Posts Tagged ‘New Zealand’

Day 3. 65km. Lyell – Westport

Posted: November 7, 2024 in Cycling, New Zealand
Tags: , , ,
2

‘Have you just come or are you going?’ the lady asked at the entrance gate to the Old Ghost Road.

‘ I have just changed my mind,’ I replied. Today, I took my heavily laden bike on the main road and not on the steep, narrow mountain bike route. My gut feeling was that this was the safest thing to do.

The start of the Old Ghost Road

I was at the entrance gate with the German, Fritz, when a mountain biker came out of the little hut next door.

‘I don’t want this to sound bad, but are you sure you want to do this?’

Yes. I knew it was steep. And narrow. I’d have to carry my luggage up the steep bits separately. He went on, and I realised that my super heavy bike just wasn’t the right tool for this task. I checked out the first 500m of the trail and turned back, disappointed but sure I had made the right decision.

I continued on the main road westwards to join the other end of the Old Ghost Road. As the weather got wetter and more miserable, I was happy I wasn’t 1000m higher on an exposed mountain ridge.

Buller Gorge

I was planning to have lunch in Westport but my drowned rat instincts decided it was time to call it a day. Tomorrow morning there is a short break in the rain. I might try to do some kilometres before I get too wet.

Day 2. 64km. Rotoroa Lake – Lyell

Posted: November 6, 2024 in Cycling, New Zealand
Tags: , , ,
2

The sky was pink behind the snow capped mountains, a band of cloud hovering around waist level. The water was still, reflecting the sky. The ducks were calling, and then a black swans swam by, with a little baby – a shabby white, following. The morning was peaceful and beautiful. Lake Rotoroa.

Sunrise at Lake Rotoroa
Sunrise at Lake Rotoroa
Black swan

Today saw a steep grunt over a small shoulder and then a trip following another river down. There was even 4 water crossings, shin deep.

River ford number 2
River ford number 3

Today was a tranquil meander along the backroad to Murchison – the only town for 80km, and the only town I’d see for days. I stopped, ate, drunk and charged my external batteries.

Towards Murchison
Towards Murchison

I saw the Germans again at the camping ground at the start of the Old Ghost Road and had a nice dinner together before a very early evening.

I also saw a weka – a New Zealand bird that always fossicks around. It even steals socks. I hear. My smelly socks were banished into the tent.

 

Day 1. 129km. Nelson – Lake Rotoroa

Posted: November 5, 2024 in Cycling, New Zealand
Tags: , , ,
13

The Old Ghost Road is a ‘challenge’ according to my cycling friend, Clement. Clement’s challenges are truly challenging. Today was a perfect preparation for a challenge. A slow start, gradually getting harder, with quite some distance and hours covered. Perfect to get the untrained legs back into action.

The Great Taste Trail

The Great Taste Trail took me from Nelson up through wine areas in a dirt track that followed a wide stream. It meandered through sleepy villages and through a 1.5km long tunnel. Built for a trainline that was never completed, it was fun to plunge into the darkness.

The Great Taste Trail
The Great Taste Trail
Spooners Tunnel
Spooners Tunnel
Spooners Tunnel

A back road following a river up through farmland was the next on the list, popping over a little pass before joining the main road.

The back road

The end leg was following a river uphill to Lake Rotoroa – a beautiful oblong lake surrounded by snow- capped peaks. Recommended by my cycling neighbour on the plane – Steve, and another cyclist – Jake, I met on the way.

Lake Rotoroa
Lake Rotoroa
Lake Rotoroa

I met a German couple at the lake. We had dinner together and chatted. They have been traveling around the world for 1.5 years now. Not only the Germans were friendly – the midges too.

 

Newer Entries