Onto gold mining town of Ross on the coast

TV weather says rain for the next few days, so it was a relief when I opened the curtains and saw blue skies...  we shall see how long that lasts!

Once again, Maggie takes on the burden of all my gear and we say goodbye to Hari Hari and head for the coast.  there's still mountains on the right - with glimpses of snow capped peaks in the distance.  it sorta had the feeling of maybe Switzerland - including a mob of black and white cows being driven along by 4 kids on horses!
there was a long straight section and can you believe??  A tail breeze!!!
there were beautiful lakes, fringed by NZ flax, wide glacial rivers as well as the usual little creeks and more forests with their wide variety of ferns, ferns, ferns!
about 10km out of Ross, I took the detour towards the beach along a dirt country road.  there were farmlands and a little bit regrowth forest that was mainly briar and gorse, but still filled with fantails.  I met a rather puffed out looking red border collie trotting along - I hope he knew where he was going...  and I could hear the sea roaring in and actually feel some spray but there was no access to the coast - and then back onto Highway 6 and we rolled into Ross - an old gold mining town, that has certainly see better days...  being Saturday, all the young hoons were hanging at the pub, so it was good to turn into the Ross Motel and get the key for 4 and get settled in for another night on this holiday.
and easy pedal and it didn't rain!  no wind and no real hills today either!  bonus!!

Can you believe, a bath in the en suite at Hotel Hari Hari!!!  nice!!

looking along the main (and only) street in Hari Hari

cute little craft shop in Hari Hari - but closed!

Wanganui River

Ianthe Lake - before the speed boat arrived!

new fern frond!

typical one-lane bridge - I got over this one without any competition

farmlands right by the coast - that's spray from the sea, not dust!!

 

man made lake in the middle of Ross - must be from past gold mining

There was a small open-air museum with examples of machinery etc from the old gold mining days!  The rest of Ross was so run down and things for sale everywhere.  its not a town one would wish to live in, for sure! 

the old gaol - necessary in a wild west gold mining town!

strange motor bike shop???

and a very comfy motel room, complete with a little kitchen...  no more pub chips!!

Heading for Hotel Hari Hari...

I'd been warned about the Hercules Range just before Hari Hari, so lets get this show on the road!
It was so nice to be out on the road again and Maggie was rolling along very nicely.  It was an easy exit from Franz Josef and we were soon out of the hills and pedaling along thru farmlands.  It was Cold!  and damp, hardly called rain...  so jacket, beanie, 2 prs gloves and knicks & tights - good training in Sweden last year.
The scenery is still spectacular!  the clouds peel back and there's a ridge of gnarly teeth with pockets of snow.  Heaps of rivers and creeks, with one wide and deep one looking like it had came down from a glacier, the milky aqua colour a give way and the moraine of rocks!
The forest is still thick on hills, but the farmers have got rid of most of their trees.  Saw several mobs of black n white cows, but Mama Moo was truly hiding and didn't come out to talk...  and it seems that every farm has a goat or 2 tied up on short rope.
The Hercules Range lived up to its name.  the first bit was fine and I got a bit excited when I saw a sign, showing a little car pointing downhill...  but wishful thinking!  once I got closer I saw that the little car is actually struggling up the hill - as I was soon enough!  I was chuffin along quite well, tho huffin and puffin.  but then traffic got in the way - a small car came grinding along with a following of about 6 cars, so I felt compelled to stop and get off the road and let them all past...  which then means, its too steep to get started again, so I walked about 200m before it flattened out a bit and I was able to get back on Maggie and pedal slowly to the top!  Am loving these new gears!!
then it was all down hill to Hari Hari -  a tiny town with one main street and nearly every house up for sale...  wonder what has gone bust out here?
so - do you want some photos?  wifi is down in the reception, so will toddle down and see if I can get it working...

Maggie loaded up again, saying goodbye to the Glow Worm

Beautiful lake - maybe this is the one they kayak on...  sigh opportunity missed!

Winter gear - a selfie for the grand kids...  have been told to do more, so be prepared!

Checking out the Franz Josef Glacier

I took a quick ride on Maggie - out to the carpack near the glacier - just to make sure all was well...  nice riding without all the gear!
Main thing today was the 3 hour guided Valley tour up to the 2008 line of the Franz Josef Glacier...  we met our guide, Bryan at 2 and were bussed out to the carpark to start the walk.  It was quite an informative tour, however, we didn't really get any closer than those doing a self-guided tour...  just on a slightly more off beat track and also a little dash across a rocky section, where apparently there are ice blocks still underneath that occasional melt causing some excitement...  none today :)
so let the photos tell the story!

My cosy room at the Glow Worm Accommodation

Waiho River, from the Franz Josef glacier

sunshine on the glacier - from the car park

at about 11, the clouds lifted for about 30 mins, giving us a wonderful scene of the mountains with the snow on top...  Is it Mt Cook?  

from the main street

glacier torn rock

getting up close to the glacier

view from the 2008 line - thought is that maybe its stopped retreating, but only time will tell

about 2km away from the 1906 line

Resurrection of Maggie and Franz Josef

caught the bus early in the morning and headed up and down a seriously narrow, windy road.  was thinking am sorta glad to be riding this section in the bus...  the ups were 3 and quite steep, but one of the downs rivaled anything the Tour could offer and the road was wet!  So think I made the right decision not to ride that section as Maggie's rear brakes were compromised!
The ferny forests continues and we arrived on time in Franz Josef.  the kind bus driver drove me around to the Glow-worm Hostel, which was much nicer than the very unhelpful guy at The Bigfoot that just shrugged when I asked if there was anyway to get help with my stuff to the bus stop...  ah well, just as well I am a farmer's daughter and am strong, tho was getting puffed on the 3rd trip carrying Maggie.
so am liking Franz Josef sooo much better.  The courier arrived here at about 12:30 with wheel and I immediately set to, releasing Maggie from her bag and getting all the wheels back on again and handlebar looking proper.  Dang, the guy didn't send the brakepads, but when I rang him he apologised and was off to put them on the afternoon bus.  but...  says I...  they don't take parcels...  of course they do, he says...  the drivers understand!  and sure enough when the bus pulls in, he's got a heap of parcels and there's mine!!  haven't done this before, but can't be too hard, so let's do it...  then I checked on google (maybe should have done that first!) but I think I have done it right.  went for a short ride around and after a couple of squeaks and squawks, all seems to be settling in fine!
so while I wasn't fussing over Maggie I strolled around the 2 streets of Franz Josef.  there's a cute old church up one end, so had a peak in there...  wondered what stories it could tell, probably a lot of sad ones, but surely some happy marriages and christenings as well....
and....  booked in for a 3hr hike up to the glacier tomoz....  had a coffee and a muffin.....  walked around some more......  yep!  unless you're off on a helicopter ride, there's not a lot to do...  as at Fox, there's a lot of accommodation - from flash to not so - a supermarket, petrol station and a PO....  and heaps of cafes and bars.  had another burger and chips at the Monsoon Bar - it rains and we pour - and that's about it for another day.  My room's smell takes me right back to Lake Eacham and Paluma...  rainforests!  yay!

looking out the bus window

 this is the river from the Franz Josef glacier

little Catholic church

street art

my home for 2 nights

there's a bluddy big mountain behind all those clouds!

Reborn!

Almost a break in the clouds!