Day 27 : Kingston to Bluff to Invercargill 201km cycled

Doing a quick check to see what my last day would entail I realised that I could have just over 200km to cycle today if I couldn't get lift back to Invercargill once I had reached bluff. For some buzzard reason I never contemplated not doing it - wasn't an option having made it this far yet this would be over 60km more to do in one day than I had ever managed to do since I set off. I felt on top form and the weather was perfect - what could go wrong?! This was after all pretty much flat all through this area....

Well flat it wasn't but a breeze all the to Winton it was arriving there by midday and stopping for an hour to grab sandwich and tea. And well then whoever had been keeping an eye on me that day either went out for the night or decided life was too boring watching me do this too easily so it was decided to add a few things to the mix... bit of rain, head wind, increase the traffic and watch those milk trucks laugh as they speed up and send volumes of water hurtling over you and cycle feeling like these next 30km could be your last.

Nightmare only turned as my biker friends honked from behind cheering me on and sending out well wishes and see ya in Invercargill as they passed me by ... turned out to be enough inspiration and two hours from Winton I arrived in Invercargill at 3:15pm amazed I was already here but absolutely soaked through!

Having discovered that this weekend was the Burt Munro Challenge (hero of mine with a record for fastest land speed record for motorbike 1000cc s) I suddenly realised as I passed all these no vacancy signs that accommodation could be an issue that night. Surprisingly though the central Tuatara backpackers had a bed in dorm for me so I soon grabbed the panniers, locked the bike, grabbed a towel and headed for a hot shower... bliss, followed by tea, walk to see the 'Indian' sitting in its case in one of the central malls and throwing my clothes including sneakers into the dryer.

Wasn't till 6pm when the weather changed, my things had dried that I was redressed and on my bike again having debated about seeing my friend James playing instead at the theatre as found out Loons Burlesque was in town. Being so close and flight first thing in morning there was no option but to go now.

Thinking the weather was going my way was soon dispelled as I found myself battling a head wind all the way and the beautifully flat road that I should have been speeding along at around 30km an hour turned into a battle of will vs wind as it took me two hours to reach the 28km and touchdown in Bluff.

Shagged (means exhausted generally) my visions of dancing around to the parade of onlookers clapping enthusiastically to my arrival was tuned down to a brief turn around the pole that was displaying the I made it sign and propping my bicycle up whilst I looked into the camera and mustered up a "I'm here" cry! With the uke remaining firmly inside the pannier and no cars ready to take me back to Invercargill I got back on the bike exhausted and wondering if I would make it through this one horse town and towards the relative metropolis of Invercargill. With a change of heart the wind came to the side then behind me as the daylight soon disappeared and for the first time I turned my cycle lights on. As the final 10km came and I was cycling in darkness the rain decided to join in and an hour and a half from leaving I arrived back into Invercargill and pulled up to the backpackers, showered and eyed up the steep climb to my top bunk before launching into a profound sleep - oh actually before the bed launch I searched food, found MacDonalds instead and satisfied my overgrown hunger with an angus!

Zzzzzzzz

Day 26 Lake Hawea to Kingston 119km via Cardrona

"Core blimey", she said as she pulled up into the Kingston campground "that was a long haul!", little did she realise how far she would be cycling the next day ... but I'm jumping ahead let's wind that back a little to the start of the day.

Left Hawea around 8:30 having to leave key in door as all quiet in main building. Found no matter what I did I couldn't get the odo to work - felt like missing a friend - it was to start again half way through tomorrow!

Quick cycle to Wanaka with wee bit of hill - didn't hang around justa few snaps of the large hand at the lake and a few supplies from supermarket for the journey and carried on. After the miserable weather of the last two days it was a relief to be on the road again in good weather and feeling on good form.

At Wanakai had to make the choice to go over the high road through Cardrona or along the longer but flatter road through Cromwell - hills what hills give me what ya can! So I headed towardsC Cardrona unsure whether (a) I was on the right road and (b) what I was in for!

It's abut hard to describe the sheer magnificence of the road I found myself on as I started heading closer to the stunning snowy capped mountain range that had been luring me towards its rugged exterior for the last couple of days. It's presence heightened by the hills that were gaining in height and swallowing myself and bicycle into their outstretched arms.

Finding myself on a bit of a plateau the temperature was dropping to a gentil crispness whilst the sun continued to warm from above. Before I knew it I found myself passing the exit to the Cardrona ski field - the barrier down and a closed sign being the only sign of life there.

Cycling on I arrived at the wee township of Cardrona and felt I had dropped into a movie set. The old Cardrona Hotel standing proudly in its newly renovated coat beckoning its clientele with its wizened face and engaging smile... how could I resist stepping back in time by following its lead.

I was greeted by a gorgeous fire already lit at what was now midday. The bar encased in its jail bar frame, door open with barrels peeping out over the wooden bar. I walked up to the bar grabbed a shot of whiskey and thought about the lover I had just shot dead... Whoops that's ma wee song taking over again (see Ed's Bar and Grill for more of that!). Reality ... walked up to the bar and ordered the Devonshire tea ... well those fruit scones looked delicious!

Spent time reading up on history of area from fab book made up by the owners and found another story for my collection. Picked up the guitar from the corner and played 'Ed's Bar and Grill" to the rather dull tourists who were in .. felt this bar make great place for the video minus the current clientele of course...

Headed out to bike and found two blokes - father and son who were from Dunedin and doing my cycling trip the other way - first nz cycle tourers and last that I met over the whole month (aside from me that is). They asked me for advice so gave them my ten top tips of where to stay, roads to avoid etc.

Cycled on climbing higher and higher till the lush green hills gave way to golden tussock and I found myself closed in on all sides until I eventually reached the top. Excitement as I spied two lovely looking motorbikes. Chatted to the bikers who were from Tauranga and had made the bikes. With tales of my cycling experiences being retold they offered to take piccie of me on their bike - of course it would have rude to have declined!

From there leaving the bikers fixing one of the bikes I found myself on a very steep and rapid decline - glad I had changed my brake pads a few days ago!

Bottom of the hill I trotted right towards Arrowtown. Little confusing finding centre but beneath the ironed houses with their perfect lawns lay the original heart of this town with its beautifully preserved historic shops and houses - I was in nineteenth century heaven :-)

An hour looking around, grabbing story and contacts from museum I headed off again turning left before Queenstown, through the industrial mall of Frankton and along the lakeside road that caught me off my bike taking many photos of the surrounding mountains as finally I caught up with those that had been tempting me these last days.

As night began to draw in I saw the distant lights of Kingston and past the Flyer (the steam engine) I pulled up to what turned out to be a somewhat run down and most over priced campsite at $20 for tent - the shower and hot water were welcomed though.

Day 25: Makarora to Lake Hawea

Got up early again this morning and recorded one of my songs of the 1800s that I had written by the fire - should have recorded it by the lit fire the night before but no one was there at that time in the morning 6:30am so good opportunity before they all started having showers.

ANyway I thought the weather was a lot better than the day before despite the locals saying that the farmers had said today would be worse and I should wait another day. Packed up gear and headed over to office to drop off keys to be met by the girl who works in the bar asking me if my name was Rachel and not to panic but the police were looking for me - I instantly knew it would be the fact that I had not been able to drop a line on my blog/facebook page and that my parents were worried. Having spoken to the police to reassure them I was ok and that fortunately I had come over the pass the day before yesterday missing the terrible weather I headed off down the road.

My so called good day lasted an hour before the wind got up to what felt like gale force and the rain hit hard at times almost forming hailstones. The road was beautiful of what I could see of it but the next couple of hours were torture as I could feel my body temperature dropping quickly as the icy winds took hold of me and I started to worry about hyperthermia realising that I was quite a long way from any form of township still....I just kept cycling and walked a couple of times up some hills to try and be able to fold my hands over to keep them warm. I was soaked through and freezing.

Finally in the distance I could see Lake Hawea and just kept trying to aim for there whilst the feeling in my legs finally lost all sense of temperature and I knew I was in trouble if I didn't get into a hot shower soon. Having now whshed I had listened to the farmers I finally arrived at the first lodge at Lake Hawea passing the campsite as a definite no ..... I stood in the hallway of the hotel and immediately three of the staff said to me you look blue....very quickly I was given a room key and shown to the showers and handed a towel, stripped off and spent the next what felt like an hour under the shower trying to warm up each part of my body again. Eventually I felt I came back to some sort of normality got dressed had a cup of tea and started to dry my clothes.

The day was spent in front of a very large fire in the main part of the hotel and I grabbed a burger from the closed kitchen grateful for shelter, warmth and hot food. The rain didn't let off till after 3pm and at that stage the day suddenly looked different - I kept feeling I should hop on my bike and go further but everything I had was still drying and so I gave in and stayed for the night realising that that would mean I would have two days to get from here (which was much further than I realised - thought I had only cycled 30km but it was over 50km so that was a good start) to Invercargill and then Bluff.

I would have to go over the Cardrona road which apparently has snow on it at the moment but hopefully that will clear a little by today.

Still that will be tomorrow's story.....