Felt pretty good today - I hadn't ridden in two days. [I] went from Taupo to Rotorua. I rode right by all the thermal parks, hot pools, geysers, etc. Oh well, I'm out of film anyway. Just north of my campsite is Huka Falls. These are TREMENDOUS! It's not a proper 'waterfall' but it sure is an impassable rapid! The river narrows to about 20' and while it's narrow, it drops about 20' in the distance of 60' or so. The walls banks are 10' high and stone. The water forms a giant 'tongue' that surges down as the water accelerates. It looks deceptively smooth and inviting. The tongue ends in the rapid which is two HUGE standing waves that come off the banks and meet in the center of the river. Anything going down there would get slammed straight down and held there. Beyond the waves it's just violence for about 50'. And then the river widens and it's smooth again. I used the last of my film here. The rest of the ride - the WHOLE ride - was okay. Pretty. I got to see a steam power plant and the further I went, the more steam I saw rising from the ground.

Rotorua smells a little like sulfur and the motor camp has hot pools - which are only warm - and a swimming pool. The soak felt good. Then I veged with a book, ate, did laundry, ate again and now I'm watching "One World of Sports", its got rugby, cricket and the around the world sailing race highlights.

In the news: Catholic vs. Protestant violence at a soccer game and Lewis Pass [one I rode over on the south island] is temporarily closed because of a mud slide after heavy rains. I just heard that a 'Buster Douglas' beat Mike Tyson, incredible!

Today I breakfasted at 8, lunch at 12, tea at 4 and dinner at 6. I don't feel gorged.

"Promotion of a product that kills when used as intended should not be permitted." This is the NZ stand on cigarettes.

Training Diary Comments: Warm, mild. 3:15. Went hard for two hours, felt pretty good.

Huka Falls Waikato River