Waking and packing up inside was very novel after a week in the tent… it was however not substantially quicker. I ate my breakfast with Russ and Barb, then packed up all the now-dry things festooning my room. Great to start the day with everything clean and dry!
I headed off just before 830, taking the small detour up a nice piece of singletrack to the photo point at Fox Glacier. The road was closed – which was not displeasing! – so I didn’t have to go too far to get the control point photo.
As I got back on the bike, I decided a bit of music would be good – I’d come this far and hardly listened to my TA playlist (just to note – you can still hear cars coming up behind you, and the main danger is when oncoming and passing cars coincide, so you develop a reflex look-behind when an oncoming car is at about 80m to judge whether you need to hit the verge!). In a reversal of yesterday, I thought I was the last rider to leave town this morning, but as I left the photopoint Pete was arriving. Heading back down the singletrack was twice as fun as coming up.
I enjoyed bowling along and even doing a bit of singing with no one to hear. It continued unraining, which was very pleasing, and the road was super fast. In hardly any time, I’d covered the 45km to Bruce Bay and was pulling into the coffee caravan. Hot chocolate and hot cross bun!
A few other riders congregated, including Andrew who I’d last seen outside the oyster farm in Clevedon about a million years ago. After my snack I headed off, followed not far behind by Gerard and Col. When I stopped to take a photo not long after, they invited me to join their train.
This was a fast train, and came complete with helpful drafting tips. We took turns at the front every 5km or so – it was cool to alternate spells of hard effort with easy coasting. In no time we were at the salmon farm where another rider reunion, including Brent, Barb and Russ, and Andrew and his wingman, took place over lunch. Nice salmon bagel, average muffin.
The train continued on, still under a rainless sky to everyone’s surprise. There was a short sharp climb to the photo control at Knights point, and then more speedy riding to Haast, where we arrived at 4pm! By far the earliest I’ve stopped in this trip but still having covered 129 with over 1300m of climbing. Average speed of 23.7kph!
Gerard and Col headed for the campground and I was thinking of camping – easier to contemplate when everything’s dry – but there was a cabin free so we decided to share it, and later Brent joined us too. It’s comforting to think that at least we won’t be packing up in the rain, even if it is pouring down when I start riding…
We headed to the characteristically odd local pub for an all-you-can-eat buffet dinner. They may not be making much profit from cyclists! Some washing was also completed, and now there is some very uncharacteristic leisure time, which is slightly confusing.
Tomorrow I’m heading for Lake Hawea – over Haast pass, which I’m really looking forward to climbing. Lots of awesome trees, like today, and Aspiring National Park is one of my favourite places.