South Island - any suggestions?

[Jantar]

Southern Lakes

From Met Service

Heavy Rain Warning, Areas Affected:

The headwaters of the Otago and Canterbury lakes and rivers Rain is expected to become heavy overnight Tuesday. In the 24 hours from 3am Wednesday to 3am Thursday, 300mm of rain is expected to on the Divide, while 150mm could accumulate within 15km east of the Divide and 50 to 75mm could accumulate 15km to 25km further east. Rainfall intensities of 20-25mm/hr are likely. Strong Wind Warning, Areas Affected: OtagoNorthwest winds are expected to rise to gale early Wednesday morning. From 8am to midnight Wednesday, gusts of 120 km/hr are expected in localised places.
Issued: 9:38 am 8 Jan 2013 NZDT

Southland

Heavy Rain Warning, Areas Affected: Southland A period of heavy rain is expected Wednesday evening. Between 3pm and midnight Wednesday, 50 to 75mm could accumulate with rainfall rates of 10-20mm/hr.
Issued: 9:38 am 8 Jan 2013 NZDT

The model data suggest that rain will start falling in Te Anau before 7:00 am and continue all day. However it remains dry from Blackmont down to Riverton until mid afternoon. Thursday it will clear up around breakfast time in Riverton and the rainband will move slowly north. You should have a dry ride all the way to Kaka Point if you take a liesurely trip. I'll pass through the rain heading south, but then have dry trip up through the Catlins.

[FJRider]

You should have a dry ride all the way to Kaka Point if you take a liesurely trip. I'll pass through the rain heading south, but then have dry trip up through the Catlins.

Note he didn't mention the wind. It usually gets stronger near the coast (Take a look at the trees near the coast). But by Tokanui you should be out of the worst of it ...

Are you going down to Bluff .. ???

[unstuck]

Very gusty out on the roads around here at the moment.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

for sure, great place to go riding!
wonder how long before Nighthawk finds this thread and gets started . . .

Started on what...

Well here is our itinerary. We've decided to go the "book our accommodation" way which sets our route pretty much as:
Greymouth --> Haast --> Glenorchy --> Te Anau --> Riverton --> Balclutha --> Cromwell --> Mt Cook --> Rangiora (with the outlaws) --> Hanmer --> North Island.

We cross to Picton on Thurs 3rd Jan and each destination will be an overnighter, except for Te Anau which will be 2 nights and Rangi which is 4 nights.
Woohooo can't wait!

But but you are missing all the bestest roads... those roads are ok but... lol

[PrincessBandit]

Note he didn't mention the wind. It usually gets stronger near the coast (Take a look at the trees near the coast). But by Tokanui you should be out of the worst of it ...

Are you going down to Bluff .. ???

No, we aren't going down to Bluff. We want to allow plenty of time for the Catlins run.

[FJRider]

No, we aren't going down to Bluff. We want to allow plenty of time for the Catlins run.

Did you hear the Milford road will be closed tomorrow due to the weather ... ??? you made it in (and out) just in time.

[unstuck]

No, we aren't going down to Bluff. We want to allow plenty of time for the Catlins run.

Good choice. Bluff is way over rated anyway. And you will be a lot closer to the real southern most point of the mainland.

[FJRider]

Good choice. Bluff is way over rated anyway. And you will be a lot closer to the real southern most point of the mainland.

And their chosen route avoids Gore.

Win win ...

[unstuck]

And their chosen route avoids Gore.

Win win ...

Damn, could of waited by the road and thrown swedes at them too.

[FJRider]

Damn, could of waited by the road and thrown swedes at them too.

Bugger them ... let them buy their own vegetables ....

[unstuck]

Bugger them ... let them buy their own vegetables ....

But, Im all about sharing my greens.

[FJRider]

But, Im all about sharing my greens.

Leave your rash out of it. That's your problem.

[PrincessBandit]

Damn, could of waited by the road and thrown swedes at them too.

Hahaha. I remember the last time I visited friends in Invercargill I bought a huge 5kg swede for something crazy like 10 cents. I wouldn't want something like that hurled at me ( 'cos then I'd have to speed to get past you and your veg!

[PrincessBandit]

Update - staying in Invercargill tonight. Turned up at the BnB in Riverton at 12.30 to be greeted by a sign in the door saying "Back at 3.30". Given that we'd ridden in pouring rain from Te Anau to Blackmount and had only just started drying out we didn't want to just hang about in Riverton for 3 hours so we split and carried on to Invers. Storm due tonight but bikes securely under cover and our accommodation here is very nice.
Wind wasn't too bad along the coast - ridden in far worse (unpredictable gusts are my least favourite, but this was fairly steady). Sky looked ominous but made here with no further weather dramas.

[Jantar]

Weather model for tomorrow shows that the rain should be clear from Invercargill by 9:00 am (maybe a very light mist hanging around as the model shows persistant low cload), then rain clears the Catlins by midday.

What stops have you planned for tomorrow?