Cycling in the South Island and other adventures

The trip south was great.   The weather was really cool when we set off for Queenstown on Friday.   It was heavily overcast and this did not disappear until we crested Burkes Pass.   The Mackenzie Country looked wonderful, only to be spoiled by the green irrigated areas for dairying – not suited to this part of the country (as it is normally dry and brown with grasses and animals well adapted to the arid and extreme environment).   Going through the Lindis Pass was a treat as the hills were seemingly etched into the sky.   It would have made a wonderful photograph.   We managed to get the car back to the rental company only an hour late.     I then went and picked up our car from the repairers and was told it was fine and safe to drive but added that the engine was running a bit rough and there was a rattle which they thought should be not be there.   When I drove it I was surprised with how rough it was   which of cours...

  We had an early start so we could get to Nelson, collect the rental car from our friends’ place and drive to Christchurch.   It was a nice crisp start to the day.   After a superb breakfast provided by our host Carol, we started the shortest leg of our ride, a mere 30kms of mainly flat terrain.   We're off on our shortest leg  Our first stop was for a quick coffee in Brightwater.   There were a lot of cyclists going both ways on the track and that was especially the case on the leg between Richmond and Nelson.   We rode the Railway reserve route which took us through the middle of Stoke and then up over a hill before a quick and fast ride down into the city centre.   We stopped in at Kiwi Cycles to return the torch, share our experiences and give some feedback, then had a quick coffee at a local riverside café before going back the H&M’s to pick up the car.   The last swing bridge of the trip It was a long drive t...

  We had a relatively early start as the distance we were riding was longest of the ride.   We had to be at Ngatimoti – about 25 kms away for a pre-booked lunch and after that transported to Tapawera.   The was thus, Kaiteriteri to Ngatimoti and then Tapawera to Wakefield.   The Kaiteriteri entrance The previous day in the Mountainbike Park Bev’s brake cable had come away from its housing.   I managed to fix it satisfactorily, but I thought it might be wise to have it checked by a bike mechanic at Kiwi Cycles which was conveniently located where we were staying.   To get there, we had a short but very steep climb out of Little Kaiteriteri and then down to the bike shop.   The mechanic advised that that the cable needed some work but it was safe to ride in the interim.   Then it was back through the Mountainbike Park.   Bev was much more confident than yesterday and I also enjoyed it more - not being so exhausted.  ...

  I love trails when you are surprised every now and again by where the trail goes or the difficulty.   This day was one of those days.     It was another almost perfect day weather wise, cool to start off but with clear sunny skies.   The morning was so nice we decided to have a coffee before we departed Mapua at a place overlooking the inlet.   It was a busy little café and a couple who could not find a place to sit joined us.   They were a couple of GPs around our age who I suspect were in semi-retirement in Cromwell having moved there from Auckland.   They were a delightful and enthusiastic couple who typically rode e-bikes having graduated from other bikes.   Our coffee place  The ride took us along the coast to Ruby Bay   where we turned inland.   Our first climb was rather steep and for a moment I wished I had an e-bike.   About 4/5 th   of the way up I ran out of puff and had to stop f...

The weather forecast for our Great Taste Trail cycling looked great for the four days we would be on the trail.   Fine weather and light winds. It was accurate with a clear sky and a crisp start to the day.     Quite a contrast to the one fine day and then three days of rain on the West Coast.   However, what an experience that was and I would not have missed it for anything.   We're on our way Our first activity for the day was to drop our bags off for the company to deliver to our accommodation that night.   It was a very relaxed start with a coffee with H at a riverside café before then heading off around by Nelson Port.   The off road path was a bit narrow in places so we went onto the road for a little while.   It was a really nice ride alongside the sea which was flat and calm.   It seems that dogs can read in Nelson The trail took us parallel with Tahunanui Beach and then past the airport alongside the estuar...

  One of my favourite farmers' markets is the Marlborough version.   It is not as big as the Hawkes Bay market.   For a long time it only had Marlborough producers but now several producers from Nelson come over and vice versa.   We had a nice wander around and it was a pity we were not heading back Wellington as I would have loaded up with vegetables and fruit.   In the end we had a nice cup of coffee,   something to eat and bought some nice preserves.     In Nelson we stayed again with our friends.   We visited Kiwi Journeys which was nearby, had our briefing for the Good Taste Cycle Trail ride.   The information they provided was very good and their customer service is as good as we have experienced.   The bike mechanic even had a look at our bikes; fixing up a brake and putting air into tyres as well playing with the gears.   I have not had that done before when we have used our own bikes.   We t...

  The sun was shining when we got up and it provided a false sense of warmth, as when we emerged from the room it was quite chilly, although the wind was quite light.     We went to Picton motivated by some nostalgia and also to visit my mother and father’s grave.   It was even cooler in Picton with cloud obscuring the sky.   The town was very busy when we arrived and then all of a sudden it was quiet.   I suspect it was because people were about to get on a boat and head back to Wellington.     We had a lovely coffee at Le Café, a place that was a favourite haunt of mine when I visited my mother.   It has a great view of the harbour and the people walking past.   We wandered around the town before visiting my parents’ grave and then going out to see Mum’s former residence.     We returned to Blenheim and went for a coffee by the Taylor River and then went for a walk on a shared pathway alongside t...