Getting on a roll can make for a very good day indeed, as Christine Donnelly discovered.
''I think I'll cycle the rail trail for my 50th. What do you think?''
The answer was a stunned silence. I was someone who considered the school fun run to be an oxymoron.
I smiled as I remembered making that statement and yet here we were on day three riding from Wedderburn to Hyde.
Riding today was so easy, nothing like the practice run I had had on Karen's bike early one morning, which I had hated.
The cars had scared me and after circling several streets I was so bored I had never been out again.
Thank goodness the cross-trainer I'd hired had kept me fit, although maybe not saddle fit.
It was funny to think that only two days ago I had been oblivious to my surroundings.
It had taken a while to get used to the bike and changing the gears.
To start with, I had held on for grim death, for fear of falling off and hurting myself.
I looked around: nine of us riding in small groups, chatting quietly.
Not like the first day when after gaining our confidence Sammy and I had set off at a blistering pace, couldn't maintain it and had arrived at Chatto Creek looking like lobsters with jellied legs and absolutely starving.
Jim and Andrea looked like they had been out for a Sunday stroll.
I was grateful to Jane, who, having been on the Cavalcade, decided to take the lead and had set the pace.
She knew how demoralising it was to always lag behind and to never rest, as by the time the main group was caught, it was heading off again.
Today was like the pictures in the brochures, nothing like yesterday when the weather was atrocious.
It had been such a tough ride in freezing conditions.
The incline from Lauder to Oturehua had seemed endless.
The tunnels were fun and a momentary reprieve from the relentless rain and wild winds, which had exhausted us.
It had been such a relief to finally ride into Wedderburn and have long hot showers.
But today was magical.
We had woken to blue skies, sunshine and picturesque views from the cottages.
Everyone had had leisurely breakfasts and there had been no desire to hurry.
Cycling today felt as if we were riding through a Grahame Sydney living landscape.
The scenery was breathtaking and there was a rhythm to our group as we rode.
We were nearly there.
I didn't want this day to end.
It was as if time had stopped, just for a few hours.
Nothing was required of any of us.
No demands were placed on us.
We could just be small specks in the scenery.
In a few hours, time would restart.
We would arrive in Hyde for our final night.
Phones would ring and the world would once again make its demands.
But for this moment we could just be.
I knew I would remember this day - day three - for always.
It would become one of the best days of my life.
• Christine Donnelly is a Dunedin teacher.
• Tell us about your best day.
Write to odt.features@odt.co.nz. We ask correspondents not to nominate weddings or births; of course they were the best days.
