Monday, March 24, 2014

Day 26: Apiti to Palmerston North

March 23rd 2014
Distance cycled: 78 km
Total distance to date: 1453 km

Apiti might as well have been a ghost town. I didn't see a soul the entire morning even through it took me 2 hours to pack up camp. The rest of the day was like that too. Really remote, beautiful countryside. 



I did come across a tearoom/farm about 2 hours into my ride. It was called the Pilgrim's Rest, which of course reminded me of the camino.


I ordered my first Devonshire tea - a farm scone with whipped cream, farm-grown raspberry jam and an entire French press of coffee for myself:


I was in heaven. I chatted with the owner, Margaret, as she prepared the food for me and then proceeded to feed some scones out the window to her pet deer. His name was Chicken. He was 24 years old, deaf and blind, and Margaret had raised him since she found him abandoned by his mother as a baby. 

The ride to Palmerston North was mostly downhill and I had a tailwind, so I practically flew the last few kilometers into town. I veered off the main highway to catch the river trail into the city. Man, what a great trail! Reminded me of the Burke-Gilman. My guidebook said it would be gravel but thankfully it was paved. It was Sunday so plenty of people were out cycling or walking their dogs. (None of them are in my pictures, though. Trust me, they were there... or they are all vampires.)




On the way into town, I saw eggs on sale out of a microwave. Awesome. I've seen microwaves used as mailboxes and have decided I'm going to do that someday too. 


My hosts in Palmy (as the Kiwis say) were Pamela, a librarian and her husband Andrew, who runs his own business doing sports event timing. Interesting career! We had a proper feast for dinner along with their son Graem and his girlfriend Georgia. Leg of lamb, roasted kumara, sourdough bread, delicious salad with an amazing vinaigrette, followed by a homemade vanilla custard with pears and quince sauce. It was so perfect and I felt like the guest of honor at Thanksgiving. I also had my own room with my own bed and access to the family's wifi. It's going to be difficult to pay it forward when the hospitality is so astoundingly good!! I've got hosts lined up for nearly the rest of my stay on the North Island, which is only 5 more nights. Can't believe I'll have the entire island behind me soon! 

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