Alps to the Ocean Cycle trip

In less than a month I go from walking in the mountains to riding around them.   I have to be mad.   Whitehorse parking area We were shuttled to Whitehorse Campsite close to Mt Cook Village where the trail begins.   Rain had been predicted and as we arrived it started to spit.   Mt Cook was not visible being cloaked in cloud, however the Humbolt ice fall was clearly visible.   There were camper vans everywhere and also a number of buses in the village.   Tourists abound in this area.   The official beginning It was a quick downhill ride to Mt Cook Airport where we were to be helicoptered across the Tasman River.   They loaded our bikes into a crate and they were helicoptered across first.   While we were waiting we talked with a British woman who is resident in Wellington and loves living there.   She enjoys the hills and sea that surround Wellington and makes the most of outdoor pursuits.   She ...

We left Christchurch reasonably late due to the wonderful hospitality. We had to go and find some riding shoes for me because I had managed to leave mine at home.   Fortunately I was able to find a pair at a very reasonable price.   Christchurch when we left was very warm and by the time we stopped for lunch at Dunsandel it was almost 30 degrees.   We had a lovely lunch at The Dunsandel Store sharing a chicken and cranberry pie as well as a salad, all polished off with a piece of fruit cake.   Travelling along State Highway 1 ,the amount of irrigation was apparent with huge pivot irrigators going even though the land was quite lush from a lot of recent rain.   The last time I had travelled through to Twizel was about forty years ago when I was at University.   I did not recognise the countryside.   I thought it was quite flat until Fairlie but the route we took   was windy and hilly. In areas where I thought dairying would not have...

The bikes have been serviced, new tyres that are suitable for the trail have been put on the wheels and we are ready to ride.   I have figured out how to put the bikes on the bike rack and the rack is locked onto tow bar.   We have clothing packed for most contingencies.   The weather forecast is for rain for much of the ride but we are ever hopeful that the forecaster is wrong.   It was an early start as we had to be at the ferry by 5:30am only to find that we could have been there a bit later which would have been better if only to give us more time to sleep.   It is a long time since I took a car on the ferry which made it all the more exciting.   We were on the rail deck and unusually there were no railway wagons on it.   With some luck we will be one of the first cars off being the first on the ship.   We will see.   The only issue was trying to figure out how to turn off the car security system.   I followed the manual in...

Seven years ago B and I did the Central Otago Rail Trail.   While I had cycled on and off over the years I had never been for a long bike ride.   Despite the sore bum, which was a bit agonising by the end of the ride, it began a bit of a love affair with the bike. Instead of going for the odd jaunt along a relatively flat piece of land I have found myself doing hilly 90 kilometre rides, and trying out the odd adventurous trail.   One of my favourites has been the Remutaka Cycle Trail, which was done in two parts. The other favourite ride has been The Gong - an 80-90 kilometre ride from Sydney to Wollongong.   B and I had been eying up the Alps to Ocean Cycle Trail which goes from Mount Cook village to Oamaru for some time.   Then it was decided to do it and the bookings were made.   We decided to take our own bikes and to drive down.   All that we desire is fine weather.   Being New Zealand we just have to cross our fingers.