Tongarino Alpine crossing
7 января 2025 г., Новая Зеландия ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
Early morning wake up to catch the 6 am shuttle to the start of the hike. Quite cool out, especially with wind. Arrive at the trailhead with many other hikers and head up and into the fierce wind. SunЧитать далее
Whanganui River
8 января 2025 г., Новая Зеландия ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
Relatively quiet road as we head south and away from the mountains. Opt to ride on, first stopping at Raetihi for a snack. A woman in the cafe asks if she can buy us coffee - we graciously accept.Читать далее
Whanganui river road
9 января 2025 г., Новая Зеландия ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
Begin ride along beautiful and quiet river. A few bigger rollers keeps us working. Stop to investigate historical sites like the flour mill. After having lunch in the free campground (not much there)Читать далее
Whanganui rest day
10 января 2025 г., Новая Зеландия ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
Opt to stay put and check out the town. Short ride to the city and then walk around the seemingly “old” town (by NZ standards). Enjoy the vast museum, with everything from Māori canoes to 1990sЧитать далее
Into the wind
11 января 2025 г., Новая Зеландия ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
Chilly morning but need to move on. Ride along the river and use the tunnel and elevator to top the hill out of the city. Great view and no sweating. Enjoy a quiet ride until we hit the main highway.Читать далее
More southerlies
12 января 2025 г., Новая Зеландия ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
And the wind continues. Seems to be ever present. First part of the ride into Fulton is pleasant. Visit the little main square that seems to have Dutch roots. Rest of the day is on a busy road andЧитать далее
To Wellington we go
13 января 2025 г., Новая Зеландия ⋅ 🌬 16 °C
And yes, more wind is forecasted. However, hit a cycle path almost immediately and enjoy quieter and safer riding. Though at times it is right next to the highway it is much better. Ride into smallЧитать далее
Wellington: Day 1
14 января 2025 г., Новая Зеландия ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
Sunny day for a tour of Wellington. Meandering up for good views and then down through the Botanical Gardens. Downtown seems very slick and modern. Even their government buildings are sleek (beehive).Читать далее
Wellington: Day 2
15 января 2025 г., Новая Зеландия ⋅ ☀️ 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 tallЧитать далее
To the south island we go
16 января 2025 г., Новая Зеландия ⋅ ⛅ 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 suppliesЧитать далее
Queen Charlotte track
17 января 2025 г., Новая Зеландия ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Beautiful but chilly morning. It warms up quickly once the sun clears the hills. Ride to the start of Queen Charlotte track and walk along coast and ridge line. So many colors in the water! Manage toЧитать далее
Our first major mechanical
18 января 2025 г., Новая Зеландия ⋅ ☀️ 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 grapesЧитать далее
Wither Hills
19 января 2025 г., Новая Зеландия ⋅ ☀️ 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 forЧитать далее
White Bay
20 января 2025 г., Новая Зеландия ⋅ ⛅ 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 -Читать далее
Wairau Lagoons
21 января 2025 г., Новая Зеландия ⋅ ⛅ 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. BackЧитать далее
And the ride resumes
22 января 2025 г., Новая Зеландия ⋅ ☁️ 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. WindЧитать далее
Ah, the wind at one’s back
23 января 2025 г., Новая Зеландия ⋅ ☁️ 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 alongsideЧитать далее
Beautiful scenery, treacherous roads
24 января 2025 г., Новая Зеландия ⋅ ☀️ 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 recentЧитать далее
Into the Waipara valley
25 января 2025 г., Новая Зеландия ⋅ ☀️ 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.Читать далее
Ashley Gorge … and a deluge
26 января 2025 г., Новая Зеландия ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
Short distance to Amberly for breakfast. Load up on food and hit the country roads. Nice tailwind keeps us moving - but not fast enough to beat the downpour. On the plains there is nowhere to duck forЧитать далее
A wee tromp to the waterfall
27 января 2025 г., Новая Зеландия ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
Poured all night and we stayed dry. Opt to stay another day. Sun appears allowing for better mountain views. Nice trail to the waterfall but choose a very sketchy (unformed) trail to return. LuckilyЧитать далее
From one gorge to the next
28 января 2025 г., Новая Зеландия ⋅ ☁️ 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 unexpectedЧитать далее
Geraldine
29 января 2025 г., Новая Зеландия ⋅ 🌬 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 - includingЧитать далее
Onto the Penguin Highway
30 января 2025 г., Новая Зеландия ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Opt for a short ride to seaport town of Timaru. Meander onto windy beach and see where penguins come ashore. Late in the season so only a few still around. Check out town and then back to campsite.
Pints, pizza & PENGUINS
31 января 2025 г., Новая Зеландия ⋅ ⛅ 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 beautifulЧитать далее