Day 15- Palmerston North to Masterton
Well what a day!!
It started early with us on the road to the coffee shop at 7.30am. Trying to find a coffee shop in Palmerston North was almost impossible as the place was deserted except for the Subway shop.
The coffee there was quite good surprisingly!
After this it was off to Masterton and a big day.
The night before our ride I looked at the weather and it indicated a tail wind…. Well that forecast was out by 180 degrees as we had a head wind for most of the day! The last time I look at the weather forecast!
The day then started with a 10 km climb which despite having a coffee, proved to be most difficult. The first part of the climb was at gradients of 16% which meant for me it was a walk with the bike…
The rest of the climb was at lower grades but for most of it grades of up to 10% were not uncommon. Reaching the top was a real achievement for me.
The only thing was this was the first of 6 climbs for the day ….into a headwind with gusts you can see from the photo below from the weather map.
The day was to be broken up into 3 sections of roughly 40 kms each which gave us a lunch stop at Pahiatua and Eketahuna.
Travelling into the wind became a real slog so we did 1 km drafting for most of the day which worked out reasonably well. There were times when the wind gusts were so strong that on the flat we were in the lowest gear still struggling!
The lunch break was good and I had a sandwich and coffee to refuel and it was off again!
During most of the day we travelled through rolling hills except for the brute out of Palmerston North.
At the afternoon tea break at Eketahuna I noticed my chain was very dry and gear changing was difficult so an applied so lubricant to the chain…. This proved to be an unsatisfactory fix to the problem as we resumed the ride after the break. My rear derailleur was not allowing any gear changes and I was stuck in the highest cog! Bugger!!!
Fortunately we had been chatting to a lovely lady outside the cafe who offered to help us as she was on her way to Masterton… we said at the time that we were ok …. But now I was in desperate need of assistance. I made my way back to the cafe and luckily her car was still parked outside the cafe. Luck appeared to be on my side when she returned the car as she said she could transport me and the bike to our accommodation at Masterton. Chris and Steve continued on the journey on their bikes knowing I had a good outcome to continue the journey.
So I had a new best friend now. Her name is Diane Chesmar and after packing the bike in her car the final 40 kms of the ride were in the luxury of the car with no headwind to worry about.
I arrived at the motel at around 4.45 pm and I agreed with Di to meet again for a thankyou drink and meal. At this point Di left and I had a shower and clean up and gathered my thoughts on the whole cock-up of the mechanical problem and not finishing the ride to help them battle he wind on the last leg.
Tracking Chris and Steve proved to be easy with Garmin tracker and they seemed to be making good progress so I waited for them to arrive at the motel. They were buggered frankly after a big day of 113 kms and climbing 1262 metres!
After a recovery shower and drink ( cup of tea for Chris) we agreed to have dinner at the Lone Star restaurant in Masterton which was quite pleasant and the food was good. I shouted Di her dinner as a thank you for all her help. She was full of interesting information about her bike riding and exercise regimen and told us about her wonderful family and home. A truly wonderful lady who was a great help in my time of need… thanks Di and all the best !
After a day like today it makes you realise that these trips are as much about the journey as the destination and how you respond in challenging circumstances.
The pictures today are as follows:
The map of the entire route for the day that Chris and Steve completed
My shorter route
At the up of the first climb
At a rest point battling the wind!
The weather map at the afternoon tea break
A bad selfie of my new best friend Di and myself at the end of the trip….last 40 kms by car
A celebration and thank you to Di at the Lone Star restaurant
Day 14-Whanganui to Palmerston North
We had another early start this morning being up at 6.00 am then breakfast and packing the bikes. We were off from the Youth Hostel at about 7.30 am and in to Whanganui for a coffee.
The weather for the ride today was ideal with clouds and a tail wind for most of the trip. The temperature was around 20 degrees for most of the day.
The ride consisted of sealed roads, some main highway riding but mainly secondary roads. There was a lot of traffic on the roads being a Saturday.
Our first stop was Marton for an early lunch which consisted of sandwiches and an apple cake for me. The food was excellent and I washed it down with a cappuccino and some juice.
The next stop for afternoon tea was a lovely cafe at Fielding. I had a milkshake which was enough to top me up for the 20 km ride into Palmerston North.
We arrived at our destination at about 3.30 pm after riding about 91 kms and climbing about 650 metres.
There were 3 “categorised “ climb’s today. The first out of Whanganui was toughest as it was at the start of the day. The other 2 were quite okay but required some effort to complete.
All in all it was a good day of riding for us all.
There is minimal pictures today.
The route
Our motel for the night
Day 13 - Pipiriki to Whanganui
We had a bit of a sleep in this morning and we were awake at 7.00 am!
Breakfast was in the camp dining room and was light as we were planning on getting something more substantial on the road at about 20 kms.
The weather again was overcast initially but as the clouds burned off it became quite hot at 32 degrees.
The route today was basically beside the Whanganui River and includes 3 climbs.
The road surface was bitumen fortunately which really suited me especially for the 3 climbs!
At 23 kms we stopped at a lovely cafe at Matahiwi and had coffee and 2 muffins which were delicious and the right food for the day ahead.
Charged up, it was onwards to or destination with very little to report other than the scenery along the valley was very good.
We had one stop for a recovery drink and I was designated to go to the farm house to fill water bottles. I had a delightful chat to the 2 older folks in the house who were cleaning their son’s house. The views from the house were stunning and I had a great chat to them…. Much to the chagrin of Steve and Chris who were on the grass verge on the road!
We stopped about 10 kms from the end of the ride to have a milk shake which was great!
The last 10 kms in to Whanganui was on a bike path which was delightful and we arrived at the youth hostel at about 3.30 pm.
Given the heat, Steve and I had a cool drink ahead of a shower. Feel great today after the challenges of yesterday.
We did about 80 kms today and climbed about 970 metres .
The pictures today are as follows:
Today’s route
Several shots of the valley where we travelled
A photo of the new bridge at the start of the bike trail into town
Our home for the night at the Youth Hostel
Day 12 - Ōwhango to Pipiriki
Today was one of the hardest days of riding for me!
The only day which was harder was practice the Big River ride last year!
The day started with an early wake up at 5.30 am to be ready for the bus trip to the Blue Duck camp for the start of the ride.
This took above an hour so we were away on a 40 km ride at 9.00 am. We thought this would leave us plenty of time to meet the 3.30 pm jet boat to take us to our accommodation at Pipiriki.
So the start was in cloudy weather in the mid teens but as the day wore on the clouds lifted and the temperatures too!
The first part of the ride was fantastic good and I was coping reasonably well. The track started to deteriorate during a long climb of about 10 kms which had a total ascent of about 650 metres!
It was slow going for me and it involved a lot of water with my bike!
We reached the top of the climb at about 1.30 pm and after a quick bite it was the long descent to the Whanganui River.
The early part of the descent was quite good and steep but required some skill in navigating the right course on the track.
Then it got quite hard with several muddy spots . At one point I managed to do a flip off the track over the side and fall about 10 metres into some ferns. Luck was on my side and I had not injuries and the bike was ok. Hauling it back on the track was a bit of an effort which was done so o could continue on my way.
The next issue was the 7 bridges which were quite narrow and required us walking the bikes after taking off the front box. It was a real pain to do this particularly as we were now under pressure to meet the jet boat.
Finally at about 3.15 we reached the “bridge to nowhere “ which gave us a chance to reach the boat. After a quick photo we finished the ride at the jet boat mooring, arriving shortly after the allotted departure but with Stephen arriving before both Chris and I it was okay for the boat to wait a bit.
To say I was glad the 40 km ride was over would be an understatement!
We were on the bikes for 6.5 hours and I was buggered!
The trip down the Whanganui River was a real thrill on the jet boat.
Several times along the way the driver stopped the boat to give us all a bit of history on the region.
We arrived at our accommodative at the Pipiriki camping ground at about 5.00 pm .
This is very comfortable place for us all after a long day. Showers and a bike clean were first tasks after a drink and ice cream.
The dinner tonight was a hamburger and salad to refuel for the days ahead.
Unfortunately there is limited internet connectivity so I can’t send this blog off in the normal day of ride timeframe it will be done tomorrow.
The pictures of the day are as follows (out of order) :
Several shots on the Jet Boat
Our accommodation at Pipiriki
Route taken including the jet boat trip
Early morning sunrise at Ohango
Chris at the top of the climb…if a shot had been taken of me it would have been shocking!
Day 11- Taumarunui to Ōwhango
We started early this morning with a wake up at 5.00 am to ready ourselves 6.00am drive to the start point of the ride…..or so we thought!
Well the vehicle to pick us up and our bikes turned out to be a small hatchback car which was totally useless for the task. Chris attempted on several occasions to get the driver to pick up a trailer to at least make some headway with the task but to no avail…. So it was now into plan B mode unfortunately.
This required rescheduling several of the routes and accommodation ahead into Wellington which took some time….. so much for the early start!
Finally when all this was sorted out we checked out of the motel! More about that later!
We decided on a shorter route to Owhango which would give us a ride of about 30 kms where we were able to get accommodation.
Finally after an early lunch and stocking up with food for the next day or so we were off at 11.30 am for the ride.
The weather by this time was cool and a little cloudy but as the day wore on the clouds evaporated and developed into a sunny day.
The first few kms of the ride were in gentle rolling hills on a surfaced road . This then gave way to a gravel road with 2 climbs. The first climb was short but the second was about 5 kms with about 450 metres of ascent. I was determined to do the climbing without stopping but unfortunately towards the the top there was a logging operation taking place on the road which necessary stopping. Bugger!
It was good to watch these giant machines doing there thing!
After reaching the top of this climb I waited for Chris and Steve. When they arrived I was met with the news that the motel we stayed at for the last 2 nights was charging us for a broken chair! This is complete rubbish!!!! We agreed to talk to the motel operator later after our ride.
The short ride into Owhango was uneventful and we checked into our new digs for the night. To say these are basic would be an understatement!
The hot water in the shower ran out so I had a cold shower, we do not have blankets on the beds and the house(?) we are staying in is fairly run down. The good news is that we have a bed for the night!
So today can be described as a day of challenges and so far we have made a great fist of it!
The pictures today are
The route taken today
At lunch in Taumarunui ahead of our ride for the day.
A drink break along the way … Chris and Stephen
Logging operation over the road towards the end of the big climb
At the top!
A view of Mt Ruapehu from the road.
Our accommodation for the night
Day 10 - Rest Day at Taumarunui
We are having a rest day today at the motel to do a bit of recovery after 8 days of riding.
The body needs a bit of a recharge ahead of the days ahead.
The weather today was cool and foggy to start then warmed up to the late 20’s by the end of the day.
In the morning after a lovely breakfast courtesy of good supermarket buying by Chris, Steve and I wandered downtown to get a cappuccino.
Then we gave our bikes a good clean and service. You can see the difference in the pictures below.
After a sandwich lunch, Chris helped me reload my Garmin after doing a factory reset. This hopefully will fix the bugs that have emerged over the trip!
After a rest we went on a short 6 km loop around the town to road test the Garmin which seemed to work perfectly! Thanks Chris!!!
Along the way we had an ice cream as the weather was rather warm.
Tomorrow we start on the next leg of the trip which will be an early start at 5.00 am for a van pickup to take us to the start of the trail. After riding on the trail we then take a jet boat to our next overnight.
Should be an exciting day!
Pictures today are
Map of short ride
Photos of bike before and after cleaning
Day 9 - Epic Camp to Taumarunui
We were awake from our tents at about 7 am and there was a real buzz in the campsite with families and groups getting ready gouge day of either riding the Timber Trail or hiking…. They call it “tramping” here.
The night was very pleasant under canvas although quite cool!
After breakfast, which was provided by the camping ground, we packed a lunch of sandwiches ( peanut butter for me) and 2 hard boiled eggs!
We were off at about 9.00 am. After May 1.5 kms I realised I left my phone behind in the tent so had to do a trek back to retrieve it.
After this it was on to the remaining section of the Timber Trail , about 45 kms.
There were 2 climbs on the trail which were okay but in some sections the track was a bit churned up so I was walking. All up I reckon I walked about 500 metres today which was not too bad for me.
There were many other riders on the trail today compared to yesterday as it is a national holiday here. It is Waitingi Day!
Once again today we crossed several swing bridges which were again quite spectacular!
One particular attraction was the spiral loop on the track as a fair bit of the track is on an unused railway line used to carry timber. Quite amazing engineering given that all this was built in the 1800’s.
There was a beautiful downhill of about 5 kms on a good surface which made for good riding.
At the final stage of the track the surface was not on the old railway track so riding was a bit slower. Also it was station get hotter and the two was in the low 30’s. The good news was there was no wind!!
At the end of the trail we had lunch in an area where many of the locals had parked their cars for the time they were on the trail.It was busy!
After our lunch it was on to Taumarumui on gravel roads at first the thankfully we then had made roads for the last 10 kms in to the town. As it was hot we made a beeline for the dairy to have a milkshake to refresh ourselves!
All in all we had a good day riding 71 kms and climbing 750 metres.
Today I felt a bit more comfortable on the bike on the trails which is pleasing!
Today’s pictures are:
The ride route
A view of one of the swing bridges
A general view of the country at the top of the climb…. Quite amazing
2 photos of the rail loop with Chris in the first photo
Day 8- Whakarmaru to Epic Camp on Timber Trail
Today was probably on of the most challenging days in all my years of riding.
The day started at the guest house with breakfast at 7.00 am and on the road by about 7.45 am.
The day was a perfect on for tidy with virtually no wind and clear skies. The temperature started in the teens and got up to around 25 degrees on the afternoon.
The road out from Whakarmaru was good then we started on the timber trail with a climb of 16 kms climbing about 650 metres.All quite doable in theory but the track was quite challenging. We started the climb at 11.00 am and finished it at about 1.00 pm!
It was then on to the second climb 10 kms with 650 metres of climbing which took us to 970 metres above sea level.
To be frank I was knackered at the top but enjoyed the trip down.
We also saw the plaque showing the centre of the North Island of NZ
Then it was on the Camp Epic where we are staying the night and to be frank the last 10 kms were a real struggle for me as I was getting tired and my concentration lapse was a constant concern. I had one minor fall and was ok thankfully.
We finally reached our destination at 7.55 pm after riding 72 kms and climbing 1500 metres.
Unfortunately my Garmin played up again which is a real bummer!
The pictures today are as follows:
The map of the ride
Bridge at the start of the first climb
Sign post to centre of the island
The centre of the island
At the highest point of the climb…bit tired!!
Couple of shots of swing bridges. Wonderful structures
Home for the night under canvass at camp epic
Day 7- Rotorua to Whakarmaru
Today’s word for the day is WIND!!
… and boy was there plenty of it blowing in the wrong direction which neater had a headwind for most of the day.
We started the day waking at 7 and were away to have breakfast ahead of the ride in Rotorua. Breakfast of bacon and eggs really hit the spot together with a cappuccino!
We were on the road by about 9 and for the first 30 kms approximately it was on roads winding through the foothills near Rotorua. The main farming through the whole area we road today was dairy.
After the first stage of the ride it was on to unmade roads which included one long climb of about 5 kms which was a challenge but great once w reached the top!
During this time we experienced rain showers which made riding a little more challenging. The rain showers continued for most of the rest of the day.
We had lunch on the dam wall of the Ohakuri power station which was good to have a break!
After this it was on to the Waikato River trail which was quite pretty along the banks of the river.
I am starting to feel a bit more confident on trails now and although progress is a bit slower than Chris and Steve I feel much better on them.
We arrived at Whakarmaru at about 6.00 pm which made for a big day of riding.
My Garmin data stuffed up so the distance is wrong.. we rode 83 kms climbed about 1000 metres.
The accomodation we are staying at tonight is guest house style homes which were workers accommodation in an earlier life when they were building the dam and power station at Whakarmaru.
Seems we have a few challenging days ahead of us now with climbing and trail riding….hopefully the practice up to now serves me well!
Picture’s today are as follows:
Today’s ride map
A view of the dairy country in the early part of the ride….sky is blue!!
View of spillway flows to take off excess water from the power station dam along the river with the power station in the next photo
A general view of the Waikato River
Steve and I climbed up 108 stairs to this view platform which was terrible as the trees had grown …. Chris wisely did not do the climb preferring to looks after the bikes… he said!
Day 6- Putaruru to Rotorua
After the best night of sleep for the whole trip it was up at around 8.00am to get ready for the ride.
The hotel we stayed at last night was somewhat out of the 1930’s and not much had been done to it since opening. As a result the rooms were comfortable but very basic with lots of period items including a razor blade shute… see the picture. Not sure where the blades end up as there was no sign of a collection bin!
Anyway after rising and packing it was off for breakfast and a coffee at a local cafe which was delightful… compared to dinner last night which was average to say the least!
After breakfast I made a visit to the chemist to get some cream for the nether regions as the last few days were quite painful! Seems to be working thankfully!
The initial part of the ride was on made roads with one long 6 km climb which had a constant 5% gradient. The Garmin said there was some flat spots and even a short downhill but I am certain it was lying!
After the climb it was on to a bush logging track which was through the pine forest. Quite pretty really although for me there were some challenging parts requiring me to walk. After getting advice from Chris about riding on tracks I let my tyres down substantially which made a big difference. I feel I am getting more confident on the really rough parts of the tracks now… in some ways that experience on Big River Wialuta ride still haunts me!
After emerging from the woods we stopped at Mamaku for lunch which consisted of toasted sandwiches we bought at breakfast.
Then it was on to Rotorua which was a great decent with the wind behind us! Lovely riding to end the day!
We are staying at the backpackers tonight which is very comfortable.
The days ride was 59 kms and we climbed about 750 metres. The weather was cooler today thankfully with clouds so much appreciated by us all.
Today’s pictures are:
A picture of the trail we rode on with local flowers
The ride route to Rotorua
The razor blade shute
Some strange hills sticking up from the ground… must be something to do with volcanic activity in the past.
A bad picture of Lake Rotorua from the road on our decent… there was a better view back 1.5 kms but I was not going back!
A lovely picture of the 1800 built Museum
Our home for the night
Day 5 - Matamata to Putaruru
Being a shorter day of riding we were awake a little earlier later than yesterday at about 7.00 am. After packing up and breakfasting at a local cafe , we were on the road by about 8.00 am.
The weather today started with a cloudy sky and temperatures on the high teens. As the day progressed the clouds were burnt off by the sun and it heated up to around 28 degrees. This wind also increased as the day unfolded. Initially we had a headwind for the ride on the main road… state highway 1. There was plus traffic on the road with many B-Double trucks. The wind and traffic meant for slow traveling.
Shortly after leaving Matamata we stopped to visit a friend of Chris’s on his farm. The husband and wife are keen bike riders and enjoy long rides and even competitive riding. It was great to meet Robyn and enjoy the chat and have some juice.
After negotiating the roads we were on to the Waikato River trail which runs beside the Waikato River. The trail was good but provided some challenging terrain for me. We ended the trail ride at Arapuni where we had lunch at the Rhubarb Cafe. This cafe seems to be a hub for cyclists travelling through the area.
After lunch it was off for the short ride to Putaruru with a tail wind ….. finally we had a tail wind the first time on the trip so far!
We made great time and reached our destination at about 2.00 pm!
This early arrival gives us time to do washing and rest.
The total distance of the ride was 52 kms … for some reason my Garmin only recorded 45kms… so much for technology!
Today was interesting for me to get some more experience on trails which were a bit more challenging… the great news being there were no falls!
Today’s pictures are of:
The ride route excluding 7 kms due to stuff ups on the Garmin
The Hobbit House in middle earth at Matamata. The Hobbit movie was filmed around here.
The bike statue outside Chris’s friends place at entrance to the farm. Very impressive farm!
A view of the Waikato River along the trail..lovely area.
Day 4 - Miranda to Matamata
With a long ride planned for the day we agreed to start at about 7 am so we were up at 6.00am.
The ride for the day was reasonably flat with a climb of a little over 200 metres.
The weather was reasonably hot again with temperatures in the high 20’s and it was quite humid!
We rode for about 20 kms before having breakfast at a roadside cafe called Bugger! The breakfast was great and we were fueled up for the day.
Initially the ride was on a rather busy highway with lots of traffic but shortly after breakfast we were on the Hauraki rail trail for the rest of the ride to Matamata. The surface was very good to ride on and the countryside was primarily dairy farming but as we got to Matamata the farming was primarily that of horse studs…. Very impressive properties!
The only issue for us was the heat and the fact that there were very few trees! The heat was oppressive which involved us making many stops for drinks and the let the heat in our bodies dissipate.
For me the heat was ok but later in the day it made me very tired and I looked forward to reaching our destination!
We made several stops in towns and cafes along the way which were a welcome relief!
The 111 km ride to over 11 hours and my bum is rather sore as a result… hopefully it will recover for the rides ahead.
The pub we are staying at tonight is an old world pub but very comfortable for the 3 of us.
The pictures today are
The ride route
Breakfast at the Bugger cafe
Crossing the Waihou river
Waiting for cows to cross the trail after milking
Me at Paeroa where we had lunch and 2 bottles of the local brew… non alcoholic!
This lovely house on the way in to Matamata
Day 3 - Auckland Airport to Miranda
We had a start from the hotel at 8.30 am with Chris picking us up after riding from the CBD.
The weather at the commencement of the ride was fine, virtually no wind and temperature of about 15 degrees. As the day progressed the temperature increased to the mid/ high 30’s which proved to be challenging.
The ride today was 88 kms for Steve and myself and over 100 for Chris.
The early part of the trip was on a bike trail from the airport which was well signposted and relatively flat.
After completing this trail it was heavier going out of the Auckland foothills including a time on a mountain bike trail!
I had one fall on the trail… no injuries but a dent on my pride.
After leaving the greater Auckland area we made our was in a south east direction through the hills that are the water catchment for Auckland.
There was one particular road called rather interestingly Jones Read…( Chris’s surname) which was quite challenging with gradients in excess of 20%! I walked this as the mere weight of the bike with the full racks was just too much.
After this the road followed undulating country with the odd hill. Interestingly we climbed about 950 metres during the day.
As the ride went on the heat played real have with all of us. Both Steve and Chris had intermittent cramps and towards the end of the ride I was feeling light headed.
We all went though a lot of with regular bottle filling par of the day.
We arrived at Miranda at a little after 5.00 pm and luckily for us the office was open to buy a cool drink and pizzas for dinner.
The temperature as I write this blog is quite good in the early 20’s with a lovely breeze!
I was quite pleased with the ride today as this is the longest ride I have done in almost 12 months and although I am rather tired I recovered after a shower and are feeling ok for the 100 plus ride tomorrow on a relatively flat road.
A good bit challenging first day
The pictures today are the ride route, all of us ready to go from the hotel, the view of greater Auckland at the top of one of the climbs, morning tea at a golf course, Chris having a rest recovering from cramp ing , our home for the night at Miranda.
Day 2- Auckland
After a good night of sleep following arrival at Auckland we were awake at about 8.00am.
We had a cooked breakfast of bacon and eggs with coffee and was into assembly of the bikes!
Apart from a few troubles with the front box the bikes were assembled by about 11.00am shortly after Chris arrived at the hotel. Chris is staying close to the CBD. He helped us with the final few assembly items and we decided to do a ride to the Auckland harbour to test out the bikes.
Chris mentioned it was the Auckland Day holiday so the roads were not busy.
The ride into town was about 25 kms and we stopped at a bike shop so it could get a few things checked.
The weather was fine apart from a heavy shower whilst at the bike shop. The other issue was a strong southerly wind which was fine for the inward journey but made the ride back a little more challenging.
Arriving at the harbour we were met with big holiday crowds but managed to find a table at a restaurant overlooking an area where there was dragon boat racing.
After lunch it was back to the hotel after Chris left us and we made a good fist of finding our way! One small glitch saw us track back to the CBD but we corrected quickly.
We did about 50 kms in the shake down ride and the bike is now set for the adventure ahead.
After a good dinner of fish and chips it will be bedtime to dream of the days ahead!
Good first day but hope the winds drop tomorrow!
Photos show bike assembled and us getting ready for the ride
Day 1 At airport
Today I leave for Auckland with Steve Seymour to meet Chris Jones in Auckland to begin the ride to Wellington and eventually through to Christchurch.
We are on the ride for about 4 weeks
This morning Steve and I met with the Wheeliebinners at their coffee stop to have a chat and say goodbye.
It was good to reconnect with so many after the Christmas break and receive their good wishes.
Looking forward to the latest New Zealand adventure .
See pictures below of bike boxed up and coffee with the boys this morning
Days 19 & 20 At Christchurch and Travelling Home
Day 18- Kaikoura to Christchurch 49 kms of riding
Early on the ride we stopped on the beach
Me on the swing bridge near where we had lunch
Me riding on the trail
At lunch at Waikuku
Some boats on the canal near where we had lunch
Day 17- The Bach to Kaikoura
The Wheeliebinners tree now planted with Chris looking suitably impressed
The day begins in the van
Snow capped hills and river at Kaikoura on the trail ride
Looking at the snow capped hills from near the centre of Kaikoura
(Temporary Backup) Day 16 A- The Bach
A view over the pond and swimming hole
A view back from the pond to the Bach
A closer view of the Bach
The creek that flows through the property that supplies the running water and hydro power for the house