Day 96
Tapawera to Nelson Lakes National Park
Time: 5:15:00
Distance: 70.26 k
Avg Speed: 13.3
Terrain: Rolling
Location: 41˚ 48’ 27.2” S, 172˚ 50’ 52” E
Not much to report today. We had a short respite from the crowds last evening. Tonight we’re back in the fray. Hope everyone is having a great holiday season.
LK
Saturday, December 29, 2007
The Promised Land
Day: 96
Motueka to Tapawera
Time: 3:12
Distance: 48.95
Avg Speed: 15.2
Terrain: Uphill (barely)
Location:
We headed out early and fast from Motueka this morning. The thought of spending any more time with our new 500 or so neighbors didn’t please us at all. We got our breakfast eaten and packed up by 8:30 and were off. The road out of Motueka follows the Motueka River valley towards the Northern end of the southern Alps. The river valley is quite fertile and we were able to enjoy a morning snack of fresh blueberries and plums.
We rolled along past vineyards, kiwi, plum and cherry orchards as well as acres and acres of hops. The hops fields were really interesting since they are grown on vines which go from the ground straight up 15’ to overhead wires. We even passed the processing kiln where the hops are dried before being sent off to the brewers. I only know this from the Speights brewery tour we took earlier in the trip. We also passed by several DOC angler access roads to the river. I was able to take a peak at the river at one point and caught a glimpse of a nice trout cruising the shallows.
We arrived at camp in the early afternoon and took it easy the rest of the day. Our main dilemma was whether or not eat the stir fry we had brought or hit the pub for a take-away meal. The pub won out due to the kitchen being full with several families cooking what appeared to be a full holiday dinner.
Leslie and I have both decided that small towns with clean campgrounds are by far the best and most interesting places we have stayed. Whether it was the rail trail, the Northlands or this part of the island we have been lucky to be off the beaten track and spend some time with small town NZ.
CK
Motueka to Tapawera
Time: 3:12
Distance: 48.95
Avg Speed: 15.2
Terrain: Uphill (barely)
Location:
We headed out early and fast from Motueka this morning. The thought of spending any more time with our new 500 or so neighbors didn’t please us at all. We got our breakfast eaten and packed up by 8:30 and were off. The road out of Motueka follows the Motueka River valley towards the Northern end of the southern Alps. The river valley is quite fertile and we were able to enjoy a morning snack of fresh blueberries and plums.
We rolled along past vineyards, kiwi, plum and cherry orchards as well as acres and acres of hops. The hops fields were really interesting since they are grown on vines which go from the ground straight up 15’ to overhead wires. We even passed the processing kiln where the hops are dried before being sent off to the brewers. I only know this from the Speights brewery tour we took earlier in the trip. We also passed by several DOC angler access roads to the river. I was able to take a peak at the river at one point and caught a glimpse of a nice trout cruising the shallows.
We arrived at camp in the early afternoon and took it easy the rest of the day. Our main dilemma was whether or not eat the stir fry we had brought or hit the pub for a take-away meal. The pub won out due to the kitchen being full with several families cooking what appeared to be a full holiday dinner.
Leslie and I have both decided that small towns with clean campgrounds are by far the best and most interesting places we have stayed. Whether it was the rail trail, the Northlands or this part of the island we have been lucky to be off the beaten track and spend some time with small town NZ.
CK
Friday, December 28, 2007
Packed In Like Sardines
Day 94
Marahau to Motueka
Time: 1:21:00
Distance: 21.25 k
Avg Speed: 14.1 kph
Terrain: Seaside Hills
Location: 41˚ 6’ 18.9” S, 173˚ 0’ 48.7” E
Who said there is no culture in New Zealand?
Today we reluctantly checked out of the Ocean View Chalets and rode our bikes back to Motueka. We were here about a week ago before we headed to “our Christmas place”. We rolled into the same campervan park as before, only it looked much different than last week. All I could say was “Oh my gosh!” Luckily, there was one tent site left. Otherwise, everything was booked. It’s wall to wall people and not a blade of glass or a square of pavement has been left uncovered. It’s full on vacation season in New Zealand and I’m starting to think that the Kiwis wrote the book on holiday making. It’s not like they just drive in for the weekend, “set” up a tent and roast a few marshmallows by the fire. They actually “construct” a small dwelling that includes sleeping quarters, a lounge and kitchen. Construction takes a matter of hours and requires a trailer to transport the materials to the campervan park. All afternoon we listened to the sound of rebar stakes being pounded into the ground. Our little tent can’t hold a candle to any of the stylish canvas dwellings surrounding us.
Tents aren’t the only way to sleep here. From campervans to caravans to cabins, you can “camp” in any kind of space and any kind of style.
Dinner was, to say the least, a parade of woks and frying pans, sausages and potatoes. For two hours there was a frenzy of food. We had a big lunch and quickly ate our salad, cheese and crackers - I’m sure we got some looks. Then the dishwashing brigade began and the suds were a flyin’. The crazy thing is that everyone just works through the progression of the evening meal. We’ve been spoiled so far with quiet campgrounds.
As we returned to the tent we saw that there are four new tents in our area. After looking at the map we found that there are 187 campsites (which doesn’t include the cabins and motel rooms). We figure that we’re literally camping with 500 to 1,000 of our closest Kiwi friends. Oh, and I forgot to mention, Flossy the Clown and the Balloon Man will be providing entertainment tomorrow at 4:30pm. Certainly, we don’t want to miss that.
LK
Marahau to Motueka
Time: 1:21:00
Distance: 21.25 k
Avg Speed: 14.1 kph
Terrain: Seaside Hills
Location: 41˚ 6’ 18.9” S, 173˚ 0’ 48.7” E
Who said there is no culture in New Zealand?
Today we reluctantly checked out of the Ocean View Chalets and rode our bikes back to Motueka. We were here about a week ago before we headed to “our Christmas place”. We rolled into the same campervan park as before, only it looked much different than last week. All I could say was “Oh my gosh!” Luckily, there was one tent site left. Otherwise, everything was booked. It’s wall to wall people and not a blade of glass or a square of pavement has been left uncovered. It’s full on vacation season in New Zealand and I’m starting to think that the Kiwis wrote the book on holiday making. It’s not like they just drive in for the weekend, “set” up a tent and roast a few marshmallows by the fire. They actually “construct” a small dwelling that includes sleeping quarters, a lounge and kitchen. Construction takes a matter of hours and requires a trailer to transport the materials to the campervan park. All afternoon we listened to the sound of rebar stakes being pounded into the ground. Our little tent can’t hold a candle to any of the stylish canvas dwellings surrounding us.
Tents aren’t the only way to sleep here. From campervans to caravans to cabins, you can “camp” in any kind of space and any kind of style.
Dinner was, to say the least, a parade of woks and frying pans, sausages and potatoes. For two hours there was a frenzy of food. We had a big lunch and quickly ate our salad, cheese and crackers - I’m sure we got some looks. Then the dishwashing brigade began and the suds were a flyin’. The crazy thing is that everyone just works through the progression of the evening meal. We’ve been spoiled so far with quiet campgrounds.
As we returned to the tent we saw that there are four new tents in our area. After looking at the map we found that there are 187 campsites (which doesn’t include the cabins and motel rooms). We figure that we’re literally camping with 500 to 1,000 of our closest Kiwi friends. Oh, and I forgot to mention, Flossy the Clown and the Balloon Man will be providing entertainment tomorrow at 4:30pm. Certainly, we don’t want to miss that.
LK
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Hot Date with My Honey
Day: 93
Marahau Party Day 5
Time: 3.5 hours
Distance: 10 k
Avg Speed: slow
Terrain: flat
We decided that we were going to get away for a little hike early this morning. The day started clear and bright, so after a little coffee, a little cereal, and a lot of toast (I am on a toast kick this week) we were out the door. The Abel Tasman track starts about a kilometer from where we are staying. It is really convenient to run over there for some hiking or beach time. We didn’t want to go out real far today so we hiked for an hour and a half to Apple Tree Bay and spent a little while sitting in the sand watching the tide come in. The ocean is mesmerizing. I think I stared at the same spot of sand for 10 minutes until it disappeared under the green waters of the Tasman Bay. We then hiked out swimming upstream of the tour bus hikers and all the other people coming out for an afternoon stroll.
The rest of the day centered on laundry, lunch, reading, re-packing our panniers and getting ready for dinner.
We had made reservations at the only restaurant in town for tonight. I was glad that we did since the hostess was really giving people hell for not making reservations. The dinner was nice. We had a great conversation (which we do most of the time) and ate some wonderful food. We were celebrating our Christmas together as well as reaching our quarterly review stage. It was cool to get dressed up in our flying clothes and go have a nice meal together. It is funny to have one decent outfit for flying, eating out, trains, and any other outing that requires dress beyond shorts and a t-shirt. It does make getting dressed easy though. You just have to find the right stuff sack.
We are out of our fresh Christmas digs tomorrow and off to Motueka for our first night back in the tent.
Hope everyone had a great holiday and is looking forward to a great New Year.
CK
Marahau Party Day 5
Time: 3.5 hours
Distance: 10 k
Avg Speed: slow
Terrain: flat
We decided that we were going to get away for a little hike early this morning. The day started clear and bright, so after a little coffee, a little cereal, and a lot of toast (I am on a toast kick this week) we were out the door. The Abel Tasman track starts about a kilometer from where we are staying. It is really convenient to run over there for some hiking or beach time. We didn’t want to go out real far today so we hiked for an hour and a half to Apple Tree Bay and spent a little while sitting in the sand watching the tide come in. The ocean is mesmerizing. I think I stared at the same spot of sand for 10 minutes until it disappeared under the green waters of the Tasman Bay. We then hiked out swimming upstream of the tour bus hikers and all the other people coming out for an afternoon stroll.
The rest of the day centered on laundry, lunch, reading, re-packing our panniers and getting ready for dinner.
We had made reservations at the only restaurant in town for tonight. I was glad that we did since the hostess was really giving people hell for not making reservations. The dinner was nice. We had a great conversation (which we do most of the time) and ate some wonderful food. We were celebrating our Christmas together as well as reaching our quarterly review stage. It was cool to get dressed up in our flying clothes and go have a nice meal together. It is funny to have one decent outfit for flying, eating out, trains, and any other outing that requires dress beyond shorts and a t-shirt. It does make getting dressed easy though. You just have to find the right stuff sack.
We are out of our fresh Christmas digs tomorrow and off to Motueka for our first night back in the tent.
Hope everyone had a great holiday and is looking forward to a great New Year.
CK
A New Plan
Day 92
Marahau
As some of you may know, we have been revising our travel plans over the last few weeks. We knew in the beginning that a 2+ year trip was going to be hard to plan. However, you have to start somewhere and then work through the details. In the beginning, we set a date, chose a method of transport, drew a line on a map and went from there. After 92 days we finally have a pretty good idea of where we’re headed. I like to think of it in terms of having a new job and getting through the 90 day review. First impressions can be meaningful, but you have to give something new a little time.
Ok – enough of the philosophical. Here’s the new plan…
Instead of 2+ years on the road, we’ll probably end up with 15 months under our belt. Given our budget and what we’ve spent so far, we’ll be coming home at the end of 2008. No worries – it suits us fine. We looked at the goals for our original plan very carefully and decided what was most important in this grand adventure. We still want to travel around the world and we still like riding our bikes. So we’re moving forward with that in mind.
We fly to Melbourne, Australia on January 10th. We’ll tour the Great Ocean Rd and then take the ferry to Tasmania (“Tassie”) towards the end of the month. We’ll visit with some friends and then tour until mid to late February.
The next stop will be Southeast Asia and we hope to spend 3-4 months traveling through Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and maybe Laos. Some of where we go depends on the monsoon season and the amount of time we can get on our Chinese visa. Less time in China means more time in SE Asia.
That brings us to China. It’s exciting and overwhelming at the same time. The Far East has always been a part of the plan, but we just didn’t have a particular route in mind. One day in Wanaka we were having a discussion about it - where should we start, how much of the country could we really see, etc. Coincidently, that same day we got an email from a friend with the title “Tibet 2008?” At first I thought it was a joke and then I blinked a few times. I quickly read the email and said to Chris “you won’t believe the email we got from Anne…” OK – now I can get to the point. We’ll be riding from Lhasa to Kathmandu in September. We’ll be part of a tour and are actually looking forward to someone else carrying our gear for a month. We thought it was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up – how often does a friend invite you to go on a bike trip in a region of the world that you happen to be traveling through? Enough said. Now we just have to figure out where to ride from June to the first part of September.
From Kathmandu we hope to fly to Europe. Our finances are likely to be very depleted at this point, but we should be able to enjoy a few more weeks on the road. There has been a lot of talk about France and Spain.
Then we’ll be home for a short break at Thanksgiving before heading to Hawaii to spend Christmas with Chris’ family.
Of course, all of this is subject to change. If it doesn’t, we’ll all be disappointed.
Keeping it real,
LK
Marahau
As some of you may know, we have been revising our travel plans over the last few weeks. We knew in the beginning that a 2+ year trip was going to be hard to plan. However, you have to start somewhere and then work through the details. In the beginning, we set a date, chose a method of transport, drew a line on a map and went from there. After 92 days we finally have a pretty good idea of where we’re headed. I like to think of it in terms of having a new job and getting through the 90 day review. First impressions can be meaningful, but you have to give something new a little time.
Ok – enough of the philosophical. Here’s the new plan…
Instead of 2+ years on the road, we’ll probably end up with 15 months under our belt. Given our budget and what we’ve spent so far, we’ll be coming home at the end of 2008. No worries – it suits us fine. We looked at the goals for our original plan very carefully and decided what was most important in this grand adventure. We still want to travel around the world and we still like riding our bikes. So we’re moving forward with that in mind.
We fly to Melbourne, Australia on January 10th. We’ll tour the Great Ocean Rd and then take the ferry to Tasmania (“Tassie”) towards the end of the month. We’ll visit with some friends and then tour until mid to late February.
The next stop will be Southeast Asia and we hope to spend 3-4 months traveling through Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and maybe Laos. Some of where we go depends on the monsoon season and the amount of time we can get on our Chinese visa. Less time in China means more time in SE Asia.
That brings us to China. It’s exciting and overwhelming at the same time. The Far East has always been a part of the plan, but we just didn’t have a particular route in mind. One day in Wanaka we were having a discussion about it - where should we start, how much of the country could we really see, etc. Coincidently, that same day we got an email from a friend with the title “Tibet 2008?” At first I thought it was a joke and then I blinked a few times. I quickly read the email and said to Chris “you won’t believe the email we got from Anne…” OK – now I can get to the point. We’ll be riding from Lhasa to Kathmandu in September. We’ll be part of a tour and are actually looking forward to someone else carrying our gear for a month. We thought it was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up – how often does a friend invite you to go on a bike trip in a region of the world that you happen to be traveling through? Enough said. Now we just have to figure out where to ride from June to the first part of September.
From Kathmandu we hope to fly to Europe. Our finances are likely to be very depleted at this point, but we should be able to enjoy a few more weeks on the road. There has been a lot of talk about France and Spain.
Then we’ll be home for a short break at Thanksgiving before heading to Hawaii to spend Christmas with Chris’ family.
Of course, all of this is subject to change. If it doesn’t, we’ll all be disappointed.
Keeping it real,
LK
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Southeast Asia and the Queen’s Christmas Address
Day: 89 and 91
Marahau
Time: Not at all important
Distance:
Avg Speed:
Terrain:
Location:
I took a day off of blogging on Sunday. I really didn’t do it on purpose, I think I just fell asleep. We didn’t do anything exciting by any means. We did laundry (long overdue), slept in and went to the beach. Nothing like a vacation from your vacation. The laundry was particularly interesting since we really hadn’t done any for about 10 days. This wouldn’t be too bad, but all of our clothes fit into two small stuff sacks. Can you say stinky!!
My up to date blog is taking place on Christmas. We didn’t do anything really exciting. Leslie gave me a new toothbrush and two (count them two [2]) chocolate bars. I gave her a toothbrush and two (count them two [2]) packs of mentos. It is amazing what you really need and what you really want. We both needed new toothbrushes and we really like candy. Merry Christmas to us. Our second order of business was a hike along the Tasman coast where we enjoyed warm weather (80˚ F) and plenty of sunshine. Our third order of business was laying out a rough map for our route in southeast Asia and China. We have a rough idea of where we are going and timeline to match. We shall see how close we are to that plan. We ended the day with my lovely wife cooking a traditional (somewhere I think) dinner of pasta with pesto and a tomato, basil and mozzarella salad.
We did get to see the fiftieth anniversary of televised Christmas Addresses by the Queen of England. The message was one of family and helping out fellow mankind. The message was very simple and coming from the queen very eloquent.
Family is important in our lives. They give us connection to what life is all about. They give us gifts of love and support.
That is all one needs in life (along with mentos, chocolate and toothbrushes).
Merry Christmas to all.
CK
Marahau
Time: Not at all important
Distance:
Avg Speed:
Terrain:
Location:
I took a day off of blogging on Sunday. I really didn’t do it on purpose, I think I just fell asleep. We didn’t do anything exciting by any means. We did laundry (long overdue), slept in and went to the beach. Nothing like a vacation from your vacation. The laundry was particularly interesting since we really hadn’t done any for about 10 days. This wouldn’t be too bad, but all of our clothes fit into two small stuff sacks. Can you say stinky!!
My up to date blog is taking place on Christmas. We didn’t do anything really exciting. Leslie gave me a new toothbrush and two (count them two [2]) chocolate bars. I gave her a toothbrush and two (count them two [2]) packs of mentos. It is amazing what you really need and what you really want. We both needed new toothbrushes and we really like candy. Merry Christmas to us. Our second order of business was a hike along the Tasman coast where we enjoyed warm weather (80˚ F) and plenty of sunshine. Our third order of business was laying out a rough map for our route in southeast Asia and China. We have a rough idea of where we are going and timeline to match. We shall see how close we are to that plan. We ended the day with my lovely wife cooking a traditional (somewhere I think) dinner of pasta with pesto and a tomato, basil and mozzarella salad.
We did get to see the fiftieth anniversary of televised Christmas Addresses by the Queen of England. The message was one of family and helping out fellow mankind. The message was very simple and coming from the queen very eloquent.
Family is important in our lives. They give us connection to what life is all about. They give us gifts of love and support.
That is all one needs in life (along with mentos, chocolate and toothbrushes).
Merry Christmas to all.
CK
Monday, December 24, 2007
I’m Dreaming of a Blue Christmas
Day 90
Bark Bay to Marahau
Time: All Day
Distance: 11 k
Avg Speed: Paddling
Terrain: Water
Location: Abel Tasman National Park
We spent the day sea kayaking along the coast of Abel Tasman National Park. We thought it would be a fun thing to do on Christmas Eve. I booked in with a tour company to make it easy. They have quite a system here since kayaking is probably just as popular as hiking. Every morning there is a flurry of activity to transport people to the tour base and then along the coastline to various starting points. The main method of transport is the tractor. Around here tractors are not just used for farm implements, they are also used for pulling people, water taxis and sea kayaks to and from the beach.
After getting a briefing for the day and suiting up in a dry top and life vest, we found ourselves skimming and bumping along the water to Bark Bay. This was our starting point for making our way back to Marahau. We had some quick instructions on the finer points of paddling and safety, and then launched from the beach. Chris and I were together in a double kayak and he sat in the back as captain. Normally, you would think nothing of this, but Chris has a history with boats, steering and rocks. Ask him about it sometime…
Anyway, we slowly paddled along the shore of Bark Bay past a few different beaches. We saw many people in various stages of their adventures. Some were packing their boats while others were filling their packs. The park plays host to several campsites and huts. It may be the smallest national park in New Zealand, but it’s probably one of the most popular.
For the rest of the day we traded our time between the small rolling waves of the open water and the calm glass of sheltered lagoons. We paddled through the Mad Mile and visited Te Puketea Beach and Fisherman Island. Sometimes I was so concentrated on paddling I forgot to look up and take in my surroundings. When I did, I was amazed once again by the landscapes that this country provides. I was excited to be witnessing this natural beauty from the water.
Wishing you peace on earth,
LK
Bark Bay to Marahau
Time: All Day
Distance: 11 k
Avg Speed: Paddling
Terrain: Water
Location: Abel Tasman National Park
We spent the day sea kayaking along the coast of Abel Tasman National Park. We thought it would be a fun thing to do on Christmas Eve. I booked in with a tour company to make it easy. They have quite a system here since kayaking is probably just as popular as hiking. Every morning there is a flurry of activity to transport people to the tour base and then along the coastline to various starting points. The main method of transport is the tractor. Around here tractors are not just used for farm implements, they are also used for pulling people, water taxis and sea kayaks to and from the beach.
After getting a briefing for the day and suiting up in a dry top and life vest, we found ourselves skimming and bumping along the water to Bark Bay. This was our starting point for making our way back to Marahau. We had some quick instructions on the finer points of paddling and safety, and then launched from the beach. Chris and I were together in a double kayak and he sat in the back as captain. Normally, you would think nothing of this, but Chris has a history with boats, steering and rocks. Ask him about it sometime…
Anyway, we slowly paddled along the shore of Bark Bay past a few different beaches. We saw many people in various stages of their adventures. Some were packing their boats while others were filling their packs. The park plays host to several campsites and huts. It may be the smallest national park in New Zealand, but it’s probably one of the most popular.For the rest of the day we traded our time between the small rolling waves of the open water and the calm glass of sheltered lagoons. We paddled through the Mad Mile and visited Te Puketea Beach and Fisherman Island. Sometimes I was so concentrated on paddling I forgot to look up and take in my surroundings. When I did, I was amazed once again by the landscapes that this country provides. I was excited to be witnessing this natural beauty from the water.
Wishing you peace on earth,
LK
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Day 88: Motueka to Marahau
Time: 1:26:59
Distance: 19.75 k
Avg Speed: 13.6 kph
Terrain: One big hill
Location: 41˚ 00’ 2.7” S, 173˚ 00’ 3.9” E
For once I was the first one awake and moving today. I’m sure it was because we were headed to Marahau and a one week stay on our own cabin. We booked the accommodation back in June after much debate about what we should do for Christmas. Now after three months on the road, we are very happy that we decided to do it.
Our ride was quite short and we didn’t mind the big hill we had to ride up and over to get to Marahau. We arrived at the Ocean View Chalets just before lunch and had some tea while we waited for our room. Robert, our host, is very cool and has been following our website a bit. We chatted about Nepal and his trip there this past fall. We’ll be riding from Lhasa to Kathmandu next September and were very interesting in his perspectives on that part of the world.
Robert led us to our cabin as we pushed our bikes up the driveway. The cabins are set up on some hills above a few acres of hayfields and have a nice view of the ocean. As he opened the door we saw a stack of boxes from home. For the next hour or so we forgot about everything else and enjoyed all sorts of goodies from our friends and family. I thought it would be the sun to recharge me, but I think it will also be from reading cards and letters and hearing familiar voices. Thanks to everyone who sent something. You don’t know how much we appreciate it and someday we will definitely “pay it forward”.
Marahau is a small village on the north side of the South Island. It is part of the Tasman District which happens to be one of the fastest growing places in New Zealand. The district covers about 9800 sq kilometers and had almost 48,000 people. Most of the population lives in and around the urban area of Richmond. Marahau is somewhat removed and sits along Tasman Bay near the gateway to Abel Tasman National Park. With sparkling blue water surrounded by lush green mountains, it’s hard to deny that this place won’t feel the pressure of development at some point in the future. For now it plays host to a laid back tourist getaway.
LK
Distance: 19.75 k
Avg Speed: 13.6 kph
Terrain: One big hill
Location: 41˚ 00’ 2.7” S, 173˚ 00’ 3.9” E
For once I was the first one awake and moving today. I’m sure it was because we were headed to Marahau and a one week stay on our own cabin. We booked the accommodation back in June after much debate about what we should do for Christmas. Now after three months on the road, we are very happy that we decided to do it.
Our ride was quite short and we didn’t mind the big hill we had to ride up and over to get to Marahau. We arrived at the Ocean View Chalets just before lunch and had some tea while we waited for our room. Robert, our host, is very cool and has been following our website a bit. We chatted about Nepal and his trip there this past fall. We’ll be riding from Lhasa to Kathmandu next September and were very interesting in his perspectives on that part of the world.
Robert led us to our cabin as we pushed our bikes up the driveway. The cabins are set up on some hills above a few acres of hayfields and have a nice view of the ocean. As he opened the door we saw a stack of boxes from home. For the next hour or so we forgot about everything else and enjoyed all sorts of goodies from our friends and family. I thought it would be the sun to recharge me, but I think it will also be from reading cards and letters and hearing familiar voices. Thanks to everyone who sent something. You don’t know how much we appreciate it and someday we will definitely “pay it forward”.
Marahau is a small village on the north side of the South Island. It is part of the Tasman District which happens to be one of the fastest growing places in New Zealand. The district covers about 9800 sq kilometers and had almost 48,000 people. Most of the population lives in and around the urban area of Richmond. Marahau is somewhat removed and sits along Tasman Bay near the gateway to Abel Tasman National Park. With sparkling blue water surrounded by lush green mountains, it’s hard to deny that this place won’t feel the pressure of development at some point in the future. For now it plays host to a laid back tourist getaway.
LK
Friday, December 21, 2007
Day 87: Nelson to Motueka
Time: 3:15
Distance: 51.95 km
Avg Speed: 15.9 kph
Terrain: Rolling
Location: 41˚ 6’ 18.9” S, 173˚ 0’ 48.7” E
We headed out quite slowly this morning from Nelson. We got up early but ended up chatting with an older English gentleman. He is in his seventies and decided that he was going to head to New Zealand and tour the country on a motorbike. Long story short, he put the bike down in some gravel near Coromandel and ended up scraping his hands up and spraining his left rotator cuff. He figured he had a couple more weeks of recovery and then he was heading back to get his bike and finish his tour. He was one of those little surprises that you get. He grew up in England during WWII and was laughing at the fact that people only spend 9% of their income on food and complain that food is too expensive.
“What about all those DVD’s and electronics that you have to have?” He asked.
He came here last year as well. He has only his government retirement (like Social Security) and had to save for 2 ½ years to get enough to come here. He wanted to buy a bicycle and tour when he arrived here, but a host at a backpacker talked him out of it. He ended up touring by bus and staying in backpackers and was worried the whole time about his budget of £15 a day (about $45 NZD or $30 USD). He ended up getting back home and averaging £14.96/day!
He was a delight to talk to and one of those people you meet that seems to put it all into perspective for you.
One little bit of info that I did glean from him was what a stone weighs. A stone is an old English measurement of weight. They still use it down here to describe what a person weighs. 1 stone=14 lbs. Our little English friend weighed a whopping 6 ½ stones (you can do the math, but he was a little bulldog for sure).
Well not much else going on. We do have a short day tomorrow, but we will be loaded down with a weeks worth of groceries. We do have a fridge and full kitchen where we are staying next week so we have decided to not eat anything that we normally eat while cycling. The panniers will be bursting at the seams with yumminess.
Hope all is well where you are at.
CK
Distance: 51.95 km
Avg Speed: 15.9 kph
Terrain: Rolling
Location: 41˚ 6’ 18.9” S, 173˚ 0’ 48.7” E
We headed out quite slowly this morning from Nelson. We got up early but ended up chatting with an older English gentleman. He is in his seventies and decided that he was going to head to New Zealand and tour the country on a motorbike. Long story short, he put the bike down in some gravel near Coromandel and ended up scraping his hands up and spraining his left rotator cuff. He figured he had a couple more weeks of recovery and then he was heading back to get his bike and finish his tour. He was one of those little surprises that you get. He grew up in England during WWII and was laughing at the fact that people only spend 9% of their income on food and complain that food is too expensive.
“What about all those DVD’s and electronics that you have to have?” He asked.
He came here last year as well. He has only his government retirement (like Social Security) and had to save for 2 ½ years to get enough to come here. He wanted to buy a bicycle and tour when he arrived here, but a host at a backpacker talked him out of it. He ended up touring by bus and staying in backpackers and was worried the whole time about his budget of £15 a day (about $45 NZD or $30 USD). He ended up getting back home and averaging £14.96/day!
He was a delight to talk to and one of those people you meet that seems to put it all into perspective for you.
One little bit of info that I did glean from him was what a stone weighs. A stone is an old English measurement of weight. They still use it down here to describe what a person weighs. 1 stone=14 lbs. Our little English friend weighed a whopping 6 ½ stones (you can do the math, but he was a little bulldog for sure).
Well not much else going on. We do have a short day tomorrow, but we will be loaded down with a weeks worth of groceries. We do have a fridge and full kitchen where we are staying next week so we have decided to not eat anything that we normally eat while cycling. The panniers will be bursting at the seams with yumminess.
Hope all is well where you are at.
CK
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Day 85: Havelock to Nelson
Time: 4:43:39
Distance: 73.26 k
Avg Speed: 15.4 kph
Terrain: Big Hills and Big Descents
Location: 41 16’ 39.0” S, 173 17’ 6.3” E
I think it must be the holiday season or something – the traffic was insane today. I had planned to write a scathing blog tonight, but I’ve since calmed down. We’ve both been restrained in our past comments about New Zealand drivers. I’m not sure we can do that anymore. They drive way too fast and don’t give a “you know what” about anyone else on the road. I guess we’re in for a rude awaking if we encounter any worse on the rest of our travels.
We’re back on the coastal roads and found ourselves riding through hilly terrain. We’ve come a long way from the first hills we climbed almost three months ago. Our average speed is faster now – we must finally be in shape.
The end of the road today was Nelson. The largest city on the northern South Island, Nelson is very popular. It has a great climate and is a good jumping off point for many different activities. Tonight we’re camped out on the lawn in the garden of a backpackers hostel. We’ve found that the backpackers are a bit cozier than the holiday parks and are full interesting travelers.
We’re headed west again tomorrow and one day closer to a place at the beach. I am really looking forward to a bed and my own bathroom.
LK
Distance: 73.26 k
Avg Speed: 15.4 kph
Terrain: Big Hills and Big Descents
Location: 41 16’ 39.0” S, 173 17’ 6.3” E
I think it must be the holiday season or something – the traffic was insane today. I had planned to write a scathing blog tonight, but I’ve since calmed down. We’ve both been restrained in our past comments about New Zealand drivers. I’m not sure we can do that anymore. They drive way too fast and don’t give a “you know what” about anyone else on the road. I guess we’re in for a rude awaking if we encounter any worse on the rest of our travels.
We’re back on the coastal roads and found ourselves riding through hilly terrain. We’ve come a long way from the first hills we climbed almost three months ago. Our average speed is faster now – we must finally be in shape.
The end of the road today was Nelson. The largest city on the northern South Island, Nelson is very popular. It has a great climate and is a good jumping off point for many different activities. Tonight we’re camped out on the lawn in the garden of a backpackers hostel. We’ve found that the backpackers are a bit cozier than the holiday parks and are full interesting travelers.
We’re headed west again tomorrow and one day closer to a place at the beach. I am really looking forward to a bed and my own bathroom.
LK
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Wet and Wild
Day: 87
Picton to Havelock
Time: 2:41
Distance: 35.32 km
Avg Speed: 13.1
Terrain: Hilly and wet
Location: 173 45' 50" E, 41 17' 18" S
We rolled into Picton yesterday to be greeted by sideways rain. When we left Picton this morning it had at least slowed down to mere vertical. We donned our rain gear before heading out this morning and rode all day in a steady rain. It never came down hard, but it was enough to get you wet. Our rain gear is pretty good, so we were wet from our sweat only. Nothing like climbing hills wearing little greenhouses.
We arrived in Havelock resembling drowned rats so we decided that instead of pushing on we should get a backpacker room here and dry out a little. Leslie had no back brakes left after the descents so I had some mechanic duties ahead of me. Her back brakes were getting worn a bit anyway and it only took a wet descent or two to throw enough grit on the rim to finish the pads. We had a spare set so it wasn’t an emergency by any means. I guess we are riding our bikes and these things happen.
I am reading a book written in 1973 about a British attempt on Everest via the then unclimbed southwest face. It is written by the expedition manager, Chris Bonington, and details all the grimy details of an expedition of that magnitude. It is quite a good read. While we were riding the train to Picton, Leslie and I were discussing our trip plans and any logistics we needed to take care of in the immediate future. I announced ‘that as expedition manager’ I thought we ought to do this or that. Leslie in her unwavering charm looked at me and said ‘if you are expedition manager than I must be expedition director.’ We now boss each other around and wave our self appointed titles in each others face.
Leslie and I are rather content with what we are doing right now. We no longer remember or dwell on things unpleasant and are content to live this trip day by day and minute by minute. Chris Bonington sums it up best describing the act of planning out an expedition immediately after returning home from one:
"Part of the reason is the shortness of human memory for things unpleasant, part the speed of a change of mood in self or surroundings; the elation of the good days’ climbing, when the route is forced out another thousand feet or so; the impact of a golden sunset; the reward of the ever-expanding scene as we gain height; the satisfaction of facing up adversity and overcoming it-all are there."
I think that this is also true for us in the sense that even though our journey is far from complete, we have a short term memory for things such as rain, wind, loneliness, hunger. Our memories are full of the good things we have seen, felt, and touched. All are there.
Take care.
CK
Picton to Havelock
Time: 2:41
Distance: 35.32 km
Avg Speed: 13.1
Terrain: Hilly and wet
Location: 173 45' 50" E, 41 17' 18" S
We rolled into Picton yesterday to be greeted by sideways rain. When we left Picton this morning it had at least slowed down to mere vertical. We donned our rain gear before heading out this morning and rode all day in a steady rain. It never came down hard, but it was enough to get you wet. Our rain gear is pretty good, so we were wet from our sweat only. Nothing like climbing hills wearing little greenhouses.
We arrived in Havelock resembling drowned rats so we decided that instead of pushing on we should get a backpacker room here and dry out a little. Leslie had no back brakes left after the descents so I had some mechanic duties ahead of me. Her back brakes were getting worn a bit anyway and it only took a wet descent or two to throw enough grit on the rim to finish the pads. We had a spare set so it wasn’t an emergency by any means. I guess we are riding our bikes and these things happen.
I am reading a book written in 1973 about a British attempt on Everest via the then unclimbed southwest face. It is written by the expedition manager, Chris Bonington, and details all the grimy details of an expedition of that magnitude. It is quite a good read. While we were riding the train to Picton, Leslie and I were discussing our trip plans and any logistics we needed to take care of in the immediate future. I announced ‘that as expedition manager’ I thought we ought to do this or that. Leslie in her unwavering charm looked at me and said ‘if you are expedition manager than I must be expedition director.’ We now boss each other around and wave our self appointed titles in each others face.
Leslie and I are rather content with what we are doing right now. We no longer remember or dwell on things unpleasant and are content to live this trip day by day and minute by minute. Chris Bonington sums it up best describing the act of planning out an expedition immediately after returning home from one:
"Part of the reason is the shortness of human memory for things unpleasant, part the speed of a change of mood in self or surroundings; the elation of the good days’ climbing, when the route is forced out another thousand feet or so; the impact of a golden sunset; the reward of the ever-expanding scene as we gain height; the satisfaction of facing up adversity and overcoming it-all are there."
I think that this is also true for us in the sense that even though our journey is far from complete, we have a short term memory for things such as rain, wind, loneliness, hunger. Our memories are full of the good things we have seen, felt, and touched. All are there.
Take care.
CK
Monday, December 17, 2007
TranzCoastal Journey
Day 84
Christchurch to Picton via the Tranzcoastal Railway
Time: 5:00:00
Distance: 347 k
Avg Speed: Train Speed
Terrain: Flat with rails
Location: 41 17’ 27.8” S, 174 00’ 20.1” E
“Herein, I think, is the chief attraction of railway travel. The speed is so easy, and the train disturbs so little the scenes through which it takes, that our hearts become full of the placidity and stillness of the country; and while the body is being borne forward in the flying chain of carriages, the thoughts alight, as the humour moves them, at unfrequented stations…” – Robert Louis Stevenson from Ordered South
We took the train from Christchurch to Picton today. We’re on a pretty short timeline to get north for Christmas and we figured the train would be more interesting than a bus. Our half day journey took us along the northeast coast and through new territory. We’ve now been able to complete our loop of the South Island. Besides cycling, I think I’ve found a new favorite way to travel. There must be some nostalgia and excitement in taking the train, I’m definitely hooked. I don’t know what it is; maybe it’s just that you don’t feel like a caged animal.
The quote above just happens to be from the book I’m currently reading, The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux. Isn’t that funny? How convenient. Theroux (or Mr. Thorax as some have called him) is one of my favorite authors and I was excited to make the find in a Dunedin used bookshop. The book is a series of rail journeys that Theroux takes across Europe and Asia to the Far East. He starts in London, finds his way to Southeast Asia, and returns across Russia by way of Japan. I’ve read bits and pieces in the past, but I wanted to do some research on the routes from Singapore to Bangkok and up the coast of Vietnam. We’re considering traveling by train as part of our new route plan.
Tomorrow we head west along the Marlborough Sounds. Rain or shine we’ll be turning our pedals.
Keeping it real,
LK
Christchurch to Picton via the Tranzcoastal Railway
Time: 5:00:00
Distance: 347 k
Avg Speed: Train Speed
Terrain: Flat with rails
Location: 41 17’ 27.8” S, 174 00’ 20.1” E
“Herein, I think, is the chief attraction of railway travel. The speed is so easy, and the train disturbs so little the scenes through which it takes, that our hearts become full of the placidity and stillness of the country; and while the body is being borne forward in the flying chain of carriages, the thoughts alight, as the humour moves them, at unfrequented stations…” – Robert Louis Stevenson from Ordered South
We took the train from Christchurch to Picton today. We’re on a pretty short timeline to get north for Christmas and we figured the train would be more interesting than a bus. Our half day journey took us along the northeast coast and through new territory. We’ve now been able to complete our loop of the South Island. Besides cycling, I think I’ve found a new favorite way to travel. There must be some nostalgia and excitement in taking the train, I’m definitely hooked. I don’t know what it is; maybe it’s just that you don’t feel like a caged animal.
The quote above just happens to be from the book I’m currently reading, The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux. Isn’t that funny? How convenient. Theroux (or Mr. Thorax as some have called him) is one of my favorite authors and I was excited to make the find in a Dunedin used bookshop. The book is a series of rail journeys that Theroux takes across Europe and Asia to the Far East. He starts in London, finds his way to Southeast Asia, and returns across Russia by way of Japan. I’ve read bits and pieces in the past, but I wanted to do some research on the routes from Singapore to Bangkok and up the coast of Vietnam. We’re considering traveling by train as part of our new route plan.
Tomorrow we head west along the Marlborough Sounds. Rain or shine we’ll be turning our pedals.
Keeping it real,
LK
Prison Bus
Day: 83
Dunedin to Christchurch
Time: 5:00:00
Distance: 360 km
Avg Speed: At least 100 kph
Terrain: hilly and bus-like
Location: 172 37' 31" E, 43 31' 39" S
We got out of dodge early this morning. We caught the bus from Dunedin to Christchurch today. The bus left at 7:45 this morning so we had to get up early and get on the road to the bus station. We had thought about riding to Christchurch, but SH 1 is not the road for the faint of heart. It is a two lane road connecting the two biggest cities on the south island and sees a lot of traffic. Riding your bike on it, even though it is done, is taking your life in your hands, and hoping that all those motorists have there head on the road and not somewhere else.
The bus is always fun, and here the buses are comfortable and clean. The drivers pull over a couple times for nature breaks and coffee stops. Today’s ride was pretty uneventful except for the little chicky next to Leslie and I having a fight over her cell phone. Classic Kiwi.
We arrived in Christchurch this afternoon and ran the gauntlet through town to our accommodations near the train station. We are staying at a historical jail house turned backpackers (www.jail.co.nz). We are in cell 9. When I say cell 9, I do mean cell 9. The room is 6’ x 15’ and the walls are 60 cm thick. The door to the room is the original heavy iron door, except it locks on the inside. The jail was built in 1874 and stands today as an example of gothic revival architecture. It is rather surreal to walk through the gate into the yard to check in. It is all in fun, and the wardens (hostel staff) have fun at their job.
We are off tomorrow on the train to Picton. It should be fun.
I would also like to give a shout out to my sister and her husband. They welcomed two little girls into the world the other day. All is well and the mom and the babies are doing fine.
Sayonara from cell block D
CK
Dunedin to Christchurch
Time: 5:00:00
Distance: 360 km
Avg Speed: At least 100 kph
Terrain: hilly and bus-like
Location: 172 37' 31" E, 43 31' 39" S
We got out of dodge early this morning. We caught the bus from Dunedin to Christchurch today. The bus left at 7:45 this morning so we had to get up early and get on the road to the bus station. We had thought about riding to Christchurch, but SH 1 is not the road for the faint of heart. It is a two lane road connecting the two biggest cities on the south island and sees a lot of traffic. Riding your bike on it, even though it is done, is taking your life in your hands, and hoping that all those motorists have there head on the road and not somewhere else.
The bus is always fun, and here the buses are comfortable and clean. The drivers pull over a couple times for nature breaks and coffee stops. Today’s ride was pretty uneventful except for the little chicky next to Leslie and I having a fight over her cell phone. Classic Kiwi.
We arrived in Christchurch this afternoon and ran the gauntlet through town to our accommodations near the train station. We are staying at a historical jail house turned backpackers (www.jail.co.nz). We are in cell 9. When I say cell 9, I do mean cell 9. The room is 6’ x 15’ and the walls are 60 cm thick. The door to the room is the original heavy iron door, except it locks on the inside. The jail was built in 1874 and stands today as an example of gothic revival architecture. It is rather surreal to walk through the gate into the yard to check in. It is all in fun, and the wardens (hostel staff) have fun at their job.
We are off tomorrow on the train to Picton. It should be fun.
I would also like to give a shout out to my sister and her husband. They welcomed two little girls into the world the other day. All is well and the mom and the babies are doing fine.
Sayonara from cell block D
CK
Sunday, December 16, 2007
The Gods Must Be Crazy
Day 82
Dunedin: Another Rest Day
Messages come at random times and in all shapes and sizes. You can never really know what lies ahead. That’s what life is all about sometimes; random events that really do mean something…
Today we met a new friend and we met him in the strangest place – on the road in a right hand turn lane. Chris and I were had just made a dash across two lanes to make a right hand turn when a van in front of us was straddling the turn lane and the straight lane. I thought to myself “Great, another Kiwi driver…”. Then window rolled down and a guy started to lean out. “This should be interesting…” was my next thought. I rolled up next to the guy and he was smiling and said something like “you’re riding your bikes around?”. I replied and then he started to chat as the light turned green. He talked at bit more and then looked behind him and said “The Kiwis are getting mad” and then signaled that he was going to turn and pull over. We pulled over with him and then chatted for the next forty five minutes. He was an avid cyclist himself and a kindred outdoor spirit. We talked about everything from bicycles to New Zealand culture to environmental sustainability. This guy was full of life and passion – he’s the most energetic person we have met in New Zealand.
After saying goodbye we did an urban tour of Dunedin on our bikes. We found the bus station, toured the University campus and ate sub sandwiches at the local pizza joint. The whole time I kept thinking about our chance meeting with Eden. There was something more to it than just a random interaction. I guess I couldn’t really put my finger on it, but it was refreshing.
The afternoon was spent repacking our panniers for the road ahead. By Wednesday we’ll be at the top of the South Island riding towards Abel Tasman National Park. Towards evening we walked the beach and on the way back we ran into Eden again. He was on his way to the pool. We chatted for awhile once more and then invited him to stop by for some beers. Chris and I haven’t done any entertaining since we left home so we were a bit nervous about having a guest. Sounds funny, but when you spend so much time in a foreign country where everyone does their own thing, you get used to just having one other person to talk with. Anyway, Eden stopped by a bit later and we talked for hours like we were old friends.
We said goodbye and hope to keep in touch. Perhaps we’ll see Eden again - I hope so. Perhaps the meeting today was more than just chance.
LK
Dunedin: Another Rest Day
Messages come at random times and in all shapes and sizes. You can never really know what lies ahead. That’s what life is all about sometimes; random events that really do mean something…
Today we met a new friend and we met him in the strangest place – on the road in a right hand turn lane. Chris and I were had just made a dash across two lanes to make a right hand turn when a van in front of us was straddling the turn lane and the straight lane. I thought to myself “Great, another Kiwi driver…”. Then window rolled down and a guy started to lean out. “This should be interesting…” was my next thought. I rolled up next to the guy and he was smiling and said something like “you’re riding your bikes around?”. I replied and then he started to chat as the light turned green. He talked at bit more and then looked behind him and said “The Kiwis are getting mad” and then signaled that he was going to turn and pull over. We pulled over with him and then chatted for the next forty five minutes. He was an avid cyclist himself and a kindred outdoor spirit. We talked about everything from bicycles to New Zealand culture to environmental sustainability. This guy was full of life and passion – he’s the most energetic person we have met in New Zealand.
After saying goodbye we did an urban tour of Dunedin on our bikes. We found the bus station, toured the University campus and ate sub sandwiches at the local pizza joint. The whole time I kept thinking about our chance meeting with Eden. There was something more to it than just a random interaction. I guess I couldn’t really put my finger on it, but it was refreshing.
The afternoon was spent repacking our panniers for the road ahead. By Wednesday we’ll be at the top of the South Island riding towards Abel Tasman National Park. Towards evening we walked the beach and on the way back we ran into Eden again. He was on his way to the pool. We chatted for awhile once more and then invited him to stop by for some beers. Chris and I haven’t done any entertaining since we left home so we were a bit nervous about having a guest. Sounds funny, but when you spend so much time in a foreign country where everyone does their own thing, you get used to just having one other person to talk with. Anyway, Eden stopped by a bit later and we talked for hours like we were old friends.
We said goodbye and hope to keep in touch. Perhaps we’ll see Eden again - I hope so. Perhaps the meeting today was more than just chance.
LK
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Day 79: Dunedin Rest Day 2
Time: SlowDistance: Not Far
Avg Speed: Walking
Terrain: Flat and wet
We woke up to the sounds of rain on the fly this morning so we snuggled back into our sleeping bags and decided to have a leisurely breakfast. We had planned on heading into the city today by bike, but with the weather we opted for the drier option. We have gotten better at the public buses while traveling. One of our first forays was in Quito, Ecuador where we didn’t really know where the bus was going, we just knew it cost a quarter and was heading back to our hotel. It was that first experience that taught us to move with a purpose and watch what the locals are doing. One time in London Leslie didn’t watch the locals to see where they were recovering their subway passes on the other side of the style. It was no big deal, but right then we were labeled as tourists and not as some other Londoner heading home for the day. Fast forward to this trip. We find out the bus schedule, figure out the times and always let someone else go first if we can. The bus drivers are always nice and point to the dish where we are supposed to drop our money in and tell us to grab our ticket out of the machine. Earlier in this leg of the trip some passengers in Wellington even figured out that we were about to miss our stop and signaled the driver for us. I guess three people and a 6’8” guy looking clueless always tips people off to the tourist thing.
Dunedin is very interesting city. We killed time by going to a very cool used bookstore and finding a couple of gems to send home. We were laughing because two used books were the first things we had bought for ourselves to send home on this trip. We then headed over to the Otago Settlers Museum to check it out. It helped that it was free. We ended up spending quite a bit of time there checking out the bicycle and motorcycle collection and display. They even had a penny-farthing bicycle set up for people to sit on and check out. A penny-farthing is actually a brand name of the bicycles that had a big wheel up front and a little wheel in back. I think that those would have been difficult contraptions to master, let alone ride. Leslie looked quite at home on it though.
We ended up our trip downtown with a visit to the Monteith Craft Brewery restaurant where we devoured two dishes of appetizers and a couple of yummy beers. The rain really never ceased to fall all day so we caught the bus back and have spent the rest of the day hanging out in the kitchen. We did manage to catch the news where a male news caster sat in front of a blown of photo of David Beckham wearing nothing but his tighty whities. The news caster never cracked a smile as he reported the world’s buzz about what exactly was in those shorts and that some felt that David looked like a page three tart. Leslie and I were on the floor laughing since: A) this made the news, B) the newsman never cracked a smile, and C) that David looked like a page three tart. You just can’t make this stuff up.
See you
CK
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
The Edinburgh of the South
Day 78
St Kilda Beach to St Clair Beach and back
Time: About an hour or so
Distance: Not important
Avg Speed: Walking
Terrain: Sand
After eight days in a row of riding we’re happy to have our first rest day in Dunedin. I think we’re planning a few more. We found a very nice holiday park by the beach and seem to be content to explore the area from here. We should have a variety of things to see and do. Tomorrow we’re headed to the city centre to run some errands and do the café thing.
Dunedin is a very cool city – one we had a chance to visit when my parents were here. Our time was limited and we saw just enough to make us return. At one time Dunedin was the largest city in New Zealand, the result of the gold rush in the late 19th century. During its heyday, this very Victorian city was the center of the richest and most influential region in the country.
Dunedin gets its name (Gaelic for Edinburgh) from Scottish roots. The Scots were the first Europeans to settle the area in 1848 and the city stills maintains a strong Scottish heritage. Robert Burns is immortalized in a large statue in the center of the city at the Octagon.
Perhaps Dunedin gets a lot of its character from the University of Otago. Founded in 1869, the university is regarded as the epicenter of higher education in New Zealand.
The location of the city has a dramatic landscape and is surrounded by lush green hills and the Southern Pacific Ocean. To this east of the city lies the Otago Peninsula. We hope to do a day trip there and look for some of the area’s world renowned wildlife.
We ended the day with a nice walk along St Kilda Beach to St Clair Beach. We watched the surf and the surf riders; looks like we’ll need a good wetsuit if we decide to join in.
Hang Loose,
LK
St Kilda Beach to St Clair Beach and back
Time: About an hour or so
Distance: Not important
Avg Speed: Walking
Terrain: Sand
After eight days in a row of riding we’re happy to have our first rest day in Dunedin. I think we’re planning a few more. We found a very nice holiday park by the beach and seem to be content to explore the area from here. We should have a variety of things to see and do. Tomorrow we’re headed to the city centre to run some errands and do the café thing.
Dunedin is a very cool city – one we had a chance to visit when my parents were here. Our time was limited and we saw just enough to make us return. At one time Dunedin was the largest city in New Zealand, the result of the gold rush in the late 19th century. During its heyday, this very Victorian city was the center of the richest and most influential region in the country.
Dunedin gets its name (Gaelic for Edinburgh) from Scottish roots. The Scots were the first Europeans to settle the area in 1848 and the city stills maintains a strong Scottish heritage. Robert Burns is immortalized in a large statue in the center of the city at the Octagon.
Perhaps Dunedin gets a lot of its character from the University of Otago. Founded in 1869, the university is regarded as the epicenter of higher education in New Zealand.
The location of the city has a dramatic landscape and is surrounded by lush green hills and the Southern Pacific Ocean. To this east of the city lies the Otago Peninsula. We hope to do a day trip there and look for some of the area’s world renowned wildlife.
We ended the day with a nice walk along St Kilda Beach to St Clair Beach. We watched the surf and the surf riders; looks like we’ll need a good wetsuit if we decide to join in.
Hang Loose,
LK
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Bikes and Trains DO Mix
Day: 77
Middlemarch to Dunedin
Time: 1:54
Distance: 26.8 km
Avg Speed: 14.1 kph
Terrain: rolling
Location: 45 52’ 36.0” E, 170 30’ 30.3” N
We headed on out of Blind Billy’s Holiday Camp in Middlemarch early this morning. We had train to catch at 11:45 in a town called Pukerangi and didn’t want to miss it. Before I tell you about our ride let me tell you a little bit about life in holiday camps in New Zealand. We didn’t plan on staying in them as much as we have, but due to circumstance we have ended up free camping a lot less than we had planned. New Zealand is set up for camping, but usually it is in DOC (Dept. of Conservation) camps or in holiday camps. The difference between the two is the DOC camp is bare bones with usually a pit toilet and maybe water, whereas the holiday camps are more like hostel for tents and campervans. We have opted for the hostel atmosphere since we can get by with carrying less.
We usually roll into town before the campervan crusade gets there and have the office and the campground to ourselves for an hour or two. You are generally charged the same as a campervan since you are taking up the same space one would. We fail to see the logic in this, but we make sure to take longer showers and use all the free stuff we can. TV has been a favorite as of late (Hell’s Kitchen is particularly intriguing). We get the tent set up and all of our things inside and then take turns hanging out while the other showers. We then either go to the store, the pub, the take-away or the kitchen for first round of food. Leslie catches us up on the pictures and, if we have internet, the blog and picture sites. I usually start dinner around 6:00 or so and this is so we can catch the weather at 6:50 on the news. The sports run from 6:30 to 6:50 every night so we can usually time it just right. Leslie does the dishes, we watch a little more TV and then off to bed where we blog, journal, read, stretch, listen to music or sleep. Anyone bored out of their gourds yet? We sometimes have people who will strike up a conversation with us, but being the introverts we are it is rarely the other way around. All in all very exciting. The morning is pretty much the same in reverse. Get up, get dressed, pack up the inside of the tent, eat, pack our panniers, break down the tent and get on the road. If we are in a hurry, or if the bugs are bad we can do all that in around an hour and a half. We usually aren’t in a hurry, so we take around two to two and a half hours to get on the road. Exciting stuff…but wait there is more. We then pedal for around an hour and a half before we take our first real break. From that point on it is how we feel, or what is available to us in towns. Parks are nice, as are cafés so we usually will stop at those if presented with one at an opportune time.
We ended up getting to Pukerangi on time and caught the Taieri Gorge Limited into Dunedin. It was quite a nice ride along the old rail line through a narrow gorge above the Taieri River. We were several hundred feet above the river, but you could see the bottom of it through the clear water. Leslie and I had the dining car to ourselves (of course it was the dining car) and switched sides every time we crossed a bridge or viaduct. We made it to Dunedin right as the rain let up and got our tent up just as the rain started again. We laughed how we had sunny, nice weather for the past eight days of touring and when we decided to take a day or two off the bike, the rains came. The sun doesn’t shine on the same dog’s butt every day, but we sure did get our share of rays.
Hope all is well where ever are.
CK
Middlemarch to Dunedin
Time: 1:54
Distance: 26.8 km
Avg Speed: 14.1 kph
Terrain: rolling
Location: 45 52’ 36.0” E, 170 30’ 30.3” N
We headed on out of Blind Billy’s Holiday Camp in Middlemarch early this morning. We had train to catch at 11:45 in a town called Pukerangi and didn’t want to miss it. Before I tell you about our ride let me tell you a little bit about life in holiday camps in New Zealand. We didn’t plan on staying in them as much as we have, but due to circumstance we have ended up free camping a lot less than we had planned. New Zealand is set up for camping, but usually it is in DOC (Dept. of Conservation) camps or in holiday camps. The difference between the two is the DOC camp is bare bones with usually a pit toilet and maybe water, whereas the holiday camps are more like hostel for tents and campervans. We have opted for the hostel atmosphere since we can get by with carrying less.
We usually roll into town before the campervan crusade gets there and have the office and the campground to ourselves for an hour or two. You are generally charged the same as a campervan since you are taking up the same space one would. We fail to see the logic in this, but we make sure to take longer showers and use all the free stuff we can. TV has been a favorite as of late (Hell’s Kitchen is particularly intriguing). We get the tent set up and all of our things inside and then take turns hanging out while the other showers. We then either go to the store, the pub, the take-away or the kitchen for first round of food. Leslie catches us up on the pictures and, if we have internet, the blog and picture sites. I usually start dinner around 6:00 or so and this is so we can catch the weather at 6:50 on the news. The sports run from 6:30 to 6:50 every night so we can usually time it just right. Leslie does the dishes, we watch a little more TV and then off to bed where we blog, journal, read, stretch, listen to music or sleep. Anyone bored out of their gourds yet? We sometimes have people who will strike up a conversation with us, but being the introverts we are it is rarely the other way around. All in all very exciting. The morning is pretty much the same in reverse. Get up, get dressed, pack up the inside of the tent, eat, pack our panniers, break down the tent and get on the road. If we are in a hurry, or if the bugs are bad we can do all that in around an hour and a half. We usually aren’t in a hurry, so we take around two to two and a half hours to get on the road. Exciting stuff…but wait there is more. We then pedal for around an hour and a half before we take our first real break. From that point on it is how we feel, or what is available to us in towns. Parks are nice, as are cafés so we usually will stop at those if presented with one at an opportune time.
We ended up getting to Pukerangi on time and caught the Taieri Gorge Limited into Dunedin. It was quite a nice ride along the old rail line through a narrow gorge above the Taieri River. We were several hundred feet above the river, but you could see the bottom of it through the clear water. Leslie and I had the dining car to ourselves (of course it was the dining car) and switched sides every time we crossed a bridge or viaduct. We made it to Dunedin right as the rain let up and got our tent up just as the rain started again. We laughed how we had sunny, nice weather for the past eight days of touring and when we decided to take a day or two off the bike, the rains came. The sun doesn’t shine on the same dog’s butt every day, but we sure did get our share of rays.
Hope all is well where ever are.
CK
Monday, December 10, 2007
The End of the Trail
Day 76
Daisybank to Middlemarch
Time: 2:36:00
Distance: 37.8 k
Avg Speed: 14.5 kph
Terrain: Flat
Location: 45 30’ 32.3” S, 170 07’ 23.9” E
We awoke to raindrops on our tent this morning. I guess it was the end to the hot dry weather we’ve had for the last week. We certainly enjoyed our bush camp for the night – a real treat. The sheep and lambs looked on curiously as we packed up camp.
With no television to watch this morning we were on the road by 9am. The rain had stopped but we kept our jackets very accessible. Two and a half hours later (and several clothes changes later) we arrived in Middlemarch and the end of the Otago Rail Trail.
We enjoyed our journey tremendously. Not only did we have a nice break from the roads, we really felt like we got to “see” this area of Central Otago in detail. I’m quite certain that this part of New Zealand is not on the tourist track. Lucky for us – we had the time to ramble through. As we made progress forward each day, we were able to let our minds travel back in time.
Over 10,000 people enjoy the rail trail each year. It is managed by the DOC (Department of Conservation) and was opened in 2000. The project was modeled after other Rails to Trails Projects already completed. The route follows the former Otago Central Branch Railway line from Middlemarch to Clyde which ran for 83 years. It was an important link between Dunedin and the communities throughout this region. Tomorrow we’ll finish the remaining kilometers of the historic route on the Taieri Gorge Scenic Railway.
LK
Daisybank to Middlemarch
Time: 2:36:00
Distance: 37.8 k
Avg Speed: 14.5 kph
Terrain: Flat
Location: 45 30’ 32.3” S, 170 07’ 23.9” E
We awoke to raindrops on our tent this morning. I guess it was the end to the hot dry weather we’ve had for the last week. We certainly enjoyed our bush camp for the night – a real treat. The sheep and lambs looked on curiously as we packed up camp.
With no television to watch this morning we were on the road by 9am. The rain had stopped but we kept our jackets very accessible. Two and a half hours later (and several clothes changes later) we arrived in Middlemarch and the end of the Otago Rail Trail.
We enjoyed our journey tremendously. Not only did we have a nice break from the roads, we really felt like we got to “see” this area of Central Otago in detail. I’m quite certain that this part of New Zealand is not on the tourist track. Lucky for us – we had the time to ramble through. As we made progress forward each day, we were able to let our minds travel back in time.
Over 10,000 people enjoy the rail trail each year. It is managed by the DOC (Department of Conservation) and was opened in 2000. The project was modeled after other Rails to Trails Projects already completed. The route follows the former Otago Central Branch Railway line from Middlemarch to Clyde which ran for 83 years. It was an important link between Dunedin and the communities throughout this region. Tomorrow we’ll finish the remaining kilometers of the historic route on the Taieri Gorge Scenic Railway.
LK
Fruit Cake Oatmeal
Day: 75
Naseby to Daisybank
Time: 2:35
Distance: 38.9 km
Avg Speed: 15.0 kph
Terrain: F-L-A-T
Location: 45 14 46.5 S, 170 16 34.0 E
Ahh…what a way to start a day. We had some oatmeal left over from our backpack a couple of weeks ago and since we were out of our regular breakfast cereal, we ate it. I knew our menu was coming to this so while on Oturehua I had bought some mixed dried fruit to spice things up a little bit. We got the coffee made this morning in the process of getting the oatmeal ready to go I noticed that the dried fruit was actually a fruit cake mix. I am not a fan of fruit cake by any means, and the thought of having candied orange and lemon peels along with “artificial” dried fruit didn’t excite me too much. I was hungry though, and I ate it as long as I could. Leslie and I could only half laugh and half groan as we ate the oatmeal down this morning. We were glad that we had planned a little café stop later that morning when we passed through Ranfurly. I guess I really need to read labels more carefully!
We got back on the rail trail in Ranfurly and headed towards our bush camping destination of Daisybank. The camp really isn’t in Daisybank itself, but further down near the Red Dwarf Ganger Shed. I thought that was too long for the destination line, so I left it as Daisybank. We are actually staying in our first bush camp in New Zealand. We had thought that we would do it a lot more, but with all the holiday parks in this country the DOC and the Government do a good job of keeping the bush camping sites to a minimum. The site we have is right near the river and we are surrounded by a couple hundred of our wooly friends. They have kept us at a distance for now. Hopefully it remains that way.
We ate a little dinner and had some candy bars for dessert. We ended the evening with a rousing game of skipping stones down by the river. Leslie had the best skips by far, but I attribute that to my height and the poor interface angle of rock and water. Oh well, it doesn’t really matter that much, I just enjoyed spending some fun time with my lady friend.
I have been working on a book while on the trip. I haven’t come up with a title yet, but it is about the introduction of possums to New Zealand for the fur trade. It is centers on the breeding female Charlotte and her two suitors, Hector and Anthony. I see it as a cross between Dr, Seuss and Edward Grimm. The first part is the demise of the first couple of litters due to various accidents. Did I mention that Hector and Anthony aren’t the sharpest tools in the shed? Here is a short excerpt:
Georgia the beauty was shot with a bow
Howard the strong one was hacked with a hoe
Ian the dolt was nabbed by a seal
Julia his equal became a poor farmer’s meal
Kermit the clumsy one fell out of a tree
Lucinda the serene one was allergic to a bee
Mason the curious one went one step too far
Neil the sickly one was crushed with a bar
You get the picture. I have an entire alphabet of names and fates, but this is just a taster. Any comments would be welcome.
That is all for now.
CK
Naseby to Daisybank
Time: 2:35
Distance: 38.9 km
Avg Speed: 15.0 kph
Terrain: F-L-A-T
Location: 45 14 46.5 S, 170 16 34.0 E
Ahh…what a way to start a day. We had some oatmeal left over from our backpack a couple of weeks ago and since we were out of our regular breakfast cereal, we ate it. I knew our menu was coming to this so while on Oturehua I had bought some mixed dried fruit to spice things up a little bit. We got the coffee made this morning in the process of getting the oatmeal ready to go I noticed that the dried fruit was actually a fruit cake mix. I am not a fan of fruit cake by any means, and the thought of having candied orange and lemon peels along with “artificial” dried fruit didn’t excite me too much. I was hungry though, and I ate it as long as I could. Leslie and I could only half laugh and half groan as we ate the oatmeal down this morning. We were glad that we had planned a little café stop later that morning when we passed through Ranfurly. I guess I really need to read labels more carefully!
We got back on the rail trail in Ranfurly and headed towards our bush camping destination of Daisybank. The camp really isn’t in Daisybank itself, but further down near the Red Dwarf Ganger Shed. I thought that was too long for the destination line, so I left it as Daisybank. We are actually staying in our first bush camp in New Zealand. We had thought that we would do it a lot more, but with all the holiday parks in this country the DOC and the Government do a good job of keeping the bush camping sites to a minimum. The site we have is right near the river and we are surrounded by a couple hundred of our wooly friends. They have kept us at a distance for now. Hopefully it remains that way.
We ate a little dinner and had some candy bars for dessert. We ended the evening with a rousing game of skipping stones down by the river. Leslie had the best skips by far, but I attribute that to my height and the poor interface angle of rock and water. Oh well, it doesn’t really matter that much, I just enjoyed spending some fun time with my lady friend.
I have been working on a book while on the trip. I haven’t come up with a title yet, but it is about the introduction of possums to New Zealand for the fur trade. It is centers on the breeding female Charlotte and her two suitors, Hector and Anthony. I see it as a cross between Dr, Seuss and Edward Grimm. The first part is the demise of the first couple of litters due to various accidents. Did I mention that Hector and Anthony aren’t the sharpest tools in the shed? Here is a short excerpt:
Georgia the beauty was shot with a bow
Howard the strong one was hacked with a hoe
Ian the dolt was nabbed by a seal
Julia his equal became a poor farmer’s meal
Kermit the clumsy one fell out of a tree
Lucinda the serene one was allergic to a bee
Mason the curious one went one step too far
Neil the sickly one was crushed with a bar
You get the picture. I have an entire alphabet of names and fates, but this is just a taster. Any comments would be welcome.
That is all for now.
CK
Rural Art Deco
Day 74
Oturehua to Naseby
Time: 2:59:20
Distance: 39.40 k
Avg Speed: 13.1 kph
Terrain: Flat
Location: 45 01’ 18.5” S, 170 08’ 29.1” E
Rural Art Deco. It’s so New Zealand.
Day 4 on the Rail Trail. We saw and heard it all today. We left Oturehua at the usual time (10am) with full bellies and minimal cash in our wallets. We came up with a financial strategy for the rest of the rail trail based on the services at our intended stopping point for the day - Ranfurly.
The first part of the ride took us north and south of the 45 parallel in the span of a few kilometers. Being the geography geek that I am, I whipped out the camera and made us pose for a self portrait. Chris, being the wonderful person that he is, has become accustom to this behavior.
From there we passed through Wedderburn, another town on the rail line. I cannot remember the town’s claim to fame. However, I do remember that the word “wedder” refers to a sheep that has been castrated. Ponder that.
We stopped again before Ranfurly at one of the many enlightening kiosks found along the trail. They call them Gangers’ Sheds. We busted out some apples and read through the history of the upcoming towns. After reading the description for a town called Naseby, we decided to extend our day a little bit instead of resting in Ranfurly; assuming that we could get some money.
We arrived in Ranfurly and immediately went on the hunt for cash. It didn’t take long to figure out that the bank was closed and the supermarket wasn’t able to give out extra currency. We tracked down the information center and they directed us to the hotel. Don’t worry, it sounds like we were running all over town, but this all happened within two blocks on the main drag.
We rolled our bikes over to the Ranfurly Hotel and I walked inside to procure some cash. I found the reception desk and asked the question. The man asked where I was from and when I said “Colorado” he was eager to share that he was originally from Indiana. And then, he told me his life story.
He had been in New Zealand for 26 years and came here after serving in the Navy during the late 1960s. He was part of “Operation Deep Freeze” that flew planes from McMurdo Airbase in Antarctica. He flew on a C47 which is like a DC3. Then he explained the structure of the plane and how it needed some sort of apparatus to get up in the air. Apparently, this apparatus was then dropped before flying off on the mission. As he told me his story he went along with my transaction. Somewhere in the middle of all of this he whipped out his Naval ID card from 1967. He paused to give me the money and I took the opportunity to ask him questions. I figured that had to wear down suits while they flew. He nodded yes and then described how they all wore beards and mustaches and how the icicles formed below their noses from breathing. Then he chuckled and shared how “you really had dinner twice, once to eat and then another time from all of the food stuck in your beard”. I didn’t need to try to visualize that.
I loved his story and thanked him for the time and then ran outside to write everything in my journal. I then pulled out the camera and took a picture of the 1930s, rural art deco style, Ranfurly Hotel.
Boy am I glad we ran out of cash.
LK
Oturehua to Naseby
Time: 2:59:20
Distance: 39.40 k
Avg Speed: 13.1 kph
Terrain: Flat
Location: 45 01’ 18.5” S, 170 08’ 29.1” E
Rural Art Deco. It’s so New Zealand.
Day 4 on the Rail Trail. We saw and heard it all today. We left Oturehua at the usual time (10am) with full bellies and minimal cash in our wallets. We came up with a financial strategy for the rest of the rail trail based on the services at our intended stopping point for the day - Ranfurly.
The first part of the ride took us north and south of the 45 parallel in the span of a few kilometers. Being the geography geek that I am, I whipped out the camera and made us pose for a self portrait. Chris, being the wonderful person that he is, has become accustom to this behavior.
From there we passed through Wedderburn, another town on the rail line. I cannot remember the town’s claim to fame. However, I do remember that the word “wedder” refers to a sheep that has been castrated. Ponder that.
We stopped again before Ranfurly at one of the many enlightening kiosks found along the trail. They call them Gangers’ Sheds. We busted out some apples and read through the history of the upcoming towns. After reading the description for a town called Naseby, we decided to extend our day a little bit instead of resting in Ranfurly; assuming that we could get some money.
We arrived in Ranfurly and immediately went on the hunt for cash. It didn’t take long to figure out that the bank was closed and the supermarket wasn’t able to give out extra currency. We tracked down the information center and they directed us to the hotel. Don’t worry, it sounds like we were running all over town, but this all happened within two blocks on the main drag.
We rolled our bikes over to the Ranfurly Hotel and I walked inside to procure some cash. I found the reception desk and asked the question. The man asked where I was from and when I said “Colorado” he was eager to share that he was originally from Indiana. And then, he told me his life story.
He had been in New Zealand for 26 years and came here after serving in the Navy during the late 1960s. He was part of “Operation Deep Freeze” that flew planes from McMurdo Airbase in Antarctica. He flew on a C47 which is like a DC3. Then he explained the structure of the plane and how it needed some sort of apparatus to get up in the air. Apparently, this apparatus was then dropped before flying off on the mission. As he told me his story he went along with my transaction. Somewhere in the middle of all of this he whipped out his Naval ID card from 1967. He paused to give me the money and I took the opportunity to ask him questions. I figured that had to wear down suits while they flew. He nodded yes and then described how they all wore beards and mustaches and how the icicles formed below their noses from breathing. Then he chuckled and shared how “you really had dinner twice, once to eat and then another time from all of the food stuck in your beard”. I didn’t need to try to visualize that.
I loved his story and thanked him for the time and then ran outside to write everything in my journal. I then pulled out the camera and took a picture of the 1930s, rural art deco style, Ranfurly Hotel.
Boy am I glad we ran out of cash.
LK
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
