I have gone through 3 tubes. Out with the old!

Now I am in Havelock, between Nelson and Picton, getting close to vineyard regions. Besides cherries and stonefruit, lambs and dairy,  NZ has a big wine industry.

Then it is down the east coast and back to Christchurch. I expect to be there just after New Years.

Then it’s on to the next step.

D

I try to show the road I have travled in these shots...it's the right one.

Last we met I was on my way to Dunedin, to visit my friend Adrienne, whom we first met in France last year. As the only person I know in NZ, it was nice to see a friendly and familiar face. It was nice to spend a couple of days on the couch, right in town, doing laundry and meeting her nice array of friends. It was also the biggest city I have been in since I left Christchurch. It was an 80km slog from the last stop and the last 16k were VERY hilly and seemed to drag on forever.

I blanched at doing those huge, tedious hills again, and took a bus for a bit. That same trip that took me 6-7 hours only took 1. ugh.
Then it was south into the The Catlins, the area at the very south of the island. I took the Southern Scenic Route which sweeps along the coast. I didn’t see the coast very often. Most of the scenic things were 8-15km off the road and I am not one for unnecessary kilometers. Plus, they led to bays and beaches and I have spent my life on the coast, so ‘meh’.

It was amazingly windy up here.

The Catlins turned out to be 6 straight days of full gale-force winds, gusting into hurricane winds. It was often clear and sunny but just brutal winds that made forward progress tedious if not impossible. I spent most of the week sitting in hostels, reading and coding, waiting for the weather to pass. I spent 1.5 hrs struggling to make 12km to the next hostel in terrible wind and rain showers, such was the need to make SOME progress. At some point I had to take refuge in a hay barn while the rain passed.

Untitled from Donald Booth on Vimeo.

I ended up getting a ride for 70km into Invercargill, hoping the truck didn’t get blown off the road. When we stopped in Bluff, the winds were blowing 65knots (74mph).
Invercargill is the main big city of the far south. I spent 3 days there, resting (again) and waiting for the wind to stop. There was a partial solar eclipse while I was there and I got a brief view of it through the clouds and rain.

Solar Eclipse in Invercargill

It blew a gale solid until the morning I left, when it was blessedly clear and wind free. Also, it was time to turn around and finally head north!

Te Anau is the main gateway to the Fjordlands, the top tourist attraction in NZ. It’s wild, mountainous land with many many fjords. The first day I went to Doubtful Sound. This entails a short bus ride, a 1hr trip across the lake, a 20km bus ride (after a quick trip down and INTO the mountain to check out the hydro-electric plant.) and then a 3 hour boat ride in the fjord.

The next day was a nice 2 hour ride to Milford Sound. (The Hobbit film crew was in the area, but I didn’t spot them!) An amazing landscape and then a 2 hour ride in the very impressive fjord. Back at the dock I took the opportunity to do a 30 minute helicopter ride. They take you up to a glacier at 6000ft and then you get a few minutes to hang out and take some pics. Then down the valley and the bus picks you up on the way out! It was great: impressive, a little nerve-wracking, lots to take in, trying to make steady films. For $220US, it was a great deal. I recommend the day at Milford if you are in the area.

A rare portrait of the author, on top of a glacier at Milford Sound.

Long but good days. I don’t do touristy things like this very often, but these were worth it, esp since I biked so far to get there.

Leaving Te Anau was the best day of riding yet. It started out calm but then a stiff TAILWIND started. Finally it was helping rather then hindering me. I blazed through the countryside with sustained runs of 35, 45, 50km. I hit the low 60s for a few mins (35mph). I kept waiting for the hilly part I passed on the bus, but before I knew it, I was amazed to be in the little town only 20km from Lumsden. I did the whole thing in 3.5 hours. Super fun.

Next morning, I took a left and headed north..and into the g.d. wind again. That 60km took me 6 hours. Ugh. The next day I finished the last 47km to Queenstown. That morning I had notice just how much worn my back tire was than my front. The back is taking the weight from the trailer. I made a note to get to the bike shop for tire rotation/tune up when I got there that afternoon. Sure enough, the back tire was punctured 20 out of town. I was lagging since I didn’t have breakfast that morning. The single store in town wasn’t opened yet. But either way, a quick and smooth patch job/tube swap and I was back on the road (Being passed by Hobbit filming trucks for a good while.).
So now I am resting in Queenstown: the adventure captical/tourist trap that everyone dismisses. Bungy jumping was invented here. Zip lines, jet boats, hang gliding, parachuting: it’s all happening here.
I will head to Cromwell tomorrow, where I spent that week painting the wall, and be a helper for a couple days.
Then it is off to the wild, wet and remote West Coast.

So the current plan, for better or worse, is to spend the next 2.5 months biking around New Zealand, riding and doing helps projects as I go. I landed in the south island a week and a half ago. As I spent the first week building a brick BBQ, I was investigating buying a bicycle and all the stuff that goes with it. Turns out that renting the whole rig, trailer included, was a much better option. So I did that.

Keep in mind that I haven’t ridden at ALL in a few years. My bike in SF was collecting dust since the day I bought my car. So typical. But some may recall that I did a couple of 100 mile (166km) rides…10 years ago.

So Monday, Oct. 24th, I headed out on a sunny morning from Christchurch. The plan was to go 60 miles (95km) to Methven. Not surprisingly at ALL, it was way too much for my first real ride. I burnt out a paltry 50km in, stopping in Hororata, a tiny blip on the map, after 5 hours of riding not fast. And just in time to, as a big wind storm blew up just as I settled into my tent. I spent a long afternoon/night in my tent, protected by a small grove of trees. Surprisingly or not, I slept very well and was off the next cloudy morning.

The next 50km to Methven was cold and damp, misty and sometimes with light rain. I finally had my first big downhill into a river gorge, but was defeated on the subsequent hill within 30 yards. I pushed that damn rig up the big hill. Did I mention I have WAY too much stuff?

Once ensconced in my motel room, it took 2 hours before my feet were warm. I was quite happy to have a heater and a remote control!

Sadly, the next day dawned rainy and I was forced to spend a full day in Methven, reading, coding and going to cafes. I took the opportunity to send my main backpack back to Christchurch for the duration of my ride. That saved me 22lbs, which has proven to make a huge difference.

This morning started out sunny and it was off to Geraldine, 80km (48miles) down the plains. I should mention that Christchurch is on the Canterbury Plains, the biggest piece of flat land in the country. It’s VERY flat and easy riding: a great place to get my legs back in shape.

I was very pleased to make that 80km in 4.5 hours. My average speed was way up, due in big part to being so much lighter, and probably my legs are getting better. I also found out that listening to podcasts while I ride is AWESOME! It saves you from constantly calculating time remaining, checking the clock every 2 minutes and wondering what the hell you have gotten yourself into.

So that’s it so far. Got about 190km under my belt so far. Took longer than I thought but whatever; I have nowhere to be, at least until my visa runs out in early January.

Tomorrow, shit get real. The plains come to an end and the hills start.

I am working on getting mapping set up so my trail gets published to this blog so you can see my location and path to date.

Hopefully photos will start soon as I get into more picturesque territory.

Turns out the loss of the last few blog posts is my fault. User error, as usual.

So rather than rewrite all of them, this will be a quick recap since I started my second year of traveling last month.

I left Boston on Sept. 15 and headed to Paris. After a couple of days in Paris I headed to The Hague, where I stayed with Karin for a couple of weeks, doing Helpx projects and hanging with the kittens.

Then it was time to head to the southern hemisphere.

I flew from Amsterdam to Singapore, where I had a drizzly 14 hours to spend. I went into town and managed to get a good photo of Leapy up on the crazy pool.

Singapore has one of the nicest airports I have ever been to.

From there, it was the A380 to Sydney:

After a couple of days in Sydney, I had to make a last minute change for my NZ flight. Turns out the Rugby World Cup was happening at the same time I was going to waltz into Auckland. Rooms, if you could find one, which you couldn’t, were $2000. So it was off to Christchurch instead.

I spent a week there with a Helpx host, building a BBQ and preparing for my bike trip.

So, a busy and dynamic month and a great one for passport stamps!

So after our delightful week in Paris, it was back to the US for the first time since I left last July 1st.
Back to Boston, and driving and green money and familiar things.
It is so nice to be back home for the summer, rather than the 2 weeks of snow and ice which was my routine for the last 7 years. I had forgotten just how nice Newport, RI is in summer time. Not only that, but there are whole sets of memories and feelings that are sparked by the seasons.
I will spend the summer as I did the past year, working on projects for my parents, and everyone else, it seems. It’s nice to have 4 months to be here, to unpack and settle in for a bit.
First day off the plane: a cell phone and new jeans and socks. Mmmmm.
The summer will be spent on projects, seeing friends and being able to spontaneously do whatever is a good idea. But mostly, it won’t be sitting in a cube.
Projects are underway. Deck 2.0

Deck 2.0

and the studio apartment, which will be my place while I am here…when it is done. New floor in and painting in progress.

Studio, under way.

So the plan is to be here for the summer. I head back to Paris on Sept, 15th, unless something better comes along…

Flog me, as I have been remiss.

When last I wrote, I was in Laborde, in the south of France, staying with a couple I had met in Cambodia.

I had a good two week there, working on projects and enjoying a peaceful lifestyle in a tiny village at the foot of the Pyrenees. And by small I mean, they didn’t have a bakery.

I did some hedge pruning and the usual work, but the big fun was refurbishing the little horse carriage.

Before

After

Lots of credit to Petra, who owns it, for the design.

I was sad to leave, but it was time to head north, back to Normandy, to see my French family again. Due to poor planning, I only spent an hour in Bordeaux, rather than the day I was expecting. But that just meant a day in Paris for which no one shall shed a tear.

I only had 10 days to spend with the Frankens, which seemed so short after my 6 weeks with them in Sept/Oct. But it was time well spent and I was happy to see them again.

Evan, another helper, was my helper for the deck we built behind Petite Corbon.

The Deck 1.0

I was pleased and surprised that we got it finished so quickly and we had a lovely grand-opening dinner on it, just before I left.

But leave I did, because I had to be in Paris to pick up my parents!

Mom and Dad came to meet me for a week in Paris; Dad after a few years of badgering him to get out of the country for a bit, and Mom, who has wanted to see Paris for many years. It was also extra special as it was 10 years since Mom and Sue joined me in Italy for my first international trip.

"They said you can't miss it." "It's gotta be here somewhere!"

It was a great week, but tiring as most tourist weeks are. It’s so hard to just sit and drink coffee and do nothing. But they both got a good feel for the city and NEXT time, we can just sit at sidewalk cafes all day and watch the world go by. They were both impressed about just how nice everything is. We saw all the bigs things: Tower, museums, chocolate stores, bakeries, cafes, etc. Monmartre, the Marais, Berthillon’s for some of the best ice cream I have ever had. Excellent farmer’s markets, the flea market and nightly scrabble games with mom.

If you are looking for an epic travel moment, go to the Louvre, go to Angelina’s cafe upstairs, sit outside, get the hot chocolate and some world-class dessert and enjoy.

We saw cool things and ate well and enjoyed our time together. But all good things must pass, and pass quickly they did. Time to head back to the US!