A little Hawke's Bay Cycling

Distance cycled: 45 km, I didn't keep track of the driving

Time: 1 hour 58 minutes

I have big plans to ride from Napier to Havelock to Clifton and back to Napier, picking up some cycling friends along the way. My schedule doesn't quite fit anyone else's so I end up driving to what I think is Clifton, biking towards Havelock the hard way, running out of time/turning around early, getting my first flat tire of the trip, getting lost due to google maps thinking it's okay to bicycle through wineries/vineyards...where was I going with this? Anyway, the ride is at least as stunning as I remember.

The Clifton Cafe has changed names/hands, but is still in the same place. 

I rush back to Napier for my next engagement. I am booking things too close together.

I have a little trouble finding the stairs to our old house. There are about as many as I remember, but they have definitely gotten steeper. The house has not been improved, but the gardens across the street are immaculate.

My old coworkers throw a party for me. I thought I had taken more photos but I have very few on my phone. Most of them are wearing aloha shirts. I didn't pack one.

I lost count of days

Distance travelled: 980 km

Travel modalities: Bicycle, Airplane, New Zealand's biggest SUV

Time: 11 hours

I'm dreading this morning as I know it's bike packing day. I force myself to wait at the hotel until 8AM, so I can time my arrival to the opening of the Boat Shed Cafe in Frankton, convieniently located on the way to the airport.

I purchase a box from Air New Zealand and am directed outside to the bike building area. There are repair stands with hanging tools and pumps. I'm shocked. It takes 15 minutes to go from the first pitcture to the second and another 15 minutes to the third.

I try to shoot cool pictures from the air, but I'm sitting over the wing.

I rent the widest automobile I've ever driven. Most tourists start in Auckland and drive somewhere else to fly home, so there's often a rental car shortage in Auckland. If you're willing to pick up a car in Wellington (or probably anywhere) and drop it off in Auckland, it's practically free. I pick up some luggage I've left with my very generous Wellingtonian host and we go out to lunch at one of my old favourites. I almost order chicken and waffles.

The drive to Napier is excruciatingly long. The size of the car and being forced to keep it on the wrong side of the road ensures that the very annoying lane assist is constantly trying to take over. I debate turning it off for a few hundred km. I try to take a picture of a rainbow, but even with some filter enhancements, it's hardly visible.

I run into some old friends. While I've been away, Napier appears to have developed a nightlife.

Short relive video

Day off in Queenstown

The majority of this trip was about the journey. Queenstown was about the destination. I can't remember why we never scoped it out prior to making New Zealand our home. Probably because even in summer, it's pretty cold. Also, way too many Americans.

After a laundry ordeal that put me into full caffeine withdrawal, I finally sit down to the best flat white I've ever had. I was looking for somewhere that served corned beef hash, which I thought would be popular, since you can buy it at Costco in Hawaii. I settle for corn potato hash, something or other.

I scour the town looking for a bicycle jersey. I've cycled over 1100 km. I am due. Most of the bike shops are rental outfits only. Each directs me to a different shop. Nobody rides road bikes in Queenstown. I find a silver fern in a women's extra small.

I sit on the shore and convince myself to paraglide. 

Instead, I decide on the seemingly safer jetboating. I ask the operator how much training driving a jet boat takes. 120 hours he replies. I do not ask if this is in addition to any other boating experience. A six pack captain's license in the US requires 360 days on the water.

I survive and wander into a pretzel bar. I am warned it will take 25 minutes to bake.

I then find myself in a biker bar. These are the first road cyclists I've met on this trip. Someday we'll ride together in Christchurch.

I walk around the town and the lake front for hours. It's beautiful everywhere.

Day 10 Wanaka to Queenstown

Distance: 90 km

Time: 6 hours 13 minutes

Travel Modalities: Cycling, a few hundred meters downhill gravel walking

Gradual uphill out of Wanaka and I reach a closed Cardrona Inn. I head across the street to the Cardrona General Store. I am majorly letdown. After coffee and banana bread, I discover the Cardrona Inn closed sign was from yesterday and I'm just a few minutes early. I poke my head inside, there's no food yet. 

I continue up the hill. I've ridden this one on a tandem. I am not worried. But as it gets steeper, I conclude I was much younger the last time. And it was the first ride of the tour, not the last. And Nico had hired a personal trainer and had monster calves. The last few km are much worse than I remember.

My brakes aren't working well at the top of the hill and they're gone by the bottom. I eventually slow to a stop and touch the front rotor, which burns my finger. I take pictures of sheep and vow not to use the brakes for a while.

I stop at a gate to a 4wd track I am supposed to take. A woman in an SUV tells me to be careful because the track is washed out. I proceed until it starts to get rough and a local tells me it's time to walk. I pass some Germam cyclists walking up. They want to know how long it's steep for. They're going to Wanaka. I have bad news for them, but they speak little English.

I stop in Arrowtown for New Zealand's best pie. (Actually, two of them, but who's counting?)

I eventually admit that I can no lomger stop and make some.brake repairs. I am not an expert with disc brakes, but I bring them back and am angry I didn't do this days ago. I am also thankful I didn't die descending the Crown Range.

I cross the shotover six times. I become more daring on the gravel now that my brakes work.

I stop at the airport to make sure Air New Zealand has a bike box for my flight out. I end up on the highway, but decide the gravel path was more pleasant and rejoin it.

The path gets more crowded. Eventually, I am unable to ride and dismount. I walk to the beach. I am done.

Relive Video