Love NZ

Yesterday Vic and I went for an afternoon stroll and found a huge (we're talking one mile around) horse racing track.  Ursh had already found it, run around it a couple of times, and come back to the hotel gushing about how cool it was.  So naturally we had to see for ourselves.  What we weren't expecting when we got there was that you have to hop a few fences to get on the track.  It was well worth it though.  We're going back tonight.

On our way back from the track, we spotted this gigantic tree:

I'm not sure either of us knew what to think of it.  It was like fifteen trees in one.  

Report from today at the course: the quad is good to go, we had a little run-in with the "minefield" on the course, found the awesome NZ recycling bins, and the weather has held off despite a brief rainshower today.  

First, about the quad: We had a good row today and I think (finally!) that all the rigging stuff is done with.  G-Man helped us tweak the steering today so that it's just right.  

About the minefield: For some reason the NZ people have set up rock hard plastic buoys just beyond the start line, where the long distance training begins.  Two lines of them (about 50 meters apart) stretch across the entire lake and the orange ones are so close together that not even a single could fit through without hitting its oars.  One might think that the two red and green buoys would be where crews are expected to pass through.  That's what we thought, until we learned (via Vic smacking her oar against the green one) that not even the little boats can fit through there.  We've named it the "minefield" and every day we dread when we have to go through it.  We've consulted the cox'ns/bow people of other Team USA boats and no one can figure out the best way to cross over these buoys without risking disaster.  Luckily our run-in with the minefield today wasn't boat damaging, but we did hit an orange one with the bowball.  We'll figure out a good way one of these times...

About the recycling bins: How great is this logo?

About the weather: Overall we have had sun and good water, although according to Malcolm (our trusty bus driver who drives well above the speed limit, much to Ursula's delight), the rain and wind are both coming soon.  

Off to dinner!!