Two Friday's Otago Escapade

Two Friday's Otago Escapade The trials & tribulations of a cycle touring couple exploring Otago, New Zealand on folding bicycles.

What to do on our last full day in the New Zealand tourist capital? The babies (bikes) are all packed up in their cases....
24/02/2023

What to do on our last full day in the New Zealand tourist capital? The babies (bikes) are all packed up in their cases. Everything (bikes, shoes, panniers, camping gear) that has any possible particle of New Zealand dirt has been washed and scrubbed and shined to get though Australian Border Security (and we are ready with our standard reply "no, we haven't been on any farms ;) " Time to do some regular touristy stuff. Skyline Gondola and tonight the SS Earnslaw steam ship trip (minus the sheep station visit and dinner - we're waiting for NZ F'sh n Ch'ps.

A fresh 9° this morning when we set off to a great little Cafe in Arrowtown armed with map and map apps to decide which ...
23/02/2023

A fresh 9° this morning when we set off to a great little Cafe in Arrowtown armed with map and map apps to decide which of 3 routes we would take to get back to Queenstown.
Very happy with our choice of an only moderately trafficked road with no large trucks or tourist buses. Lots of road works during the off (non-ski) season where, as the slowest vehicles, we hold up the traffic in the sections of traffic light controlled road works. Everyone was chill about it though.

This morning we woke in a sweat having left the heater on high overnight. Once we walked outside we realized it was as c...
23/02/2023

This morning we woke in a sweat having left the heater on high overnight. Once we walked outside we realized it was as cold as a frog's tit.
Only having 25 km to ride to Queenstown, we had a slow start to the day. We were determined to use up every second we paid for in that house. I (Ray) ate all the complimentary snacks, drank all the complimentary drinks and then had to use all the complimentary toilet paper.
We also had to have a funeral for our Kevin Rudd 2008 Stimulus Tent as we placed it with distain in the bin. Both of us were shocked that it had only lasted 15 years. Aren't these things meant to last forever.
Tonight and tomorrow night, we are in the Queenstown Lakeside Youth Hostel (again, and in the same room we were in 2 1/2weeks ago). We actually look like the youngest people here. At least it's dry and warm.

Can we please have a minutes silence for our late tent. Not only did we have water coming through the roof last night, i...
22/02/2023

Can we please have a minutes silence for our late tent. Not only did we have water coming through the roof last night, it also came up through the floor. By 9:30p.m. Jenny had said f🍆🍑k 174 times. It was then we decided to book accommodation under cover no matter what the cost. Jenny was searching on-line with a headlamp with water dripping on her head.
Our clothes were O.K. because they were in our water proof panniers, but our bed and everything inside was getting wetter and wetter. It was also very cold. Ray wasn't too worried because Jenny hadn't cuddled him this much since their wedding night.
So tonight we are staying in a small house via Booking.con. If you look outside, over to the south-east, you will see a bright light on the horizon. That is where we are staying. Ray is turning on every light, heater and implement to get our money's worth.

Well? It's pi***ng rain and the tent is leaking. We spent a lot of time today riding uphill on a highway with narrow sho...
21/02/2023

Well? It's pi***ng rain and the tent is leaking. We spent a lot of time today riding uphill on a highway with narrow shoulders, into a headwind and we are tired. I think this is going to be an exciting night. But atleast we're not at work.
There are very few photos of today as it was just a full on day. The only thing that Jenny wanted to do today was have coffee at the Jumpy jumpy place and eat eat sh*tberry biscuits.

Finished the reverse Otago Rail Trail this morning & continued past the trail head at Clyde and (gasp!) onto the bitumen...
20/02/2023

Finished the reverse Otago Rail Trail this morning & continued past the trail head at Clyde and (gasp!) onto the bitumen road on the other side of Lake Dunstan. It was fascinating watching the cyclists on the Dunstan Trail across the other side of the lake that we cycled ourselves just a week or so ago.
Luxury tonight in a holiday flat after 3 nights in the tent. Our first private bathroom in 2 weeks! Bliss.

Today we took a break from riding our bikes to riding someone else's instead 🚲 🚲 helped us out with mountain bikes t...
19/02/2023

Today we took a break from riding our bikes to riding someone else's instead 🚲 🚲 helped us out with mountain bikes to ride the Roxburgh Gorge Trail (and part off the Clutha Trail). There is a water taxi (only in New Zealand would the water taxi be a jet boat!) to cover the middle third of the trip We were then picked up at the end of our ride for return to Alexandra. ,

Some images from yesterday (our rest day in Omakau) and today (on the trail to Alexandra). When we changed direction, al...
18/02/2023

Some images from yesterday (our rest day in Omakau) and today (on the trail to Alexandra). When we changed direction, altered our plans and allowed ourselves to relax a bit more we were amazed about the little things that we would notice along the way. It has also been amazing that completing the 152km trail again but in the opposite direction is like a totally different ride. Who'd have thunk?

After another day on the trail, Jenny and I are in Alexandria. We have stayed in the Otago area due to the weather but t...
18/02/2023

After another day on the trail, Jenny and I are in Alexandria. We have stayed in the Otago area due to the weather but today it attacked us with heat.
Jenny is surprising me everyday with her changes in plans. For example: tomorrow we are hiring mountain bikes and getting bused out to some trail on a river. She did tell me the name but as I've said previously, I've given up worrying about time and direction, so it's a surprise for me. We ride this trail and then get brought back in a jet boat. I'm really excited about it.
Also we have been planning our next holiday. Jenny, who never likes to leave sealed roads, has been talking about the MUNDA BIDDI TRAIL in Western Australia. This is a serious off road adventure journey. I'm starting to wonder if it is Jenny I'm riding with.

Two of my (Ray) highlights today way the amazing lunch stop with the prettiest barista, and following that barista throu...
16/02/2023

Two of my (Ray) highlights today way the amazing lunch stop with the prettiest barista, and following that barista through a tunnel.

We wandered down the drive last night to the Wedderburn Tavern which was doing a rip-roaring trade with hungry baby-boom...
16/02/2023

We wandered down the drive last night to the Wedderburn Tavern which was doing a rip-roaring trade with hungry baby-boomer Rail trailer cyclists (most doing the trail on guided tours on ebikes) & then traditionalists like of course us too! An amazing meal of venison and a lovely Pinot from just up the road.
Today we continued our journey back along the Rail Trail & have tried our luck again camping at the little town of Omakau which unbeknown to us before arriving last Saturday was hosting an Agricultural show and we were forced to find last minute accommodation at the Pub.

16/02/2023

The view from our Shearers hut accommodation last night.

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