Stroller wrote:Meanwhile i have counted the kms of my northern route and believe its quite doable in the time i've got.
a pain in the *rseStroller wrote:What's a pita?
RonK wrote:a pain in the *rseStroller wrote:What's a pita?
north-north-west wrote:RonK wrote:a pain in the *rseStroller wrote:What's a pita?
Oh. I thought it might be like a weta or a kea or a tui or something like that.
Stroller wrote:I've got a new itinerary worked out. Would you like to take a look and give your feedback. This is the hardest itinerary i've ever had to figure out. Don't
EAST SIDE heading NORTH
Day 1. -Christchurch - A whole day.
Day 2 and 3 bus -to Kaikoura and Ohau maybe. - Here I want to see baby seals if possible at the Ohau waterfall, swim with dolphins and snorkel with seals. (Can i fit all this in in two days? I'm hoping to take the bus all the way to the Ohau waterfall. or something like that to save some time. - any tips on how to organise all these activities or just deal with it when i get there?
Check the breeding season - I think the seal pups are born in November so there may not be any there when you are. I dunno about the bus dropping you off there, you can only ask . But it's an all day 60km round trip visit if you ride there, so two days not enough. Probably better to get off at Kaikoura and and join an excursion.
Day 4 and 5 -Ride to Hanmer Springs on the Inland Road.- visit the hot springs. (i'm taking some short cuts probably on private property i might have to ask. It won't save me many kms but every km saved counts.
It's only a two day ride by road.
Day 6, 7 and 8 -Ride up to and around the St James bike Trail.
"The central section comprises difficult and remote Advanced grade riding, with river crossings and bike carrying in places. Riders need to be fit and experienced to do the full trail."
Can you handle this carrying your luggage? Can your bike handle it? Tip: you can get a shuttle up Jack's Pass with the Quad Bike Express if you don't want to ride it.
Day 9 and 10 - Ride the Rainbow Road to St Arnaud.
Not open until 26 December. it would be wise have an alternative itinerary in case you can't get permission or the road is impassable due to the weather. I reckon your chances of going this way are less than 50:50.
Day 11 and 12 - Ride St Arnaud to Westport on the Highway via Murchison (i don't trust my loaded bike to the old ghost trail and I think the denniston route takes an extra day so i'm skipping that option too)
This is a great ride and will be mostly downhill.
WEST COAST heading SOUTH
Day 13 and 14 -Westport and Cape Foulwind (Seal colony) - REST DAYS
I found Westport dull and boring.
Day 15 - Ride to Punakaiki via the Highway - pancake rocks
At Charleston just south of Westport you can go rafting through a glowworm cave. I didn't do it but it looked interesting.
There is a lot of up and down before Punakaiki - ride is harder than it looks on paper.
Day 16 and 17 -Ride to Greymouth and on to Karangarua River - with side trips to Franz Joseph and Fox Glaciers. (can i fit all this in in two days?)
That is almost 300kms - can you ride that in two days and visit the glaciers? It took me 4 days. I'd pass over Greymouth and continue on to Hokitika. Be warned also that there are three big hills between the glaciers.
Day 18 and 19 - Hike the Copeland Track in the Mt Cook National Park - hot springs (i read a good report on this)
Day 20 -Ride to Haast
You probably need to plan to loose at least one day due to rain along the west coast. Make sure you have Bushmans and an antiseptic cream such as Paraderm Plus for the sandflies.
THE SOUTH heading eastwards
Day 21 and 22 - Ride to Wanaka and on to a beach campsite on the Mt Aspiring Road.
**I'll probably cut this next one out but have to check it with someone else first.** Ride up the Mt Aspiring road and back to Glendo 2 days
You can do a nice day walk at the end of the road, but it would probably take three days by the time you ride in and out.
Day 23 - Ride a back route to Arrowtown from Glendo (near Wanaka) this route leads roughly parallel to the highway. No traffic so could be much nicer if steeper.
Doubtful you can go this way - I'm pretty sure the road route passes through three private properties, and the walkway is too rough for bicycles. But anyway the ride up the highway through Cardrona across the Crown Range is fantastic and the traffic is not heavy.
Day 24 - Arrowtown REST DAY
Day 25 - Ride to Queenstown REST DAY
Day 26 - Queenstown and bus to Glenorchy REST DAY (to save time and get more rest - i tire easily)
Day 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32- Hike the Rees-Dart Track over the Cascade Saddle - big hike! since its too hard to organise the routeburn track.
Day 33 - Ride to Mt Nicholson (on the south side of the lake)
Are you going to attempt the track from Greenstone? Otherwise you need to get the steamer or water taxi across the lake to Mt Nicholas or Walter Peak Station. Also Mt Nicholson Station is private property - no camping. But it's a fairly easy day ride along the Von Road to Mavora Lakes from Walter Peak Station. You will get your feet wet.
Day 34 and 35 - Ride the trail road to Te Anau
Day 36 - Bus to Milford Sound ( i believe the road in the tunnel slopes up east to west so i figure riding back might be better)
Actually if I recall correctly it's the other way round. Watch out for keas. Personally I'd just take a day excursion by bus from Te Anau.
Day 37 - Kayaking Milford Sound (organised from Te Anau i think)
Day 38 and 39 Ride back to Te Anau
Day 40 Bus to either Queenstown for more or on to Mt Cook or on to Christchurch.
…
Day 45 leave from christchurch
Have you any suggestions how to spend the last few days. If i'm tired i could bus back to christchurh and then do the ride to Akaroa which sounds nice on the christchurch penninsula. 2 days.
Yeah, Akaroa is well worth a visit. But it's a steep climb by bike into and out of the volcano.
I read about the flexible bus passes. I thought i could buy 30 0r 35 hours to get me to the places mentioned. Costs about NZ $230 i think.
Stroller wrote:Thanks for all that. I'll have to process it all. I'm a bit stunned you reckon its 300km from greymouth to K river. I made a big mistake in my calculations.
Did you ride the milford sound road? I'll recheck what i can about the tunnel. I thought i read it right. Oh well. I guess i will ride up becuase i did see that all the traffic is only one way but i'll see.
Stroller wrote:Day 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32- Hike the Rees-Dart Track over the Cascade Saddle - big hike! since its too hard to organise the routeburn track.
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