25/02/2015 - Cycle Touring New Zealand - Day 40 - Wow Factor.

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Distance cycled: 113.6km from Lake Mahinapua to Ottos Corner campsite, South Island, New Zealand.
Average speed: 20.8km/h
Moving Time: 5h27m
Elevation Ascended: 1133m
Total Distance on Current trip: 2,874km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 5,533km
Money spent: $14

So Spencer and I are now playing a little game to rate the amazing-ness of our day by tallying up how many times we say "Wow". It's simple and gives us a figure of how awesome our day is. Today, our 'Wow, factor' reached 5 and 6, so today's result is 5.5 (it's an average), and obviously the higher the better.
Let see if we can keep this going for the rest of our time traveling together.
The terrain today wasn't all that difficult, plenty of gradual up's and down's with only one climb up to 200 meters.
The main attraction for the day was the nearly fluorescent blue of the rivers that we passed with the gigantic New Zealand alps towering above, just awe inspiring.
We met some very chatty people today on this 114km journey all of which were shocked about how far we cycled; generally this is the case anywhere I travel and although there is the same story being told several times a day it is always priceless to see the reaction on their faces when they hear "I've cycled roughly thirty four thousand kilometers".
Finishing up the day at another DOC camping spot ($6pp) we cooked dinner with a German dude we met at yesterday's camp site, Mario may join us for some hiking at Franz Josef and even Fox glacier tomorrow.

24/02/2015 - Cycle Touring New Zealand - Day 39 - a much needed rest (half) day.

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Distance cycled: 57.7km from Greymouth to Lake Mahinapua campground (DOC), South Island, New Zealand
Average speed: 21.9km/h
Moving Time: 2h38m
Elevation Ascended: 213m
Total Distance on Current trip: 2,760km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 5,647km
Money spent: $17

Taking things slow and easy was exactly what both Spencer and I needed today. These things involving Sleeping in, gradually and slowly packing up our things and spending 5 hours in the Library playing catch up on all things Internet related including making a plan for the next week or so of cycling - we didn't leave the town of Greymouth till after 4pm.
We took the west coast trail south towards Hokitika that was a new cycle trail that was more than entertaining with hard packed gravel path specifically for cyclists.
It's nice once in a while to have a bit of a change from always cycling on the highways and not having to worry about stupid motorists that often get too close to you.
Our pace was excellent with a slight tailwind blowing us along the coast with not a single hill climb that hindered our speed and as such we were able to cover some considerable distance for such a short day.
I know I said yesterday that the coast line would be beautiful but unfortunately this section was not to interesting.

22/02/2015 - Cycle Touring New Zealand - Day 37 - Once again receiving Free food.

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Westport Beach, South Island, NZ

Distance cycled: 85km from Bobs place to Westport, South Island, New Zealand.
Average speed: 19.7km/h
Moving Time: 4h13m
Elevation Ascended: 750m
Total Distance on Current trip: 2,592km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 5,815km
Money spent: $8

My GPS has screwed this one up slightly… a descent of 500m below sea level??

I mentioned in yesterday's post that this morning would be awful as it was peak season for sand flies but thankfully but also disappointingly it was raining. For whatever reason the sandflies found refuge in Spencer's tent vestibule and didn't bother me so much.
Anyway, we took our time with packing and waited for the sun to come out before we set off.
It was 85km of cycling in the mountains, hills and valley of the Buller national park and most of it was descending to the coast, it was a staggering road with little in the way of townships however we did stop off at a small cafe only asking for a pie to munch down but due to the microwave blowing up our pies were left cold and the waitress offered us something off the menu for free, we both opted for the Niger which was delicious but far to much food to eat before having to mount the bicycle and cycle the last 30 or so kilometers.
Before dark we made it to the town of Westport and as we were a little damp from a quick shower we tried contacting a member on warm-showers, Janet wasn't all that keen on having us over and just by the tone of her voice I really didn't want to stay with her so we headed to the free camping spot on the beach.
Meeting a smiling German couple on arrival we pitched our tents and as we started cooking they gave us some fried fish, this with the leftovers from yesterday and rice we had a fantastic feed before both heading to bed.
Please don't rain tonight, I really do want a good nights sleep.

On our way to the coast

Camping at the beach

23/02/2015 - Cycle Touring New Zealand - Day 38 - It's almost like Jurassic park.

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Distance cycled: 110km from Westport to Greymouth, South Island, New Zealand.
Average speed: 17.5km/h
Moving Time: 6h17m
Elevation Ascended: 1256m
Total Distance on Current trip: 2,702km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 5,705km
Money spent: $18 for accommodation at hostel (camping), $21 for food and snacks

If there was a term to best describe the scenery for today whilst cycling the west coast of the South Island, it would be "Jurassic Park like".
Both Spencer and I were in awe from the shear size of the mountains that were often partially obscured by the high clouds that drifted above as we strenuously and exhaustingly tacked the steep parts of the road toward Greymouth. This coastal road is renown to be a very scenic drive so imagine the 360 degree views you would have on a bicycle whilst having in the back of your mind that you had made it here by using nothing more than the strength in your legs. This is why I cycle the world!
We broke up the day by taking an extended test at one of the touristy cafes beside a major tourist hot spot, the Pancake rocks. Unsurprisingly these rock formations look somewhat like a stack of pancakes. The boardwalk that looped you back to the road was interesting but with so many people blocking the path and wanting to photograph the blowholes and the rocks the experience was spoiled.
It has been a little under a week and spencer and I have not had a break from cycling, so as we can shower up and rest we are just going to have a half day tomorrow. Something that is much needed.
This is only the beginning of the Great coast road so over the coming days we expect some incredible views of what the South Island of New Zealand has to offer.

 

21/02/2015 - Cycle Touring New Zealand - Day 36–Stung by a bee.

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Distance cycled: 123.3km from Wakefield to Bob's place near Murchison, South Island, NZ
Average speed: 18.2km/h
Moving Time: 6h45m
Elevation Ascended: 1846m
Total Distance on Current trip: 2,507km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 5,900km
Money spent: $20

Mid afternoon whilst having lunch a bastard bee crawled between my toes and stung the bottom of my foot. Man was it painful and as much as I would have liked to nurse it I knew I had to continue on this beautiful road towards the coast to the place we will be spending the night at Bob's place beside the Buller river.
It was a tough day of cycling having to not only cycle steep gradients to the top of two passes but also 123km in a single day exerts much energy.
Despite getting stung, having drenched my shirt in sweat, fixed two punctures (now 11 punctures in total), had some stupidly close calls with a couple of vehicles and pushed myself as far as we had today it still was an awesome day with incredible backdrops that resembled oil paintings, occasionally empty roads with little traffic, clear rivers and many nice people including our host for the evening, Bob.
Bob lived 15km west of Murchison in what he called the shed, a small home he and a friend had built beside The Buller river with camping for cycle tourists who pasted by.
As there wasn't any cell reception he preferred people to show up and pitch there tent rather than go though the process to request a place to stay for the night. So this is what we did, Spencer and I showed up and as he was there, you could stay even if he wasn't home, and pitched our tent before having a shower and cook dinner.
Bob had spent many years traveling the world and has now cycled a huge chunk of it, an intelligent, friendly and open minded guy who would no doubt get along with anyone who spent a night or two at his place. And because he had used warm showers on his previous bike trips he set up his place to return the favor of offering touring cyclists a place to stay.
We all chatted to close to midnight and the only problem I had with Bob's amazing 6 acres of land were the Sandflies that swarmed us when we arrived but the mornings are suppose to be worse so tomorrow will be interesting.

Climbing up Hope Saddle Summit

Camping at Bobs Place

16/02/2015 - Cycle Touring New Zealand - Day 33 - The pretentiousness of city dwellers.

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Distance cycled: 113km from Levin to Wellington, North island, New Zealand.
Average speed: 17km/h
Moving Time: 6h36m
Elevation Ascended: 1069m
Total Distance on Current trip: 2,207km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 6,200km
Money spent: $9

I left Cheryl and Roy's place alone as Marlieke was wanting to finish up the trip to Wellington by taking the train, I had to cycle well over 100km to get to where we were staying, it was yet another member from warm-showers that we organized this morning because staying with Zim (Cheryl and Roy's son) fell through.
I was put though some really tough terrain today but the relentless head wind would not back down, there were times I just wanted to stop and give up for the day especially watching all the other cyclists enjoying the direct tailwind on the opposite side of the road.
Entering into the suburbs of Wellington I noticed a change in the people, no longer were people waving hello to one another nor were they saying that simple hello when they passed one another - this simple two syllable word "hello" when spoken to a passerby makes a place feel inviting and friendly. Unfortunately the residents of Wellington did not have this attitude and instantaneously I felt like the city was missing something. This is often the case in many cities around the world and why I couldn't ever live in a big city.
Being fed up with the wind almost blowing me backwards and frustrated that I wasn't receiving the friendly wave back from other cyclists I stopped to help a man with his bicycle upside down, he managed to somehow jam his chain in between his sprocket set that separated it in half.
Having disassembled his chain and prying his rear fork apart I managed to make his bicycle at least rideable. He was grateful and I was happy I was able to help someone out who was in need.
I also had a run in with a police officer today, I had literally had my helmet off for less than 2 minutes whilst Very slowly coasting down a hill searching for a better spot to view the city in the mountains north of it, he shouted at me but thankfully didn't give me an on-the-spot fine.
Wellington isn't a huge city by any means but how it is squeezed on the edge of the Tasman sea and the mountains city makes it a picturesque city.
Eventually I made it to where I was staying and as Marlieke had cooked dinner and as exhausted as I was I simply ate and went to bed.

Looking out over Wellington