Pioneer trail - Friday 19 July and trip comments

This is not shaping up to be a pleasurable day biking; a long straight haul down the Wairau and on to Picton, hopefully not into a head wind.

It's light enough as I leave the lodge (and another group of Kayakers gearing up) just before 8. The sun is casting dusky pink light on the top of Mt Robert and there's a wee bit of frost in places. Low mist follows the contours of the farm land with the sun catching the top as it starts to crack through above Tophouse saddle. From the intersection with the Golden Downs Road it's new biking territory for me.

The road drops from the saddle and it's into long flat straights for the next few hours. Not much else to say really; the sun shines up the valley and there is mercifully little wind.

The vineyards start a lot further from Blenheim than I expect but it's quite a while before I see any names I recognise. About three hours after starting I roll into Renwick, buy lunch and eat it in the sun outside a vineyard. It's a busy work day with teams out amongst the bare vines whereas I'm just soaking up the sun. Afterwards I think to check the ferry timetable and regret being quite so leisurely. The 1.05 looks off the cards but the 2pm Bluebridge should be a goer (including a wee stop and taste at the Makana chocolate factory).

Despite a firmish head wind up the valley towards Picton and the usual brutal traffic, it's a little after 12.45 when I enquire at the counter and the chatty woman says yes there is room for a skinny bike and rider on the 1.05. She asks if I felt the 5.7 earthquake centred off Seddon earlier but although everyone else from Christchurch to Wellington seems to have, I didn't.

There's time to sit in the sun and dry sweaty clothes before boarding. After all the rush the boat eventually gets away 40min late. And that's pretty much it. A smooth sunny sailing with food and snoozing as the main past times then the last few Ks home along my usual commuter route in time for the weekend; after a good long soak in the bath that is.

No photos today so here's where I went on Saturday with Angela

Comments

Great fun; some dramatic and isolated countryside without ever being that far from civilisation. A good amount of gravel and off road entertainment although the last day on seal down the Wairau was a little tedious.

Being midwinter meant limited daylight and having to carry heavier gear for the cold, although bar the one windy day the weather was not too bad.

Initially I slightly under-cooked the gear needed to keep feet and hands warm (despite having over booties and mitts). The highest point was only 980m on the Porika track so it was all below the bushline.

I was happy to fork out for roofed accommodation on a number of nights. However, if you were of a mind, many of the forested areas had plenty of scope to find an off road camping spot. Bear in mind though that there are also long stretches of farm land where your tent might not be quite so welcome.
It would have been possible to have done the whole trip without a tent but with the added pressure of having to get to a specific destination each night. For a lighter, faster trip a fly would be viable (bearing in mind the rainfall and flesh eating insects you can get out West).

As with accommodation I was happy to buy food on the way. I carried four days of food but in the end there were plenty of places to buy meals so used most of the breakfasts, little of the lunch snacks and only one dehy dinner.

The bike set up worked fine. The aero bars got good use, particularly on the long straights on the last day. The tent on front was ok and only really affected steering on the very windy day. Slicks weren't a problem on gravel and over the Maungatapu and Porika tracks although if there had been rain
it might have been more interesting.

The two Kiwimaps road maps I carried were ok and covered my whole route but lacked useful detail. I would recommend carrying National park or 1:50,000 maps for off road sections.

Distances

Daily distances were somewhat limited by daylight and cold but a week was plenty of time to not feel rushed. Total Ks on 2 wheels was 704 km from Friday to Friday (with the first Friday as a work day and a day and a half off).

Daily break down:

Friday: Home to work and from Ferry to Aussie Bay; about 30km
Saturday: Aussie to Nelson; 81.4km
Sunday: to St Arnaud; 88.7km
Monday: to Muria; 123.2km
Tuesday: to Westport; 140.7km
Wednesday: Driving day
Thursday: Half day to St Arnaud; 96.8km
Friday: to Picton and Home; 143km