New Zealand went into Level 4 lock-down on the 25th March 2020 in an attempt to “flatten the curve” of the corona virus Covid-19 pandemic. Everyone who was not deemed an essential worker was told to “stay at home”. The world came to a halt, as did our Ebike Social Riders Hawkes Bay group rides.
Fortunately those under 70 years of age, were given “permission” to exercise – walking and cycling. Cycling was permitted in our “local area”. For my husband Simon and me, this meant an almost daily dose of mental health and physical exercise .
We limited our rides to between 20 and 40 kms, starting from our home in Napier. The roads had become quiet with the lock-down, so we utilised them as much as possible, so that pedestrians could use the shared pathways and iWays. Many of the Hawkes Bay Trails were closed off to keep people safe, so that we did not touch the gates.
The weather stayed warm and dry over March and April, with only the odd day of strong wind to keep us at home. We occasionally saw other members of our ebike group and it was good to stop and chat, as we stood two metres apart.
One of the disappointments for me, apart from doing our group rides, was missing out on seeing the autumn colours in other parts of Hawkes Bay. However with the lack of traffic noise, it was easier to hear the singing of the birds.
Here are a few snaps I took along our routes. We did get a bit bored towards the end of April. (click on the images to enlarge)
Helen Wenley
Hawkes Bay Ebike Rides 