One of the most fun things about the TA, at least at the start, is the diet. A lot of the careful food choices typical of home go out the window when you’re using thousands of calories a day and your priority is energy. Pies and milkshakes are popular for sustenance and some important nutrients and shops and hospitality services in the know have both on hand for the riders coming through. I remember noticing the visible glee on one or more shop owners as the riders arrived and the pies began disappearing.
Of course there’s also an abundance of electrolyte drinks and powders people use and try to replenish at 4 squares & bike shops. I tried a dairy electrolyte drink for what might be the first time after Wayne G mentioned that a sport coach he knew recommended them, and I was indeed impressed with the boost they gave me at times. I did read somewhere that the heart needs calcium for contractions and magnesium for de-contraction, so it’s good to get both. How true that really is who knows - there’s a lot of rubbish info on the web and I’m no expert - but the one I tried apparently contains both of those electrolytes as well as others. I also had tablets and powders I got from the odd bike shop that I carried with me. I think my favourite electrolyte drink is still Pure, which I relied on during my training as well. That said, GU tablets were more available and portable, so my most common choice on the TA in that line.
For solid on-the-bike nutition, bananas and OSM bars were a common choice, both again readily available, especially at 4 Squares and other stores and pretty adequate fuel to get you a hundred kms or so, especially if you time their consumption right and eat well between rides.
Meal times and the need for fuel often provided a context for social highlights and other experiences. Donnelly’s Crossing, a pop up in the back country on the way to Dargaville on day three was fantastic.
They sold curries, pies, hot and cold drinks, vegetarian, vegan and other options, lovely cakes and sweets, etc, etc. Even better than the food tho was the rider and non-rider camaraderie they fostered as everyone stopped there. The people who run it are real TA supporters. And because they aren’t that far from the start, all riders are still pretty close together.
As we approached the bottom of the North Island, we had a few sociable mealtimes. The Station Hotel in Hunterville, a popular TA spot, is one memorable one for me. Their meals are big and nutritious and a group of us who stayed there shared a great evening dinner there. Their breakfasts were okay too, but the icing on the cake was the packed lunch they gave us for the next day’s riding. It was big, tasty and perfect riding fuel.
Mary, a lovely lady and trail angel (a term for someone who supports riders) positions herself between Hunterville and Palmy with tasty food and she will be someone I’ll remember. She sold a bunch of food and beverages at token prices to raise funds for a local charity I think, but was an also a welcome cheery personality on sometimes arduous terrain. That day we were stretching ourselves a bit to get from Hunterville to Palmy. We met Mary twice at different spots and her offer of extra sustenance and conversation were welcome.
Wayne & I also remember a lovely breakfast the next day at Trocaderos Cafe on The Square in Palmy. Their porridge was scrumptious made and we still talk about it from time to time. We shocked them when we ordered the porridge each along with a cooked breakfast. Not many customers do that I gather and they expressed doubt we’d finish it. A couple of other riders turned up while we were eating too which added to the enjoyment.
Other memorable meals were at Eketahuna, another great social meal with co-riders again, but unfortunately this time a few of us chose food that seemed to disrupt our sleep. A few days later, dinner on the Interislander seemed much better than I’m sure it was after a dash from Martinborough. We had decided to go straight for the boat on arriving in Wellington instead of waiting for our booking the next day. We miraculously managed to squeeze onto a delayed 3pm sailing. The Interislander felt like an exotic hotel to sit and eat at after the long ride :)
In the South Island, the two of us sharing a beer and pizza at the Sprig and Fern on Tahuna Beach late in the evening is memorable. They were closed and partly cleaned up for the night when we arrived late on our arrival in Nelson. The cool staff took pity on us tired riders and warmed things up again to make us a tasty pizza.
Other memorable meals included Hampden Hotel in Murchison that did a great roast and some hot chocolates we took a fancy to. Reefton Hotel cooked a decent roast for a good price too. In fact that reminds me of a principle that played out a few times. The Reefton Hotel was across the road from a much flasher and flashier pub with an expensive menu. However a more humble local pub across the road offered a better feed for less money. The Pukimano Hotel in Martinborough is another example.
I could go on forever on food. That probability duly reflects its prominence in the TA, so stet to that. The challenge is going to be getting home and rebalancing my eating to avoid getting big. Wish me well.