Central Otago

24.12.2009     46 km

In the morning, I just got some stuff done like booking flights, buying new fleece because my old one's zipper broke, having lunch at the Octagon... In the afternoon I took the train from Dunedin to Pukerangi thru the Taieri Gorge which was a pleasant touristic train ride! The landscape up at Pukerangi was totally fascinating, too! Weather was kind of hot and humid. Getting off the train in the surreal landscapes at Pukerangi, I rode my bike to Middlemarch where the Otago Central Rail Trail starts. So, I started that one and just rode for a while on this nice bike track until I came to a nice spot to pitch my tent.

Taieri Gorge Railway. We were allowed to walk over the bridge and take photos of the train riding over the bridge!

25.12.2009     50 km

Afer a windy and rather sleepless night, I continued riding the Rail Trail: over bridges, thru tunnels, along rivers, over wide plains surrounded by hilly and mountainous ranges. I was mostly facing a head wind and quite happy about the high cloud to give some shade during that hot day. Because it was Xmas day everything was shut down and quiet (not that I bothered too much;)). Stayed in a shelter along the railtrail over night for I wasn't too keen on putting up my tent in that wind again.

My own little hut along the trail in an amazing wide open setting.

26.12.2009     111 km

The wind finally eased a bit. The trail went thru a Poolburn gorge which was quite nice. I Omakau I met this crazy German unicyclist (unicylce WM is taking place in Wellington these days). He's actually cycling the South Island! He's got a 36'' wheel, two gears and brakes! Well, I made my way to Clyde on two wheels and since the campground there didn't have any tentsites left (Kiwis are on holiday!!!) I cycled back to Alexandra. Because I don't like backtracking, I took the millenium walkway along the river which was kind of exciting and nice. (You can actually cycle that - I doubt it's intended to be done with panniers though:)) In Alex, I stayed at this campground which was again crowded with Kiwis. The whole thing was quite a change to the remote past days. Luckily all these people are very friendly. And I was absolutely stunned by the Kiwi way of summer holiday. The show up there with a trailer packed with stuff, put up their HUGE tent and in the end they've got everything in there (including fridge, TV....).

27.12.2009

Spontanously decided to experience this Kiwi holiday lifestyle for another day: just lazying around, reading a book whilst the sun was shining strong and hot, reading another book in a pub downtown, having dinner...

28.12.2009     80 km

Another hot day in Central Otago and I rode back to Omakau (on the highway though this time). I tried to stay in the shade during the midday hours. So, after a decent coffee time I took the road to St.Bathans where I went for a swim in an old gold open pit - how great is that!? I love that refreshing water on that 30dC day! Had a drink at the Vulcan Hotel there, talked to some locals, enjoyed life... Around 7pm I left the town of St.Bathans and took the Hawkdun Run to the Oteake Conservation Area where I stayed at the Homestead campsite.

The view from the Homestead campsite whilst I tried to focuse on putting up my tent!

29.12.2009

At the campground was a board showing the surroundings and possible tracks. So, I made up my mind, packed and left the campground by 10am. I followed the easter branch up Manuherikia River. Did dozends of rivercrossing and regarding that it was another hot day, having wet feet wasn't bad at all. The track was all on a dirt road and I met two motorbike parties. After four hours of tramping I got to the Little Omarama Saddle where I enjoyed spectacular views towards the Mackenzie Country! From there on, I continued on the Saddle Ridge Track taking me even further up the hill. After two hours and a switchbacking downhill I got to the Omarama Saddle from where it was only 2 kms to Top Hut. After that long and hot day it was very relieving to see that hut awaiting me. Brilliant setting for a hut anyway! I was the only one at the hut and just enjoyed a cup of tea and later on, dinner.

View towards the Alps from the Little Omarama Saddle.

View downvalley the Mahuerikia River from the Omarama Saddle.

30.12.2009

Slept well. Around midnight I went outdoors though which was brilliant. The moon was shining so bright I could see all the hills around: amazing - and all the stars!!!

I left the Top Hut around 10am and on my 2 hrs walk to Boundary Hut it hailed, rained and a cold wind was blowing. All off that didn't make all the river crossings very attractive... I had a long lunch break at Boundary Hut but eventually tramped on, following the western branch of the Manuherikia River downvalley. Despite the weather conditions, I really liked that vally a lot! So, after another 2 hrs I got back to the campsite, put up my tent and got invited for a cup of coffee by this couple from Wales. They in NZ for a whole year, very nice people and I had a good time sitting in their van chatting.

Along the track.

31.12.2009    89 km

Because I started to run out of food, I had to hit the road again that day. I took Home Hills Run Rd which started with a ford (because the bridge was broken)! My bike and I, both survived that and so eventually got back to civilization: Oturehua. In Oturehua I went food shopping in the oldest grocery store of NZ or so. Having stocked up on food and having had a coffee, I cycled down Ida Valley and started cycling the Old Dunstan Trail (which is the old road, where folks used to travel to Central Otago during Gold Rush times by horse and wagon). Made it up to Poolburn Reservoir where I put up my tent at the lakeside in the midst of this amazing scenery! (Land of Rohan) Of course I stayed awake until midnight just to be aware of entering the new year first!;)

My mess with snowy hills in the background.

01.01.2010    82 km

Left the lake behing me and continued on the Old Dunstan Trail. Breathtaking surroundings: rocks, tussock, blue sky. Because I haven't had a shower in a couple of days, I took the chance of washing my hair in a creek I came by. Later I faced a steep, scary, windy, gravely descent. Still continuing on that trail (which btw is 4WD only), I found myself fighting a steep road up Rock and Pillar Range. The views were great up there, passing a swamp/lake... Unfortunately there was a gusty NWerly blowing (locals told me it was around 200kph?). Of course it wasn't a tail wind - it came from the side. So, I fought that wind up there. Not always succeeding and somtimes ending up a couple of meteres of the road. At some point I wanted to get out of there. So, I continued fighting wind, gravel, hills... And at some point I came to Clarks Junction: there was a pub! The sight of that was perfect! So, I had a Speight's there and later pitched my tent in the playground right next to the pub!

My New Year's Eve campsite at the shore of Poolburn Reservoir.

The road I was coming down from....

View up at Rock and Pillar Range.

02.01.2010     97 km

Still very windy, I left Clarks Junction and did some amazing long stretches of real downhills (on sealed roads!). Ending up in the plains and on SH1, wind wasn't as strong as up on the hills and I biked all the way to Balclutha over gently rolling hills. At the campground there I met that one Japanese cyclist again which was unbelievable!