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| Pedallers' Rest on a Fine Morning |
It was stormy overnight, but by morning the rain had stopped. It was still very windy but there were patches of blue sky and it didn't look like rain.
The next 50 miles turned out to be a great cycle ride. The road soon returned to the coast and ran along between the rocky shore and the hills without many rises over headlands. It was alongside the railway for much of the way - in fact in some places I think I could have reached out and touched a passing train, except there is only one a day in each direction. The first three quarters of the ride was the easiest of the trip so far. The wind was very strong blowing me along - it was easy to coast at 20-25 mph on the flat with little effort. When I stopped to take pictures it was sometimes hard to keep standing, and on the occasional short part where the road curved around to go in the wrong direction it was hard to make progress. I pity my co-guest Robin who was going in the opposite direction.
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| Coastline North of Kaikoura |
There were good views of the coastline and the mountains behind, and a strange patchwork sky of windswept clouds and blue. In places the road hugged the rocky shoreline on which there were hundreds of seals. The juveniles were having a great time playing; in one spot there was a hollow in the rocks that was filled with water by large waves, and they were clearly using this as a play pool. There were lots of young babies too.
For the last 10 miles into Kaikoura the wind dropped so I actually had to pedal a bit! Kaikoura seems rather messy at first glance. I got here by about 1 o'clock, so I'm having lunch of mussel chowder and will then go and explore.
The central part of Kaikoura turns out to be ok, although the road coming in is an ugly motel and fast food strip. There's a nice ride out a couple of miles along the shore in the other direction to where the seals live, with good views of the bay and mountains.
The B&B is up on the Peninsula a couple of miles out of town with a lovely view of the bay and mountains. Most of the Peninsula is empty, and there is a cliff walk with views of seals, mountains etc. that I will do tomorrow if it is not raining. Although the B&B looks like a modern ranch style house, it was the original farmhouse, a small cottage, that has been added to over the years, and the hostess Margaret has lived here for 75 years! My room is actually part of the original house. The gardens are a riot of colorful flowers and butterflies.
