Over Haast Pass to Lake Hawea

Started our ride a little latter than we intended leaving a nice backpackers place that had a giant communicable area. Rally nice and we got talking to a few older people , and we went to the pub the previous night which I think I have reported on an dit was busy with locals, Felt old being amoungst so many people as we haven’t done that much. Covid is not rampant on the coast and people although where masks(mainly) do get in you face which is little unusual for the times. Nice people just back to how life used to be and where hopefully we all will be soon. I think masks will be around for a while.

Like all of the coast and NZ totally devoid of overseas tourists that are places like the westcoast go. The economic impact is much more severe in this area than we are in Gisborne because at home overseas based tourism is negotiable part of economy. No so here, it a very important part of economy. It’s also Otago anniversary weekend so people had come to Haast for the outdoors, sea fishing, jet boating and hunting. Is it the roar ?. 500 people were booked for helicopter drop off to go hunting. It big here.

A lot of small cafes on the westcoast have closed, some service support paces, staff numbers are low and generally occupancy in motels and camp ground is very low. Like under 15 % occupancy max would be my guess. The closure of the hot springs at Franz Joseph really affected that place and I think it happened from first lock down, was sad from a town perspective as those used to be really busy and a real attraction. I know we enjoyed them when we we went on a camper holiday think after Alex Graduation, 7 or so years go. Frans was a low down the coast as we got, so all this area south of there is new to me.

It rained early morning and we suited up appropriately. We went to a nearby cafe (which was actually busy with all the booties and hunters and a few mad cyclists. Nice food again and some spares into our side bags to eat along the day as always. Nice to lunch with a scone and other delights when no other food places around.

The rain didn’t happen and we started into strong headwinds. I was struggle to keep up and thought I was into a “down day” . We had lead a charmed exitsnace weatherwise and I thought that also won’t last, how could it. Well as we moved nand and the wind started to drop(thank goodness as i am hopeless with headwinds), we got our mojo back after about 25 kms which may have been as late as 11 am.

We did stop at a stop beside road and I nice guy and his wife in a camper did the usual what are you doing and so we shared our adventure. They went and made us a Coffee and in my case a tea and ginge biscuits which was so sweet. Very generous of spirit. I tried to send the lady the mapprogress web address but failed as reception down here is very low until you get near towns and those are pretty far away from each other. So are service stations with sign no petrol for 100 km common. We laugh at that obviously .

We are now introducing our selves to people who ask as the Pantss team and it gets a laugh and stories going.

I haven’t told you Steves story. he is the N and T in pants, which stands for NO Tracker..

Steve was all set to do the tour and is a cyclist. He started to suffer from cramp and one night had a huge cramp attack that woke the neigbour who i think called the police , he was in so much pain ? Well his muscles around the knee up to the thigh area distended and it swelled right up and so for quite a long time it was like his tour plans were over. He was having treatment and near the tour start, with no cycling of recent times, under his belt his physio though he maybe Ok, so off Steve went to the start by had not actually entered and so had no tracker. He started the day after me and and had I think had two days in his work office on Auckland. I had actually meet him way up North for about 2 minutes as he came out of a random house in the back country to start heyday, as he slept under the veheranda of a local person, in the middle of know where again, and a local who could see he was exhausted probably took him under her wing and allowed sleep on the veheranda.

I meet him again on the ride out of the Bridge to No-where as after his working he was desperate to get on the road again. . He was last on the Jet boat down the Wanganui river, and the others rivers who stayed at that end shelter confirmed his midnight arrival, it not a sleeping hut by the way by more like a bus shelter. And it is literally the bridge to no where. In the middle of the waps, very very remote and super rugged county and a way remote area.

Steve was in a hurry as I latter learned he needed to get to his sisters wedding in Charlotte in USA and so therefore needed to get to Bluff then on a plane,He was doing big days. I remembered he looked exhausted. He arrived at the small out at the bridge to no where at midnight.

He had ridden from Blue Duck cafe. thru this very difficult(high grade advanced track) area in the dark. A lot of riders avoid this route as so tough and I walked pushing and pulling my bike about 6 odd Km of it, at least as I could not bike it. Very difficult county , very dangerous with Steptember drop off and almost impossible to ride even for experienced mount bikers, Then it has a large ascent into the hills and a very steep descent < very steep and then thru a whole lot of small swing bridges that I had to lift my bike. He rode all the dark and he actually had a fail down a bank, that took him ½ hour to get he and his bike back to the track. he was very lucky and had NO TRACKER. It was dangerous and he will admit a risk. Hence the title no Tracker. I can’t talk and normally sensible Lyall had a similar accident (but way less drop off) on the Pakihi track back in Nov? All by myself. Ending in a tree luckily and only about 1.5 down the bank over looking a river and my bike didn’t come down to join me. He was very lucky was was pushing the boundaries. he is famous amoungst tour riders as stories travel fast, even when we may only see another rider once or twice a day these days as we are well spread out.

The next time I saw Steve was on the next leg to wanganui, we passed each other a few times as we stop for rest separately and waved and I caught up him going up a long hill. He sensed me coming and put on a burst and left me in his dust and I was content to just ride on to Wanganui. He, like a lot of other went up to Hunterville. About 40 0r 50Km up into the hills. And it was late in the afternoon on the day of my 205 km day ride that i cam accross him having a sleep beside the road to avoid the heat. I yelled out as I couldn’t see him moving and thought I may have come accross this dead rider. Well that was then and here we are, well over 1000 km latter still riding together. We cycled i don’t know, well over 80 Km together that night into Palmerston North, thru’ Ashurst and need up having burgers in the square in palmy at 10.30ish at night. We caught up again as i had my bike serviced and major work down in Palmy on the ride up to the Remutukas. My heat neck protect that you will see in the photos is very recognisable. Looks a little old ashioned but is very effective as far as heat protection of my neck and also has high Vis, which is so important, I always try to have a flashing light on the roads. The light goes for 6 odd hrs and I have two of the, We have been on main roads as there is little else the last few days .

At e was under pressure to get to the wedding and it was increasingly clear that he was trying to do too many things and putting himself under extreme pressure and risk. He rang his sister and who totally understood his predictament and she told told him to cherish the tour and not to rush to charlotte. He has relaxed a lot since and was a tough decision.

Kristy has joined the team and is tour Mum and organises the accommodation side and we meet her whilst catching up with Keith, Diane and Jason at that neat bakery in Wakefield. She has walked the Tour Aroroa. I have spelt that wrong but will be when we fish this one of the few people to have done both events. She got caught by covid near Queenstown on his 4 or 5 month walk and had to return t finish lake so many were in the first lock Down. She told us yesterday she had had sore legs the whole way so hats off to her. She is a Nurse and is the Squeaky Pedal( S and P ) in Team PANTSS team.

Well I have gone on so best get dressed, butt done and off to meet up with them for start of today. We are staying in a glamming tent which is unique . A tent with Power and a heater and double bed. Lake Hawea is running absolutely stunning and we are setting off to wanaka then over the crown range which is the highest peak we climb over on tour at over 1000 m. The incline though isn’t as steep as the climb we did over the Hast yesterday which was very steep. Then down to Queenstown via arrow town . Some trails and some gravel today and some road .

Take care everyone at home.

Again I am not in touch with news which is unusual fee me although did have a long catch up with a client last night on one matter.

Kindest

Lyall