Monday 7th March - 9.30pm
What a great day ! I didn’t get as far as I wanted to get as I am now in a small village called Ward around 25 miles south of Blenheim but it has been a good ride today. I set off pretty early at around 8.30 and stopped for breakfast early on and to upload yesterday’s blog. After a quick breakfast it was back on the bike and off towards Kaikoura, famous for whale watching. The only problem was a range of mountains in-between called the Hundalee’s.
Due to the fact that the map I have been using is completely crap I didn’t really know where these mountains started but what was apparent was that the road was no longer flat and the landscape became rolling again with barely a flat or straight section at all. To be honest it made a pleasant change though obviously it wasn’t quite as easy. After an hour the road started getting steeper and I thought, “well here we go, this is gonna be a slog” !, but it didn’t really get that difficult and after another 5 to 8 miles of rolling hills it straightened out. I thought “well that wasn’t so hard was it” but I spoke too soon. On rounding the next corner Mount Everest loomed before me and I took a sharp intake of breath “ Shit !” For the next 15 miles I climbed one steep road after another and although they didn’t really go beyond 800 feet climbs there were plenty of them and many were 13% gradients or more.
To be honest I still felt very strong and it didn’t get too much though I did have to pop more than a couple of pain killers when the Achilles problem returned. It definitely hurts more when I’m going uphill. After 32 miles the Hundalee’s swept down to the ocean affording some amazing views and a twisty 38 mph decent which flattened out into a 12 mile coastal run through numerous tunnels. I was always within a few feet of the sea and I kept stopping to take photos as round every headland there was a better view. Eventually I arrived in Kaikoura with a massive appetite and ordered two main courses at a local café. Kaikoura is rather bohemian with lots of travellers ( not the ones who tarmac your drive badly ) and an abundance of people with dreadlocks, goatee beards and sandals. I felt right at home… !
After spending an hour on lunch I saddled up again and headed north onto a flat road heading inland for a while then back out to the sea again to follow the beach for the next 40 miles. With a slight southerly wind I flew along the coast at around 18mph for ages only slowing for the odd climb or on one occasion when a truck came so close to me the wind pressure it created sent me into a ditch ! ( I’m ok though mum J )
Finally the road turned inland and a sign came up saying Blenheim 55kms. I looked at my watch and it was 6.30pm. I was never going to make it before dark. The venture into the ditch had resulted in a lost map and a busted front torch so I wasn’t going to be cycling in the dark even though I felt able to. I really wanted to do the 120 miles to Blenheim today as I felt so good.
A few miles later around 7pm and after 96 miles I came to a small village called Ward which has a small pub/Inn and a motel. There was no room at the Inn so I ventured on to the motel which also had no room. Fortunately they had a rickety old caravan in the corner at $25 a night so this is where I now sit tapping away on my laptop. There was nowhere open to eat so the Manager kindly gave me some bread and a can of beans so it was ”Beans a la Toast” for me tonight. I have spent the last hour or so nattering away to a group of people on a four wheel drive holiday across the remote areas of the south island. They were a great bunch and are having a ball. It looks like great fun. They even gave me a beer and some good advice on where to avoid on the north island.
So I guess this means that I leave the south island tomorrow as it is only about 42 miles to Picton where I catch the ferry to Wellington. It’s been emotional as they say. It has been a beautiful and incredibly friendly place to travel and although I have only stuck to the main route ( The A1 ) I have seen some great sights. The best thing though has been the people and everyone has been brilliant. Complete strangers have been really generous, I have made some new friends and obviously I have experienced some sobering sights in Christchuch. I have even felt my first earthquake and 13 more on top of that so that is something I will always remember. I have even stuck to my schedule which for me is a first.
Tomorrow night I will be with Richard (Plug) and Clare in Upper Hut above Wellington and then it’s a day off again, thank god. This is of course if I manage to get on the Inter-islander Ferry as I haven’t booked a ticket !!!!!
Tuesday 8th March - 3pm
Well I am now sat on the Interislander Ferry between Picton and Wellington waving goodbye to the south island ( not literally though as people would think I was strange !) and more than ready for a rest day with Richard and Clare in Upper Hutt. The cycle this morning was not easy as my left ankle is now worse than ever and quite frankly I cannot cycle on it any more. It has taken me a while to get from Ward this morning as it has was pretty hilly to start with and cycling uphill is way more painful. The extra strong painkillers have ceased to have any effect so I will have to see another physio asap. I may need two days off if I am to complete this trip which is a little worrying.
The scenery on route today was beautiful with vineyards lining every hillside and winding roads affording great views. I was in too much of a hurry to stop and take photos and quite frankly it hurt too much to twist my ankle to uncleat my left shoe from my peddle so it was better to keep moving. Blenheim looked really nice but passed me by in a blur and I arrived just in time to book on the next ferry at 2pm.
I now have a 3 hour journey to Wellington to try and find out if painkillers and alcohol work better than just painkillers alone. This could be interesting !!
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