Day 24 of TA - And then there were two!
Saturday 1st November
Distance: 92km across Cook Straight and then cycling 55 km from Picton to Pelorus Bridge
Elevation gain: 562 metres
From Wellington to Pelorus Bridge (via Cook Straight ferry and Picton)
About 11hrs elapsed from 6:00am to 5pm. Cycling time about 4hrs.
Friday Night
Rob arrived in Wellington and I have a travelling companion!!
Friday night was hectic - getting from the Wellington airport to the unit downtown with his bike box and gear. Rob was a bit of a zombie (30+hrs travel will do that). But he assembled his bike and stowed his gear on the bike like a pro. His flight arrived at 8:20pm and I think we finally got some sleep at midnight.
Saturday
Very early start this morning. I've been relaxing in Wellington for almost a week (since Sunday afternoon) and haven't bothered with an alarm. We needed one today, and we were awake at an unholy 5:30am.
After some final packing and fussing we rolled out of the unit at 6am. Time for Rob to do a little test ride down to the BlueBridge Ferry terminal.
We checked in and handed our bikes over to the ferry baggage handlers (I hope they look after them!). We then went up to the lounge to relax and have breakfast. Carbo-loading !! The ferry (vessel name Connemara) left an hour late, at 9:15am. No explanation.
The trip across Cook Straight was just beautiful, and by that I mean flat. There was a blue sky with light winds. My tum-tum said a little prayer of thanks.
We rolled off the ferry in Picton at 12:45 and got cycling by 1pm. Our first leg together.
We cycled 35km along the coast line of Queen Charlotte Sound heading west to Havelock, the green tip mussel capital of NZ. From there it was a 19km cycle on Highway 6 to Pelorus Bridge campsite, our destination for the night.
We made good time. There was very little breeze and good tarmac. The backroads were quiet but Highway 6 was busy. A bus passed us by on a bridge. That was a bit of a squeeze.
We camped in the non-powered campground. A few people around but keeping to themselves. There were two girls that arrived on bikes and were travelling in the opposite direction to us. They gave us the low-down on what we can expect tomorrow. It sounds tough and involves walking/pushing our bikes up a very steep hill. However that's tomorrow.
We just had a fantastic start on our South Island adventure.
Today's theme song is by Choirboys - Boys will be Boys
So now you're getting older / Don't try to settle down / You gotta live it to the limit / And that's why / The boys will be boys
So before I get too old its great to be on this iconic trip with Rob.
Goodbye Wellington. I've had a lovely time but I have to get to Bluff.
Distance: 92km across Cook Straight and then cycling 55 km from Picton to Pelorus Bridge
Elevation gain: 562 metres
From Wellington to Pelorus Bridge (via Cook Straight ferry and Picton)
About 11hrs elapsed from 6:00am to 5pm. Cycling time about 4hrs.
Friday Night
Rob arrived in Wellington and I have a travelling companion!!
Friday night was hectic - getting from the Wellington airport to the unit downtown with his bike box and gear. Rob was a bit of a zombie (30+hrs travel will do that). But he assembled his bike and stowed his gear on the bike like a pro. His flight arrived at 8:20pm and I think we finally got some sleep at midnight.
Saturday
Very early start this morning. I've been relaxing in Wellington for almost a week (since Sunday afternoon) and haven't bothered with an alarm. We needed one today, and we were awake at an unholy 5:30am.
After some final packing and fussing we rolled out of the unit at 6am. Time for Rob to do a little test ride down to the BlueBridge Ferry terminal.
We checked in and handed our bikes over to the ferry baggage handlers (I hope they look after them!). We then went up to the lounge to relax and have breakfast. Carbo-loading !! The ferry (vessel name Connemara) left an hour late, at 9:15am. No explanation.
The trip across Cook Straight was just beautiful, and by that I mean flat. There was a blue sky with light winds. My tum-tum said a little prayer of thanks.
We rolled off the ferry in Picton at 12:45 and got cycling by 1pm. Our first leg together.
We cycled 35km along the coast line of Queen Charlotte Sound heading west to Havelock, the green tip mussel capital of NZ. From there it was a 19km cycle on Highway 6 to Pelorus Bridge campsite, our destination for the night.
We made good time. There was very little breeze and good tarmac. The backroads were quiet but Highway 6 was busy. A bus passed us by on a bridge. That was a bit of a squeeze.
We camped in the non-powered campground. A few people around but keeping to themselves. There were two girls that arrived on bikes and were travelling in the opposite direction to us. They gave us the low-down on what we can expect tomorrow. It sounds tough and involves walking/pushing our bikes up a very steep hill. However that's tomorrow.
We just had a fantastic start on our South Island adventure.
Today's theme song is by Choirboys - Boys will be Boys
So now you're getting older / Don't try to settle down / You gotta live it to the limit / And that's why / The boys will be boys
So before I get too old its great to be on this iconic trip with Rob.
Goodbye Wellington. I've had a lovely time but I have to get to Bluff.
Photo control point 15. The trip across Cook Strait. You can see the North Island off in the distance and the first rocky outcrops of the South Island just behind me.
Th busy harbour town of Picton.
Tents up at Pelorus Bridge campsite.
So good to hear you’ve had a good crossing and start to the South Island. Such beautiful part of the country.
ReplyDeleteWhat a hectic trip for Rob to get there without loosing the plot. Well done and enjoy the future challenges.
ReplyDeleteFantastic! Part 2 of the TA off to a great start! Glad no big seas on the ferry across!
ReplyDeletelol… you would have been so happy for the flat seas! No vom on the 1st full day of your partnership! W
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear the boys are together and off to a sunny start! Enjoy those morning meat pies!
ReplyDelete