Posts Tagged ‘camping’

My Mid-Winter Molesworth Ride

June 16, 2013

Last year on my ride around the South Island I ran out of time to cycle the Molesworth.

So this remote high country station road was on the top of my list for this year.

One slight inconvenience is that the road closes 8 months a year. 2 out of 3 days a year they get frost at the homestead, and snow can close the roads for weeks on end.

It is possible to ask for permission to go through. But when I spoke to the manager on the phone he didn’t sound too keen at all.

But he didn’t say no. And after pestering him with a few more phone calls and emails I got the all clear after waiting out a few bad weather days in Blenheim.

In the comfort of Marg & Shaun’s house.

Kylie’s mum & dad. We met on my way through last year when we went fishing and saw a million dolphins.

This year we went to check out a chocolate factory!

Almost just as good.

Clear blue sunny skies and sunshine accompanied me along Taylor pass and into the Awatere Valley.

The Station itself starts about two days ride up the valley. I was expecting to camp in cold temperatures.

But when I asked Pip if I could pitch my tent on her land she invited me in.

Her husband was working on a station up the track so it was good to have some company. And great for me to get a shower and a bed.

Following the road

A few people stopped along the way asking if I knew the road ahead was closed.

I did.

One gentleman told me last night was -7 degrees and it’s expected to be -11 the next!

Am I glad I got a good sleeping bag, but I haven’t tried it in these temperatures yet. (The one I had in Tibet was different)

That evening I made it to the camp on the start of the Molesworth road to find all the taps turned off against freezing the pipes.

The temperature was quickly dropping as I rode a little further where I found a creek. Just as I was pitching my tent a guy in a vehicle came down to tell me I was coming with him. Instructions from the boss.

Dennis works at Molesworth station and was just heading out that night to shoot some rabbits. But not before he dropped me off at one of the shepherds huts. With a heater and a bed a wonderful luxury!

Just when I settled in the boss, Jim, called around. Telling me I was to have dinner with Annie, the cook, and breakfast at 7.

Annie had expected one of the guys to get back earlier so prepared a beautiful meal of home shot venison.

I just can’t get enough of the wonderful night skies around these parts of the world…

In the morning, Jim gave me a handheld two-way radio just in case anything might go wrong.

And send me along the track. And yes, it was cold.

The wonderful thing about a closed road is no traffic.

I experienced that last year on the rainbow valley road.

A lot of cows and horses though.

And a bit of a cold climb as I headed up the first saddle of the day, Wards saddle, from where I got the most stunning views of Isolated flats.

The track to come. I was very happy that on an impulse I bought a pair of UGG boots on a cold day in Wellington. Even though they are slippers, as my friend Kerry nicely pointed out, they are great for riding in very cold weather. My feet never got cold…

Well, only when I had to take the boots of to wade through icy little streams.

After the 2^nd saddle the road follows the riverbed.

There’s a lot of history of early travellers, huts and the sad story of Ivanhoe Augarde.

Who was dumped by his girlfriend and tried to send her a letter. But the guy carrying the letter out shared the contents with other man along the way having a bit of a laugh. When Ivanhoe found out he tracked Charlie down and ended up shooting both him and himself.

Mt Augarde is named after him.

The end of the property is marked by Acheron accommodation house.

The only one surviving of seven accommodation houses build for the increase of travellers through the Amuri in the 1860′s when gold was found. In 1863 this accommodation house was build and proved a hub of activity during the next 8-odd decades. After wich it has been abandoned and deteriorated.

Now it’s been restored and looked after by the national trust. You can camp outside, but the accommodation house doesn’t provide accommodation anymore. Although some people think differently looking at the empty beer bottles and food packaging inside…

Jim had told me I was welcome to camp inside to shelter, but I found a great camp spot on top of the lookout after pushing my bike up the hill….

I knew it wasn’t going to be warm, and when the wind picked up just after midnight I wondered if it was very smart to pitch my tent in such an exposed place.

I wrapped my emergency blanket around my sleeping bag in an effort to stay warm. I didn’t get terribly cold, but I didn’t sleep either.

When I peaked outside at 4am this is what I saw….

greatsky_edited-1

It didn’t take too long to ride over Jollies Pass and into Hanmer Springs the next morning.

Hanmer Springs from Jollies Pass

I did have to watch the road, it was still icy in places and rather rough.

It was lovely to have a soak in the hot springs and I stayed at a cosy little hostel where I met Kat.

She had the luck to win a jet-boat trip, and a lunch at a very flash hotel, in a raffle.

I had the luck it was for two Apparently a trip to New Zealand isn’t complete without a jet-boat ride.

So after flying up and down the Waiau river I got back on my bike and rode to Hamish Parents farm.

Hamish is one of the guys I met ages ago at Tangihou Station.

Jill & Mark live in a lovely part of the country, not far from Christchurch. Where they look after sheep, cow’s and deer.

From there it was an easy ride into town.

Where I met up with my Aunt Mary.

Here my South-Island route (including last year)

But as I said last time;

“I would love to stay, but visa’s keep pushing me on. I’m sure this wasn’t my last visit to New Zealand.

I’ll be back.

(and that’s a promise, or a threat… whatever way you look at it)

Posted in New Zealand | Tagged bicycle, camping, cold, country, cows, cycling, farm, freedom, hospitality, mountains, station, travel | 7 Comments »

Back Country

June 9, 2013

I don’t like rain. Some people might say coming to NZ in autumn might not be the brightest idea. But I have been very lucky with the weather these past few months.

I had lots of clear sunny days and if it did rain good things happened. Like the lady who found me at the op-shop in Maston (where I got a real nice tripod, proof to come in handy with my latest obsession of night-time photography). And took me home.

Or the lovely group of neighbours in Robert Harris in Feilding where management offered me a free breakfast! Half an hour later I saw them again on my way out of town;

Or meeting a viking in the op-shop in Woodville. I’d just come down the saddle road. And got a bit wet and rather cold.

He sent me down to his fiancé’s place who runs a B&B. They let me stay with them for the night. It was there I first heard about ‘Norway Day’.

This part of the country is where our Scandinavian friends settled way back in the day. So there’s town like Dannevirk (Danish),

and Norsewood (Norwegian)

I don’t know too much about Norway, even though I rode my bicycle to the Northcape back in 2005.

But they have a national day. This day is celebrated here.

It seemed a very private affair. I felt a little like I crashed some ones ‘party’.

I had a sneak peek in the town hall where I got rushed in and ended up sitting through a church service/ history lesson. I know all about the big fire in 1888 that burned most of the town to the ground. And the endurance and hardship of the first settlers.

From Norsewood a beautiful roads runs back to the east coast where you find Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu, the longest place-name in the (english speaking) world.

Meaning “The summit where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, the climber of mountains, the land-swallower who travelled about, played his nose flute to his loved one“. What a wonderful thing to do, my sister had a nose flute once. Her knees are normal though.

From here I took the Pori road,

This road gets rather busy,

The people I did ran into greeted me with “ you’re not from around here”, “You’re far away from home” and “Do you know where you are?”

Stuart was just on his way to Napier with his wool.

He gave me a little piece to braid in my hair. So I did.

A friendly enough man I spoke to at the end of a day warned me against taking the road I was going up. “Have you been to Afghanistan!, it’s like Afghanistan up there!!….

Mount Marchant Station was just up the hill. And somehow I doubt it was anything like Afghanistan, not that I’ve been there, but I’ve been on the border and I’m sure it would be great cycling if I could.

Jackie was just in the garden and invited me to stay the night.

Together with Bruce she lives at this sheep property. They have three kids about my age, their daughter just living up the road in Masterton.

The next morning was glorious, cycling above the clouds enjoying the views over the valley and accidentally giving the postman a fright.

As soon as I got below the clouds I didn’t see much ’till late afternoon.

In Alfredton I sat on the doorstep of the townhall to make a brew. Suddenly a bunch of ladies showed up. They had their monthly meeting of the spinning and weaving guild and brought things like cake, scones and sandwiches along. Yay!

If you ever cycle along rural roads in either New Zealand or Australia you can always tell how far it is to the next turn off/town by checking the house nrs. They tell you the amount of km’s. This way it’s easy for emergency services to find a place. It’s also easy for cyclist to know how far to the next town/turn-off is as often there’s no signs.

When I got to Masterton I found Nat’s place. She is Jackie & Bruce’s daughter and has travelled quiet a bit herself. This evening she hosted a wonderful dinner party and slaughtered a pumpkin.

She also has a cat. Who likes to sit on your face as you’re trying to sleep in the lounge room.

Bruce & Jackie had some more friends, a convenient day’s ride from Masterton.

So they send me on to Whakapuni station where it rained.

So here the result of my little project;

“A day in the life of the Matthewsons”

From there it was down the coast and along Cape Palliser.

A track through private land. I’ve been warned for the ‘grumpy man’ And for the fact I had to climb two pretty high fences. But Frank was just letting some cattle through and decided to follow me to the other end and let me through the 2^nd gate as well.

When he’d done that, he shot down the track only to return a few minutes later with a big block of chocolate some fruit and new lighter so it be easier lighting my stove

He then arranged for me to have lunch with his partner, Julie, on my way through the next day. Nothing grumpy there!

It wasn’t very far to the light house,

although there were a few fairly rocky,

and sandy bits.

I couldn’t cycle and had to push through.

I didn’t plan to stay at the lighthouse,

it was still rather early in the day when I came across two men on a tractor.

At first they thought I was a motorbike. I was not.

They were staying in one of the little huts along this coast, there’s a few of them around. More a shack then a house.

A shack with a bit of history. Dave wasn’t sure when exactly it has been build. But it has been moved a few times before it landed at the perfect place right on the beach where you can see the seals,

the lighthouse,

the sun & and the moon set,

and the little boats with cray fisherman working in the rough seas. And rough they can be. Windy too.

I noticed the next morning as I struggled to even cycle at all against the wind.

It was only 10km up the track when Bill overtook me and took me home for smoko in Ngawi.

Just riding into town a guy asked me if I was Mirjam. This is Adrian, a cray-fisherman.

I met his wife, Annemieke at Nat’s dinner party in Masterton…. A small world it is indeed

And after having lunch with Julie,

I kept riding along the coast

ending up at Neville & Annie’s dairy farm. They are friends of Julie and had their little granddaughter of 14 months staying.

It was there I made a little change of plans to keep moving along the coast instead of taking a track through the hills .

It took me 5 hours to cover just 20 km! Had to climb through/over 4 locked fences, the last one being 2,5 meter high. And with winds upto 130km/h I got blown off my bike three times!

Windy Wellington. They call it. It’s the first time I hear about that. And they’re not wrong. It was a ridiculous day to come along the coast.

It sounds like a truck is coming and when it hits you, even if you’re standing still, it’s rather difficult to stay upright.

When I got back onto an actual road I decided to try to fight into the wind for a bit and see if there’s any indoor camp places to be found. A car pulled over and Alison jumped out.

Now this is a little odd. I haven’t seen Allison for 8 years since we worked at the Hostel in Derry together. She knew I was in the area and figured there wouldn’t be too many girls out on a day like this, on a road like this, on a bike like that…

It wasn’t too much later a friendly couple found me tangled up in a fence (got blown off the road again) and dropped me off at their Dutch friends place in Lower Hutt,

From where it was only a short ride and a ferry into town.

And found Alisson’s place where I stayed a couple of days.

3000km since I left Auckland.

Posted in New Zealand | Tagged bicycle, camping, country, cycling, farm, hospitality, travel | 6 Comments »

Way Out East

May 16, 2013

I noticed a little wiggly road on my map going nowhere.

So I went to have a look.

The Ohuka road, winds its way over a ridge and down a valley from where it climbs as a little dirt track and keeps going up and down until your legs are screaming. Or just plain give up altogether.

When that happens, if you’re lucky (and I tend to be), you run into a nice farmer who offers you to camp in his shearing shed.

And just when you pitched the tent he calls ’round to offer a meal up at the house with the rest of the family.

The grandkids where over to stay for a few days, its school holidays and there’s enough to do at the farm.

I missed the spectacular sunset because I was having a shower… that was pretty good too since it was the first one in a few days. Lucky Mary was out to get it..

Leaving Nga-Tuhoe I headed back to the main-back-road.

Leaving Nga-Tuhoe

There’s not a lot of traffic, or people, about.

I still get the feeling I’m being watched at times…

When I did come across people I’d have a chat.

A nice man invited me over for a coffee.

Another one invited me to come and stay at the farm. Same thing happened the day before…

But both times it was still too early in the day to stop riding. How nice of them though!

At a small pub I met three men with daughters who’d just been out setting bait for ducks. The duck hunting season is about to start and they’re coming out again next week to do some shooting. If I needed a ride to Gisborne.

I am heading there but the long way around, so I declined. A little while later they overtook me on the uphill and offered me a ride again. Instead I got a phone nr and an address to come and stay when I get to town

According to a map I had the area I was riding through was

‘Rural As’...

And the road I was on wasn’t on the map at all…

So trying to find my way proved a little difficult. Lucky two nice lady’s were able to help me out.

Two Nice Ladies

The road I was after is actually a private station track and I needed permission to ride it.

But they knew the manager well so rang him up to ask if it was alright.

I would never have found the start of the road if they hadn’t given me very precise directions…

It wasn’t an easy ride. It was actually hardly a ride at all for the first couple of hours as I pushed my bike up the track.

But was rewarded with spectacular views.

And a fire/explosion of some sort going on in the distance.

A little plane was circling overhead and spraying fertiliser.

That’s exactly what I don’t need….

When I got to the top I ran into the manager himself and he invited me to stay on the property that night. I could use one of the spare rooms in the single mens quarters.

On a sunday they were not working so took me for a drive around the farm. Rural style.

The guys working here come from all over the country. So with some new addresses in my pocket I was on my way again in the morning.

Good times at Tangihou Station.

I’ve been staring at my map. The loop road that hugs the east cape seemed like a nice ride on a bike.

To get there I had two options. The highway to Opotike, or the Motu Trails.

Easy choice.

Build with pick and shovels it took 5 years to build a road wide enough for a coach and it was officially opened in 1918.

The Motu Trails are now part of the ‘Nga Haerenga’ New Zealand cycle trails. A collection of rides throughout the country. ’Nga Haerenga’ means ‘The Journey‘.

I got to Motu and ran into Jim. He’s just been out on a fishing trip and was heading home. So he left me with his spare food.

That was very kind of him. And particularly good since I had not passed any stores since leaving Roturua.

I rode out of Motu in the misty morning but climbing out of the clouds the views were once again spectacular.

I slowly winded my way back to the coast.

Onto the highway. But this is a highway with a difference.

Where people wave at you when you ride passed. Or toot. Or stop and have a yarn.

A highway where nobody seems to be in a hurry.

And where cows ride skateboards…

I spent a night at a small campground where the owner let me stay in a caravan. That was great.

Specially because he kept suggestively asking me what I do for ‘fun‘ so I locked my door.

Each little town I crossed has a Marae, a Maori meeting-house. Used for either religious or social meetings. Often with beautiful carvings.

One afternoon I met two ladies running along the road. Upon asking where the nearest campground might be I was directed to the school in Raukokore. Glenis is the head teacher there.

She told me to pitch my tent at the school grounds and come to the house for a meal.

We spent a very enjoyable evening chatting and eating. I tried some little black shellfish called bubu.

Being right on the water we saw the lovely sunset too.

Eastcoast Sunset

They were set to go on a road trip early the next morning.

But before we were all on our ways she handed me a beautiful jade greenstone, from the South Island, just like she is.

I cycled through Waihau Bay, where the movie ‘Boy’ was filmed.

And up along the coast towards New Zealand’s most Eastern point.

It’s a 20km ride out of the small settlement of Te Araroa to the furthest eastern lighthouse in the world.

I just made it up the 748 steps to see the sunset.

And back down in time to pitch my tent before dark, next to the furthest eastern dunny in the world…

For the most awesome view I only needed to zip open my tent.

I walked back up them 748 steps to be the first person to see the sunrise that day.

Lighthous Sunrise

It was me, a group of religious people singing songs and a nice couple from Tauranga who helped me back to the turn off. About 10 of us saw the light first.

Actually, there might have been a few people in Samoa or Tokelau… since they skipped the date line last year this place isn’t the first anymore. ah well. Let’s pretend.

Back pushing peddles I had a look at a little church off the side of the road. The whole church was beautifully carved.

Feeling hungry I stopped at the RSA club, I ordered a burger and this is what I got;

That did the job.

I ended the day at Te Puia Springs Hotel. The sun had just set when I arrived, it has been a long day, but a soak in the (very) hot spring was well worth the effort. As was the generous offer of the Publican to let me stay in a private room for a dorm-price.

The weather didn’t look all that flash in the morning,

Rain

so I stayed. And wasn’t charged at all the 2nd night!

Next day the sun was out again.

It was a nice ride, along some beaches and small towns into Gisborne,

where Captain Cook was the first European to set food on New Zealand back in 1769.

I had no trouble finding Dave’s family home. He is one of the three men I met in that small pub over a week ago. It was a great warm welcoming wonderful home. From where I needed to plan the next stage and a way to avoid the highway.

Dave had the perfect solution so after a couple of days I jumped on a truck at 4am to head a little further south and bypass that busy highway…

Posted in New Zealand | Tagged bicycle, camping, country, freedom, hospitality, station | 7 Comments »

A bit Upsy Downsy

May 3, 2013

If you ever happen to ride a bicycle through the forgotten world highway make sure you stay on top of the tahora saddle. Where Annie and Rob run a wonderful little campsite, and you wake up with this view in the morning.

Forgotten world Highway

described by a local as ‘a bit upsy downsy’ the road is build through hilly landscape, and apart from the scenery,

Forgotten World Highway Hills Trees Cows

and the 180 meter long Moki Tunnel,

Hoki Tunnel

You find reminders of early settlers along the way. Like Joshua Morgans grave.

Josh Morgan's Grave

He was a surveyor on this road and only 35 when he died in 1893. Leaving behind a 15 month old daughter and his wife Annie, who waited 60 years to be with her husband again and had her ashes placed on his grave.

From the end of this wonderful highway its only a hop-skip-jump to the start of the “Timber Trail”

Another glorious ride through forest and over the old Ellis and Burn and Ongarue Tramway (1922 – 1958).The trails were built for logging the forest and along the way you pass information signs about the area and the history.

Rope Bridge

There are 35 bridges,including 8 large suspension bridges (the longest being 141 metres). Fun to ride over, although I found myself looking straight ahead and not down..

The longest bridge

It’s recommended to ride this trail North to South, but I happened to be at the south end.

It was late in the day when I set off so when the sun set I pitched my tent at the site of the ‘single mens camp’.

Camp like a single man

I figured that would be a great spot.

No single men for miles around though.

Not so strange as this was when the timber was being logged… about 90 years ago.

It was mentioned that this was the coldest camp along the tracks.

cold morning

So it didn’t surprise me a layer of frost covered everything in the morning.

After making a mental note to invest in a jumper or ‘something warm’ I jumped back on my bike.

Ready for a long day on this wonderful track. Not quiet realizing how long it would turn out to be…

Bush

As I was making my way through the forest and over the many suspension bridges I got to the one official campsite around lunchtime. So I decided, like the day before, to just ride up the next hill and find a spot there. But there was no spot, the second part of the trail (for many the first as it is recommended to ride north to south) Is much rougher then the first. Steeper climbs, native bush and no flat space. I had noticed a hut on my map. Around sunset I found the turnoff, but my idea to ‘just push my bike through’ didn’t work out all too well. This track was nothing like the well manicured tracks of NZ great walks…

It was overgrown and strewn with trees and boulders. So I left my bike and walked. But after a good while and no hut in sight I figured I better get back to my bicycle and just keep on riding.

So that I did. With my torch in my hand downhill through the bush avoiding collisions with trees, possums and rocks I managed to reach Pureora around 9pm… And had the best sleep!

Lucky I still had some time in the forest the next day so I could actually see what I rode through. Before catching up with Dan to attempt another hike.

Or tramp as they call them in New Zealand.

Whakapapa

With no real plan or idea, but a few days up our sleeve and a sunny day we showed up at Whakapapa on a saturday and instantly decided to walk around Mt Ngauruhoe.

Mount Ngauruhoe

The Tongariro circuit is one of NZ ‘Great walks‘ There are 9 of them around the country. Although one of them is actually a canoe-trip.

The walk was indeed great. We didn’t have massive amounts of time since Dan is one of those people with a job and responsibilities. Unlike some :-p

So we tramped to a hut where we woke the next morning to clear skies. With rain predicted this was a wonderful surprise. We got walking bright and early and were amazed at the changing of scenery. From valleys with streams to forest to columns of lava standing up in an out of this world landscape.

And up to the actual Tongariro crossing with its emerald lakes and spectacular views in all directions.

This is New Zealand’s oldest national park (1887).

Its only been a year-and-a-bit since the volcano last erupted.

That’s why part of the track is still closed off. And you want to watch your step…

It was only a short ride for me to Kerry’s place the next morning. It would’ve been even shorter had I not got lost in Turangi…

With only 3500 inhabitants not a massive town, but a real sneaky road that takes you right around and back where you started without even noticing you’re going around in circles..

Apple Pie

Up ’till now the weather has been just too good. So I did expect rain any day now.

Lucky Kerry has got a very comfortable house where I could do things you do when you don’t ride a bicycle. Like making apple pies, looking at houses to rent and doing a personality test.

You know, the usual.

Riding along lake Taupo and towards Rotorua along some back roads I ran out of day. Again. It seems to happen regularly that the day is finished before I am. That’s with the sun setting at 17.30.

So I called in at Jason & Olivia’s place.

Jason & Olivia

A lovely busy household with 4 young boys. They were riding their cross-motors through the paddock when I showed up, and reckoned I could do with an engine on my bike too:-)

A good night sleep, a warm meal and a million questions later I was back on the road. (Thank you guys!)

One of the wonderful thing about riding this time of year are the awesome Autumn colours.

Autumn

When you get closer to Rotorua you notice a bit of difference in the country, it’s getting a little steamy as this is the heart of volcanic activity.

Boiling Creek

I rode past a boiling creek. There are geysers, mud pools, crater lakes and sulphur vents.

Rotorua

The smell of sulphur lingers around town.

This is John’s hometown. And he took it upon himself to show me around. We visited a hot pool, which is great, but maybe not just after a big meal and some wine…

Tree

It seemed like a nice place and I was lucky with all the rain that fell while I was there. It means that rain will not fall on my road I also found that jumper I was looking for to keep me warm, $1.- in the op-shop! yay. Love a bargain.

boot Off I went heading to what I’ve heard described as ‘the wild west of New Zealand’ even though it’s in the east.

A horse of course It was still a bit wet and miserable when I decided to find some food in a little cafe. But instead of a pie and some hot chips, the standard, I was surprised to get a fresh mushroom soup and some seriously good coffee thanks to Christine at her Dipherent Cafe in Murupara.

food, glorious food!

Look her up if you’re in the area, promise you’ll love it!

Dipherent The wet dirt road to Lake Waikaremoana winds itself through Te Urewera National Park.

Let the fun begin!

Passing a lot of native bush and some small settlements along the way.

young boy at the stop This is Maori land. Originally the Tūhoe tribe lived here, also known as ‘The children of the mist‘.

The translation for Te Urewera is ‘Burned Penis‘. The story goes a chief layed down a little too close to the fire and fatally burned himself in the genitals. So here I find myself cycling through ‘Burned Penis National Park’.

Fern