Hutt River Trail, with new convert, Pat

One of the most satisfying aspects of my blog is that it sometimes enthuses other people to take up cycling. Our friend Pat is one of my most loyal readers, and while we were in the South Island, she let people know on Facebook, that she had “surprised herself”, by buying a folding bike – a Giant Expressway (the new improved version of our original folders).

Incidentally, Pat is well used to biking, but had sold her bike many years ago, thinking she would no longer need it. She is also a very fit walker, who has hiked in Nepal, and who thinks nothing of climbing up Mt Kaukau of a morning – something that I stand in awe of, and would absolutely balk at. (PS: Pat says that climbing up Mt Kaukau is still quite a slog.)

Of course, we were delighted at her purchase, and on Tuesday 15 December, we met up at the Petone roundabout carpark, to go cycling on the Hutt River Trail.

Pat and Désirée near the Hikoikoi Reserve (photo by John)

The same bikes, only Pat has the latest “improved” version (photo by John)

I like this part of the track, near the Hutt City River Carpark (photo by John)

Pat is a keen photographer too (photo by John)

It was a very straightforward bike ride. John and I were riding our Giants as well. For Pat this was all new, but she has since been very intrepid and taken herself off on solo train trips and rides – inspired, no doubt, by some of the places I have described in this blog.

We ended up at Janus Bakkerij for coffee and cake, before returning to Petone. Pat wanted to know what lay beyond the Seaview end of the Hutt River track, so we biked to the end of the Hutt River mouth.

The end of the Hutt River (photo by John)

Pat posted this photo on Facebook, and I took the liberty of “borrowing it”.
(photo by Pat Reesby)

It had been a very pleasant 23 km ride.

When we were back in Petone, we paid a visit to Wellington Electric Bikes, where John spotted a basket that had been specially designed to go on the carrier of the SmartMotion bikes. Because we now regularly use the bikes to go to our local cafe, with a stop at the supermarket on the way back, he thought that would be very handy. As it happened, it did not quite fit, having been designed for the full-size bike. But John is very resourceful, and he made a special bracket, which allows it to be quickly released when it is not required. He is very pleased with his belated birthday present.