A few days ago while I was cycling from the National Park to Wanganui I came upon 5 sheep (escapees) on the highway. They were just grazing at the side of the road and freaked out a bit with me cycling toward them (please no sheep jokes)... so they started to trot up the hill. Trust me it was steep and I actually stopped at a rest area just nearing the top to give me enough steam to get to the actual top. Thinking this would also allow the sheep time to get back to there field, afterall a car had gone by and had pushed them along.
So I get to the top of the hill and start my descent - I see the sheep off in the distance...I start cycling with my speed ever increasing to about 40km/h (side note: this normally wouldn't impress me, but with all the gear I have on my bike I'm pleased to be going faster). The sheep haven't left the roadside and start trotting at full speed. I would have to guess that they made it up to about 30 km/h before ducking under a fence back into their field, just as I passed them... with looks of shock and horror in their faces (of course I'm being dramatic)... I think that I actually had the look of shock and horror on my face - not because of the sheep but because I hit gravel almost immediately after that whole experience...anyway, it struck me funny and thought I should share.
The whole experience made me appreciate the life of a sheep in NZ... you try to escape... your escape is thwarted by a Canadian cyclist... you realize your reality...that being your purpose is to provide wool for a few years and then ultimately you become chops on a tourists plate. Good Eats!
No one pulled the wool over their eyes. Glad you survived the gravel situation...it was have been a 'grave'l predicament.
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