Day 6 - Omakau to Clyde - end of the trail.....

 (I have uploaded my gps tracks - http://www.a-trip.com/users/home/10338 - you should be able track along my trail.  It doesn’t hurt to click on the fast forward especially when I have stopped for a snack or taking photos.  But there aren’t any photos on that yet – they are fiddly to load up, so will do that later – maybe!)

Day 6 18 Feb – Omakau to Clyde

Elaine & Ian saying Goodbye

Another very brisk start to the morning – 8.6C before I went for brekky.  I think by the time I was on my way it was up to 17 so not that bad!! Predicted to be 32 today – what a range!

Ophir Bridge

I did a little loop out to Ophir – only about 2km.  This is apparently the coldest spot in NZ in the winter, getting down to -15 regularly.  It was down in a little valley after crossing over an interesting one-way bridge.

The Old Post Office, Ophir

The PO there is the longest continually operating PO in NZ – a really interesting old one-room building, such that you might find at Ardrossan.  So of course I went in there and bought a couple of postcards to send to a couple of very special kids I know J  I even got to frank one with the old stamp….

Inside one of the cells

Checked out the old Lock-up out the back.  Apparently it had been used as a sleep out for many years and the National Trust has just bought it and relocated it back to near the PO.

The pub there is very art deco and up for sale - but maybe not this time.  Then back onto the trail.  Only slightly going downhill, but heaps of riders heading out – in tour groups and all rude and snobbish.  Most looked like they had thought it was a good idea, but already weren’t so sure!

Looked like an Asian Cock-fight happening up in the clouds

So I continued on through more farmlands, dry rocky outcrops, over viaducts or bridges and eventually arrived back into civilisation at Alexandra – the main centre for this area.  As I am not a city person, I continued along the rather hot and sunny track, past vineyards a plenty and I eventually cruised down into Clyde. 

Civilised bridge over the river at Alexandra

End of the Central Otago Rail Trail

I was spending the evening with a friend’s parents and they took me in and made sure I had more than I needed.  

We went on a tiki tour up to the dam, which is a hyrdo-electric generator - then over the river and up to a rather serious lookout, way up a rough and rocky road, where we saw a rather serious mountain biker struggling up the hill in a lather of sweat, but he wasn’t giving in.

The Dam wall, Clyde - Lake Dunstan behind the wall

Looking down the valley made me think of photos of the Derwent valley in Tassie.  River lined with poplars – all very English. 

Me - blocking the view!

Once back down the mountain, we took a short walk along the River trail, an alternative track between Clyde and Alexandra. 

  

Here the river really rips past after being let out of the dam.  It would be a really nice bike ride to loop along the River trail and back along the Rail trail – about 25km.

So a very pleasant evening was spent chatting and catching up on each others’ news.

Stats for the day:  46.6km and I forgot to write down the rest.  total on the trail: 174.84km - which includes the few zigs and zags I did along the way.