Another easy day of 35km...  taking the weekend spirit a tad too far perhaps :)

Fiddled with Maggie's cracked wheel and managed to line up the crack so it wasn't grabbing the brake pad - and it looked good and lasted all the way to Fox.
Nice gentle ride, up over a couple of gaps, but nothing drastic...  much less than I thought.  no hassles with the wheel either, but really better do something about it.
there were patches of farm lands again, in amongst the wonderful ferny forests.  saw the usual birds but didn't hear the Tui so much...  maybe it was a tad tooee cool... 15 when I started out...  low clouds hiding among the ridges - almost feeling like rain, but not quite - in fact wonderful weather to be riding in...  biggest hassle is when I stop to take a photo, my glasses fog up..  but I can handle that!
am a tad annoyed with the wheel crack...  it meant on arrival into Fox Glacier township, I didn't get a chance to zink back up the road to view the glacier...  staff here at the Big Foot backpackers aren't that cluey - all younguns earning enough $$s to go onto the next place...  I called the Hokitika Cycle shop and Nelson was all set for the fix...  just put the wheel on the bus and he'll pick it up from the depot, swap stuff over and it will be back in Franz Josef in afternoon..  Sweet!  but bus company says No...  will not!  so down to Info centre, no use, sent over to the Black Shed - PO-souvenirs-cafe...  but PO can't do it... would take 3 to 4 days to get down there and back....  had to go to general store, so asked the bloke there, did he plan to go to Hokitika tomorrow (he was unloading his ute) but he said no...  but suggested I try Grey Valley couriers as they go thru each day..  gave me their number and eventually we made contact...  yeah sure, he'll be coming back in about an hour, I'll tell him to swing by...  in less than that, he was there - just as I was dismantling Maggie, and away went her wheel..  Promises!  it'll be back in Frans Josef by noon tomoz...  Fingers crossed!  it works well as I have 2 nights booked there, so I should be able get a hike in and maybe a kayak...  depending on weather...  so the rest of Maggie is repacked in her bag and I've a ticket for the bus to Frans Josef tomorrow....  Sure, am going to miss one of the prettiest (and hilliest) sections of the road, but no choices here!  Its true!!!
can't get over this unlimited wifi after 2 days without any or mobile phone reception and 2 days before when I had to buy wifi... $5 for 50mb and $5 for 500mb...  ????

Misty morning down on the farm

home made gate!

is it going to rain?  not really!
there's a mail box cut into that stump

Past caring

truly, it was great cycling in this weather...
maybe its been too hot in Brisbane this year!

another Black River

bright orange lichen on these rocks by a river

The river

another one way bridge - with bright aqua green water roaring past

Hanging out with the Big Foot tonight

Township of Fox Glacier - places to stay and places to book helicopter rides...