Sunday, October 2, 2011

Cycling Waipara Junction Hurunui Junction Hanmer Springs Cheviot Kaikoura


September 24t Waipara Junction – Hurunui Village 27km

Up at 7am and had breakfast courtesy of sleepers, free bread, eggs and beans (beans had been left in the free food corner; bread was homemade and eggs from their chickens).  Packed the stuff to be shipped back which we later found out weighed 7.5kg!  Maria hitched to Amberley to post it and I packed and loaded the trailer.  Maria got back by 9.20am but I was still organizing as I had made lunch.

It was 10.30am by the time we had left but the bike felt much better and the weight was nice and low this time.  We turned onto highway 7 towards Hanmer Springs but instantly hit and strong headwind.  So strong in fact that we struggled to maintain 12kph!  After 7km the road started to climb as well but the hills blocked the wind so speed was about the same except on the steepest parts where I saw 8kph at one time. After 13km the road started to undulate but the wind carried on.  On one downhill stretch I hit 51kph but it all got a bit wobbly so I had to slow down quickly.

After about 25km we made a decision we weren’t going to make Hamner Springs much before dark so started to look for campsites as we knew once passed Culverten there was nothing.  As it happened 2km later we came to Hurunui Village Winery which had a campsite, café, winery and hotel with a bar.  After a coffee and a quick guided tour we decided to call it a day and pitch the tent.

The site is run by a really nice couple who even sold us veggies from the café so we could cook dinner without a 20km round trip to the shop.  The camp site was $10 each and has hot showers, kitchen, laundry and is next to the café and hotel bar.

There is nobody else here so the nicely enclosed kitchen area has become our lounge and after a nice hot shower headed off for a little wine tasting.  I had to buy ½ a bottle to go with dinner.  It was then we realized that at the last stop Sleepers somebody had nicked Marias camera and about $100.  She is really careful with her bag where I never think about it.  It must have only been left alone for a couple of minutes!

Anyway the France v New Zealand tonight so we are going to the pub to watch the match and have desert and maybe a beer!






September 25th Hurunui Village – Hanmer Springs 60km

So we managed the desert and a beer but could only stay awake for the first half of the rugby but it was pretty done and dusted by then.  We got up early but seemed to get too settled in the kitchen and then it started to rain.  So we left at 9.30am about 1 hour later than planned, got to Culverten about 40 minutes later and stocked up on cereal bars and bought lunch.  The rain was no problem compared to the wind of the day before and we flew along to Hamner Springs.  The campsite ‘Alpine Holiday Apartments and Campground’ is about 2km out of town so about 56km from our last stop as we went back into town to get food and go to the hot springs.

It was really nice to warm up for a while and I could feel myself slowly thawing out from the outside in.  After a couple of hours soaking we headed back to the campsite and settled into the kitchen.  We met a nice couple he was Italian and she was German and they had met on Facebook.  They had to speak English to each other as neither could speak the others native language.  They were staying in their car as they were struggling to find long term accommodation and they had jobs in the town.

The big shock to us was when we went back to the tent and it was snowing!  Surprisingly we weren’t cold but I think only my nose stuck out of the sleeping bag and I was wearing thermals and a fleece.




September 26th Hamner Springs – Cheviot 100km

Well the tent was frozen solid so although we were more organized we had to let it thaw out plus we thought the roads would be icy so 9.40am before we left.  The ride was the best so far, a bit of a downhill gradient and a nice tailwind some of the way had 50km knocked out in 2 hours with no problems and it was now sunny and warm.  The wind meant we kept all our cold weather gear on but on the climbs it was too hot.  The next 50km from Waiau to   Cheviot was very scenic with hardly any cars but a couple of seriously steep climbs.  The last 16km on highway 1 wasn’t as pleasant but the campsite ‘Cheviot Motel’ is nice, kitchen, showers and TV for $22. 

It will be an early night and as we are next to a field of lambs I guess they will be waking us up early.  70km tomorrow to Kaikoura then a day off.

September 27th Cheviot – Kaikoura 72km

What a result, I got chatting to a lovely local girl Cassandra who had rented a cabin for the night as she was working in the area.  She offered us her spare room in the cabin so we jumped at the chance and had a night in a proper bed. 

We had a relaxed start (like usual) and the ride was fairly flat to start but then a couple of steep climbs before it hit the coast.  Unless we drop more gear (which I know we should but probably won’t) I will have to gear the bike down a bit more.  The last part of the ride followed the coast and the views were well worth the climbs.  The wind was a little funny as it swirled around first in front then behind but nothing major.

We found a cheap place to stay A1 Kiakoura Motel which is fairly run down but had a kitchen, hot showers and hardly anybody there for $25.  We met and English couple and it turned out she had worked for Crystal Holidays in Italy when we were.

Splashed out on pizza for dinner and it was awesome, day off to chill, do laundry and plan the next week tomorrow.


September 28th

Ahh a lie in! Up at 9am, lazy breakfast and a wander around.  What a beautiful place!  Washing done and bought a new map.  Nowhere to buy lower gears here so maybe Blenheim which we should get to in 2 days.  Nice to relax for a day but looking forward to the trip along the coast tomorrow.



September 29th Kaikora – Pedaller’s Rest (Ward) 79km

Maybe the best ride yet, mainly following the incredible coast line with very few climbs and not a lot of traffic.  This was made even better with a strong tailwind, bright sunshine and a seal colony.  The stop for tonight is a ‘Pedallers Rest.  Now finding out about this place took some time but it is a great place set on a farm.  2 rooms one has 4 bunks and the other has 2 although there is nobody else here so we have the whole place for $40 for the night.  Free laundry, all cooking facilities, wood burner, veranda and the owners even have a little shop selling a small range of groceries.

It would be a nice place to chill out for a day or so but tomorrow we are off to Blenheim or Picton depending on how keen we feel!

 

September 30th Pedaller’s Rest Blenheim 68km

Well after an easy start as there was no tent to pack up we headed to Blenheim.  This time we had a head wind so we stopped at Ward for a steak pie!  No longer following the coast we had a couple of reasonable climbs to deal with but the sunshine took your mind off it.  This is wine country and we passed one vineyard after another all offering tasting but we avoided the temptation and pushed on.

Once at Blenheim we quickly searched the bike shops for lower gears but nobody could help.  Maybe at Nelson.  We stayed at Blenheim Motor Park which offers everything tent, camper, bunk or cabin.  Owned by a guy from West Ham and ran by a guy from the Isle of Wight.  The tent sites were limited to a strip of grass next to the railway line.  Strangely I enjoyed the train going past in the night although it did feel like you were sleeping on the tracks!  Anyway $25 the place was ok, old but clean and the other option was a Top 10 site at $42 for a tent site!

  Pedaller’s Rest

October 1st Blenheim – Havelock 65km

The earliest departure yet as we were on the road at 8.40am.  Off to Picton first then Havelock via the scenic Queen Charlotte Road.  A head wind all the way to Picton but nothing bad, we stopped for a drink and a few photos only the front.  Then off to Havelock and a series of moderate climbs and descents in and out of the bays.  Just incredible views, houses and marinas.  Another great ride and we have even seen a couple of other cycle tourists for the first time.  It looks like we are in for some rain for the next few days; in fact as I sit in the kitchen typing it has started to rain outside.  Let’s hope it gets it over and done with before the morning!



      



October 2nd Havelock – Nelson 76km

Well it rained all night and all day.  We were soaked by midway through the ride and the 2 big climbs were the only things to warm us up.  There were very few stops, a café at 19km which cost us $23 for 2 pies and 2 drinks!  A small village about 10km later but most of this was shut as it is Sunday and the next services at about 60km.  The last part of the ride was along the coast with a tailwind.  Tonight a hostel instead of the tent. $58 for a double room as we are members and you get extra discount as a cyclist.

Tomorrow is a big day of over 90km climbing over 700m but the climbs look more gradual than today, let’s hope so!

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