• Helene Rimberg
Atual
  • Helene Rimberg

The Grand Adventure

A bike trip with no end Leia mais
  • Dunedin

    8 de fevereiro de 2025, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Slow start as bodies are tired, but head out into the sunshine for some sightseeing. Wander passed the Chinese gardens and the impressive train station Farmers market is next - full of summer fruit and veg! Slow walk through a street fair and make our way to Botanical gardens and aviary. Cover quite a bit of ground like usual! Head back to organize and prepare for tomorrow’s bus ride.Leia mais

  • To Dunedin

    7 de fevereiro de 2025, Nova Zelândia ⋅ 🌬 17 °C

    One last day of riding. And the winds are not in our favor. Feeling the miles in my legs! Continue on the Clutha Gold trail until the end - passing through wetlands and along a huge lake. Wind our way along side roads - avoiding the main highway as much as we can. Slow going into the wind. 2 big hills and we drop into Dunedin. Check into hostel and do a little walk about into the city. Fish n’ chips and gelato for dinner.Leia mais

  • Long day in the saddle to Milton

    6 de fevereiro de 2025, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    As forecasted, rain comes in during the night but lets us by morning. Cloudy skies aren’t going to dry our tent so pack up as we have a long day ahead on the Clutha trail. Services are minimal so need to do a 50+ mile day to get to a campground and be able to get to Dunedin the next day. Cruise along the river until Beaumont and then into the hills. The sun makes a few appearances. A hill and a tunnel before our lunch stop in Lawrence. Treated to a large herd of alpacas! 2 more hills and tunnels and we are done the hard stuff. Wind picks up but we make it - rather late into Milton. Steak dinner to replenish our iron supplies.Leia mais

  • Clutha Gold trail

    5 de fevereiro de 2025, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Day is split between riding the very hilly highway and then a dedicated cycle path. Hills are hard, traffic is nasty and it’s hot. But we make it down to the Clutha river, passed a very large dam and hop on the trail. Beautiful gravel and cement trail (mostly) along the fast moving river. Stop for lunch and ice cream and continue on. Find a small beach and plunge in (slowly - it’s a bit chilly). Continue on to Miller’s Flat.Leia mais

  • Down to Alexandra

    4 de fevereiro de 2025, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Beautiful day as we continue on the rail trail. Relatively short ride but a lot of varying scenery. One long tunnel, a few bridges and viaducts and we coast down to the largish town of Alexandra. Check in to a huge campground but find a quiet spot by the river. Finally make it all the way in!Leia mais

  • Otago rail trail

    3 de fevereiro de 2025, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Still feeling tired but alot of coffee and breakfast revives us. The sky is clear as we continue on the gravel road to Naseby. Lots of gold and mining history. Enjoy a brief bit of pavement and proceed back to gravel and the Otago rail trail. Nice quiet path in the middle of big valley. Short ride and we are at our destination- Oturehue. Nice short day.Leia mais

  • Dansey’s Pass

    2 de fevereiro de 2025, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    Misty morning as we leave the lovely farm and our cozy trailer. Make our way back to Duntroon and head onto the Dansey pass road. All ok for first bit though weather is less than ideal. Road kicks up for the first incline but it’s still pavement. We cruise back down and hit the gravel road. It’s well compacted and the moisture keeps the dust down. Clouds settle on us and we revert to pushing UP. Hug the side of the mountain yet can’t see around the next turn. Hit the top but can’t see a thing. Zip up and head down. Skies begin to clear as we wind down to Dansey Pass hotel. Fortunately for us there is a room. Lovely old hotel and comfy room. Pub dinner and collapse in bed. Very hard day.Leia mais

  • Into Waitaki valley

    1 de fevereiro de 2025, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Seek out penguins in the morning but they have already returned to the sea. Opt to check out conservatory. Great penguin info and see some up close in their nesting boxes. Backtrack a bit to catch road heading into valley. Lots of farmland as we make our way to home of Steve and Petra- childhood family friend of Boe family. Lovely evening in their piece of paradiseLeia mais

  • Pints, pizza & PENGUINS

    31 de janeiro de 2025, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Set our sights on Oamaru to visit a larger penguin colony. Only 56 miles or so away. Ride highway 1 but it has a nice shoulder. Stop for strawberries at a converted church. Then fall upon a beautiful gourmet cafe. Eat some sustenance and carry on. Able to get off the highway for a bit. Make it to Oamaru - phew! Head to brewery for pints and pizza. Sadly viewings for penguins returning to land is sold out. Stake out a spot on the beach. Only see them as we walk back to our campground.Leia mais

  • Geraldine

    29 de janeiro de 2025, Nova Zelândia ⋅ 🌬 21 °C

    Incredibly windy night. Carries on into the morning. Finally settles a bit and we crawl out of the gorge. Fortunately we turn with the wind and have happy cruising along the mountain range - including Mount Hutt, their ski resort. Stop for lunch and have “toasties” (grilled cheese Sammie’s). Wind has changed but we are going slightly down. Make it to Geraldine. Sadly the power is out in the entire town and thus can’t get any food or take showers. Fortunately it is a quick fix. Nice dinner if lamb.Leia mais

  • From one gorge to the next

    28 de janeiro de 2025, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Hug the mountain range as we go further into the Canterbury plains. Not much around besides sheep. Beautiful, sunny day - best we have had in awhile. Stop in tiny towns for lunch and the unexpected ice cream. Wind picks up, creating a challenging final leg up and then down to the Raika gorge. Set up in nice campground by the river and head off on a little walk. Very windy!Leia mais

  • Into the Waipara valley

    25 de janeiro de 2025, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    After yesterday’s adventures, opt to get off busy main road for a bit. Unfortunately, it turns to very loose gravel and we struggle for the next 20 km. Return to the highway and breeze into Waipara. Small town, surrounded by vineyards. Too late for wine tasting. Stay at campground comprised of old train cars.Leia mais

  • Beautiful scenery, treacherous roads

    24 de janeiro de 2025, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Misty morning, this we take our time. Ride along the peninsula in search of more sea creatures. Do see some dolphins from afar and more seals. Walk amongst rocks that were displaced from most recent earthquake. Head south along the coastline and get some up close views of seal friends. Road becomes more narrow, especially as we head inland. Make it to Cheviot - barely. Find a lovely campground and opt for a nice cabin.Leia mais

  • Ah, the wind at one’s back

    23 de janeiro de 2025, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Up and out early to catch the favorable northerlies. Road is fairly quiet and has big shoulder. Roll through the brown hills and grapes until we cross over and plunge down to the sea. Ride alongside with the mountains, close on the right. Seems to be an alp ridge in the middle of this island. After a lunch spot find ourselves amongst the fur seals - with babies! Long day but make it 64 miles to Kaikoura. Lovely fish dinner.Leia mais

  • And the ride resumes

    22 de janeiro de 2025, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Spend much of the day at the campground waiting for the bike to be finished. Finally hit the road at 2:30. Ride the Whale Trail safely out of town, up the mountain and back into wine country. Wind slows us down but only have to go to Seddon, 20 miles or so. Set up in tiny Motor camp - squished between others.Leia mais

  • Wairau Lagoons

    21 de janeiro de 2025, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Transition to campground closer to town and the bike shop (much quieter). Ride south to Wairau Lagoons. Nice walk though seems to be part of wastewater management system. Quite a few birds. Back through town, drop off bike and have local green tip mussels for dinner.Leia mais

  • White Bay

    20 de janeiro de 2025, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Another ‘rest day’ for exploring. This time head to the coast - Rarangi. Hike up the coastal hills and drop into scenic White bay. Relax as the waves crash and tides slowly turns. Back we go - though have a nice tailwind on our way to the campground.Leia mais

  • Wither Hills

    19 de janeiro de 2025, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Hit a chocolate factory and farmers market before heading up into the Wither Hills. Lovely, almost 360 views of the hills surrounding us and valley below us. Sunnier and warmer than it’s been for awhile but still windy. Finish our adventures at a winery - of course. Nice first day of being “stuck”.Leia mais

  • Our first major mechanical

    18 de janeiro de 2025, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    As we need to get to a bike store before it closes, get an early start to Blenheim. Beautiful and quiet coastal road gives way to busier road, winding through a valley. Livestock gives way to grapes as we enter one of the premier wine regions. Zip past the wineries - for now. Wait for awhile at the bike shop to then be told it will take 5 days to order the rim, wait for it and then rebuild his wheel. No other options. Make our way to Spring Creek Campground - nice place though on top of busy road.Leia mais

  • To the south island we go

    16 de janeiro de 2025, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Up early to catch our 8:45 ferry. Easy check in and boarding! Find some nice seats and get comfy for our 3 1/2 hour ride. Beautiful day for a crossing. Arrive on the South Island, get some supplies and ride west along the coast to Smith family farms campground. Greeted with banana muffins, a towel and food to feed the animals. After f d inner, walk to the waterfalls and the glow worms.Leia mais

  • Wellington: Day 2

    15 de janeiro de 2025, Nova Zelândia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Museum Day! Walk ourselves back down to the waterfront and the Te Papa (museum of NZ). Spend the next 3+ hours in a mix of natural, cultural and social history. (The ‘people were about 8 feet tall and so life like. Done by Weta studio). Emerge into the sunshine and walk to Mount Victoria lookout and seek out LOTR filming sites. Another stop on the beer route and we are back on the bus towards our ‘home’.Leia mais