6-9 January
Insights + photos by Perry Turner, Michael Douglas & riders...
We started our trip guided by Adventure South in Queenstown with a ride around the lake to the Kinloch Golf Course to get used to our bikes, warm up, check gear etc.
Then we were transported to Kingston where we connected with the local group of 12 riders from Invercargill/Southland organised by Michael. John Douglas "JD" (Michael's Dad & local dairy farmer) also joined us for 2 days - he was a council member for Five Rivers and a key person in the planning and construction of the Round the Mountains Bike Trail, so we were lucky to have him share lots of great insights & inspirational stories along the way.
MD: Perry wondering why the cows in Southland are so small...
Dillon MacIntyre admiring the Southland grass - the rolling waves & rustling is almost hypnotic.
John Titter came and talked to us about the local history & the heritage trains that had been scrapped into the Oreti River around a century ago - and the tricky process of salvaging the two 60 tonne trains - https://www.lumsdenheritage.nz
Day 2 we cycled from Five Rivers to Mossburn along a beautiful section of track following farmlands and rivers. JD shared his fantastic insights into the difficulties of building a bike track through private properties on the way & we ended with a fantastic dinner in Mossburn.
MD: Me pointing out how to spell Mossburn (my hometown) ...
... My wife Kirstie pointing out that she already knows how to spell it.
This is at the end of the ride from Five Rivers to Centre Hill ....it was a VERY long uphill climb at the end for the non e-bikers!
On Day 3 after a nice ride towards the Mavora Lakes there's a section where the track is unfinished, so we mini-bussed into Te Anau & rode the Lake to Lake (from Lake Manapouri to Lake Te Anau). It was great to see where the finish of the Kepler Track was - and an early days end in Te Anau meant we had a chance to explore independently then share a last dinner together celebrating our group efforts.
Day 4 we biked from Mavora Lakes to Walter Peak Station. Again the weather was fantastic.
Slightly less fantastic were the mechanicals of a flat tyre (fixed) - then a broken chain on the same bike which caused a bit of drama - but Wes Bevan was at his best fixing everything with skill and speed.
The Von Valley is magnificent to ride through & it's easy to see why so much footage from Lord of the Rings was filmed here.
TL: Finally Lake Wakatipu in sight!
200km's on the trail with great people, amazing lakes, so we had a well earned beer (or soft drink) at Walter Peak Station - then caught the Earnslaw back into Queenstown.
What a fantastic end to the beginning of the Wishbone Relay!
Roll call for Around The Mountain:
Simon Hadlow (Taranaki) and daughter Libby (Lawyer in Dunedin), Wes Bevan (Dunedin) and wife Arlo, David Templeton (Timaru) and wife Teresa, Tim Love (Palmerston North) and wife Julie, Perry Turner (Nelson) and wife Irene - plus kids Madison, Charlotte and Isabelle. Adventure South Guides - Heather and Ollie.
Joining us on the One Day Ride:
Michael Douglas (Invercargill Ortho Registrar) and wife Kirsty, His father JD, Dillon MacIntyre (Invercargill Registrar) and wife (Julie), Kara (Nurse Educator Invercargill), Scott, Jocelyn and Harrison (Business owners Invercargill), Local Farmers - Laurie, Graham, George and David.