snodpete

The slowest NZ traverse ever. [4]

On Sunday 12th December we left Westport and rode south, via the coast road, Moana and Arthur's Pass. Our destination was Timaru so Ruth could catch up with a museum exhibition she had assisted with over winter. We cut through Lake Lyndon Road popping out right at Rakaia Gorge Bridge where we had a spell; nearby tourists expressed amazement we had ridden over gravel, I accepted the implied complement to my great skill... In fact the loaded DL was a handful in the deep gravel and we'd crept gingerly round the sharp corners particularly on the zigzag. The remaining ks to Timmers were a little tedious and uneventful (though less mind-numbing than SH1) - at least traffic was light.

Monday we aimed for the Maniototo via back roads, it was warming up as we set off towards the hills behind Fairlie anticipating uncomfortable heat and dust. The Limestone Valley was dry and nearing McKenzie Pass cloud came in making it pleasantly cool - great riding conditions. Stopped at the top and also at the memorial to the misunderstood Scotsman; there's something in my heritage that has more sympathy for McKenzie than the early 'landed gentry' whose flocks he allegedly stole, it would have taken some skill sneaking mobs of sheep through there for sure and strange that he was later fully pardoned.

We joined Haldon Rd briefly then set off up the Hakataramea Valley. Skies were dark to our right covering the Alps and I felt concerned about the state of the Dunstan Trail which I wanted to cross to Dunedin on Tues; heavy bikes with streety tyres and wet clay don't mix ;-). At the top of Haka pass we met Jim a retired farmer just delving into his nice wicker hamper for ham sandwiches and a cuppa. Exchanging pleasantries, he took our photo and we continued on to Kurow. Lunch at the pub was nice, though the two already wobbly booted locals drinking cask wine at 1pm were a bit of a worry...back on the seal and off towards Duntroon and Danseys; I was looking forward to crossing this pass after considering it in June to make our trip to the Brass more interesting, fortunately we benefited from Struan's 'reconnaissance' the day before..! Met a couple of vehicles through this spectacular pass then pulled up at Dansey's pub; Ruth thought we had intruded upon someones' farm house, but a cold Speights allayed her concerns.

After a few photos we headed into the Maniototo, loving Naseby and looking unsuccessfully for a bed in Lawrence before calling at the Wedderburn tavern. We were gently persuaded by publican Cheryl to try the cottages by the rail trail across the road. We settled into one, feeling slightly guilty for having an engine on our bike, and later enjoyed a lovely meal at the tavern washed down with Central Otago pinot noir. The sun set under brooding skies which didn't bode well for the Dunstan.

Tuesday began fine and warm, we rode to Oturehua and fueled up just like we had on a much colder day last June. The skies ahead looked pretty dark in places but we pressed on up the valley following cooneyr's GPS directions to the beginning of the Old Dunstan Road. The country got progressively more interesting and the riding more adventurous though the road was mostly dry and again mercifully free of traffic. Poolburn reservoir appeared bathed in patchy sunlight and the rustic cottages dotting its shores- an intriguing and enchanted place. Eventually we passed through this other-worldly landscape descending into the Styx valley; I turned right instead of left and rode a few km down an interesting farm road before noting on the Garmin we were moving away from, rather than toward the next waypoint. We did a u-ey, crossed back through a puddle then lost the front end in greasy clay and slid off! Main damage was to pride, next a very bent brake pedal, the front indicator dismantled itself (broken before) and there were some new scratches on the front plastic. Ruth grazed her hand that was glove free for photographic purposes (lesson learned!). We picked up the laden beast and patched up what we could; I managed to bend the pedal back to usable (but much higher) position with my boot (it seems to be made of some kind of silver cheese) and tape still holds the indicator together. [LAST]