On the way to the Taupo we called in at Rotorua to see the thermal pools, it wasn't a particularly nice day as it rained for most of it but they were really nice if a little smelly! By the time we got to Taupo it was still raining so we went for a pint and then settled in for the night at a spot right next to the beach. Never one to be deterred from a BBQ Casson rigged the poncho up over the back door and bbq'd in the rain.

The next day the rain was torrential but I was determined to head to Pureora Forest to enquire about the timber trail which is a 2 day/84km bike ride. We eventually found the booking office and booked on for the following day, we crossed our fingers the weather would be OK. That night we camped in the forest itself at the halfway point of the bike ride. We were so surprised by the number of hunters there, kids were racing round the campsite on quads and everyone but us had a gun and a mullet!

The next morning the rain had stopped and the sun was out, we were picked up from the campsite and taken to the start of the trail to get our bikes, the plan was to ride the 42km back to camp that day. The guy who picked us up was an open book, telling us all about how he loved to hunt but couldn't get a gun licence as he had a criminal record for growing cannabis. Instead of a gun he went hunting wild pig with his knives and dogs! Where the hell had we come to?

We got our bikes and helmets and off we set into the forest, it became clear very quickly that whilst it wasn't raining now, the torrential rain we'd had over the past few days had made the trail muddy and really really really slippy! I'm not an adrenaline junkie so I was permanently riding my brakes and kept hesitating at the really muddy bits and almost kept slipping over, Casson on the other hand would race down the hills and go straight through the mud with no hesitation.

The other thing that became clear really quickly is that I HATE riding a bike, it was a lot hillier than we expected so in the end I pushed my bike up most of them (which believe me was not easy). This was quite possibly the worst day of the entire trip, I wanted to give up but that wasn't an option so we just kept on going on a never ending trail. Don't get me wrong, some of the views were amazing and we went over some huge suspension bridges but the pain was definitely not worth it.

Casson cycled the whole way, even the hills, he'd just wait for me at the top but even he will admit that it was really hard. By the end of the day I was even struggling with the downhill parts as my ass was so sore and my hands were bruised from my death grip on the brake's, every bump we went over (and there were a lot) was torture. I can honestly say I wanted to cry, whatever possessed me to think I could go from not riding a bike to riding 42km over hilly terrain? By the time we got to camp we were both exhausted and in pain. As much as it pained me to admit it I knew I couldn't do day 2, the timber trail kicked my ass!

Casson didn't want to do it either but he also didn't want to be beat so we decided he would cycle, I'd load my bike in the van and I'd drive to the end point and pick him up. Bear in mind that he hadn't relinquished the driving seat all week and now I was driving the van for the first time on my own, down 1 lane dirt tracks .... brilliant!

Off he went and I stayed behind, I was genuinely gutted as I'd completed everything I'd started over the last 3 months and I thought I'd let myself down but a) my ass was killing me b) I couldn't put any pressure on my hands as they were both bruised and c) what's the point in walking with your bike? I wasn't making it up any of the hills

It was supposed to take between 4-5 hours so I hung around the campsite for a bit and then set off, the drive was absolutely fine, I got to the end point and figured I'd have another hour or so before Casson got there so was just about to make a brew when who should come flying down the road? He'd smashed it in just over 3 hours! In his words "he wanted to show it who was the boss".

We both agreed it was probably one of the worst ideas I'd ever had!

General points
1) I'm never riding a bike again unless it's all flat

2) Casson's lost his driving seat, now I've had a go I love it