2/5/07
We have been contemplating the short but three pass ride from Franz Josef Glacier to Fox Glacier for the couple of days and today we ride the 24km. We rolled out of the tent to a cloudless day and on the road by 9am. The mountain over Franz Josef is clear today: white snow with a crystal blue background; over the bridge with milky to sludge gray glacier melt, on across the valley to our first pass climb. We are both apprehensive, me of the ups and Judee of the downs (can’t coast without the chain falling into the wheel for an abrupt stop). Over the first pass and back down into the next valley, across another bridge and up a steep pitch to start the four or five long switch backs.
It gets hot and off come the tights and long sleeves. On goes the fly spray and suntan lotion and we continue our second climb. Soon our helmets and faces are dripping as we slog along at 3.7 mph. Over the shoulder and down through the green tunnel peddling all the way with the drag brake on, but still doing up to about 28mph; across a broad open flood plain where we loop back up to the base of the mountain; across another bridge and this time, over a clear rushing river to start our third and last climb. We are both doing ok and settle into our climbing mantras. For Art it is “I am a genius burro miracle maker!” For Judee it is “burra miracle maker”. In little or no time it seems we crest the top and fall down into the town of Fox Glacier. Our bed down spot for the night is one of two tent sites on the grounds of the Ivory Tower Backpackers establishment. When we get camp set up we are off to explore and view the Fox Glacier, riding Bici 6km up to the car park and then taking the rugged trail over moraines, across streams following the muddy river out flow up to the glacier face. When we round a corner of the trail the trees and brush fall away exposing this huge mammoth ice flow: blue old ice peeking through newer dirt filled brown/black ice and snow; jagged up thrown spikes and towers with snow capped mountain looking down on all. The imposing sheer granite and schist walls hold the river in the narrow valley today just a rushing series of streams, but at other times forceful enough to carry boulders as large as cars easily down stream.
Fox Glacier |
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Back at our lodgings, our yard is filled with many young bodies in the sun. It seems that 55 twenty-some things on a study abroad program had arrived for the night. Tonight they eat, drink and party until 2pm. Oh to be young again – Not! We do actually get some sleep and again wake to a cloudless sky.
The day’s 70k ride was relatively flat to rolling accompanied by wonderful weather and good road. We both had sore butts at around 58km so stopped at a salmon farm and restaurant for a snack: yummy chocolate cake and a coke. Reminded me of Hostess cupcakes and fountain cokes I used to drink after days in high school to try and put some meat on my bones.
Tonight we are camped on Lake Paringa: our first DOC (Department of Conservation) experience with only pit toilets and having to boil the water for drinking. We will use our filter for the first time. Who would have thought we would need it here in NZ? Since there are no showers, we went for a swim in the lake to get our road grim off. Cold and refreshing with a quick dry in the strong hot sun. The pesky sand flies are alive and well here. Boy, do they itch. Bothersome devils detract little from this picturesque mountain lake landscape surrounding us.
Lake scenes |
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2/8/07
Haast Pass Day. We load up at the local store and begin the 62 km to the top of the pass. The first 40km leaves from sea level and winds its way gradually up a broad river valley carved from the steep mountains by glaciers many eons ago. The road rolls gently up with a few steep climbs. For the last few days we have been passing lots of other touring cyclists all going the other direction: north. What do they know? About two hours out, we run into a couple from Iowa. They said this side is steep, no switch backs but lots of curves. “Let us know how this side goes for you.” On we go to our picnic lunch stop at 40km. Lots of sand flies and the sun decides to grace us with a few beams as we eat our PB & honey sandwiches and replenish our water supply at a campground. Now the real climb begins as we cross the river, passing the sign saying Heavy Loads Use Lowest Gear! We do have a heavy load and quickly shift to our “granny gear”. The forest and river we are following to the top of the pass crests at the water shed. East flows to the Pacific, west to the Tasman Sea.
Sweat has started pouring down our faces and the gradient of the road is getting steeper and steeper around each curve. Five km up we are straining to turn the pedals, pulling on the handle bars. The front wheel is flipping back and forth as we drop to 3.2mph. This is the lowest speed I think we have ever maintained Bici in an upright position. We stop to rest, I can barely hold my head up, can’t see for all the sweat. This is one steep mother! Pitch after pitch, pull on the handle bars, and force my legs around. The cranks are barely turning. “Do you want to hitch a ride?” I ask Judee. “NO”, she replies. We struggle on. Finally after two more stops, the grade smoothes out a little so it is bearable and we slowly spin on. Last stop is to cool off our heads in a roadside wonderfully refreshing cold waterfall. Then, a down hill before we reach the top. Yes, down out across a coursing river and up a small valley where we meet the headwall, the river disappears and we climb into the forest on up for another kilometer where the Haast Pass at 564m greets us with a down hill sign. We stopped for pictures and to catch our breaths before struggling on down the mountain another 18km to our night’s destination: Manakora. We have crested many passes, climbed many mountains that were much higher than Haast, but these NZ road builders do not believe in cut and fill, they just construct the road over the route taken by the mountain goat before them.
Haast Pass
1.Approaching the pass
2.Top
3.Down |
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2/14/07
Happy Valentines Day. I hope your honey did something special for you. My honey, Art, took me on a Jet Boat Tour in Queenstown up the Shotover River. What a wild ride: spinning at 360 degrees; riding fast over rushing rapids only knee deep; getting very wet. Queenstown is the center for adrenaline pumping activities: sky diving, para sailing from tops of mountains or off backs of boats, luging, rafting, bungee jumping, monster swings, etc. Tramping is very popular and the most unexpected people don huge packs and take off for days over the steep mountainous terrain.
1. & 2. Queenstown the adventure capital of NZ
3.jet boating |
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Yesterday we took a bus trip to the Milford Sound (5 hours) and then a boat to the Tasman Sea (2 hrs) and returned. The scenery out of our glass roofed bus was absolutely spectacular. How can anyone describe these canyons carved by recent glaciers (700,000 to 1 million years ago). The steep mountainsides are covered by growth fed by much rain and snow melt and are the source of hundreds of rushing, gushing waterfalls filling clear, fast streams and rivers. Even The Rings film crew couldn’t capture the amazing magnificence.
The day before, we hung out in Queenstown, trying to get caught up with email, car rentals for when our kids come to Christchurch. We realized after our several days of prior riding we were tired and needed a rest. The ride from Haast Past ended in Manakora and a campground where we erected our tent. Within 2 hours we were surrounded by campervans and foreign languages. Then the rain began and continued ALL night. By morning, we had decided to stay and wait out the weather. Judee didn’t sleep very well, either. The sky began to brighten and after really assessing our options, decided to go if the weather cleared by noon.
Lighter and brighter: we’re off to Wanaka. The route ran beside two lakes and over a shoulder that connected then. With our bent axle, there were times we stared down a grade with unfettered views where we normally would speed up, coast in an aerodynamic position (off the saddle) and enjoy. But, instead, we applied brakes and peddled at a maximum speed of 28 km.
Wanaka was a lovely lakeside town where the water was warm enough to be swim able, unlike many of the glacier and snow fed lakes of NZ. We had a great room at a backpacker’s hostel in their “motel” (in suite bathroom) where we cooked and visited in a new kitchen with many other ‘oldsters’. We decided to soak up a little more of the delectable Wanaka atmosphere and asked to stay a second night, but had to move to the backpacker side where a double was available. So the second night we shared a bathroom and kitchen with many young travelers. The youngsters are a little less clean since mom’s not here and they stay up a lot later. We enjoy the differences most of the time.
The next day (2/11), we decided to ride the Crown Range to Queenstown and made arrangements to send our heaviest gear over the pass on a bus. This is the highest paved road in NZ, topping out at over 1100m with many steep stretches. The biggest worry for us was the switch back section on the far side. Judee had the idea that we should remove the drive chain so we could coast. We pulled up short of the pass for a butt break and then pressed on the final 2km to the look out parking lot were we stopped for lunch. While we fixed lunch, we saw three old open two seated touring cars, drivers and passengers wearing goggles, leather motoring caps and ascots. They were followed by numerous touring cyclists going both ways. We chatted with both groups, then addressed the chain issue. Judee went to take the chain off, but couldn’t, so I tried with success and the chain was dropped into a plastic bag. We pushed Bici to the road, mounted and started what we thought was to be a glorious or as the English might say: brilliant long, fast coast down the mountain. Well, 4k later our downhill turned uphill, so we had to put the chain back on to transition to the steep switch back. Yes, six to eight switch backs, all peddling with the brakes on. Oh well, it was a beautiful day and we rolled over hill and dale around the lake shore and into Queenstown.
2/15/07
Overcast and cool as we ride out of Queenstown, the clouds cap the Remarkable Mountain range, one of only two east/west running ranges in the world. The sun breaks through and dapples the orange, brown mountainsides in the far distance. The hills in town take our breath away as we struggle up the steep inclines with morning rush hour traffic humming closely alongside. Soon the traffic thins as we leave the lake shore, crossing the Shotover River bridge we jet boated under yesterday. We peddled past the switch backs we came down four days ago and into new territory: a new river gorge, up and down, skirting the roaring river, again turquoise blue. Around the corner we spy the AJ Hackett Bungee jumping center: the original starting place of bungee jumping. WOW. We stopped for coffee and watched a number of young Asian kids plunge to their deaths. No, only dipping into the beautiful river below and come up howling and screaming with delight. Not on your life will I ever stand on that ledge and jump! Did see one young 20-something stand up, hesitate, then back out! For my money, no loss of face!
We continued on down the valley lined with all kinds of new and wonderful wineries which line both sides of the road. They plant rose bushes at the end of the rows sort of like the miner’s used canaries in the mines. If the roses start to get sick, they know to protect the vines. Further on is Gold country, where from 1862 to the early 1960’s, gold was mined along the river bank by dredges and water cannons. There were many places to stop and investigate exploratory tunnels, ore fields, abandoned villages and tent cities.
