Day 5 - Ranfurly to Omakau

I had a really comfy sleep after having an evening meal at the pub and trying out Speight’s beer.  Well, one beer is much like another really.  It was fine!

After breakfast I loaded up Maggie and away we went at a bit before 8:30.  It was bluddy nippy, so I checked temp before heading off – 13.4…. yeah, cold.  Another overcast day it seems and there was a wind, but strangely coming from behind – again!!  I know!  I didn’t believe it either and it eventually whiffled away.  I think I am lucky because the majority of riders are coming the other way and the wind knows it can annoy more blowing as it doesJ

I had my knee-length rainbow soxes on as well as ¾ knicks and cargo pants over the top.  On top I wore a t-shirt, long-sleeve hoodie and my fleecy cardi, but still had to stop and put my head band on to keep my ears from freezing – woose!!!!

Curling lake in the winter - it totally freezes over and
 there's about 26 teams play at the same time 

The trail as before, continues to be loose, rough gravel.  I read in some blurb where the trail ‘is ideal for cyclists’ and I wonder if it’s because we are too bluddy polite to say that this surface abso sux and it messes up what could be an idyllic ride.  Most of the scenery passes by while my eyes are glued on the small 20cm path that’s been made in the very loose gravel.  

example of road surface

Good training for riding on roads with narrow shoulders I guess….  I think it is time for some honesty to prevail and for someone to stand up and say ‘engineers, please try and put your minds onto the task of making an easy care smooth surface for cyclists’ otherwise the numbers are just not going to grow.  It is manageable, tho mostly frustrating, going downhill at a bit speed and a slip in gravel can only end up being painful, something I don’t want to experience.  So there’s my whinge…  I wonder if I will let it get louder!

45degrees south

But the scenery today was a bit more speccy – the Gorge was gorgeous – lined probably with some introduced tree like willow, but with water racing along under the impressive viaduct. 

 

Poolburn Gorge

Poolburn Viaduct

There were a couple of rather cool, cool tunnels to walk through – only one really needed my torch but both a bit scary to ride through as the trail wasn’t lit up enough to see the rocks.  But I was in no hurry and they certainly weren’t very long – and the sign said “cyclists walk”. 

inside the big tunnel!

I lunched at the Ida Valley Café – real coffee and very nice and I had a bonus scone – a large half of scone with pesto, tomato and a nice slice of camembert and that kept me going for really ages. 

Lunch at Ida Valley

  I went into the old Gilchrist’s shop and bought a couple of things just because… but I was a little disappointed in it for some reason.  It sorta feels right, but not….  Might have been the slightly sour shop keeper.  I think the shop in Cammoweal is much more authentic...

I saw a hare lolloping along the trail until it saw me, then panicked and took off in the other direction.  There were deer inside a paddock and a couple of sheep out on the trail.  I spied another flock of Californian quail, their topknots nodding as they took off.  And I had a good look at a Paradise Shelduck, heard it calling and confirmed the other sightings I had of ducks with white splodches on their wings. 

After lunch I found a public toilet and stripped off some of my excess clothing as quite suddenly the clouds disappeared and the sun was quite warm.  The blue skies were really nice and later on I checked the temp in the sun was 28 tho when I had a later stop in the shade it was only 26.  But very nice to be warm and getting a good dose of Vit D.

I eventually rolled into Omakau at around 4ish – very happy with my very easy ride of around 60km today.

Peddl’n Away B&B is my accom for the night. Elaine and Ian are a very friendly couple who welcomed me into their home.  I was the only guest for the night, so they made quite a fuss of me.  First I had a cold beer and some crisps, then a nice hot shower and later a very delicious pumpkin and spinach lasagne with fresh garden salad, followed by sticky date pudding covered with caramel sauce served with ice-cream.  Probably more than I needed, but it would have been rude to refuse!

So another successful day along the trail – one more to go.  I finish the trail in Clyde tomorrow and from there it will be back sharing the road with cars.  And I guess there will be some real hills, as so far, I haven’t really had to cope with anything much.  I really think the ride from Middlemarch is much easier as the downhills are much more noticeable than the uphills.  So thumbs up!

Stats:  60.3km – 14.8kph average – 25.3kph max