Motatapu Bike Race

Good news...I got a last minute chance to enter this bike race of 45km for free! Bad news...I had to complete a grueling mountain bike race through terrain that had to be the worst I've seen!


There was a crowd of 2000 bikers and more with runners. The largest race of this type in New Zealand.


We rode through private farm land, through rivers, past Shania Twain's place (couldn't see it) and ate wild blackberries along the way.


Thank goodness for chocolate covered espresso beans!

SCUBA diving Milford Sound

Kimball gets his dive certification in Milford Sound...


...and catches a lobster!

A-OK...though the water temp is 14 degrees Celsius!

Poor Knights

Finger sponge


Life at 130 feet!! Long-finned boarfish

Yellow Moray

Yellow Moray
Originally uploaded by *amy&kimball

This scary guy popped his head out when Kimball swam by on our scuba trip to Poor Knight's Island

It's been a blur

The local tulips in bloom just 15 minutes from our house.

The Superbike races at Teratonga Speedway.

Motocross races at the Sandy Point track 10 minutes from our house.

On the way to Jack's Blowhole, Catlins.

This year so far has been amazing...let me catch you up to speed. I went bodyboarding down Roaring Meg (class 3+ rapids) while Kimball took Psychiatry Boards in Oregon. We made it out to the Catlins for more exploring and found lots of spoonbills and some amazing coastal hikes. Went to the Invercargill rodeo and motocross in the same day. We were awed by the speed of the 1000cc bikes at the Superbike races and Kimball got some good pictures of some bikes sliding out at the corner (don't worry, the bikers were ok).

On the way home

On the way home...survived the sandfly attack, the river swim, the zillions of mud holes and it was all part of a fantastic day in New Zealand. Thanks Belinda for being our tour guide and fellow adventurer.

Somewhere in Middle Earth

The start of our 4 hour ride at Mavora Lakes, home of the mouse-eating trout...seriously! (try fishing there with a mouse lure at midnight)


I LOVE mud!

Ahhh, just what we needed, a cool river and picnic lunch afterwards on the beach.

Then off again in search of Frodo...