Oz77 c56 25/11 100k4565 Scottsdale-St Helens

Forested highlands and glens, 2 'mountain' passes to climb, a lot of the time in cloud or drizzle, hard work at times.   After 70k the front inner tube valve gave up, rapidly deflating the tyre.   Luckily I had just stopped, part way through another long descent, to give the brakes, rims and tyres a chance to cool.   It could have been dangerous: 30kph, winding road on the side of steep hills, no retaining barrier.   Finally, 5k to go, round a sharp bend, suddenly out of the forest, and there's the calm blue Tasman Sea.