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The Burt Monroe rally ended yesterday and so for the last 2 days there have been streams of bikers riding towards us. We did a side trip to Cosy Nook Bay! and then a few more dirt cross roads to finally get back to the main road and hit the 6 for the city.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4621/...0c03e1ae_b.jpgFILE1598 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4612/...36d3c102_b.jpgFILE1603 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4613/...d8ac91e9_b.jpgFILE1605 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4625/...22997013_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4786/...dea2abf0_b.jpgNZ South Isand-164 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4773/...bd9f5054_b.jpgNZ South Isand-165 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4760/...cc4fd47e_b.jpgFILE1614 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4612/...3ee4b6e6_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4703/...aa14e1f3_b.jpgFILE1634 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4772/...0269382c_b.jpgNZ South Isand-166 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We decided on a cabin for tonight so we can have access to power and charge up all the gear. This is not much more than camping (which is very expensive) and so is actually a “good” deal. The Amble On park has cabins with linens and even a TV. The bath is shared with the campers as is the kitchen. Time to power up all the devices and get some work done. The weather is so changeable here if you don’t like it wait 30 minutes. The cloud cover moves at an astonishing rate. It did sprinkle for 5 minutes just after 4, but was other wise nice. We had a cozy night in the little cabin and cooked up our breakfast in the well stocked kitchen. |
Today we do not really had a final destination as we are not sure how long all our wanderings will take today.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4654/...8e68a7a1_b.jpgScreen Shot 2018-02-13 at 21.57.06 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr It is cloudy, but not forecast for rain and we can see better weather in the direction we are headed. The first destination is to head 25 KM south to the “end of the road” at Bluff. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4619/...2d6b64c3cb.jpgScreen Shot 2018-02-12 at 15.29.28 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4620/...0f85e682_b.jpgFILE1650 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4606/...a3e9ca12_b.jpgFILE1652 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr This is not actually the southern most point, but like John O’Groats better marketed. It is pretty windy, but at least for the most part today we will be riding with it at our backs. We arrived to bluff and rode up to the Bluff hill look out for a 365 degree view of the harbor and even Stewart Island. From here we continues to said end of the road at Stirling Point. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/804/4...219213ea_b.jpgNZ South Isand by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4777/...1eaac72b_b.jpgNZ South Isand-2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We back tracked to the first cross road and then rode to Fortrose for some lunch and fuel. From here we made for the real southern tip of the island at Slope Point. There is a bit of construction going on and annoying when they dump chunks of rock on the road.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4663/...c25d62b9_b.jpgFILE1658 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4758/...4d924132_b.jpgFILE1670 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4722/...67fca581_b.jpgFILE1676 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4755/...4a38ca13_b.jpgFILE1677 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4740/...24d6fef4_b.jpgFILE1691 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4779/...f9846c14_b.jpgNZ South Isand-3 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
At Curio bay the pavement starts again and we did a detour up to the view point. There are no Yellow Penguins out at 3 in the afternoon. They are out fishing and will not be back until dusk.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/795/2...787c4e69_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4780/...4c0fd00b_b.jpgNZ South Isand-5 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4754/...cc68e386_b.jpgFILE1702 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
The riding from here is very scenic and thru the Catlins region. By 3 we had only made it as far as Owaka and got on line to see what is up. We did a side trip to see what the camping was like on the sea side=bad and headed back to town. We found a lodge nearby with shared baths and a very well stocked kitchen. So we walked into town to the 4 Square and got the fixings for some butter chicken.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4602/...005280a7_b.jpgFILE1752 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4713/...78c0459a_b.jpgFILE1755 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4769/...7df5ca69_b.jpgFILE1766 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4698/...5c54124b_b.jpgFILE1770 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4671/...608fd5fc_b.jpgIMG_2184 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
The weather today is still cloud and some sun, but still cold at 14 degrees.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4780/...dcea7068_b.jpgNZ South Isand-167 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We set out from Owaka and continued on the southern scenic route to the Nugget Point road. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4770/...474a4860_z.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4671/...c33675d4_b.jpgFILE1788 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4650/...36fcc772_b.jpgFILE1812 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4770/...39496cf9_b.jpg |
This is a narrow, winding, and sometimes one lane route that hangs on the cliff. The challenge is the 2 way traffic especially the tourists in rental cars. We parked and waled the 900 m to the Light house view point where you can see the “nuggets” as well as a number of fur seals on the rocks below.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4783/...a169b102_b.jpgNZ South Isand-171 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4699/...ea8ac4c2_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4776/...8615af0e_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4779/...849d9096_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4786/...5de1a0bc_b.jpgNZ South Isand-169 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4721/...71109717_b.jpg |
We then made for Balclutha for fuel and a stock up at New World Market. We had finally heard from the Swede and he was in Dunedin and is now 20 km away in Milton on the Hwy 1. He came to us and we found a park to share our picnic and to compare our past and future routes. He will continue south to Invercargill and we will go north. The plan today is from here to get on the gravel roads along the coast until Dunedin and then take the #1 to Oamaru.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4660/...4ea3f367_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4756/...b7acc91f_b.jpgIMG_2195 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Treats from Sweden!! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4761/...d2f88949_b.jpgIMG_2194 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4709/...4e76392f_b.jpg |
The first half of the route was on good gravel with a well used track and with nice views along the coast road, but turning onto Coastal Road they had recently top dressed the road with very chunky sharp rocks. Thought this was not deep it was slippery and annoying to ride over. We finally caught up to the trucks about 2 km before the pavement.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4618/...0bdafd6f_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4622/...8021d9ac_b.jpgFILE1879 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4674/...50c60837_b.jpgFILE1895 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4741/...45f59a1e_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4652/...18b3df52_b.jpgFILE1922 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4753/...5158b383_b.jpgFILE1926 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4770/...b5c0fa4b_b.jpgFILE1939 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We had booked into a home stay with Rose and she welcomed us warmly. We had super hot showers and then headed downtown to Fat Sally’s for a quick Valentines dinner. Quick because it is now nearing dusk at 830 and we want to be down at the harbor to see the Little Blue Penguins cross the road. This is a job that needs patience as they swim in then must climb between the rocks and then peak over the grass to see whats up. They can spend 20 min standing there before they get up the guts to dash the 10 m to the nesting area, which is either under the local buildings or they must go 10 m farther cross the main road and to the base of the cliff. We did see a dozen or so as we were too late for the rush hour crossings.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4773/...f12bd3cb_b.jpgNZ South Isand-181 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4776/...c6b7f383_b.jpgNZ South Isand-180 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4784/...ede64c72_b.jpgNZ South Isand-182 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4785/...d15c2bf6_b.jpgNZ South Isand-183 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We had a late start at 11 as we had hung out the wash at 730 and were waiting for it to dry. The sky today is cloud and sun, but when the sun is out it is hot. We are going back down to the Otago peninsula, but over the Middlemarch road.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4677/...cfe1f4ff_z.jpgScreen Shot 2018-02-19 at 19.18.50 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We also had to back track down the #1 50 km to Palmerston, but did a side route on the Horse Range road for a change of pace. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4652/...18d11337_b.jpgFILE1952 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4605/...675a8044_b.jpgFILE1962 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
Here we turned west on Highway 85 to Kyebrurn and then south on the Highway 87. It is very windy today and was mostly 14 degrees. When we passed Middlemarch it was even colder and we had to put on more layers.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4672/...1dffcd65_b.jpgFILE1976 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4724/...778932fc_b.jpgFILE1981 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4706/...c96cba7e_b.jpgFILE1987 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4614/...ddfb2439_b.jpgFILE1998 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We managed to avoid the rain we had been following all day as it was blown south of us and we arrived to the Otago Peninsula about 4.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4657/...91d6357c_b.jpgFILE2002 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4699/...5d4468b8_b.jpgFILE2012 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4756/...706e184b_b.jpgFILE2013 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4651/...bc4f6a7e_b.jpgFILE2016 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4709/...d4ec9635_b.jpgFILE2018 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4745/...72bd62c3_b.jpgFILE2023 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We set up camp and then did some riding about to several of the beaches to see the fur seals lounging on the sand.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4669/...b890c119_b.jpgFILE2027 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4775/...3fcb6af0_b.jpgNZ South Isand-184 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4782/...206c8bab_b.jpgNZ South Isand-185 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4786/...eeda3b93_b.jpgNZ South Isand-186 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4795/...2722470e_b.jpgNZ South Isand-187 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4780/...9e526fa6_b.jpgNZ South Isand-188 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4752/...44d0ac0b_b.jpgFILE2035 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Just before we left this guy was cooking up a huge steak on the Bbq and so our pasta Alfredo was not now as appetizing. I suggested we stop in the shop to see what they have. Dan said “well it’s not as if they are going to have a Porterhouse in there”. The small shop here in Portobello has an amazing about of nice things…. including an organic Porterhouse, which we did not buy as it was too big for us and it was 16$. We settled on a smaller steak, onion, and salad fixings. Our day has turned out pretty well. |
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