Running up that hill

Pelorus Bridge to Nelson
40.5km (according to my bike computer, though the rear wheel was not rotating for much of the descent 😯)

Having been sternly counselled about not being gung-ho overconfident, crashing and spoiling the trip FOR BOTH OF US, all I have to say is 'It wasn't me'... Fortunately no lasting damage was done to body or bike; I'm not sure what any passer-by would have made of Marg prone on the rocky track with me massaging her spasming back though!
Yesterday my left thumb learned which button to push for more or less power and now only very occasionally decides my legs need to work harder (my right thumb and forefinger still regularly disagree about which shifts up or down a gear). Today it learned that holding a button down for 'walk' mode soon becomes quite uncomfortable! Mr Shimano, please give me a firmware update that allows me to turn on and off at will...
Maungatapu track lived up to its reputation; in my naivety I thought that if you were careful and slow you could ride DOWN anything. Not so; I think we walked down just as much as we pushed up...
Anyway to return to the beginning, after a comfortable night chez Jason and Barbs (free beers in the fridge and free eggs for breakfast) we stopped for first (and only) breakfast at Pelorus Bridge Cafe, where unbidden they made us fresh rolls with extra green stuff for lunch, kept cold until the moment of departure. On the ride in to the track we met several Te Araroa walkers (even madder than us!) and one confused biker who didn't seem to know where he was nor where he was going. He returned on foot a little later having sustained a puncture a short way up the track. We offered our repair kit, until Marg helpfuuly pointed out that his tyre was only flat at the bottom so he should just turn his wheel round. Oh, how we laughed...
On track, having just discussed how challenging it would be to drive anything up there, we were passed by a motorcyclist going up, then a Ute followed by a digger going down. We soon came upon their 'repairs' to the surface; the potentially bike-swallowing ruts were now filled with soft, loose dirt. Oh joy!
We were also passed (notice a theme yet?) by a group of 4 bikepackers; we encountered them again at the summit, where they shared typically contradictory advice about the Big River track. Just as we set off from there after lunch, one of them returned looking for a left behind phone; it must have been a gold-plated iPhone 1000 double-X L to be worth coming back up that bloody hill for. He was last seen going hell for leather down t'other side to catch up with his equally risk unaware buddies.
Just before the final climb to the 'steep and narrow' warning sign (just wtf had the track been like up to that point, we ask) we caught up with (yayyy!!!) Sally and Nick, last met at the PB Cafe. She'd gone over her bars (noooo!!!) and had a nasty looking head wound and busted helmet. We cruised down the lovely smooth gravel ('steep and narrow' my arse!) and even smoother seal descent into Nelson sort-of in company and left them debating whether to go to their accommodation or the hospital first. They are also doing the TA route, so if the docs give her a clean bill of health our paths will cross again.
Caught up with our porters in Nelson and enjoyed a reviving pint or two in The Vic followed by a very agreeable pizza in Lombardi's. Slightly less agreeable is the stifling shared dorm in the YHA. May have to rethink the 'book as we go' plan.

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