tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13473283076688899942024-02-21T14:53:12.414+10:00Chasing the Long White CloudAotearoa: New Zealand - A short tour of the South Island by bicycle...RonKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02481740324413080716noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347328307668889994.post-24757567753006959872011-11-30T22:05:00.000+10:002011-12-22T22:24:09.770+10:00Aotearoa: New Zealand - The Land of the Long White Cloud...<h3>
October 2010</h3>
<br />
A few years ago, soon after my first taste of long-distance cycling (on a
supported tour), I took advantage of a discount airfare bargain to
visit New Zealand for a hiking and motor touring holiday.<br />
<br />
During my
visit I encountered a number of cycle tourists and it occurred to me
that this would be a really great way to experience the stunning NZ
landscapes.<br />
<br />
I was inspired to take up cycle touring, and in 2009 made a circumnavigation of Tasmania for my first tour.<br />
<br />
It's
taken a while, but now I'm going back to spend a month getting intimate
with New Zealand, by riding 1500 kms around the South Island.<br />
<br />
I'm
a little reluctant to publish so far out from my departure date, but
the flights are booked so I'm more or less committed, and only the
unforeseen will prevent me from going. Others are interested in my plans
so I'll publish now. Any cycle tourists planning something similar are
welcome to contact me.<br />
<br />
<b>Update:</b> With only two weeks until
departure, things are looking good. Of course there is a still a rush to
complete work commitments, but nothing is going to stop me now. I've
been accumulating bits'n'pieces of equipment all year - now it's time
to start thinking what I'm actually going to take with me, and start
packing.<br />
<br />
<b>Update:</b> Finally the time has passed, work is over
and I'm on holidays. It's been a very busy and sometimes stressful last
few weeks, and it's going to take some time to wind down. Once I get to
Christchurch it will be time to relax and absorb the experience.RonKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02481740324413080716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347328307668889994.post-59477693977151357222011-11-29T22:10:00.000+10:002014-10-21T17:31:19.097+10:00Maps and Information: Hmmm - apart from the flat bits, there are a lot of hills...<b>Useful Links</b><br />
New Zealand has become adept at marketing itself
as a tourism destination, and a quick search of the internet will reveal
a plethora of information for intending visitors.<br />
<br />
A great place to start looking is the <a href="http://www.newzealand.com/travel/International/" target="_blank">Tourism New Zealand</a> web site, while the cycle tourist will find much useful information on the <a href="http://www.cycletour.org.nz/" target="_blank">CycleTour New Zealand</a> website.<br />
<br />
An excellent <a href="http://www.paradise-press.co.nz/" target="_blank">guide book</a> is Nigel Rushton's "Pedallers' Paradise", and the <a href="http://www.nzcamping.co.nz/" target="_blank">NZ Camping guide</a>
has a comprehensive listing of camp grounds and accommodation. I
ordered the electronic version by email and installed it on my netbook.<br />
<br />
Tourists arriving at Christchurch Airport will find very good <a href="http://www.christchurchairport.co.nz/en/airport-information/information-and-services/airport-info/bicycle-facilities/" target="_blank">bicycle facilities</a> await them. Mobile phones and SIMM cards can be rented at the <a href="http://www.christchurchairport.co.nz/en/shop-eat-and-play/shop-directory/vodafone/" target="_blank">Vodafone Rentals Kiosk</a>. <a href="http://www.christchurchairport.co.nz/en/shop-eat-and-play/shop-directory/luggage-solutions/" target="_blank">Luggage Solutions</a> offers services such as luggage storage, excess baggage shipping, and bike boxes. A handy Christchurch Cycling <a href="http://resources.ccc.govt.nz/files/ChristchurchCycleMap.pdf" target="_blank">map</a> is available from the <a href="http://www.christchurchairport.co.nz/en/airport-information/information-and-services/location-map/" target="_blank">airport</a>.<br />
<br />
If you prefer a transfer from the airport to your accommodation the <a href="http://www.supershuttle.co.nz/" target="_blank">Super Shuttle</a> service uses mini-buses with baggage trailers and is very economical.<br />
Bookings for the TransAlpine and other train services can be made on the <a href="http://www.tranzscenic.co.nz/" target="_blank">Transcenic</a> web site.<br />
<br />
<b>The Route</b><br />
Starting
from Christchurch my route will cross the Canterbury Plains before
heading over Burke's Pass for the highlands and lakes of MacKenzie
Country, then over Lindis Pass to Wanaka in the the heart New
Zealand's ski fields. <br />
<br />
From Wanaka I'll ride down the Haast
Pass to the wild west coast, and follow the coast north past the Franz
Josef and Fox glaciers to Greymouth. <br />
<br />
Leaving Greymouth I'll go a little inland to Reefton, then back east over the Rahu Saddle and Lewis Pass to the hot springs at Hanmer. <br />
<br />
After
Hanmer Springs I'll turn south back toward Christchurch, but then
abruptly west again and tackle Arthur's Pass and the Otira Gorge
returning to Greymouth, where I'll celebrate the finish of the tour by
taking the Trans-Alpine train back to Christchurch.<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=embed&saddr=christchurch+nz&daddr=glentunnel+nz+to:geraldine+nz+to:lake+tekapo+nz+to:omarama+nz+to:wanaka+nz+to:makarora+west+nz+to:haast+nz+to:Lake+Paringa,+West+Coast,+New+Zealand+to:fox+glacier+nz+to:harihari+nz+to:hokitika+nz+to:greymouth+nz+to:reefton+nz+to:springs+junction+nz+to:hanmer+springs+nz+to:amberley+nz+to:Springfield,+Canterbury,+New+Zealand+to:Arthur%27s+Pass,+Canterbury,+New+Zealand+to:Moana,+West+Coast,+New+Zealand+to:greymouth+nz&hl=en&geocode=FYvCZ_0d5TlKCimBC3YDPooxbTG_g5lNp_4isA%3BFb-GaP0dpHo_Cim3kPEz1woubTF1trmb9bTXqg%3BFW0wX_0dO_Q0CinjIVxh3vUsbTEeMhTlJkHQCg%3BFT6AYP0ds14pCinDb7Opdr0rbTEkQsV168Gc6g%3BFb4lWf0diIchCimPFwOujdQqbTEgZ5xIjNJlHQ%3BFdXzVf0dXMMUCinD3lVNpEjVqTEt5ifaBcFLQA%3BFfLWXP0dfM8VCikbWVWsI13VbDH1G6cGeUiSIA%3BFSNtYv0dNWETCik7ZE1V_4LVbDFdZ8OwtF_oNw%3BFSj_ZP0dOzcZCimdrFaJvWUqbTGDkxq8fBydOw%3BFX3JaP0df0QiCikZi8xLZSUqbTG0NXPhmldgrQ%3BFfKUbf0d7ZEqCikryqIExkgpbTGvuaJSEyRXZQ%3BFQs2dP0dL8QwCinVrE2yQi8vbTFVpVYkNw8G5Q%3BFfEleP0dO2U0CimZoHJqM2ovbTEA2eYlyP9vSw%3BFd9fff0d8ms-Cinz0r2JaV0lbTGqHFwpPvLutg%3BFZkFev0dmUpDCik59lac3f8vbTFGQeCsk9yXXA%3BFV4pd_0d1yxNCil_4IZAYHEwbTHi9B9ESfjERA%3BFfeCbf0dVaZLCinTIJiS5LgxbTE9ratJjUSuOg%3BFVzBav0dFGI_CinBD09ddxIubTEZMoUxMxwPaQ%3BFWyvcP0dyOU5Cim7XxiTgVYubTHqzzI-BNb7Kg%3BFeBYdv0dBZU4CilLdo1Aj6AvbTERPhAANjLrfQ%3BFfEleP0dO2U0CimZoHJqM2ovbTEA2eYlyP9vSw&mra=pe&sll=-43.261206,170.782471&sspn=6.62411,13.677979&ie=UTF8&t=m&vpsrc=0&z=7&output=embed" width="425"></iframe><br />
<small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=embed&saddr=christchurch+nz&daddr=glentunnel+nz+to:geraldine+nz+to:lake+tekapo+nz+to:omarama+nz+to:wanaka+nz+to:makarora+west+nz+to:haast+nz+to:Lake+Paringa,+West+Coast,+New+Zealand+to:fox+glacier+nz+to:harihari+nz+to:hokitika+nz+to:greymouth+nz+to:reefton+nz+to:springs+junction+nz+to:hanmer+springs+nz+to:amberley+nz+to:Springfield,+Canterbury,+New+Zealand+to:Arthur%27s+Pass,+Canterbury,+New+Zealand+to:Moana,+West+Coast,+New+Zealand+to:greymouth+nz&hl=en&geocode=FYvCZ_0d5TlKCimBC3YDPooxbTG_g5lNp_4isA%3BFb-GaP0dpHo_Cim3kPEz1woubTF1trmb9bTXqg%3BFW0wX_0dO_Q0CinjIVxh3vUsbTEeMhTlJkHQCg%3BFT6AYP0ds14pCinDb7Opdr0rbTEkQsV168Gc6g%3BFb4lWf0diIchCimPFwOujdQqbTEgZ5xIjNJlHQ%3BFdXzVf0dXMMUCinD3lVNpEjVqTEt5ifaBcFLQA%3BFfLWXP0dfM8VCikbWVWsI13VbDH1G6cGeUiSIA%3BFSNtYv0dNWETCik7ZE1V_4LVbDFdZ8OwtF_oNw%3BFSj_ZP0dOzcZCimdrFaJvWUqbTGDkxq8fBydOw%3BFX3JaP0df0QiCikZi8xLZSUqbTG0NXPhmldgrQ%3BFfKUbf0d7ZEqCikryqIExkgpbTGvuaJSEyRXZQ%3BFQs2dP0dL8QwCinVrE2yQi8vbTFVpVYkNw8G5Q%3BFfEleP0dO2U0CimZoHJqM2ovbTEA2eYlyP9vSw%3BFd9fff0d8ms-Cinz0r2JaV0lbTGqHFwpPvLutg%3BFZkFev0dmUpDCik59lac3f8vbTFGQeCsk9yXXA%3BFV4pd_0d1yxNCil_4IZAYHEwbTHi9B9ESfjERA%3BFfeCbf0dVaZLCinTIJiS5LgxbTE9ratJjUSuOg%3BFVzBav0dFGI_CinBD09ddxIubTEZMoUxMxwPaQ%3BFWyvcP0dyOU5Cim7XxiTgVYubTHqzzI-BNb7Kg%3BFeBYdv0dBZU4CilLdo1Aj6AvbTERPhAANjLrfQ%3BFfEleP0dO2U0CimZoHJqM2ovbTEA2eYlyP9vSw&mra=pe&sll=-43.261206,170.782471&sspn=6.62411,13.677979&ie=UTF8&t=m&vpsrc=0&z=7" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small>
<br />
<b>Itinerary</b><br />
This is the plan, but I'm prepared to be flexible if necessary. There are a couple of days buffer at the end in case of any delays -if they are not used I'll spend them sightseeing around the Christchurch area, and perhaps take a trip to Akaroa.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B25nNDjSlFNKNzE4YTJmYmYtNjRlNi00N2VmLWExMzktMDgxNDM2MGQ3Yzg5" target="_blank">NZ_Tour_Final_Itinerary_2010.xls</a><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<br />RonKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02481740324413080716noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347328307668889994.post-20878866819978375272011-11-28T17:44:00.000+10:002011-12-22T22:24:09.760+10:00New Zealand Climate: Wet and wetter...<b>Eastern South Island</b><br />
The climate of this zone is greatly dependent on the lie of the massive Southern Alps to the west. Summer temperatures are warm, with highest temperatures occurring when hot dry foehn northwesterlies blow over the Alps and plains. Mean annual rainfall is low, and long dry spells can occur, especially in summer. For much of the time summer temperatures are moderated by a cool northeasterly sea breeze.<br />
<br />
Typical summer daytime maximum air temperatures range from 18°C to 26°C, but may rise to more than 30°C. A temperature of 42°C has been recorded in Christchurch. Winters are cold with frequent frost. Typical winter daytime maximum air temperatures range from 7°C to 14°C. Northeasterlies prevail about the coast for much of the year. Southwesterlies are more frequent during winter.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<b>Western South Island</b><br />
The climate of this area is greatly dependent on its exposure to weather systems from the Tasman Sea and the lie of the Southern Alps to the east. Although mean annual rainfall is very high, dry spells do occur, especially in late summer and during winter. Heavy rainfall occurs from the northwest. Summers are mild.<br />
<br />
Typical summer daytime maximum air temperatures range from 17°C to 22°C and seldom exceed 25°C. Winter days often start with frost. Typical winter daytime maximum air temperatures range from 10°C to 14°C. Northnortheast winds prevail along the coast in Westport and Hokitika while southwesterlies prevail in coastal areas further south. Sea breezes can occur on warm summer days.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVf5i9jN_NmV28sQWsE9YkpZ3t3for2lfgainMzQ6u8aBOA25uxg089QS8gKoG6T4WFs8nlopOPlJrJ0DLqZnycNPygeH1zjZrwUD6XjWYk8BAQHvE1yule3rxz3F_9mtV_c4TDGnfajU/s1600/hokclim.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVf5i9jN_NmV28sQWsE9YkpZ3t3for2lfgainMzQ6u8aBOA25uxg089QS8gKoG6T4WFs8nlopOPlJrJ0DLqZnycNPygeH1zjZrwUD6XjWYk8BAQHvE1yule3rxz3F_9mtV_c4TDGnfajU/s200/hokclim.gif" width="146" /></a></div>RonKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02481740324413080716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347328307668889994.post-25768330299868370612011-11-27T17:55:00.000+10:002011-12-22T22:24:09.775+10:00Bike and Baggage: The trusty treadly and swag...I have been riding a Surly Long haul Trucker which I purchased complete,
but I'm about to replace it with my own custom-built Sabbath Silk
Route.<br />
<b>Update</b>: This a fait accompli - the new bike is fully fettled and ready to go. Here are some pictures.<br />
<br />
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<br />
My equipment is almost entirely lightweight gear which I have used
extensively for bushwalking in Australia and trekking in Nepal. My
philosophy is to carry no more weight on my bike than I would on my
back, that is, less than 20 kg, and preferably, no more than 15 kg.
Here are my gear selections and checklist.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B25nNDjSlFNKNzc4MDI5MzAtNTA5NC00YzE1LTljMjMtYmY2MmRiN2Q2ZWFh" target="_blank">Gear list for New Zealand tour.</a><br />
<br />
<br /></div>RonKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02481740324413080716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347328307668889994.post-8370153089739360292011-11-26T18:05:00.000+10:002011-12-22T22:24:09.880+10:00Packing: No more nightmares...Fortunately my airline has retained its generous sporting goods policy
for international flights. This policy means the bike represents only 5
kg of my luggage allowance, so there should be no repeat of the
expensive excess baggage charges incurred on my Giro Tasmania.<br />
<br />
For
this trip I've decided to leave my bike bag at home and use a bike box
instead. A box is lighter and roomier, so I shouldn't need to do as much
disassembly to pack the bike.<br />
<br />
<b>Update:</b> There has been a
change of plan - my accommodation in Christchurch has storage
facilities, so I'm going to take the bike bag after all. So once again
I'll have to go through the routine of disassembly and packing that I
really dislike, but with castor wheels the bike bag is a lot easier
to handle than a box, and with a liberal luggage allowance there isn't
really any reason not to take it. And after packing my Surly for
shipment to his new home, I realise that it isn't any easier to pack a
bike into a box.<br />
<br />
<b>Update:</b> So now I'm all packed and ready to
go. I'm getting a ride to the airport from a fellow cyclist and former
work colleague (thanks David), which spares me the hassle and expense of
using a maxi taxi.<br />
Once again I have a feeling that I've packed
to much, and will probably have a minor cull in Christchurch, once I get
a feel for the local weather conditions.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIU_RX3sOJ4Pg4Mw-QZtTG4tHUc8ZQBuZtN3mNGIhIK6tZO972kcIIy5s6NkeLVyAR-d4Sd7-thP-JrDrlNwRCqg-r0S11A1olJBh4sUb5rn0adnY0e3R_U51E04TykTK_8IJwn6Nz6cU/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101023_0157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIU_RX3sOJ4Pg4Mw-QZtTG4tHUc8ZQBuZtN3mNGIhIK6tZO972kcIIy5s6NkeLVyAR-d4Sd7-thP-JrDrlNwRCqg-r0S11A1olJBh4sUb5rn0adnY0e3R_U51E04TykTK_8IJwn6Nz6cU/s400/NZ+Tour_20101023_0157.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The nightmare returns - getting everything in is a real effort, but
with castor wheels in its base, the bag is the most convenient way to
handle a bike.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAXhe_N-3ahYiDeFO4dkv4hTvoYznk5_tAgyphH5l_54IYBbBgkladfIuHnpjCd28EEFjJP1KxuO60Vz1WUjk43O-rPzRDtLxr6SQ-Ea7g5Oh0UVaE9-4bC-e4EI0jprKLeJ9dv9J1Blw/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101023_0160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAXhe_N-3ahYiDeFO4dkv4hTvoYznk5_tAgyphH5l_54IYBbBgkladfIuHnpjCd28EEFjJP1KxuO60Vz1WUjk43O-rPzRDtLxr6SQ-Ea7g5Oh0UVaE9-4bC-e4EI0jprKLeJ9dv9J1Blw/s400/NZ+Tour_20101023_0160.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>All zipped up and ready to go - 22 kg to check in after my sporting
goods allowance, 2 kg more than my total baggage allowance...</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>RonKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02481740324413080716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347328307668889994.post-12694364901535371992011-11-25T22:15:00.000+10:002011-12-22T22:24:09.746+10:00A shaky start to a tour of the Shaky Isles: The day the earth moved...Yesterday I was in a hiking gear shop and mentioned to the salesperson
that I would be touring New Zealand next month. He asked me if I was
going to Christchurch, and mentioned that he'd heard a sketchy news
report about a storm or something...<br />
<br />
Later, I caught the evening news and was dismayed to discover that there had been a massive <a href="http://www.geonet.org.nz/earthquake/quakes/latest.html" target="_blank">earthquake</a>
(7.1 magnitude) at the city. The epicentre was near Darfield, a tiny
hamlet right on my touring route. There has been widespread damage but
fortunately few serious injuries. The city is in lockdown and with many
services disrupted. See NZ news reports <a href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10671312" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
This
news really rams home the reason why NZ is known as the "Shaky Isles".
Whilst there are no thoughts at all to cancel my tour, I might have to
revise my itinerary. I had planned on spending a couple of nights both
inbound and outbound but will have to wait and see what accommodation
options remain operational.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, I extend my sympathies and best wishes to the people of Christchurch.<br />
<br />
<b>Update</b>:
I emailed my planned accommodation in Christchurch on the weekend and
received a prompt reply advising the venue is fully operational. This is
great news and means I won't have to change my itinerary, so I made
booking right away.<br />
<br />
<b>Update</b>: Yesterday there was another magnitude 5 earthquake in Christchurch - I may be in for a bit of rock'n'roll...<br />
<br />
<b>Update</b>: And another magnitude 5 earthquake today - fasten your seat belts...RonKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02481740324413080716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347328307668889994.post-90160801544877184872011-11-24T22:21:00.000+10:002011-12-22T22:24:09.893+10:00Christchurch: Sunday so far away...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<h3>
Monday October 25, 2010 </h3>
At 8:30 on a Monday morning, the streets of Christchurch were empty. I
wandered through them in eery silence, looking at the damage wrought by a
magnitude 7.1 earthquake. Around me there were barricades, scaffolding,
and ominous gaps in the streetscape.<br />
<br />
As I stood contemplating the
rather odd sight of a cyclist riding the underside a massive steel beam
bracing the wall of a church, a voice came from behind me.'It seems
worse every time I see it'. A battered local in weather-beaten clothing,
riding an equally battered ladies bike, had wheeled up behind me.
Looking down a street completely closed off by barricades, he explained.
'See that red brick building on the left - it was built in 1910, and
was once the city's tallest building. There is a court injunction to
prevent it from being demolished.' It seems the local authorities haste
to condemn and demolish played into the hands of some property owners
who were only too happy to call in the wreckers.<br />
<br />
But where is
everybody I inquired. 'Did they all leave after the earthquake?' 'No',
he laughed. 'It's Labour Day in New Zealand - it's a public holiday, and
everything is closed'.<br />
<br />
Hmmmm - this was not good news. My mission
today was to obtain food for the road, fuel, chain lube, and a prepaid
SIM card for my phone. I hadn't counted on a public holiday. I pressed
on through the empty streets, hoping to at least locate the shops I
needed, so I could make a quick dash before leaving tomorrow. <br />
<br />
Eventually
I saw a bike shop across the street, and to my surprise, the door was
open, but the store seemed deserted. After calling out a few times a
salesperson appeared, and I was able to tick an item off my list: chain
lube. I asked about a supermarket, and discovered that the supermarket
in the the mall across the road was also open. Tick off another two
items: food and fuel. Only one item remains, but I couldn't get a SIM
card anywhere, and will have to wait for the local telco's shop to open
tomorrow.<br />
<br />
The flight from Brisbane yesterday passed quickly - in
just over 3 hours flying time. Dealing with the tedium of customs,
immigration, quarantine, and security procedures at both ends took just
as long. The New Zealand officials courteously but thoroughly checked my
bike, tent, and some food supplies I had brought along with me, before
declaring it was all 'sweet as'.<br />
<br />
After a quick stop at an airport
ATM for some local currency, I found a shuttle bus, and by 5:30 (NZ
time) I has checked in at my hotel, a cheap and cheerful hostel in a
rambling old building not 5 minutes from the city centre. There was not
much open late on Sunday afternoon but I found an Irish pub and was soon
tucking into a couple of pints of the local ale and my first
non-airport/airline food for the day.<br />
<br />
Cathedral Square is
undoubtedly the centre of Christchurch, and in particular it is the
tourist centre. The precinct around the square abounds with tacky
souvenir shops, backpacker hostels and internet cafés. I took a quick
lap of the square and some of the adjoining streets then returned to the
hotel to assemble the bike. A few hours later, and I was pretty much
ready to load up and roll.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWyCMD0Zjj-nM192YWWJiUYM-Zh2Yx80rtuFQrMCpfuR7sCVHAL18nkKJTwCLMupyOa3u6eyb6fFi3OyD_DPM-A5x6qVrLFyjCnsf_OrLRgl9Aoi7Qi3J5c3fnj5ruoy0lJDakjeaFh4/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101025_0144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWyCMD0Zjj-nM192YWWJiUYM-Zh2Yx80rtuFQrMCpfuR7sCVHAL18nkKJTwCLMupyOa3u6eyb6fFi3OyD_DPM-A5x6qVrLFyjCnsf_OrLRgl9Aoi7Qi3J5c3fnj5ruoy0lJDakjeaFh4/s400/NZ+Tour_20101025_0144.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Whoa! - these kiwis can ride a bike anywhere...</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjirJxjCbnLOHCPm13Wdo4azP5ZoXRT3bj9qs8WWzxoKRNxrThaiKuYKc46QkA9KTlIi8DklhzwScO_-v3z2cZDGoS-23aB259Fzj3_jQZ4PfYPsjO0HjsiZOYOe_WtTZ2J5TE83AisXhE/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101025_0145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjirJxjCbnLOHCPm13Wdo4azP5ZoXRT3bj9qs8WWzxoKRNxrThaiKuYKc46QkA9KTlIi8DklhzwScO_-v3z2cZDGoS-23aB259Fzj3_jQZ4PfYPsjO0HjsiZOYOe_WtTZ2J5TE83AisXhE/s400/NZ+Tour_20101025_0145.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Earthquake damage - whole city blocks are barricaded in places...</b></td></tr>
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<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGt_8SoGxh9T8Or6Spy6Afl68RVYtPSeYKnVG0uk-CPuDyYQ6h5bMNPSDxeTPetjjykKe3kR6eai8fFdAcN9nmDrKYGyBjNYTxXv-mPrr_PTkmSax6t9cPjIpjANkf9BBqS2oMoMchGU/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101025_0148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGt_8SoGxh9T8Or6Spy6Afl68RVYtPSeYKnVG0uk-CPuDyYQ6h5bMNPSDxeTPetjjykKe3kR6eai8fFdAcN9nmDrKYGyBjNYTxXv-mPrr_PTkmSax6t9cPjIpjANkf9BBqS2oMoMchGU/s400/NZ+Tour_20101025_0148.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>That is a big, fat, lazy trout - one of many in the Avon...</b></td></tr>
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<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPdt373y9xP7h-9WU3-wu6Gj0ZsI1y9zmWFz53CWaR_lCeunO5M7ArmxUFn0yxQLUx00FW2LS3AzWgmdm5qBw7p-XDOthfXHT1OwH3cw-FJNGFn0fj3YoNh1xgx1kf10AVDQq7jwJBcA/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101025_0149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPdt373y9xP7h-9WU3-wu6Gj0ZsI1y9zmWFz53CWaR_lCeunO5M7ArmxUFn0yxQLUx00FW2LS3AzWgmdm5qBw7p-XDOthfXHT1OwH3cw-FJNGFn0fj3YoNh1xgx1kf10AVDQq7jwJBcA/s400/NZ+Tour_20101025_0149.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>It does look how we antipodeans imagine England to be...</b></td></tr>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaUwHlemnPje6zi1cybsuZao9G0EGAxOD9lU7uvl65JiQ8SVKB_-OQnnfuRpqFj-KbYQXYSI-v-2-MbNCRSWGL_q_xPE3k26n9-UMmQOMgSsxlW7cZqMan14FRcnEJ7W5Lr0t3-w7GJ7g/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101025_0151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaUwHlemnPje6zi1cybsuZao9G0EGAxOD9lU7uvl65JiQ8SVKB_-OQnnfuRpqFj-KbYQXYSI-v-2-MbNCRSWGL_q_xPE3k26n9-UMmQOMgSsxlW7cZqMan14FRcnEJ7W5Lr0t3-w7GJ7g/s400/NZ+Tour_20101025_0151.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>I just had to play tourist and take a ride on a tram...</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP6Du9p1_B-Pb1f4tgguhpa3I3-jNc6wmGtLI_1We_SU7k3ScjX_if_3iWZHIV2pGha44gnSKOJia_gL5wJHWUTqiMYq75Lx-9VYLAS_6SKgR2Fis5gcNGyCFhLxvB_PxgRMDcRIY2OHA/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101025_0155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP6Du9p1_B-Pb1f4tgguhpa3I3-jNc6wmGtLI_1We_SU7k3ScjX_if_3iWZHIV2pGha44gnSKOJia_gL5wJHWUTqiMYq75Lx-9VYLAS_6SKgR2Fis5gcNGyCFhLxvB_PxgRMDcRIY2OHA/s400/NZ+Tour_20101025_0155.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The tourist guidebooks make much of the notion that Christchurch is
the most "English" of antipodean cities. Straw boaters and punts on the
Avon are certainly very twee, but I doubt the English would agree about
its "Englishness"...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>RonKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02481740324413080716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347328307668889994.post-76623494184723587752011-11-23T22:24:00.000+10:002011-12-22T22:24:09.862+10:00Christchurch - Glentunnel: Canterbury tales...<h3>
Tuesday October 26, 2010,
61 km
(38 miles)
-
Total so far:
61 km
(38 miles)
</h3>
Time: 3:40
Distance: 61.13 km
Average: 16.6
Max: 22.2
Altitude Gain: 298 m<br />
<br />
It's day 1 of my NZ tour. Time to get out of bed
and roll. It seemed to take forever to get my gear packed, put my
luggage in storage, then get the bike loaded and out the door.
Eventually I was rolling into the city - first to get my phone working,
then to have breakfast and head out of town.<br />
<br />
When I arrived in
Christchurch on Sunday, I went straight to the Vodaphone kiosk in the
airport terminal. The young woman attendant informed me she had already
tried to install a prepaid micro SIM in two iPhones that day, but both
had been network locked. I know mine isn't locked, 'cos I bought it from
the Apple store, but it wouldn't work in mine either.<br />
<br />
The Vodaphone
store in Colombo Street - the one I had waited a day to open, couldn't
help - they didn't have prepaid micro SIMs. They suggested another
Vodaphone dealer a few kilometres away on Moorehouse Avenue, and in
desperation I went there, expecting only bad news. No, they had no
prepaid micro SIMs, but yes, they could help, by selling me a standard
prepaid SIM service and immediately upgrading it to a micro SIM. Within
15 minutes I was on my way with a working phone.<br />
<br />
I headed back
into the city for the obligatory photo in the square, grabbed a quick
breakfast and headed out of town, with only one more stop to pick up a
salad roll for lunch, but it was already 10:30 am by the time I left.<br />
<br />
After
only 10 kilometres I was was on the western outskirts, and pleased to
leave city traffic behind me. Houses gave way to neatly ordered fields
bounded by tall, neatly manicured hedges - shelter belts for protection
from the winds. Heading for Darfield, I briefly contemplated the old
west coast road, an alternative route suggested by Peter, a local
resident in Geraldine, but considering my late start and the by now
brisk cross wind, I decided to stick to plan.<br />
<br />
My route initially
followed the main road to the west coast, but traffic was not too heavy,
and the road was wide enough that I wasn't bothered by it. Traversing
the Canterbury Plains, I was passing through New Zealand's agricultural
heartland - kilometer after kilometer of rich pastures dotted first with
horses, later with sheep, and acre upon acre of cultivation, and
watered by monster irrigation machines. <br />
<br />
Reaching Darfield I was
feeling leg-weary already, and had pretty much conceded that my
objective for the day would be Glentunnel. I lingered in a café over a
burger and chips. With only another 15 kilometres to go, I didn't need
to hurry, and shortly after leaving Darfield turned off the west coast
highway and headed to Glentunnel, where I took a cabin in the camp
ground, and by 4 pm was showered and relaxing.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRqKQ-9ZUhC0KphCnXSJ8www0vlNb28cM0xWVpYetOu3cT3M-HnyQ8vDozVur2Hbw99mLzh1LJUz6RgW6B5hyphenhyphent-0AMEP5HHRMAehWASZm98WfBkldBaMcaJgrvphL4mviqlebkFwcz5w/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101026_0142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRqKQ-9ZUhC0KphCnXSJ8www0vlNb28cM0xWVpYetOu3cT3M-HnyQ8vDozVur2Hbw99mLzh1LJUz6RgW6B5hyphenhyphent-0AMEP5HHRMAehWASZm98WfBkldBaMcaJgrvphL4mviqlebkFwcz5w/s400/NZ+Tour_20101026_0142.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cathedral Square is without doubt the centre of Christchurch...</b></td></tr>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzCdr8s96-Hojt81HtS7aYMvkTIg7nbJavVPLTuyjQlC8uk1Xl0xanoT97Nvba2DjSdMPpaj8TKRVZYVXkoKs0bdpy2McLyzVFYfxcRNLCG9ltaCrdaHh_KXXFCGHlSQAYvuMY0NtY-Ag/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101026_0143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzCdr8s96-Hojt81HtS7aYMvkTIg7nbJavVPLTuyjQlC8uk1Xl0xanoT97Nvba2DjSdMPpaj8TKRVZYVXkoKs0bdpy2McLyzVFYfxcRNLCG9ltaCrdaHh_KXXFCGHlSQAYvuMY0NtY-Ag/s400/NZ+Tour_20101026_0143.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A typical view of the Canterbury Plains - cultivation, giant irrigation machines, and sheep...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>RonKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02481740324413080716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347328307668889994.post-4228592020500552292011-11-22T22:31:00.000+10:002011-12-22T22:24:09.791+10:00Glentunnel - Geraldine: Riding the winds of chance...<h3>
Wednesday October 27, 2010,
111 km
(69 miles)
-
Total so far:
172 km
(107 miles)
</h3>
Time: 7:03
Distance: 111.17 km
Average: 15.7
Max: 49.3
Altitude Gain: 610 m<br />
<br />
Yesterday I was blessed with a following wind
and, once the morning cloud burned off, fine and sunny weather. Today's
forecast promised much the same, and after my normal breakfast fare of
oats and tea, I packed my gear and set out at 8am. The route today
skirted the foothills of the Southern Alps, and within a few minutes I
saw views of snow-covered mountains, and the farmland gave way to trees,
with the sounds of forestry work echoing in the distance.<br />
<br />
For the
first hour or so I rolled along lazily with the wind at my back, but
then the effort began to increase as the wind moved around until it was
eventually right on my nose, and growing stronger and stronger. I
plugged along slowly until eventually I reached a tiny hamlet, aptly
named 'Windwhistle' and shortly after plunged into Rakaia Gorge. <br />
<br />
I
stopped briefly at the café - it wasn't actually open, but the owner
gave a me a coffee and then the hard sell on his vacant land, before
tackling the first uphill of the tour, the climb out of the gorge -
short and steep, and back onto the plains once more. Here the wind
slowly swung around behind me again, and I enjoyed a long gradual down
hill section where I travelled at over 40 kph without pedaling for
kilometer after kilometer.<br />
<br />
By the time I reached the café at
Alford Forest the sun was very strong. I had two sports drinks to wash
down a burger and chips. With more than 70 km still to cover, I was soon
back on the bike, making good time with the tailwind before it again
swung around to blow on my nose again for quite a distance. Eventually
the route changed direction so the wind was once again in my favour, and
I covered 20 kilometres at a good pace with very little effort.<br />
<br />
After
a brief stop for an ice cream at Mayfield, I was faced with 20
kilometres of gun barrel straight road to Geraldine, which I eventually
reached, nearing exhaustion, just before six. I had planned to meet up
with local rider reader Peter, but the information centre was closed, and when
I spotted the holiday park a few hundred meters down the road, settled
on a cabin.<br />
<br />
After a warm shower the bed beckoned and I was tempted to
lie down for a few minutes before trying to contact Peter. Nearly two
hours passed before I awoke, and it was too late by then.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Soon after leaving Glentunnel, views of snow-capped mountains appear...</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYggP31uz9GyMZHG7aBbbfdkDCCTpwNCS2tnMssnanN0bpmVjGZ_ixjcms6P_mCRXeyu1twYPPrFqZ4YOnYyHwtJ8aaFEGIkezzkp3WnRqK1iC__DflvNguLxIo4SQoOmBy6gCziUZDk/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101027_0134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYggP31uz9GyMZHG7aBbbfdkDCCTpwNCS2tnMssnanN0bpmVjGZ_ixjcms6P_mCRXeyu1twYPPrFqZ4YOnYyHwtJ8aaFEGIkezzkp3WnRqK1iC__DflvNguLxIo4SQoOmBy6gCziUZDk/s400/NZ+Tour_20101027_0134.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Rakaia River gouges the plains...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivU-3_OLJVSPZu0OstByi_yDdJ7vSLVTNkgtyLufyU8OzgkyvxmcZa49jZbeghV5hi0CTLlQE-UhryarIqSreUuayOBeqCPehOTgsGKOtFUyRZ_DSTlNaylStVD2gZjNJ2drpwE6fZXy4/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101027_0133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivU-3_OLJVSPZu0OstByi_yDdJ7vSLVTNkgtyLufyU8OzgkyvxmcZa49jZbeghV5hi0CTLlQE-UhryarIqSreUuayOBeqCPehOTgsGKOtFUyRZ_DSTlNaylStVD2gZjNJ2drpwE6fZXy4/s400/NZ+Tour_20101027_0133.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The farm below is for sale - want to buy it? What you can't see in the picture is how hard the wind is blowing...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpYNaprndxspVY9s3S7Ia4U3JaQ5vWtaZUYmwF3ETcvKFxgdBMePW1A518V5BZ8cFvIeQLnmOflXcz85iNRURCswfJN0Z658_Abr5AStLL6sN40oThIFYrTjyb7N6mfq-NmTK5g_XKgo/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101027_0136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpYNaprndxspVY9s3S7Ia4U3JaQ5vWtaZUYmwF3ETcvKFxgdBMePW1A518V5BZ8cFvIeQLnmOflXcz85iNRURCswfJN0Z658_Abr5AStLL6sN40oThIFYrTjyb7N6mfq-NmTK5g_XKgo/s400/NZ+Tour_20101027_0136.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Rakaia Gorge was carved by melt-water from Mt Hutt in the background...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>RonKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02481740324413080716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347328307668889994.post-59864964087656731152011-11-21T22:33:00.000+10:002011-12-22T22:24:09.835+10:00Geraldine - Fairlie: Lazy day in the foothills...<h3>
Thursday October 28, 2010,
46 km
(29 miles)
-
Total so far:
218 km
(136 miles)
</h3>
Time: 3:40
Distance: 46.13 km
Average: 12.5
Max: 56.7
Altitude Gain: 560 m<br />
<br />
After yesterday's big effort, I was feeling very
weary. I haven't found my touring legs yet, and decided on a shorter day
today, to Fairlie instead of Lake Tekapo. Since the first serious
climbing is expected on these sections, followed by some quite long
days, it seemed sensible to take it a little easier for the next two
days. I'll have to make it up later if I can.<br />
<br />
While breakfasting
in the holiday park kitchen, I heard the time check on the radio, and
realised I had not allowed for daylight saving when setting my clocks.
No wonder I was arriving late each day.<br />
So it was nearly 10 when I
rolled out of Geraldine. Knowing it would not be a long section I
didn't hurry. It was a windless and cloudy morning - much nicer
conditions for riding, after the hot sun of the past two days had left
me quite sun and wind burned.<br />
<br />
It wasn't long before the road
turned up, and I was soon using my lowest gear on a 10% grade.
Remembering how difficult I found these grades in Tasmania, I was very
pleased with the new lower gearing that I've fitted to the Sabbath. In
the hills, cultivation gave way to grazing - sheep, beef cattle, and
deer. To one side of the road lie Pleasant Valley. Beautiful Valley lie
to the other.<br />
<br />
Eventually I reached a pleasant rest area near a
river, and stopped to lunch on the salad roll and carrot cake I bought
from the dairy (milk bar, café) in Geraldine before tackling the final
climb, the biggest for the day, and then a nice long roll down into
Fairlie, arriving about 2:30. Here the holiday park has wifi, so I have
spent the afternoon updating journals and relaxing.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow I tackle
Bourke's Pass enroute to Lake Tekapo.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCVE7zpKKZS859JiUeHrO55dD0BN0YO1ewQpp1O1cXvCWEce43W78g92a-UJf9y_nbPuzk6BUGDlkZu_LsMsOIpFq30m5A51OdApIzFrTQEOubyEyFJBKKo1iYUUWKltsgmMR81gVUyg/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101028_0127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCVE7zpKKZS859JiUeHrO55dD0BN0YO1ewQpp1O1cXvCWEce43W78g92a-UJf9y_nbPuzk6BUGDlkZu_LsMsOIpFq30m5A51OdApIzFrTQEOubyEyFJBKKo1iYUUWKltsgmMR81gVUyg/s400/NZ+Tour_20101028_0127.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>These high fences are not made for wooly jumpers, if you get what I
mean - but by the time I got my camera ready, the deer had moved away...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>RonKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02481740324413080716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347328307668889994.post-37182218205419749842011-11-20T22:38:00.000+10:002011-12-22T22:24:09.785+10:00Fairlie - Lake Tekapo: A fairly soggy day, most of the way...<h3>
Friday October 29, 2010,
45 km
(28 miles)
-
Total so far:
263 km
(164 miles)
</h3>
Time: 3:40
Distance: 45.09 km
Average: 13.0
Max: 55.7
Altitude Gain: 600 m<br />
<br />
This morning it was cold, cloudy, and drizzling
lightly. With only 43 km and one pass between me and the today's
objective, Lake Tekapo, I was in no hurry to set out in the rain, and
procrastinated for as long as I could, first over breakfast, then some
bike maintenance and finally over dressing and packing. Leaving the
holiday park, I reached only as far as the main street when the aroma of
fresh coffee lured me into a café for a second breakfast, and a read of
the local paper. The day I arrived in NZ a hiker was shot and killed by
a hunter, and the media have been in a frenzy about it, and other
similar incidents. I realized that stealth camping could be hazardous
here.<br />
<br />
Eventually I got my wet weather gear on and at 10am set out
in very light misting rain, heading for Burke's Pass, about halfway to
my destination. The route rose steadily and almost imperceptibly, but
every kilometer had to be earned - there were very few opportunities for
coasting. In what seemed no time at all I had covered the 20km to the
pass, and looked around for the café in the village, but unfortunately
it had ceased operations.<br />
<br />
I took a few minutes to inspect what was
proclaimed as NZ's oldest Union church and to eat the salad roll I had
bought for precisely this scenario, but quickly became chilled and set
off again for the pass. The climbing began immediately, but in reality
the pass was no more than a big hill, and was easily crested. I paused
briefly at the top for photo, then enjoyed an exhilarating descent into
the Mackenzie Basin and on to Lake Tekapo just a few kilometres further
on, where I arrived at only 1:30pm. <br />
<br />
The township sprawls along
the lake shore and is very touristy - understandably so once you catch a
view of the gorgeous turquoise lake and surrounding snow-capped
mountains off in the distance. The holiday park is at the far end of the
strip, a long way from the shops and facilities so I decided to try my
luck at a motel near the pub, and was offered a reasonably priced room,
which I was pleased to accept.<br />
<br />
So here I am, showered, laundry under
way, a bowl of tomato and basil soup with crusty bread and a large
cappuccino at my elbow. What a pleasant way to spend an afternoon.<br />
Oh,
did I mention the clouds cleared and the sun came out just after
crossing the pass? Right now it's lovely, warm and sunny. And once the
journal is updated, it'll be time for a pint or two.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqZ0B6b6C6XAfMoPI9paZLUFBKT-lIEyAK5pc1W_lar8qCTP8Y5LOn_QaODw66fMo5kQ4LFcDLgm9b6pIeZqEWXlTKEBY-Cagc-N3aTEDdcBU-lYxBFVAHcUeZOFgvCJWoW_RFmqgKtiA/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101029_0109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqZ0B6b6C6XAfMoPI9paZLUFBKT-lIEyAK5pc1W_lar8qCTP8Y5LOn_QaODw66fMo5kQ4LFcDLgm9b6pIeZqEWXlTKEBY-Cagc-N3aTEDdcBU-lYxBFVAHcUeZOFgvCJWoW_RFmqgKtiA/s400/NZ+Tour_20101029_0109.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The oldest Union church in NZ, at Burke's Pass...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG4hp4D8rexcKlvCkuTw7hqwyjoyS4wqQEontXqkvpIBWVWn2fkDSY_A3QFk-rXPLS0LuQGuNAjOrH03hsxBFcFOzlw89731_8GpixJEBJ5d1ilHkBaZ_4biOH-5HwYZPJ8t9dxwtPnn0/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101029_0110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG4hp4D8rexcKlvCkuTw7hqwyjoyS4wqQEontXqkvpIBWVWn2fkDSY_A3QFk-rXPLS0LuQGuNAjOrH03hsxBFcFOzlw89731_8GpixJEBJ5d1ilHkBaZ_4biOH-5HwYZPJ8t9dxwtPnn0/s400/NZ+Tour_20101029_0110.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>At the top of the pass stands this monument to the pioneer Michael John Burke, after whom the pass was named...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioVxRei870ieY21_fcQGO3PMF26X0Pjixg2EtOR9-tQjgHnUoZfxitMXwcQfrkONBn99kRvduiSn1xfpwXTGfxE48KeNjlkbwZ8O-yC7SPPtb5bDCeVLG1M-Cu-hOoX05liAwPOVMyxqk/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101029_0114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioVxRei870ieY21_fcQGO3PMF26X0Pjixg2EtOR9-tQjgHnUoZfxitMXwcQfrkONBn99kRvduiSn1xfpwXTGfxE48KeNjlkbwZ8O-yC7SPPtb5bDCeVLG1M-Cu-hOoX05liAwPOVMyxqk/s400/NZ+Tour_20101029_0114.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lake Tekapo - no words necessary...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>RonKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02481740324413080716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347328307668889994.post-53719333627592852862011-11-19T22:44:00.000+10:002011-12-22T22:24:09.813+10:00Lake Tekapo - Omarama: Cycling Mackenzie Country...<h3>
Saturday October 30, 2010,
87 km
(54 miles)
-
Total so far:
350 km
(218 miles)
</h3>
Time: 5:14
Distance: 86.84 km
Average: 16.5
Max: 46.5
Altitude Gain: 336 m<br />
<br />
I'm in Omarama (O-mara-ma) after what has been a
glorious day and fantastic cycling. For the first time this morning I
got away at a reasonable time after forgoing my usual breakfast and
eating at the bakery. It was only 8:20 am when I left, much earlier than
I managed the past few days. It was bright and clear, no wind, and
about 11 C - perfect cycling weather.<br />
<br />
Leaving Lake Tekapo I had
planned to take the hydro canal route, but a road closed sign deterred
me and I continued along the highway. The canal crossed the highway a
few kilometres further on, and seeing several vehicles take the turn-off
I followed. What a fantastic ride it was - downhill all the way on a
quiet road, cool but sunny, no wind - wonderful.<br />
<br />
Presently I arrived at a
salmon farm in the middle of the canal. Along the canal banks near the
farm there were many people fishing - chasing the odd escapee, and the
trout that congregated to eat the feed that the salmon missed. A small
shop sold fresh salmon, and I stopped at a picnic table for a morning
tea muffin.<br />
<br />
Continuing along the canal bank I soon came to its
end, where huge penstock pipes carried the water to a power station on
the shore of Lake Pukaki. Further on I crossed the dam wall, then
enjoyed a long easy downhill run into Twizel, and had a huge burger and
chips. I didn't linger very long, as I still had 30 kilometres to go,
but with more downhill running and a favourable wind I reached my
destination just before 4 pm, and took a cabin in the holiday park. <br />
<br />
The
past two days have been a real lesson in NZ geography - yesterday after
leaving Fairlie I travelled through agricultural midlands, then when I
reached Burke's Pass the landscape changed to alpine within a few
kilometres, and I was riding through bare brown tussock grass hills,
with the signs of ancient glaciation all around. U-shaped valleys,
moraines, hard stony terraces, snow-capped mountains and glacial lakes.
Amazing! Then south of Twizel there is a vast area of irrigated farms,
dominated once again by huge many-wheeled irrigation machines.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9bxMJf54K9-2vXkAbfWkhIPyTD1ow78XVjMIF6rX0jWWZNGjIaU9LN4PtiUCH66fJK7upjfvRjftUjQgHMECnPZd14Qf8u0R0nqHi9FXJc9547HoqpPRJSnl0Uo16sYF8mvnIbSOm9sY/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101029_0126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9bxMJf54K9-2vXkAbfWkhIPyTD1ow78XVjMIF6rX0jWWZNGjIaU9LN4PtiUCH66fJK7upjfvRjftUjQgHMECnPZd14Qf8u0R0nqHi9FXJc9547HoqpPRJSnl0Uo16sYF8mvnIbSOm9sY/s400/NZ+Tour_20101029_0126.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lake Tekapo township...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDCQKbr5UQZ_AywRIGSjI7mASdTN_WdH8nGJNtflm-18zhWGsWuQ6-njlG1SywacY1mGE7AbEl5OItJ9QTiRmji7isKraIkwe3Z5WFivss5ZWIrc4AJ7LV-Shw6j26FUx2AQ_fYGBJIrg/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101030_0093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDCQKbr5UQZ_AywRIGSjI7mASdTN_WdH8nGJNtflm-18zhWGsWuQ6-njlG1SywacY1mGE7AbEl5OItJ9QTiRmji7isKraIkwe3Z5WFivss5ZWIrc4AJ7LV-Shw6j26FUx2AQ_fYGBJIrg/s400/NZ+Tour_20101030_0093.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Hasn't <i>everybody</i> been to Irishman Creek?</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnL1K9AZIu_LuW7PjBn8MaQASq_YRvuoOdHhxPMbYS4HTdnhJn9uLUpifgLpJfyasS5IT9De0F_T2ntD37Q0GpZ8Yu6oRs9SqO_7cjuTP9k8BAF7yNxKgTaCCBj6ERN0hVxTXCTPy_Ous/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101030_0094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnL1K9AZIu_LuW7PjBn8MaQASq_YRvuoOdHhxPMbYS4HTdnhJn9uLUpifgLpJfyasS5IT9De0F_T2ntD37Q0GpZ8Yu6oRs9SqO_7cjuTP9k8BAF7yNxKgTaCCBj6ERN0hVxTXCTPy_Ous/s400/NZ+Tour_20101030_0094.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>MacKenzie country - you almost expect to see a horseman wearing a hat and sheepskin coat...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Db8sMosyfnPJzvmnB7nsu9fPdJr136haBVxul6IuL_TEf545h-B_hyJyQjzn9vX0mOoKHswcRMiARbEQWqdQx3oy3c-I0iQ0uCdqxcFouhkkY1mVdVtJnNEN7EijEaLWnsuVYLVE-50/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101030_0102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Db8sMosyfnPJzvmnB7nsu9fPdJr136haBVxul6IuL_TEf545h-B_hyJyQjzn9vX0mOoKHswcRMiARbEQWqdQx3oy3c-I0iQ0uCdqxcFouhkkY1mVdVtJnNEN7EijEaLWnsuVYLVE-50/s400/NZ+Tour_20101030_0102.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Salmon farm in the Tekapo - Pukaki hydro canal...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2hAO1raCOOoDiJzRqsRRmOq46_F0D_6lFBQamh-CcxwpswwA1nsEjK7xPWZ4C76XUIzudhAreCuNfPRUgF60EOhi5ywbz6mZLFqSfglcBcz_q6EcXbxU2VEdRzYsxRJse69zf-hjA3h0/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101030_0107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2hAO1raCOOoDiJzRqsRRmOq46_F0D_6lFBQamh-CcxwpswwA1nsEjK7xPWZ4C76XUIzudhAreCuNfPRUgF60EOhi5ywbz6mZLFqSfglcBcz_q6EcXbxU2VEdRzYsxRJse69zf-hjA3h0/s400/NZ+Tour_20101030_0107.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>I lost count after 30 pairs of wheels...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>RonKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02481740324413080716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347328307668889994.post-55666197662493818062011-11-18T22:47:00.000+10:002011-12-22T22:24:09.820+10:00Omarama - Wanaka: The longest day (so far)...<h3>
Sunday October 31, 2010,
115 km
(72 miles)
-
Total so far:
465 km
(289 miles)
</h3>
Time: 8:00
Distance: 115.17 km
Average: 14.4
Max: 54.5
Altitude Gain: 972 m<br />
<br />
I'm at the Wanaka Lakeside holiday park. As I
type, through the window of my cabin I have a million-dollar view of
Roy's Bay, Lake Wanaka - and all around the peaks of the Harris
Mountains. If you thought Lake Tekapo was scenic, wait until you see
this view.<br />
<br />
It was almost 7 pm when I arrived here last night,
after calling the holiday park en route to make a booking, as I wasn't
sure of arriving before the reception centre closed. As it transpired,
reception remains open to 9 pm. And with daylight saving, it is still
light even then.<br />
<br />
Yesterday's route was a real monster - 115 km
including the Lindis Pass and Cluden Hill, on what turned out to be a
very hot day once the morning cloud burned off, which it did,
predictably, just as I arrived at the foot of the pass proper. And the
only services were at Tarras, some 80 km along the way.<br />
<br />
Like the
day before, I packed early and breakfasted at a store. When the ladies
in attendance realised where I was headed, and how I was getting there,
they made me huge breakfast which I struggled to eat. Then with a salad
roll and fruit loaf for my lunch I set out at 8:35 am. It was cloudy and
cool - the temperature was just 12C and I wore arm warmers, finger
gloves and gilet to keep the cold out.<br />
<br />
From Omarama, the climb to
Lindis Pass, some 30 kms away, starts immediately, but gently, and the
serious bit doesn't start until the last 10 km, with 2 km of steep
climbing nearing the top. It was cool and pleasant riding until I
reached the base of the main climb, then the sun came out and I stopped
to strip off my cold weather gear. I reached the summit with only one
stop to cool down. Despite the grade exceeding 10%, the 22 x 32 low gear
I'm using now makes such climbing relatively easy, and I can find a
comfortable climbing rhythm that doesn't overload my knees.<br />
<br />
At the
summit there is a space about the length of bus, then the road plunges
down into the Lindis Valley. I stopped briefly for a photo and to put my
warm clothing back on then rolled over the edge. It seemed incredibly
steep, and I was very glad to be descending rather than ascending. I
dare not let the bike build up speed, and modulated the brakes for 10
kilometres until my forearms were beginning to pump. The road levelled
out a little just when I though I'd have to stop and rest my arms, and
continued to follow the Lindis River, some times through narrow gorges,
sometimes through broad valleys. With another 30 kms to Tarras, I
stopped briefly to eat my lunch, but didn't linger long as I began to
worry about getting through to Wanaka before dark.<br />
<br />
Eventually the
road pitched up again at Cluden Hill, and near the summit a man came out
of a camper van parked at an outlook, called me over and his wife
offered a cold drink. They came from Swansea, Tasmania, one of my
favourite spots on last year's tour. It was very hot by now and it took
no persuading for me to stop briefly before cresting the hill and
rolling down to Tarras, where I had a cappuccino and cake, and called
the holiday park to make a reservation.<br />
<br />
The last 30 kilometres to
Wanaka were torture - legs and body were willing enough, but I was
getting very saddle-sore, and had to constantly shift position to ease
my discomfort. But I arrived in good time, and after a hot shower,
wandered stiffly into the town centre and treated myself to a three
course dinner and a few pints, before stumbling back to my cabin and
collapsing.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw2Zng-ZH4BLGB_-eNolODDus0MH3g4KUJGlNFCsM-PpYQgOoSLIg-5-bo87xDQZee9R0OHvC8dKHWHipXl5xgooZ7hHJEzZIHjsmhyMzjzrKLuWbXKfjVVFCaU9eeeM_4Z9vX7l_At8Q/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101031_0086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw2Zng-ZH4BLGB_-eNolODDus0MH3g4KUJGlNFCsM-PpYQgOoSLIg-5-bo87xDQZee9R0OHvC8dKHWHipXl5xgooZ7hHJEzZIHjsmhyMzjzrKLuWbXKfjVVFCaU9eeeM_4Z9vX7l_At8Q/s400/NZ+Tour_20101031_0086.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Freeloaders said they would help on the pass - but they were no help at all...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZjuSsuvvDrBWbFBh3IQKMNca2_d-LkvlTDdifthOLbs5ojqTEUe-DG9j7XDzjJlq3HAHMxs2NlLXCFROwBdp-8hRaYLndQhTfEv3X_In0vm2f3KjofJos2Y6RhlYePz7tJK5XjQV6B3Y/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101031_0088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZjuSsuvvDrBWbFBh3IQKMNca2_d-LkvlTDdifthOLbs5ojqTEUe-DG9j7XDzjJlq3HAHMxs2NlLXCFROwBdp-8hRaYLndQhTfEv3X_In0vm2f3KjofJos2Y6RhlYePz7tJK5XjQV6B3Y/s400/NZ+Tour_20101031_0088.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Heading for the distant pass, from the cockpit of the Sabbath Silk Route...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hcxWJqgPZH0x_09I_2auIavMJRHd2vj5ofVCvNZ8rJ59ajELpyvIsVh96XugSAZ51lu4Bm2phyphenhyphenXHeJcyULPWpu7EwXw8iociPDfLs4ENRCv_w8IUA4jD2ifBPWL9_Kx4yEQHEFUKPBQ/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101031_0090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hcxWJqgPZH0x_09I_2auIavMJRHd2vj5ofVCvNZ8rJ59ajELpyvIsVh96XugSAZ51lu4Bm2phyphenhyphenXHeJcyULPWpu7EwXw8iociPDfLs4ENRCv_w8IUA4jD2ifBPWL9_Kx4yEQHEFUKPBQ/s400/NZ+Tour_20101031_0090.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>There is no clear view of the pass until the final climb - but that is the summit in the gap at the centre of the picture...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXDHA7ypf49vm_dV6g0UjejrmKqdTUYBkr557k-anNHZ6pwLdX1t7HXGjoI3hZgBeyBstVGM8FbtvTELwbupEyerRj10OBmzhwAQXFQZtRQ46ktrPZXpu_pg0vIB_XvthvdxSL5Y795fw/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101031_0091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXDHA7ypf49vm_dV6g0UjejrmKqdTUYBkr557k-anNHZ6pwLdX1t7HXGjoI3hZgBeyBstVGM8FbtvTELwbupEyerRj10OBmzhwAQXFQZtRQ46ktrPZXpu_pg0vIB_XvthvdxSL5Y795fw/s400/NZ+Tour_20101031_0091.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>I passed...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>RonKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02481740324413080716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347328307668889994.post-47173722298169669762011-11-17T22:51:00.000+10:002011-12-22T22:24:09.800+10:00Wanaka: Lay day or lazy day...<h3>
Monday November 1, 2010 </h3>
After a long and hard ride yesterday, I'm having a lay day here in
Wanaka to recover and reorganise before I cross over to the west coast
tomorrow. This morning I laundered my clothing before wandering into
the township for a little sightseeing, re-stocked with oats from the
supermarket, and relaxed over a light lunch. Wanaka is a very pretty
town, touristy, more established than Lake Tekapo, but not as brash as
nearby Queenstown. It is the resort to the Treble Cone ski fields at Mt
Aspiring.<br />
<br />
The water in Lake Wanaka does not carry a load of suspended
glacial silt, and hence reflects the deep blue of the sky rather than
the turquoise of Lake Tekapo. It is quiet here at the moment - the ski
season ended a few weeks ago, and the summertime backpackers haven't
started to arrive yet.<br />
<br />
I've had a little siesta, and will perform
some bike maintenance before dinner - I spotted a likely looking place
for dinner this morning, and want to make the most of this brief visit.
The wild west coast is unlikely to offer anything as sophisticated.<br />
<br />
OK,
time to attend to the bike. Oh, the bike has been working splendidly.
It fulfils its intended function as a middleweight road touring bike to
perfection. The combination of light weight and low gears makes climbing
steep inclines quite comfortable. The STI fall immediately to hand and
shift impeccably. The low pannier mounting position provided by the
Cosmo rack, or the sloping top tube make it easy to get a leg over the
bike whatever way I choose to mount. The brakes have proven effective on
the steep descents I've encountered, and the wheels remain true. The
long fenders do a great job of controlling water spray on wet roads.
Nothing rattles or squeaks. The only negative has been a slight tendency
to shimmy (undulate really), only on very smooth surfaces, but it seems
related to front pannier loading, and all but disappeared as my
groceries were consumed. Oh, and that bloody Brookes B17 saddle is
tenderising my sit bones once again. Not as bad as last tour and will
improve no doubt, but uncomfortable on a long day.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgplODKGCZQxeC7ur6OPeLg1TLUHHMobrhoEzfMQc7sS4H0ZXV3T-Le1jl_lEKrGgohwrEV49Ve773HmskmPhj3sLaviirZiFqsWyTJFakSP1OqyjV9Znf2GdA0RgWTxCHUwaG4iaJurUc/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101101_0083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgplODKGCZQxeC7ur6OPeLg1TLUHHMobrhoEzfMQc7sS4H0ZXV3T-Le1jl_lEKrGgohwrEV49Ve773HmskmPhj3sLaviirZiFqsWyTJFakSP1OqyjV9Znf2GdA0RgWTxCHUwaG4iaJurUc/s400/NZ+Tour_20101101_0083.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Wanaka - as they say, 100% pure New Zealand...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>RonKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02481740324413080716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347328307668889994.post-22040644880849083512011-11-16T22:53:00.000+10:002011-12-22T22:24:09.765+10:00Wanaka - Makarora: The wind has its way...<h3>
Tuesday November 2, 2010,
66 km
(41 miles)
-
Total so far:
532 km
(331 miles)
</h3>
Time: 5:57
Distance: 66.49 km
Average: 11.1 kph
Max: 52.9 kph
Altitude Gain: 806 m<br />
<br />
Well, what was expected to be quite an easy day
distance wise turned out to be anything but. Last night, just after I
returned from dinner in Wanaka, a quite strong wind sprung up out of the
west. I immediately suspected that this would not be good for me, and
that is how it turned out to be.<br />
<br />
I took my time getting started
this morning, expecting a relatively easy day, especially after some
R&R, even thought the route was expected to have quite a bit of up
and down. So it was 9:30 am before I finished breakfast on Wanaka's
trendy lakeside restaurant strip and left. The undulations started
immediately, and so did the winds, although they were manageable at
first.<br />
<br />
I felt good and made excellent progress along the western shore
of Lake Hawea, and by midday reached the days halfway point, a high
lookout not far from The Neck, the narrow strip of land that separates
Lake Hawea from Lake Wanaka.<br />
<br />
This seemed a good spot for lunch,
and shortly after I arrived a young Swiss couple rode up from the other
direction, and we spent an hour chewing the fat about our tours and
impressions of New Zealand. I have had only a few brief encounters with
other cycle tourists so far and it was good to spend some time chatting.<br />
<br />
By
the time I departed my lunch spot the wind had really started to pick
up, and once I crossed The Neck the route clung to the steep slopes of
Lake Wanaka's eastern shore, which was very exposed. Here I chatted
briefly with another tourist, a Kiwi, travelling light on a road bike
with only a seat post mounted carrier and minimal luggage.<br />
<br />
From here
what was an incredibly scenic outlook over the lake was hardly noticed,
let alone admired. I struggled to keep balance and avoid wobbling out
into the road. For the rest of the way to Makarora it was a real slog
against the wind. And arriving at the settlement wasn't the end of the
day, the camping ground I was headed for was still another 10 kilometers
further up the road.<br />
<br />
I'm hoping the winds will ease tomorrow for
my leg down to Haast on the west coast, but the forecast is not good -
it will likely be wind or rain, or probably both. If conditions are not
good I may even be forced to stay here, but that is something I'd prefer
to avoid.<br />
<br />
On a bright note, this morning I received email from
Heather in Nepal. Her trekking group has reached Namche Bazaar, the last
place along the Everest trail where there is internet. All members are
well and they will head on tomorrow into the high Himalaya leading up to
base camp. It was very good to hear from her.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9-6DugPu62oVPPRbFjYdkesaCSSy7Cyrq3TcHbk3JcF9ImDUNWvlKTkenABSamJaFHdV-gPC7pzOFUHbZ0gg5XB_lneglHeeVh9z8F4yQBxIl0DUTi6nj3mIsJOddYOXRLevjwllPGN8/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101102_0072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9-6DugPu62oVPPRbFjYdkesaCSSy7Cyrq3TcHbk3JcF9ImDUNWvlKTkenABSamJaFHdV-gPC7pzOFUHbZ0gg5XB_lneglHeeVh9z8F4yQBxIl0DUTi6nj3mIsJOddYOXRLevjwllPGN8/s400/NZ+Tour_20101102_0072.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Wanaka is a very trendy place...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWYyp-C8J8CMTpbSRq3kP9tRmhwXDct6P3l09UHQ4ugY0s4ln-RUBbBFZy1C-sBAIeVBXZ5XfFxahL1fAHAa48gGkeeOqEHhOya1weqeH1w4jwhIAlpx73AIhQd36WbSZ0THDRX-9qrrI/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101102_0073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWYyp-C8J8CMTpbSRq3kP9tRmhwXDct6P3l09UHQ4ugY0s4ln-RUBbBFZy1C-sBAIeVBXZ5XfFxahL1fAHAa48gGkeeOqEHhOya1weqeH1w4jwhIAlpx73AIhQd36WbSZ0THDRX-9qrrI/s400/NZ+Tour_20101102_0073.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Beautiful Lake Hawea...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3wgSbrtYbX0BJmaazgnQBHHQ7le3wVZXHPyHXiU7spR8S4bPIz4hwBU8YsJNNShxFb-fMh4j2eLBAHgUVGzrGo-HfcmvGqdpZZtDeCn45BBhlGeZ2a7aLArRpXWX8HgeeivFs1huqyuU/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101102_0080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3wgSbrtYbX0BJmaazgnQBHHQ7le3wVZXHPyHXiU7spR8S4bPIz4hwBU8YsJNNShxFb-fMh4j2eLBAHgUVGzrGo-HfcmvGqdpZZtDeCn45BBhlGeZ2a7aLArRpXWX8HgeeivFs1huqyuU/s400/NZ+Tour_20101102_0080.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>And just across the Neck, the equally beautiful Lake Wanaka, 45.5 km
long, 311m deep, and 277m above sea level, so the bottom is actually
below sea level. Note the white caps on its surface...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>RonKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02481740324413080716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347328307668889994.post-64001327915731620712011-11-15T22:56:00.000+10:002011-12-22T22:24:09.841+10:00Makarora - Haast: Humming and haaring to Haast...<h3>
Wednesday November 3, 2010,
79 km
(49 miles)
-
Total so far:
611 km
(379 miles)
</h3>
Time: 5:36
Distance: 78.73
Average: 14.0 kph
Max: 44.8 kph
Altitude Gain: 645 m<br />
<br />
Yesterday I arrived in Makarora exhausted and
chilled after fighting strong headwinds along the shores of Lake Wanaka.
Feeling very despondent I'd pretty much decided I would have to stay
put if the wind was still blowing in the morning, and when I awoke to
find it still shaking the trees and rattling the roof of my cabin, I
pulled the covers over my head and went back to sleep.<br />
<br />
When I finally
surfaced the wind seemed to have eased a little, so I wandered over to
the café for breakfast and to ponder my next move, which was decided,
effectively by the breakfast menu - should I have a full breakfast for
the road, or something light. I chose the full breakfast, and was
committed.<br />
<br />
Just as I was about to set off, a little after 10 am, I
sensed something was not right with the bike. After a quick check over I
noticed a stone had become wedged between the back of the brake pad and
the front fork leg, causing the brakes to drag. It was wedged in tight,
and I had to prise it out with a screwdriver. Perhaps this contributed
to my struggle yesterday, anyway I immediately began to feel more
comfortable about my decision to go on.<br />
<br />
On the road the wind
didn't seem to bother me, and much of the route was sheltered by forest,
with only occasional exposed sections. Before long I had entered the
ancient beech forests and began climbing to Haast Pass. The main part of
the climb was about 3 km and I trundled up it in low gear without any
difficulty, and reaching the summit, took a short break to eat my carrot
cake morning tea and don my cool weather gear for the descent.<br />
<br />
Shortly
after leaving the pass I met two tourists ascending the other side -
they were walking, something that quite surprised me. I recognised one
as a fellow I met briefly near Rakaia Gorge on my second day out - he
had mentioned Arthur's Pass and the west coast then. The other was
towing a child's trailer overstuffed with gear, and he told me it was
his first touring experience. He looked very tired and I wondered if it
would be his last.<br />
<br />
With 63 km remaining to Haast, I didn't chat
long. The descent seemed extremely steep and I took it cautiously, still
not fully trusting the cantilever brakes, which just don't have the
stopping power of v-brakes. After a photo stop at the Gates of Haast, I
continued down and the road began to level off.<br />
<br />
Choosing a likely
looking rest stop to eat my sandwich, I soon had my first experience of
the infamous NZ sandfly. Within moments of stopping they attacked my
exposed legs, and I had to brush them away continuously while bolting
down my sandwich.<br />
<br />
That was to be my last stop, as the sandflies
didn't bother me while on the move, so I just kept on moving along a
rolling but predominately downhill landscape to Haast, arriving at 5pm,
and in much better shape than yesterday, both physically and mentally.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgznqGFk4NHim0Zxc954bX4ZcB0kkm-PzpgtMqFkgc-gN5BWk2ad6fqqhHnibDIcEUrcYjOTNU6fbxkuRtVrfR-MJ0xaUdo35HSUf49usr0kr5DhlqIS0foO6aPk7l68rtEa7xQjDERL_4/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101103_0066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgznqGFk4NHim0Zxc954bX4ZcB0kkm-PzpgtMqFkgc-gN5BWk2ad6fqqhHnibDIcEUrcYjOTNU6fbxkuRtVrfR-MJ0xaUdo35HSUf49usr0kr5DhlqIS0foO6aPk7l68rtEa7xQjDERL_4/s400/NZ+Tour_20101103_0066.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Approaching Haast Pass..</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiea0BHOjMjpBWOhbYW0xim7lw0aCYMYOcRpCeUZIFmLZh5qiRFpxAta_tGaWdLtnxZqYCSpc5dBRBHpdRtFm7jmEiwVEWOdSa3GYM-w9w2OvZGt1UyklkrUahabMrWIpJX8AkfgYxo_z8/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101103_0067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiea0BHOjMjpBWOhbYW0xim7lw0aCYMYOcRpCeUZIFmLZh5qiRFpxAta_tGaWdLtnxZqYCSpc5dBRBHpdRtFm7jmEiwVEWOdSa3GYM-w9w2OvZGt1UyklkrUahabMrWIpJX8AkfgYxo_z8/s400/NZ+Tour_20101103_0067.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Haast Pass - a wheel in Otago, and a wheel in Westland...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvVZX56XmH7yziG3Vx1BjwzOBnYL9bUFfTEpT_uVWHyDuYsq9z36_znl5-2Ps35J9Aqbr0g8EbHYarQanTsXDOFKza7q0pQLq7SGgF6BizMmP3tqtUQdfBqw-qhrwpYVdlt-qbk9aoVJ4/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101103_0071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvVZX56XmH7yziG3Vx1BjwzOBnYL9bUFfTEpT_uVWHyDuYsq9z36_znl5-2Ps35J9Aqbr0g8EbHYarQanTsXDOFKza7q0pQLq7SGgF6BizMmP3tqtUQdfBqw-qhrwpYVdlt-qbk9aoVJ4/s400/NZ+Tour_20101103_0071.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The gates of hell, if you are heading south - but I'm going the other way...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>RonKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02481740324413080716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347328307668889994.post-51097767988938872632011-11-14T22:58:00.000+10:002011-12-22T22:24:09.807+10:00Haast: Holed up in Haast...<h3>
Thursday November 4, 2010 </h3>
<div align="LEFT">
The New Zealand west coast is known for its wild and windy weather, and
this morning bought my first encounter with it. Overnight rain had been
predicted, so I wasn't surprised to wake this morning to the sound of
rain, and when I stepped outside for an inspection, strong gusty
north-west winds too. If this weather pattern continued through the day
it would mean riding into a strong headwind and frequent rain squalls,
and then the prospect of getting into my tent, wet, cold and miserable.<br />
<br />
On
the other hand, the rain is expected to be followed by a southerly
change that would push me along the coast, and possibly I could make up
for lost time. I waited until check out time to see if the conditions
would abate, but if anything they grew even more wild, and eventually I
had to choose: hit the road or stay another night. There was no sense in
going out in such conditions - I chose to stay.<br />
<br />
I had been
tempted to spend a day in Makarora, but fortunately chose to continue at
the last moment. Luckily I did so, otherwise I would either have spent a
horrible crossing the Haast Pass, or would have been forced to waste
away a second day in Makarora.<br />
<br />
The southerly change is expected to
pass through this evening, and I'm hoping a following wind will help me
cover the route for two planned days travel in one - 120 kilometres to
Fox Glacier. Well - fingers crossed. As I type, the rain is beating on the roof once again, and I'm very pleased not to be out cycling in it.<br />
<br />
I
have whiled away the time reading, and chatting to some whitebait
fishermen. It is whitebait season and Haast is full of fishermen hoping
for a good catch. Whitebait are the tiny fry of a local fish species,
and at this time of the year congregate in huge schools around the river
mouths - the fishermen scoop them up with long tapered nets on poles.
The tiny fish are pressed whole into patties and fried, and are very a
much a local delicacy. I haven't tried them yet, but will no doubt have
an opportunity as I travel the west coast over the next week.<br />
<br /></div>RonKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02481740324413080716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347328307668889994.post-46554510151822965842011-11-13T23:04:00.000+10:002011-12-22T22:24:09.795+10:00Haast - Fox Glacier: A double dose of fun...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<h3>
Friday November 5, 2010,
123 km
(77 miles)
-
Total so far:
734 km
(456 miles)
</h3>
Time: 8:16
Distance: 123.3 km
Average: 14.9 kph
Max: 57.1 kph
Altitude Gain: 1000 m<br />
<br />
Yesterday's windy wet weather began to clear by
late afternoon, and this morning dawned clear, cold and calm. I had
decided that given favourable conditions I would try to make up for lost
time by combining two sections, making one long 120 kilometre run to
Fox Glacier. The café did not open until 8:30, but there was no choice
but to wait, as there are no services along the way and I wasn't going
to ride 120 kilometres on a bowl of oats. Eventually I was able to set
out, with a full tummy and supplies for the day on board.<br />
<br />
Heading
north from Haast, the road was flat, and with a gentle but cool breeze
on my back I made excellent time through coastal woodlands to Knights
Point, where the road climbed over three steep rocky headlands. I
stopped briefly for morning tea at the lookout, then continued on to
Lake Paringa, the site where I had previously intended to overnight.
Here I had another brief stop for a sandwich, but with 70 kilometres
still to go, I didn't linger - besides the sandflies made stopping hell,
even though I had worn leg and arm warmers against the cool air.<br />
<br />
A
little further on, I came to an unexpected café at Paringa River. There
is a salmon farm here and the café sells all kinds of salmon products. I
was surprised to find several bus loads of tourists already there, but
stopped anyway for a second lunch. The coffee was excellent.<br />
<br />
It
was getting late and I still had far to travel. Shortly after leaving
Paringa River I met a young woman, German I think heading south, and
stopped briefly to exchange hellos. I had been riding strongly after an
enforced lay day, but now was beginning to tire.<br />
<br />
At Bruce Beach the
beach was littered with debris, probably from the previous days wild
weather. It has become de rigeur for tourists to build a little cairn
along the beach front, however the seas had been breaking across the
road and had knocked many down. I didn't bother to add to those still
standing.<br />
<br />
Soon after the road began to rise towards Fox Glacier,
and the ride became a real slog. The last 20 kilometers seemed to take
forever, and as the light waned the temperature dropped, and rain
started to fall, very lightly at first, but steadily getting heavier.
Finally arriving at almost 7 pm, wet, chilled and exhausted, I went to
the first backpacker I saw and took a room. After a warming shower I
headed off to the pub for a steak and beer, and shortly after returning
to my room collapsed in to bed and fell into a deep sleep.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_iEXTvFUHytBkl2YRUhdPW_bbAdU478iQCHgrz-1BOAmdf7z4yM26N2wmYw2_ygMwkms3lBCup9SWXD5RwyLT53eeCq7VoV5OHoO7Via8hvHCP4IvSGmACHj1nnz-2wTyx3eMR1U3izs/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101105_0058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_iEXTvFUHytBkl2YRUhdPW_bbAdU478iQCHgrz-1BOAmdf7z4yM26N2wmYw2_ygMwkms3lBCup9SWXD5RwyLT53eeCq7VoV5OHoO7Via8hvHCP4IvSGmACHj1nnz-2wTyx3eMR1U3izs/s400/NZ+Tour_20101105_0058.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The mountains above Haast Village have a fresh dusting of snow after yesterday's wild weather...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9onWzCeyB8nXrDXRH1Rn_0QgBQuyaHOyH56rxNZkDbjKV8B0lWwNQ6TZXEVXx_gnRFnK5LQ_3_mquN30mIgwCym7O7hJr4xWRMiKKgkftIlk1VjDQ9JXLmMEOZ7UauFIdF3BfaZkkl0/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101105_0060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9onWzCeyB8nXrDXRH1Rn_0QgBQuyaHOyH56rxNZkDbjKV8B0lWwNQ6TZXEVXx_gnRFnK5LQ_3_mquN30mIgwCym7O7hJr4xWRMiKKgkftIlk1VjDQ9JXLmMEOZ7UauFIdF3BfaZkkl0/s400/NZ+Tour_20101105_0060.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Haast Bridge is 800 metres long...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQxUAaOXNt2nvjN0dyW7cVoCtTunKMCgGwoj_ca9J-KPkiqkETszJVOWT-f5Xgh10eOzkm4IfK-3UZ-jBkg9TDePS1nscoJouihPzrX2kXhzWwZgN_Bo751WW3po2CHv05s7p8ERj7iVk/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101105_0062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQxUAaOXNt2nvjN0dyW7cVoCtTunKMCgGwoj_ca9J-KPkiqkETszJVOWT-f5Xgh10eOzkm4IfK-3UZ-jBkg9TDePS1nscoJouihPzrX2kXhzWwZgN_Bo751WW3po2CHv05s7p8ERj7iVk/s400/NZ+Tour_20101105_0062.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Knights Point - next landfall Australia...</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSE4Ke3PlGKiWAaqInTvsZkA2595VRNKu4OBZWW-NtMrS5KndKzkp5cfouUccLJ0XjVqhHLRSgORFseowa8OpBKncmzgI9oSYIWL7GkJy9AZwmh-K_J2plC-gHBE9g9xcCDsblEyBM-64/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101105_0063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSE4Ke3PlGKiWAaqInTvsZkA2595VRNKu4OBZWW-NtMrS5KndKzkp5cfouUccLJ0XjVqhHLRSgORFseowa8OpBKncmzgI9oSYIWL7GkJy9AZwmh-K_J2plC-gHBE9g9xcCDsblEyBM-64/s400/NZ+Tour_20101105_0063.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Bruce Beach is littered with storm debris...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />RonKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02481740324413080716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347328307668889994.post-87977756160590098822011-11-12T23:07:00.000+10:002011-12-22T22:24:09.885+10:00Fox Glacier - Whataroa: What a surprise...<h3>
Saturday November 6, 2010,
56 km
(35 miles)
-
Total so far:
790 km
(491 miles)
</h3>
Time: 4:53
Distance: 55.59 km
Average: 11.3 kph
Max: 53.0 kph
Altitude Gain: 724 m<br />
<br />
Yesterday I was delighted to make up the day I
had lost due to weather, so I left Fox Glacier in high spirits. It's not
a particularly pleasant place - it exists solely to exploit tourists in
a blatantly crass commercial sort of way. So I after breakfasted in a
local café I stocked up with food and set out on what I expected to be a
relatively easy day of only 80 odd kilometres. The guide mentions the
crossing of three saddles in the 25 kilometres between Fox Glacier and
Franz Josef, but I didn't think they would be unduly difficult. <br />
<br />
How
wrong I was. The climbing started immediately from the centre of the
settlement and continued unrelentingly for 5 kilometres, before plunging
down and then starting upward all over again. I saw grades of 14% on my
computer. My legs, still stiff from yesterdays long effort, didn't have
a chance to warm up before the climbing started. The third saddle was
easier, but all three were compressed into a distance of a little over
10 kilometres. It was a brutal start to the day, and seemed much harder
than any of the passes I've crossed.<br />
<br />
Reaching Franz Josef at
midday, my legs were already feeling tired, and I considered stopping
right there, as it was still another 60 kilometres to reach Hari Hari,
my goal for the day. After a light lunch I decide to press on at least
to Whataroa (pronounced Fataroa by the locals), where I arrived at
3:45pm, and declared stumps.<br />
<br />
Trying to make up lost time has been
counter-productive, I'm exhausting myself and it's taking the enjoyment
out of riding - I barely have time to take in my surroundings. It seem
likely I will just have to accept my itinerary was a little ambitious,
and will have to be modified. I'll see how the next few days go, but I
might have to let go of my plan to cross Arthur's Pass to end the tour.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoW6QPFTcgEl5UjJqlbNCZMbfPhm8iMWm6to6V7xXFbtfgOHf9ys8AuRpw25VgemDLJHy4J3P0YVznCVqTXpiwi7HGFoutQzq2rQchD947SKnySGvFS8OeHR34ao3izCbDilC3Vc7nnno/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101106_0056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoW6QPFTcgEl5UjJqlbNCZMbfPhm8iMWm6to6V7xXFbtfgOHf9ys8AuRpw25VgemDLJHy4J3P0YVznCVqTXpiwi7HGFoutQzq2rQchD947SKnySGvFS8OeHR34ao3izCbDilC3Vc7nnno/s400/NZ+Tour_20101106_0056.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>I swear - Franz Josef glacier is just up there a bit...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>RonKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02481740324413080716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347328307668889994.post-26324898619726603252011-11-11T23:09:00.000+10:002011-12-22T22:24:09.780+10:00Whataroa - Ross: Looking for gold...<h3>
Sunday November 7, 2010 </h3>
Time: 5:24
Distance: 77.34 km
Average: 14.2 kph
Max: 55.6 kph
Altitude Gain: 672 m<br />
<br />
Last night at the Whataroa Hotel, where the
locals had gathered to watch New Zealand take on Australia in a four
nations rugby league match, it was suggested that Ross would be a
sensible goal for the next day, at roughly halfway to Greymouth. I
didn't stick around to see the result of the match, but the Kangaroos
won convincingly, adding to the Wallabies success of last week.<br />
<br />
So
after a breakfast of porridge and tea, I set out just before 9 am, on a
lovely cool, calm morning. It was probably the clearest day I've had on
this tour, and not far along the road I was rewarded with the best view
of Aoraki/Mt Cook that I've seen - the one little patch of cloud
remaining however still obscured the summit.<br />
<br />
I'm travelling now through
farmlands again, after the dense bush landscapes to the south the
country is now dedicated to dairy farming and cows predominate.<br />
<br />
Soon
Mt Hercules loomed but except for the last 600 meters was a fairly easy
grade and presented no great difficulty. Then it was an exhilarating
downhill run all the way to Hari Hari, chased by a determined magpie.<br />
<br />
I
found Jan from Belgium at the café, enjoying a rest before tackling Mt
Hercules heading south. I'd already encountered two tourists - a couple
were descending the mount but didn't stop to talk. After a long stop
chewing the fat with Jan I set out to finish the job, but just as I was
about to leave, a young Irishman (Pat, as I recall) arrived, and soon
after leaving I encountered a happy, bubbling kiwi girl, towing a Bob
trailer behind her MTB. Five tourists in a day is the most I've
encountered so far.<br />
<br />
After passing the very scenic Lake Ianthe the
road began a long stretch of wearying undulations, then rejoining the
coast, passed by an area of major excavations which turned out to be a
gold mine, and shortly after I arrived in Ross. I took a room in the
motel and did my laundry, then went to a local café where Sunday roast
was on offer and had a very comforting home-style meal and a couple of
pints.<br />
<br />
Since my decidedly unpleasant lunch stop at Pleasant Flat,
descending Haast Pass, where I was attacked by swarms of sandflies, I've
made sure to keep my legs and arms covered, but the bites I suffered
are now itching unbearably, and it's difficult to resist the urge to
scratch them. If you are coming this way, be sure to cover up, and bring
insect repellent.<br />
<br />
<b>Edit</b>: I discovered that Paraderm Plus cream,
recommended by another cycle tourist for saddle sores, has an anesthetic
property that stops the itching.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gDa6HclyNJooaLNGITNN-yDMDqjsxxmOGbxd5HdtMDI9yKBkEMpeGcryAFGRfEgc7-4jApY2KP1mgHIp-_FSJO6kiA4Y3v31DHVMAH3AotqisnJdTVlKW6QQdPjBtprFhEgbJKRZrV8/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101107_0054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gDa6HclyNJooaLNGITNN-yDMDqjsxxmOGbxd5HdtMDI9yKBkEMpeGcryAFGRfEgc7-4jApY2KP1mgHIp-_FSJO6kiA4Y3v31DHVMAH3AotqisnJdTVlKW6QQdPjBtprFhEgbJKRZrV8/s400/NZ+Tour_20101107_0054.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>At last, a clear day. That's the summit of Mt Tasman at the back I
think, and Mt Cook to the right, but obsured by the remmnants of the
long white cloud...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGsIo3ci6zS45V9o2jOZoZB1ZmqcuZ3M7-3zb1bCGbgltrObEa5KtQ7rW9Ha1PZ8kmZuORyNBqf6n22oVkevl0fEnXknOt-YQ-PaRz_paZM6dzmFhppbHFEZVihFj-O3LL6h7T7XimJEA/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101107_0055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGsIo3ci6zS45V9o2jOZoZB1ZmqcuZ3M7-3zb1bCGbgltrObEa5KtQ7rW9Ha1PZ8kmZuORyNBqf6n22oVkevl0fEnXknOt-YQ-PaRz_paZM6dzmFhppbHFEZVihFj-O3LL6h7T7XimJEA/s400/NZ+Tour_20101107_0055.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>With Jan from Belgium, at Hari Hari...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>RonKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02481740324413080716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347328307668889994.post-79125322133701337252011-11-10T23:11:00.000+10:002011-12-22T22:24:09.867+10:00Ross - Hokitika: A very nice place to do nothing...<h3>
Monday November 8, 2010,
27 km
(17 miles)
-
Total so far:
817 km
(508 miles)
</h3>
Time: 1:35
Distance: 27.17 km
Average: 17.1 kph
Max: 45.4 kph
Altitude Gain: 94 m<br />
<br />
Yesterday I was a little disappointed to make it
only to Ross before my legs protested. But I was well looked after by
the proprietor of the motel, who let me use the facilities to do my
laundry, and really could not have been more hospitable. But this
morning my legs felt heavy and stiff, and it seemed to take forever to
eat, pack up and get going.<br />
<br />
It was a glorious morning however, and once
rolling everything seemed to be going my way - the road surface was
smooth and fast, the grades easy, and the breeze at my back. My legs
woke up and soon I was bowling along at more than 20 kph, and enjoying
the best riding I have had on the west coast.<br />
<br />
Reviewing my
itinerary yesterday, I realised that on reaching Greymouth, my goal for
today, I would be only one day behind, and my overall plan was probably
still achievable. But I was really keen to spend my lay day in Hokitika
rather than Greymouth, as recommended by the other tourists I've met. As
I rode this morning my mind was made up - I'd have a short day to Hoki
and spend the afternoon looking around, then another short day into
Greymouth tomorrow, and forgo the lay day.<br />
<br />
So only 90 minutes
after leaving Ross I arrived in Hoki, set myself up in the local
backpacker, and set off on foot to explore the town precincts. While
strongly tourist oriented, I'd have to say my advisers where absolutely
right - it is a delightful little place, and I'm pleased to spend a
little time here.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1VuxD_MgIkoc7pSWfmHH4jdfn5Zyp5PdWDpjkhKX7FA5PL2sk1qdJuGSzoLcFdlZvrzl8ADyA3wJLatnQejKf28TDImb7oPadRsUflMK4itgCDB-nhWCjdcyfiPL5KdUObU7VDSuQGU/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101108_0050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1VuxD_MgIkoc7pSWfmHH4jdfn5Zyp5PdWDpjkhKX7FA5PL2sk1qdJuGSzoLcFdlZvrzl8ADyA3wJLatnQejKf28TDImb7oPadRsUflMK4itgCDB-nhWCjdcyfiPL5KdUObU7VDSuQGU/s400/NZ+Tour_20101108_0050.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Whitebaiters working the Hokitika river mouth. Notice the storm debris littering the far bank..</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfN2lCoCN3Mlb8feanvFeVM_iy5EnCrfj3ZTy_7FHmJTWl1rfZv969AATdchAjR0oqZeiEvkrMQ_bouM-zE_e-MeWDdo41LiZuOXQPNs0ji4iQdA_R62p2O-5Km_VvsrDluau7MpDKA6c/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101108_0052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfN2lCoCN3Mlb8feanvFeVM_iy5EnCrfj3ZTy_7FHmJTWl1rfZv969AATdchAjR0oqZeiEvkrMQ_bouM-zE_e-MeWDdo41LiZuOXQPNs0ji4iQdA_R62p2O-5Km_VvsrDluau7MpDKA6c/s400/NZ+Tour_20101108_0052.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Main street, Hoki in rush hour - a nice place to be...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>RonKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02481740324413080716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347328307668889994.post-75133553480202838122011-11-09T23:12:00.000+10:002011-12-22T22:24:09.856+10:00Hokitika - Greymouth: Another easy day...<h3>
Tuesday November 9, 2010,
41 km
(25 miles)
-
Total so far:
858 km
(533 miles)
</h3>
<div align="LEFT">
Time: 2:19
Distance: 40.84 km
Average: 17.5 kph
Max: 34.5 kph
Altitude Gain: 120 m</div>
<div align="LEFT">
</div>
<div align="LEFT">
Greymouth is the biggest town on the west coast,
but unfortunately lives up to its name - it's depressingly dull and
uninteresting, and so is the highway that I rode from Hokitika this
morning. Although it runs parallel to the coast, rarely is a glimpse of
the ocean afforded, but in any case the road is busy and required my
full attention.<br />
<br />
Oh, and a warning - nearing Greymouth there is a
long, single-lane girder bridge, which is used by both rail and road
traffic. You could easily drop a wheel into the track and fall, but
worse, the oncoming traffic may not see you crossing against the
backdrop of bridge girders. That is what happened to me. Luckily the
semi-trailer driver did see me eventually, but only after he had already
started to cross. Then he waited and apologized as I squeezed past, but
it is quite a dangerous situation and you need to be sure you are seen.
The best tactic would be to get in front of some traffic that is going
the same way as you are.<br />
<br />
I left Hoki at just before 9am by the
town clock in the main street. It was another glorious morning and with a
good surface, easy grades and the breeze at my back I arrived in
Greymouth before midday. My backpacker room is in a beautiful old
building, a former monastery, quite near the town centre.<br />
<br />
After a stroll
around the town and a visit to the Trans Alpine booking office I'm now
preparing for the next leg of my journey - inland and across Lewis Pass
back to the east coast.<br />
<br />
I've had a fabulous run with the weather
since that wet day in Haast - apart from some light drizzle entering Fox
Glacier it has been fine and cool, with a gentle southerly breeze. I've
been very lucky, as I've had fine weather and fair winds for almost the
entire trip so far. And to think people have been telling me I'm going
the wrong way for the time of year. And the tourists that I've met -
well, they have all complained about headwinds.<br />
<br />
Rain is predicted
in the later this week, which may put me somewhere about the pass, so
perhaps my luck is about to end. At least if it does rain I may have the
option of a hot spa to warm me at the end of the day.<br />
Whatever, tomorrow will see the end of the easy travelling - it will be mostly uphill, and nearly 80 km to Reefton.</div>RonKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02481740324413080716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347328307668889994.post-20219252957394473172011-11-08T23:15:00.000+10:002011-12-22T22:24:09.753+10:00Greymouth - Reefton: Getting away from the grey...<h3>
Wednesday November 10, 2010,
79 km
(49 miles)
-
Total so far:
937 km
(582 miles)
</h3>
Time: 5:21
Distance: 79.34 km
Average: 15.6 kph
Max: 60.0 kph
Altitude Gain: 606 m<br />
<br />
Today I left the west coast, and on another
glorious riding day, headed inland up the Grey Valley on roads that will
eventually lead me to Lewis Pass, and back to the east coast.<br />
<br />
Robert
Harris café near the Greymouth Railway Station made me a great
breakfast and the best coffee I can remember having so far this trip.
I'll keep them in mind if I make it back over Arthur's Pass next week.<br />
<br />
Shortly
after leaving the town the Grey Valley narrows to a rocky gorge. It
seems an odd place, but here were sited two of the main coal mines in
the area. I presume erosion of the the river had exposed the coal seams
to prospectors. Soon after the landscape opened to a broad valley, and
with the breeze again at my back, I made good progress even though the
general trend was upward. My legs were feeling good after a couple of
easy days. <br />
<br />
At Ahaura I was gripped by an urge to eat ice cream,
and stopped briefly at the general store, then had another brief stop at
Ikamatua for a lunchtime ham roll. Hearing the buzzing of a helicopter,
I idled some time away watching linesmen stringing new cables on a
power line. Helicopters are so common in NZ - it's not unusual to ride
past a farm and see one parked in a barn.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Edit</b>: A week after I
passed through Ikamatua, an explosion at the Pike River Coal mine, only
20 kms away, claimed 29 lives. My condolences to the families and
friends of the miners.</i><br />
<br />
Near Totara Flat I passed a field where
there were five magnificent stags, with huge antlers still in velvet.
It won't be long before they are roaring I think.<br />
<br />
Approaching
Reefton I met a young Taiwanese guy, and spent a little time comparing
notes. He seemed to have a huge load, with a full-sized backpack
strapped across his panniers, and even a fishing rod protruding like a
mast. He had no bike computer and little idea of the time - by now it
was almost mid-afternoon, and when I told him he still had 66 kilometres
to Greymouth he decided it was no time for idle chat, and got going.<br />
<br />
So,
by 4 pm I was comfortable settled in a cabin at the domain camping
ground, showered and writing up my journal. Now it's time for a wander
around the town and see what's to be had for dinner.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLXxacU7yH7N-J0eP9Y7j6m5xCTM2ScjjkgmcPhCSWRJSuJEcDemdmn7bvF4C7MITcxpzkwlcgXLNci-8P_AVZeXxmN_biMm6feZHQdQPMzeRL-T859OtLoETSGbLUuuq37mKJGWcQ2l0/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101110_0043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLXxacU7yH7N-J0eP9Y7j6m5xCTM2ScjjkgmcPhCSWRJSuJEcDemdmn7bvF4C7MITcxpzkwlcgXLNci-8P_AVZeXxmN_biMm6feZHQdQPMzeRL-T859OtLoETSGbLUuuq37mKJGWcQ2l0/s400/NZ+Tour_20101110_0043.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Over there, the Brunner mine...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhiyOIwjEppXfAs41yYa_qqVFfNucNL9Cvy5S2xvQMzlBSsGpGUuUl2ulFkG9ahsBtLRS9EaFaR8XhyphenhyphenpsaLB10jUxGx96cbwqmOuvvgxtSAZo9j-GrEjKk-nJcYZVBGl3t7NPsL01tP8U/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101110_0045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhiyOIwjEppXfAs41yYa_qqVFfNucNL9Cvy5S2xvQMzlBSsGpGUuUl2ulFkG9ahsBtLRS9EaFaR8XhyphenhyphenpsaLB10jUxGx96cbwqmOuvvgxtSAZo9j-GrEjKk-nJcYZVBGl3t7NPsL01tP8U/s400/NZ+Tour_20101110_0045.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Over here, the Tyneside mine - since it's on the banks of the Grey, why wasn't it called the Greyside mine?</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg574S3W1pOZYWnjSeQwhFgnKA9CnwmwtJm_xdv2I7UU6c2moaApEjXl3GubN5WOSLJY51m-gBFduNLKfK1PHO3U33IeQ3jJMUKeyxTojzbjhLEN4ObTRszsj0F7Zuk_m6I6hkVl-HTG_E/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101110_0046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg574S3W1pOZYWnjSeQwhFgnKA9CnwmwtJm_xdv2I7UU6c2moaApEjXl3GubN5WOSLJY51m-gBFduNLKfK1PHO3U33IeQ3jJMUKeyxTojzbjhLEN4ObTRszsj0F7Zuk_m6I6hkVl-HTG_E/s400/NZ+Tour_20101110_0046.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>There are NO rednecks in New Zealand...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlwrz3Nl-9LQWbULwt6UDraGZbLBzpPuh71nBo2labwy9zU5TPqrt6l4cMUaapOC4ZmgqKbnoV3bNBuXiQzJBPwjiwgR490IK4wXQWPriPIl335C4vGLzY8ZDF8tbY4qwhfwGovNskLg/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101110_0047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlwrz3Nl-9LQWbULwt6UDraGZbLBzpPuh71nBo2labwy9zU5TPqrt6l4cMUaapOC4ZmgqKbnoV3bNBuXiQzJBPwjiwgR490IK4wXQWPriPIl335C4vGLzY8ZDF8tbY4qwhfwGovNskLg/s400/NZ+Tour_20101110_0047.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ladies-in-waiting, The next generation of milk producers...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>RonKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02481740324413080716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347328307668889994.post-83476935069431989482011-11-07T23:17:00.000+10:002011-12-22T22:24:09.874+10:00Reefton to Maruia Springs: The east coast beckons...<h3>
Thursday November 11, 2010,
60 km
(37 miles)
-
Total so far:
997 km
(620 miles)
</h3>
Time: 5:15
Distance: 60.08 km
Average: 11.4 kph
Max: 47.6 kph
Altitude Gain: 788 m<br />
<br />
Last night a menu board outside the local pub
lured me in. The roast dinner came in three sizes, and I asked for the
large size. The barman strongly advised me that I wouldn't be able to
eat it all - he obviously hadn't encountered a hungry cyclist before,
but I took his advice and ordered a smaller portion. It was just as well
- I was presented with a platter piled high with roast lamb and vegies
which washed down by a couple of pints, filled my rumbling belly nicely.<br />
<br />
After
a week of fine weather, it was cloudy this morning. Rain has been
forecast, but the locals assured me it wouldn't be raining 'where you're
going'. My goal is Maruia Springs, just 5 kilometres from the crest of
Lewis Pass crossing back to the east coast. The locals also assured me
that '3 good shots' were required for the successful crossing of the
Rahu Saddle. The staff at the bakery obliged, providing a huge bowl of
coffee with 4 shots in it. Oddly, when you order a cappuccino here, they
ask if you want chocolate sprinkles or cinnamon. Really, whoever heard
of a cappuccino laced with cinnamon.<br />
<br />
I left Reefton in good time
once again, heading for the saddle some 30 kilometres away. The route
followed the Inangahua River through a narrow gorge which soon opened up
into a pleasant valley dotted with dairy farms, and in several places
defiled by the scars of mining activity, some old, some recent.<br />
<br />
At the
head of the valley the route entered the beech forest and began
ascending to the saddle in earnest. It was a frustrating, up and down
kind of approach, and seemed to take forever to finally crest the almost
imperceptible saddle. Even the marker was kinda insignificant and easy
to miss, and I was lucky to spot it.<br />
<br />
The descent to Springs
Junction was short and rapid. Why is it that I sometimes cannot tell
that the grade is rising, and the downs seem horribly steep? I struggle
with my perception of grades at times.<br />
<br />
With only 15 kilometres to
Maruia Springs I didn't hurry over lunch, and spent a little time
chatting with some camper vanners before setting out just after 2 pm.
With the breeze blowing briskly on my back, I hardly noticed the uphill,
even though my destination is only 5 kilometres from the pass, and I
arrived just before 4 pm to discover that the only accommodation offered
is spa resort rooms and they are expensive.<br />
<br />
Take note if you are coming
this way and looking for budget accommodation - there is no backpacker
or camping in operation here.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYJpvx_SphOnOes4Nwb0TU0716B6rD2RDiSwQgIsu4Zz9zhZXlHHo7Y_6nekCI0uwZ_xvEeyJpMUdHrvh2QBnfTPEY4UeORcPzj4JXbguewXmYgBa-lWX1E-jINMUl2y0vCabG0s7INo/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101111_0038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYJpvx_SphOnOes4Nwb0TU0716B6rD2RDiSwQgIsu4Zz9zhZXlHHo7Y_6nekCI0uwZ_xvEeyJpMUdHrvh2QBnfTPEY4UeORcPzj4JXbguewXmYgBa-lWX1E-jINMUl2y0vCabG0s7INo/s400/NZ+Tour_20101111_0038.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Rahu Saddle is up there somewhere...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCdDaa4S-4FSf6aX5zV_Y78RgheVcuzXB1UmKweJ5YM37JGr1UT7ojsZFLjO9-g09W6Gq36E08hhzYlVYmw3JptNiYxCVp13OdQI1IUJCxQrQKzb6iGN9748m-siywz9OSY-Ghre0UeGA/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101111_0039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCdDaa4S-4FSf6aX5zV_Y78RgheVcuzXB1UmKweJ5YM37JGr1UT7ojsZFLjO9-g09W6Gq36E08hhzYlVYmw3JptNiYxCVp13OdQI1IUJCxQrQKzb6iGN9748m-siywz9OSY-Ghre0UeGA/s400/NZ+Tour_20101111_0039.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Oh yeah, there it is, nearly missed it...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>RonKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02481740324413080716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347328307668889994.post-68551925573067960352011-11-06T23:21:00.000+10:002011-12-22T22:24:09.850+10:00Maruia Springs - Hanmer Springs: Spring to spring in spring...<h3>
Friday November 12, 2010,
80 km
(49 miles)
-
Total so far:
1,077 km
(669 miles)
</h3>
Time: 5:26
Distance: 79.55 km
Average: 14.6 kph
Max: 65.5 kph
Altitude Gain: 1006 m<br />
<br />
Despite the expense, my stay at the Maruia
Springs Japanese Bath House resort was a very pleasant one. Indeed, the
hot baths are just the thing for soothing weary legs. And what luxury to
have a room with an ensuite bathroom, and a very comfortable king-size
bed with crisp white linen. It was difficult to drag myself out of it
this morning.<br />
<br />
But morning also brought an email from Heather - she and
her group have had a successwful trek to Everest Base Camp, and have
returned safely to Namche Bazaar. They will fly out to Kathmandu on
Monday from Lukla, so I won't be completely at ease on that score until
the flight arrives at KTM.<br />
<br />
A few damp patches indicated there had
been showers during the night, and the resort was swathed in mountain
mist. The route started with something my cold body really does not like
- a 6 kilometre climb to the pass, without preamble. Nonetheless I soon
found the rhythm and climbed away in the mist, which was cool but humid
and in no time at all I was literally dripping, stopping several times
to strip off the layers.<br />
<br />
Lewis Pass does not have a marker at the high
point, but after an hour the road turned downward and I stopped to put
on jacket and gloves for the descent. It was a real screamer (see my max
speed) even modulating the brakes continuously until my arms started to
pump and I gave up, and it was very cold.<br />
<br />
Eventually the grades eased
and the landscape began to roll along the spectacular Lewis Valley. <br />
<br />
Last
night at Maruia Springs, after reviewing my planned itinerary, I had
virtually decided against taking the option of a return to the west
coast over Arthur's Pass. It required four long hard days of riding, and
I was already a day behind schedule.<br />
<br />
Today a change in the weather
confirmed the decision, a strong blustery wind began to blow out of the
north-west, and there was not way the option was doable with that to
contend with.<br />
<br />
With the wind again at my back, I bowled along
briskly, hardly pedalling at all except for on the occasional rise,
until I encountered a series of short but very steep climbs, five or six
in succession. By now the cloud had cleared to a fine day, and the sun
blazed down on my back, so the climbing was very tiring, and tiresome.<br />
<br />
Eventually the climbing was done and once again I enjoyed being
propelled by the wind, and wondered about the possibility of using a
windsurfers kite as an engine. Sounds kinda fun, and probably quite
dangerous.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Edit</b>: This series of climbs near the Hope River I
later learned are actually a major fault line dividing the east and west
coasts.</i><br />
<br />
Arriving at the Hanmer Springs turnoff I found a café
and adventure site perched on the edge of a canyon, where bungee
jumping, jet boats, and white water rafting featured, and with only 10
kilometres to go, enjoyed a burger and a leisurely lunch break before
finishing the day off.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZphrPhfgbV7Vg4vIFoPgcl-RnLv9k1oVaXnczBS339PLPPd_LOXA_OcyC58L25nKwZ507W5iXVIb7KfQr7eO-wT9SKxaLD1DOzWd9TvPywMNQ8BhGcXPiuY60W_6q8hSHk5D_ar8YNUA/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101112_0031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZphrPhfgbV7Vg4vIFoPgcl-RnLv9k1oVaXnczBS339PLPPd_LOXA_OcyC58L25nKwZ507W5iXVIb7KfQr7eO-wT9SKxaLD1DOzWd9TvPywMNQ8BhGcXPiuY60W_6q8hSHk5D_ar8YNUA/s400/NZ+Tour_20101112_0031.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Japanese Bath Houses - an idyllic setting in a tranquil location...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigvBSsyvou7a0DuyZJHPJXago3VVkWnjgRskRsX6d364MC-ea7UE7wlSA8bpD4owT3i4QgS6lptSsrznDwNV8ZCy-nW0OcICFXi8QoR32vifCzMiGojMvYB435Eyrir0tqXBMtM1oAcsQ/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101112_0034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigvBSsyvou7a0DuyZJHPJXago3VVkWnjgRskRsX6d364MC-ea7UE7wlSA8bpD4owT3i4QgS6lptSsrznDwNV8ZCy-nW0OcICFXi8QoR32vifCzMiGojMvYB435Eyrir0tqXBMtM1oAcsQ/s400/NZ+Tour_20101112_0034.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Massive moraines and terraces are evident everywhere - these bands suggest different periods of glaciation...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNf8Y9LaIQUvqs4lIew3iiisHu10SL9RkFE9E7Qg7rbVLEBZN7eXmyW61buEnDmxQ_YkIVqX_X80qEsingZT13nDgVApnUJhddLS7DATnXZ2bY-mdX_awoBFNC8QruOh5qMKjPBM9EtZw/s1600/NZ+Tour_20101112_0036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNf8Y9LaIQUvqs4lIew3iiisHu10SL9RkFE9E7Qg7rbVLEBZN7eXmyW61buEnDmxQ_YkIVqX_X80qEsingZT13nDgVApnUJhddLS7DATnXZ2bY-mdX_awoBFNC8QruOh5qMKjPBM9EtZw/s400/NZ+Tour_20101112_0036.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The landscapes are huge...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>RonKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02481740324413080716noreply@blogger.com0