Too Much Attention

March 12, 2013
Whakaki Beach NZ



2 Swiss guys, one driving and one biking. (I'm also testing photo upload. )

Back to torments. (Haven't had many lately, so allow me a few...all seem to be the sane topic: Internet!)

Uploading pics is not happening. Even just a picture. Had to give it up. Don't know if its the app or the wifi connection. But it's terribly frustrating to sit outside the library for nearly an hour just trying to upload one day's post:
Publish Now
Posting...posting...posting
Upload failed. Problem with pics
Try again (learned sometimes it goes)
Try again
Try again
Delete photos
Try again
SUCCESS. (If you call uploading your blog without the pics "success")
Now make a blog page with just one pic
Publish Now
Failed
Try Again
Failed
Try Again
Success
Now the next picture....

Do ya get the picture (sic)??

Who has time or even inclination for that?

So many great photos of the wonderfully interesting people I've met along the way, now that I've stopped being afraid...and they'll have to stay on my iPhone. You can't see them. In fact. You can't see anything.

I've gotten to the state of attention overload. I can't get anything done because everyone wants to talk about Blaze. It's exhausting. I can see now why some of the long time travelers don't want to share with me about their journey. Been there. Done that.

One woman was Naida at the grocery store. Would post her picture here if I could. She must have told 6 people, everyone she passed in the store, what I was doing:). She was a delight. Wanted to buy me Chew Bars. How thoughtful.

Of course I don't think I'd like to be ignored either:(. Tough balance.

Yesterday it was kids. Pushy kids. Wanting to ride her. Not taking No. I just had to pedal away. But then they ran into me again in another part of town. (Small town.)

Even while I was on the phone, 2 different people were waiting for me to get off to talk to me. The boy gave up. The woman wanted to warn me, once again, how dangerous it was to Free Camp in this area because of some "undesirables". I get this warning daily. This East Coast is mostly Maori folks and that concept frightens some folks. I'm not worried although I wish the daily warnings would cease. This woman then suggested I either stay at the campground back in town (you can guess my answer to that) or cycle 15 kms up the road to this beach. That option sounded delightful except it was already nearly 6 and the sun sets about 7 ish and it would take me an hour plus to get there...and I had a soft tire that wasn't holding air. Hmmm? How's this all going to play out? Always an adventure. Last night was no exception.

Ok. Head to the beach. Sounds so nice. First gotta steep climb out of town. Grind my way slowly up watching daylight slip away. At the top, realize tire needs more air. And in the act of trying to inflate it, totally deflate it. Don't know if the pump is working right. Can't get it to stay locked on while pumping. arrghh! Lets change tubes to a new one. If course this is the back tire. Unlock brakes. Unlock quick release. (As I'm writing this, I have no recollection of locking the quick release last night when I reassembled everything. OMG! Did I bike with it not locked in? I've done stupider things. TBD).

Got the tire changed and pumped and ready to go. Pedal. Pedal. Pedal. Shit. This is a long ways for me. It's getting darker. Perhaps I should camp somewhere nearby. Ask a farmer? Nah. Keep pedaling. Check your map. 9 kms further. Put lights on. Getting darker. Keep pedaling. It will be worth it. Hey, this night biking is great. The cars go away. It's cooler. I should do this more often. Closer. Here's the village. There's the road. Gravel. Can't see dips. Down I go. There's a truck here. Can't see anything. Can't tent on sand. Won't hold. Find a spot behind dunes. Now I get to fix dinner in the dark with wimpy headlamps. And I realize that I never dried my tent today from last night's rain. Oh boy. What's that going to be like? Ah the joys of bike travel.

I got groceries in town. Too much as usual. Salad fixings! Yum! But my cutting board is also my foldable bowl. And my pot is boiling eggs right now. I sur could use another bowl. A big one for big salads or large batches of pasta when I make leftovers. Note to self: look for that.

BagLady

P.S. yup, 15 kms and back wheel NOT locked on. Thank you fairy godmother!!!


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