|
| Turquoise River, Rakaia Gorge |
I set off pedalling today, after sorting out what I'm taking with me and what I'm leaving behind. I'm travelling as light as possible, just two panniers, not even full, basically just containing rain gear, enough clothes to keep warm, necessary repair items for the bike, and chargers for the high-tech stuff (GPS, Itouch, and digital camera). I'll be staying in B&Bs or hostels, not camping, so I don't have heavy things like a tent. I can wash out my quick-dry cycle clothes each night, so don't have spare clothes beyond extra layers I might need if it gets cold. I think cycling without too much weight is a lot more enjoyable, although finding a place to stay may place some constraints on how far I can cycle some days. I do have a regular sweater and shorts so I don't have to look like a cycle-nerd all the time!
It's rather gloomy to start but does't look like rain. A rather dull first few miles getting through the Christchurch suburbs, but after about 10 miles it's farmland. From the AA maps I had decided to take a more southerly route than I had planned on the GPS since that stays on the Canterbury Plains and I'll be getting enough hills later on. So the ride up to lunch time seems completely flat (although actually rising about 600ft). The scenery is mixed farms - many sheep as you might expect, but also cattle, pigs, alpaca for variety, and a few vineyards. There's a smudge of mountains in the clouds off to the right, otherwise just farms. One interesting thing is walls of 30ft high hedge windbreaks. I'm cycling into headwinds - the forecast is for south-westerlies today and guess which way I'm going - but not too strong. The first 10 miles outside Christchurch is on the main West Coast Road, but the traffic is not heavy. Then it's 20 miles on a back road with no town or even shop until Hororata, where there's a pub and a nice cafe where I am now. The NZers seem to favor star roads rather than cross roads - at Charring Cross 8 roads meet, but there is nothing else there except a sign. Very empty and rural compared to the Los Angeles area or even England.
After lunch the weather steadily improved, and now, at the B&B, it's glorious sunshine. The cycling was the sort of very gradual uphill that is tiring but you don't think it should be because it looks flat. But it got up to 1300ft before suddenly descending 400ft into the Rakaia Gorge. The River Rakaia is iceberg blue here, running over white sands with a backdrop of cloud topped mountains. With a jet boat to give a bit of action to the scene. The high mountains are much closer now - the Mt. Hutt ski area is just a few miles away, and climbing out of the gorge gave nice views.
|
| Roger and the Tame Deer |
The Tyrone Deer Farm B&B, hosted by Pam and Roger, is delightful, and I'm now relaxing on the porch in the afternoon sun, thumbing my diary into the Itouch and reading about Lord of the Rings locations (one nearby). The B&B is on a deer farm but I haven't met the deer yet. The grey cat is very friendly though.
60.5 miles today. Not bad for a first day!
Actually 70.4 miles - I decided to cycle down to Methven - the only town nearby - for dinner, since the evening was so pretty. On the way back I caught sight of a hedgehog along the roadside - presumably imported from England some time in the past. It was oblivious of me and let me get quite close to take a picture. When I got back to the B&B, Roger whistled over the deer (three were hand reared and so are tame) and we fed them scraps and chatted in the sunset.
