21/04/08: 50km, climb: 762m, Wanaka - Boundary Creek DOC
22/04/08: 25km, Boundary Creek DOC - Cameron Flat DOC
23/04/08: 24km, Cameron Flat - Pleasant Flat DOC
24/04/08: 47km, Pleasant Flat DOC - Haast
We had had a nice days rest in Queenstown and spent the evening with our Ginger Tom relaxing to the sound of The Flaming Assholes. After our two nights in a bed we were looking forward to get back on the road and to our tent. In the end we did not sleep in our tent but it was still nice to get moving again.
We left Queenstown and cycled to Arrowtown where we were delayed by a fine pie. We were headed in the direction of Wanaka over the Crown Range (the highest highway in NZ apparently). We had decided to take it very easy and split the 80km into two days and camp along the way somewhere, but when we got to the top just after lunchtime we decided to just go the rest of the way (40km downhill) to Wanaka. It was a very nice road to cycle, pretty steep at parts but it did not last for too long so we survived. The views were stunning and the weather was good. There were a few small patches of snow at the top but luckily none on the road. Cycling downhill was freezing as the sun was behind the hills by then and the wind was very chilly. We stopped a few times to put on more clothes. By the time we reached Wanaka we were so cold we decided to get a room in a hostel.
It was another beautiful morning so we were in no hurry to get moving. We went for a hot chocolate and nipped into Puzzle World where we ran around the maze and ate a pie. When we eventually got on our way around 1pm there was a very strong head wind, which made cycling extremelly difficult. Any downhill was turned into an uphill and the uphill into.. well you can imagine. That day's 50km was probably the hardest cycling we have done so far and there were not even any big hills. It was still very pretty and in hindsight we should have just stopped and camped somewhere earlier. We kept going and passed through some beautiful windswept landscape. At last we did arrive at a very nice camping spot on the shore of lake Wanaka which was nicely sheltered from the wind.
We took it very easy the next three days too Hast, bumbling from campsite to campsite, not wanting to miss out on the beautiful weather and nature. We bumped into a couple of cyclist who we had met in Laos and spent a while chatting by the side of the road slagging off the big white monsters (mobile homes) and disscussing techniques against condensation and sandflies.
We arrived in Haast keen for a hot shower and very low on fuel and supplies. Now Haast is a town that would benefit from a wider gene pool. We spent half a day looking for gas canisters for our cooker and wondering how people survive on the food the shop sell. At least it gave us time to explore Haast Beach, which made the delay worthwhile.
view from the top of the Crown Saddle
spot Bea
lunching on the top
yippie
moonrise
every town should have one
fully loaded
doing like the Romans do
Lake Hawea
Cameron Flat DOC campsite
condensation, the force of evil
bumping into some cyclists we met in Laos
farmer ploughing field
early morning at Pleasant Flat DOC campsite
sleepingbagtree, native of NZ
waterfall 'Roaring Billy'
waterfall 'Roaring Billy'
the first breakdown in 6500km
Haast Beach
5 comments:
oh you tease. would love a ginger tom or a dizzy blonde just now. never stopped at haast beach but looks lovely. condensation: you either have to ventilate more, sweat less, breathe less or pitch the tent in a bit more wind! how are the sandflies. apparently a cream from avon is the only thing that works against them or 100%DEET.
for sandflies apparently a mix of dettol and johnston's baby oil is the best defence. i suspect rubbing petrol or household bleach on your skin might keep them away too. none of which we are trying. god the bites itch.
the worst thing is the "sleeper" bites. they stop itching after a day or two but then after a week or so come back again witha vengance
tigerbalm or silverbalm is quite effective against the bites
re. condensation. Wind is the only feasible solution i have found. Although Bea objects when i produce it inside the tent.
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