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Biking and other stuff

February - March 2022
Planning to trip around down south, do some biking and visit place and people - generally have fun. Read more
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  • TravelerBiking and other stuff
    2
    2
    Day 2

    Crossing the gap

    February 23, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    It's sunny as we begin to enter the sounds. The strait was windy, but only little swell - Gran and Pop stayed outside alone from the start, but we have more company now. I think we are feeling well enough to go inside for scones and coffeeRead more

  • TravelerBiking and other stuff
    Day 2

    A Long day

    February 23, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Arrived late this afternoon in Kaikoura and found our overnight motel after a bit of tiki touring.
    Unpacked a few essentials, had a cuppa and then a little nap. It's been a long day.
    Had lunch at Blenheim at a nice little cafe/restaurant by the river. Very pleasant - pork sliders and a cheese board.
    The drive to Kaikoura from Blenheim is surprisingly long.
    Tomorrow we will trek further south.    Read more

  • TravelerBiking and other stuff
    Day 3

    The Long and Winding Road.......

    February 24, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    So today ended up to be another long driving day. We woke up nice and early after a super sleep - it was so needed. Breakfast in bed (no room to eat anywhere else) and were getting ready to pack and leave when I heard on the radio that SH 1 was closed due to truck and trailer accident and all traffic was diverted west on SH 70. And what a highway !!!! Lots of tight corners, single lane bridges and totally off grid.
    But before we headed off we stopped in town for a coffee - it was lovely sitting in the morning sun. Not so on the drive along SH 70 where it was as cold as 13 and cloudy. We stopped for lunch at Pukeko Junction near Amberley.
    Then onto Ashburton - got here by 3:00.
    Nan looks great and was welcoming.    Read more

  • TravelerBiking and other stuff
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    Day 4

    A day to relax

    February 25, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    Yes a chance to relax and catch our breathe. It was a nice sunny day - a little cool early and 23c by mid afternoon.
    We started the day with Wordle and then called Mary to wish her a happy birthday.

    Last night we read about the plan to restore the old Chinese houses that belonged to the Kings and Ngs with a photo of Yep Ng - I worked for the Kings/Ngs when at High School, so decided to try and make contact - using a Facebook post we got a contact phone number. So this morning I rang and had a long conversation with Yep.

    Lorraine came down at midday and we went out to Lake Hood for lunch. It was a great lunch and a chance to catch up with her.
    Very quiet for the rest of the afternoon.
    Tomorrow hope to get a ride in, before heading south on Sunday.    Read more

  • TravelerBiking and other stuff
    Day 5

    A ride and some rain

    February 26, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    We went through the fairly normal routines of breakfast, coffee and Wordle and decided to go for a ride before the southerly arrived.
    This would be our last ride before tackling the first leg of the Rail Trail on Tuesday.
    It was a fairly easy ride and we were happy.
    Then the showers arrived and the temperature dropped.
    So we resorted to the usual indoor things to occupy our time.
    We did some grocery shopping for Nan and for us too. Got another coffee at the Triangle Cafe right on closing time.
    So tomorrow we will head south to meet with Mary and Bob and then on to Wanaka and the start of the fun part of our trip.    Read more

  • TravelerBiking and other stuff
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    Day 6

    Heading further South

    February 27, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    Today we made our way south to Wanaka. We left Nan at about 9:30 and it was drizzling and 11 degrees.
    Arrived at Mary & Bobs at around 10:30 and had a sit and some coffee and a good catch up. And so it was an hour later that we got back on the road.
    We took the Tekapo route as it was more interesting . As we got nearer to Tekapo we could see that the cloud was lifting, so that when we arrived at the lake there was a lot of blue sky and the temperature in the sun was lovely. We used the local conveniences and then a wander down to the lake. It was just lovely and relaxing.
    Back on the road we decided to have lunch in Omarama at a place called The Wrinkly Rams - it was full on sun by then and much warmer. The Cafe was very busy with quite a crowd mainly outside. We enjoyed our lunch and while we were there 4 or 5 vintage cars pulled into the carpark - several Rolls Royces and 2 or 3 Packards. A great chance to get some photos.
    Then we pushed on to Wanaka and the temp reached a heady 21 degrees - the best for the day. Found our cabin and sat in the sun, shoes off and had some tea.
    Tonight we went downtown and went to Francesco's for pizza and Montepulciano - and had a fun time there.
    Tomorrow we will travel to Omakau and prepare for our first ride.    Read more

  • TravelerBiking and other stuff
    Day 7

    Near the start line.....

    February 28, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Today was a very relaxing day - up not too early - breakfast, packed and check out of our cabin. Down town for coffee in the sun and a quiet walk along the lake beach front while Gran and Mary looked at a few shops. The sun was out and it felt warm.
    Then we were in the cars and heading east towards Omakau - out starting point for the first trail ride.
    We had lunch along the way at Cromwell, got some petrol and stone fruit then drove along the far side of Lake Dunstan - the scene of our last ride in about a weeks time and noted the hilly sections!!! There were several bikers doing the ride, but not that many - Monday's must be quiet.
    Not far from Omakau we came across a "fence of broken down bikes" - dozens and dozens of old bikes in broken states. Very cool.
    We are staying in the old Post Office and it is interesting with old furnishings and some of the old post office fittings - there are two massive deer heads and antlers on one wall.
    We checked in with Shebikeshebikes and Gran collected her E Bike that she will use for the next two days - got all of the instructions and tools. Then we all went for a short ride to Ophir and as far as the bridge - then stopped at a pub and sat outside drinking a beer.
    Tonight we had dinner at the Hotel next door to our Post Office accommodation.
    Three of us had Blue Cod Tacos - they were rather yummy.    Read more

  • TravelerBiking and other stuff
    111
    Day 8

    On the trail at last....

    March 1, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    Today started out very busy - breakfast first, pack our night bag for on-transfer to our overnight stay, prepare the biking gear and pack the cases for storage in our cars for them to be driven to Hyde.
    But we managed to be ready to start at 9:30. And we were off......
    It was merely 8km along the trail when we arrived in Lauder and saw a cafe and decided it was time for coffee. There were many riders there doing the same thing and it was super enjoying good coffee in the sun.
    Back on the ride. This time it would be a fair hike before lunch - a further 22k. There are two tunnels on this section and before the first we came across a small group having a chat and it included two women on horseback - we stopped too - one named Hawk was a beautiful Appaloosa. The first tunnel was very dark inside.
    We stopped along the way to take photos or for water intake. As you might guess the scenery was beautiful in places.
    The trail has varied surfaces - some time a pea like gravel or just crushed rock - so it was not fast riding as we are used to on limestone.
    We had lunch in a cafe near Oterehua at an old mechanics yard. There was quite a crowd there and had a superb lunch - god I was hungry.
    That left us with about 12k to our accommodation at Mt Ida Farmstay, near Wedderburn. But this was the hardest part - a steady rise and it was hard - Gran however was getting used to her E Bike by then and decided to stretch it - I tried for a few km to keep up, but left me in the dust - Bob and Mary were behind me.
    So we sleep tonight in an old homestead - very comfortable. We had a spa before bed.
    We had dinner down at the Wedderburn hotel - and a good meal it was.
    The trail has been fun and at times hard work - a little tedious at times too - some very long straight sections - one in particular must have been more than 4km straight.
    We have been impressed how seriously everyone we have come in contact with is taking Covid protocols - always masks, QR scan and passports. We couldn't get a beer at one pub in Ophir because Robyn didn't have her phone (passport) with her - by the time we called into the next pub I remembered I had her passport on my phone.
    So tomorrow it's on to Hyde and a little further but it's down hill riding.    Read more

  • TravelerBiking and other stuff
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    Day 9

    Day two - Mt Ida Homestead to Hyde

    March 2, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    Our morning at Mt Ida Homestead started with a couple of surprises - firstly we were greeted at our front door by a large black pig - she was very friendly and eventually went her own way and then having discovered how cold it was outside we realised that there been a frost - according to people we later met it was between 2 and 4 degrees of frost.
    We packed our overnight bag once more and prepared our riding machines. And we were off - the air sure was cold and fingers got a little sore. Our first stop was at the Wedderburn railway station where lots of photos are taken and Bob took one of us. The trails were more level - less hills today.
    We had to wait a little longer today for coffee, which we got after about 16km at Ranfurly. The day was a lot warmer when we arrived at the cafe along with other bikers. The coffee was great and we bought some sandwiches for lunch later. We went for a quick walk around town and that included an interesting Art Deco museum.
    Back on our bikes and we rode through some beautiful scenery, lots of bridges and viaducts - and one tunnel. We have met groups of people today as for yesterday - some people we have bumped into many times - they stop for a drink or toilet and we pass them, then later they pass us. All very friendly.
    As we got closer to Hyde the countryside was great - big black rocks and hills, streams and later the Taieri River.
    About 10km from Hyde we came across a biker trying to repair a flat tyre - we stopped to help but couldn't get the tyre to hold air - we took his name and said we would ride on and contact his bike hirer - Essam was his name and before we had gone far rescue arrived. Because we had set off for help we missed an opportunity to sit in the valley to eat our lunch - which we ended up having in Hyde at a coffee takeaway - how fortuities.
    At Hyde we got our car back and loaded up for the drive back to Omakau and then our nights accommodation near Alexandra.
    So to complete our day we went into town for Thai.
    So we rode approximately 45km today it was less strenuous with some great scenery. We rest tomorrow and spend the night in Roxburgh. Our next ride is on Friday when we do the first leg of the Clutha Gold trail.    Read more

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