Some of my readers might have thought already that I’m dead, that a hungry kiwi bird has eaten the cyclist … but no, no, no! I’m still alive, still cycling (sometimes) and having a great time in New Zealand.
Christchurch I left in fine weather, looking back to the Port Hills and being blown by constant tailwinds towards the south. Through Yaldhurst, West Melton, Darfield I made it to Homebush the first evening, opened a gate to some grazing sheep and pitched my new Vela I Extreme tent the first time.
Setting up the tent took me about 3 minutes if I hurried and took only the minimum requirement of 2 stokes. It has a big vestibule where both Ortlieb bags find place and I can even prepare a minimalistic dinner or breakfast in it. Sitting is easily possible and with due to the inner tent I don’t get wet anymore, even when the outer tent is wet.
For the first 2 or 3 days I cycled pretty flat farming country with a lot of sheep, cows, even “German” deer everywhere I looked, and the mountains, sometimes snow covered, in the background, but often out of sight due to heavy clouds.
Then an hour after Geraldine on the way to Fairlie I met the first touring cyclists in New Zealand: Heather from Beijing to Paris and her husband John! By pure coincidence! At the beginning I didn’t even recognize her as I was mainly talking to John and she had sunglasses. Unfortunately I didn’t think fast enough to continue together with them back to the Geraldine caravan park … what a missed opportunity!
Then I cycled up to the high country, over a 709m “pass” - somehow I can’t appreciate my own achievements any more after the big big passes in Tibet and everything looks more like a hill, even if it still takes me hours. Heavy headwinds, nearly headstorms, started up there and at the same time hundreds of cars packed with full suspension mountainbikes passed me as there must have been a race somewhere in the area.
So this evening the tent had to proof that it can stand heavier wind the first time; and it did the job great!
Then Lake Tekapo, an extremely blue, artificial lake, appeared in front of me. I didn’t spend much time there, though, as I didn’t like this extremely touristic and overcrowded place, where all the buses stopped and the prices in the supermarket for my beloved avocados were 7 times as high as in a vegetable market in Christchurch.
So I followed a enormous man made channel which brings the water to the Tekapo B Powerhouse on Lake Pukaki. Some sections in between were closed due to heavy winds from the side, but it was a nice ride as there were no cars at all!
On the Pukaki Lake I pitched my tent right at the beach and enjoyed the “not so clowdy” view onto Mt. Cook, the hightes mountain on the South Island, and the surrounding mountain range.
Then I went to Twizel, a small and lonely place where I met a group of American touring cyclists (and one Ozzie in between!), one of them having problems with his long wheel based recumbent, another going on a Bike Friday which is quite similar to the Moulton I’ve written about before.
In Oamarama, a place for gliders from all around the world, I decided to not go directly to Cromwell and Alexandra, but ride along some more artificial lakes towards Oamaru. But 50km before Oamaru, I found an alternative, leaving the main road in Duntroon and crossing a east-west mountain range over Dansey’s Pass to Ranfurly.
That was a great decision! On a wonderful gravel road I cycled up in extremely hefty and variable front winds which often caused clouds of dust and sand which forced me to stop, over the 938m (or so) pass and into a nice but still very slow downhill.
Ranfurly I didn’t visit but stumbled upon the Central Otago railtrail for cyclists and hikers - exactly what I needed. In a smooth and nice ride I made it to Hyde that day and camped near the old Hyde station close to old railway wagons which are slowly degenerated and rusty.
The next morning I texted my CouchSurfing hosts Sherilyn and Mat in Dunedin and told them I would arrive in the evening, expecting a rather flat and relaxing ride. But it turned out that I was sooooo wrong! Hilly terrain and continuous strong headwinds made the estimated 80km which turned out to be 110km not an easy ride at all to say the least! After 7.5 hours of fighting I finally arrived in the hilly university town of Dunedin, 120.000 people, thereof 20.000 students!
Sherilyn took me on a university and museum tour the next day and in the afternoon we went to the really impressive sandstone coast together with Mat - what a filled program!
04.03.2008: 61km; 3:07h; 19.5km/h; 254hm
05.03.2008: 43.1km; 3:00h; 14.4km/h; 467hm
06.03.2008: 96.2km; 5:24h; 17.8km/h; 416hm
07.03.2008: 55km; 4:27h; 12.3km/h; 717hm
08.03.2008: 47.5km; 3:51h; 12.3km/h; 406hm
09.03.2008: 91.2km; 6:06h; 14.9km/h; 496hm
10.03.2008: 67.6km; 4:23h; 15.4km/h; 618hm
11.03.2008: 71.8km; 5:15h; 13.6km/h; 985hm
12.03.2008: 110km; 7:38h; 14.4km/h; 1285hm
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