Apparently cycling is one of the best cardio-vascular exercise available. It is even better than walking or going to the gym. I did a lot of walking on the golf course and had never been to a gym. The side benefit is this. You get to see areas near your house and neighbourhood which you would not have visited otherwise. Nowadays, bicycles are mostly made in China (like every thing else!) They vary in price from $299 to $4999 for 3 major designs: racing, road or mountain bikes.
Yesterday I took a 2 hr ride with Christine on the cycle track along the river bank all the way to the Hamilton Gardens. We came back using the track on the opposite, city side. This route is very busy during peak hours 7.30 to 9.30 a.m. because parking in the city is very expensive and petrol price has just gone up again by 4 cents/ litre! Cycling twice a day to and from work is probably all you need to do to keep healthy and fit.
This rear entrance to the Hamilton Gardens is seldom seen by visitors, unless you arrive on foot from Hilcrest or Hamilton East. Most visitors use the front entrance when they arrive by car or bus.
Last week, I went north to see the construction of the new Te-Rapa by-pass. When completed, all traffic going south from Auckland to Rotorua will pass on the western side of Hamilton, away from Te Rapa drive. Another by-pass route is also being constructed on the eastern side, from Gordonton Road, parallel to Tramway Road and joining the Cambridge express way at Tamahere, near the airport.
