When we woke up in Makaroa, it was 38 degrees outside (3C) but we were warm in the cabin that Chris had thoughtfully booked! The people who were camping all reported being cold, which was not surprising since most people biking are prepared for summer type temperatures.
We packed up and left, the road shaded by the mountains to the east. It was cold but beautiful. The sun illuminated the mountain faces and peaks across the lake, dusted with snow. The temperatures rose quickly, but there was no wind, and the scenery was amazing. Our friend in Tasmania, Cathy Miller, had prayed to the weather gods to grace us on this day in particular, and they were obviously listening.
The ride today was 42 miles and had moderate elevation gain. We rode on paved roads to Häwea and then along a gravel road/path to Wanaka. There road first travels along Lake Wanaka and then goes over “the Neck”, which is a short hill separating the 2 large glacial lakes.
From Häwea, the route left the paved roads and guided us along the front of a dam gushing crystal clear water into a stream that we would follow most of the way to Wanaka. The climate here is much drier than the west coast, reminding us strongly of the western US and Colorado in particular with the dramatic mountains. We’ve crossed over the divide between West and East, leaving the lushness on the other side.
We stopped at a bike shop in Wanaka, getting some replacement brake pads for Chris’ bike, which have started to squeak. Since we bought bikes in New Zealand, I didn’t know what parts to bring when we came, and this was a reminder that we’ve gone down a lot of steep hills. Brakes were fine on examination, but will need to be replaced soon.
We found a restaurant in town (lots of them!) and had dinner with Sebastian, me trying to act as translator with variable success. It was a very nice evening, and Chris and I plan to come back soon. There’s a hike here that people rave about, and it seems like a place that we could happily spend a few days.
Our friend Jay is arriving in Queenstown tomorrow and we’ll spend a few days with him there before heading out to complete our trip on bike to Bluff, on the southmost point of South Island. He’s going to rent a car and meet us down there, and then we’ll do some traveling together before heading to the next destination!
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