2-12 February
Insights & photos by Perry
Banks Peninsula was the last of the South Island Relay group legs, so time for the final push north - but why take a direct route when trips like this are about a whole lot more than just the destination?
With a mate from Christchurch joining me (Kent Gibbons) we set off.
Travelling via bike from Christchurch to Nelson can be a little tedious with long stretches of road.
The magic often lies in the in between - so for Hanmer to St Arnaud we thought we'd mix it up a bit.
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From Hanmer there is 112 km's of gravel road (known as the Rainbow Road) that shoots straight up the guts of the Upper South Island crossing both the Rainbow & Molesworth Stations.
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We headed out of Hanmer and up and over Jollie's Pass, then the road splits; the Molesworth on the right taking you to Blenheim & the Rainbow Road on the left (skirting the St James) taking you 110km north up to St Arnaud. Into a headwind, with a broken spoke only 10km's in - off & up we pedaled.
At 1347 metres Island Saddle is the highest point on the Hanmer to St Arnaud route & claims to be the highest publicly accessible road in NZ. The pass straddles the boundary between Marlborough and Canterbury. Once you're over the saddle, it's on to Lake Tennyson & then down the Wairau River.
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Eventually we arrived at the entrance to the Rainbow Ski Field and then it was on to St Arnaud.
9 hours of pedaling - a fantastic day - and we ended it with a well earned steak and chips at the wonderful St Arnaud Alpine Lodge.
The next day it was an early start to connect with Thomas from Nelson Helicopters who gave us a lift onto the Old Ghost Road's Lyell Saddle....
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Chasing Sam
Joining Kent and I for this leg was Sam Ng - an ultradistance runner and Nelson businessman.
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The Old Ghost Road is a world class shared mountain bike and walking track from Lyell (near Murchison) to Seddonville (near Westport) - 87km of Alpine terrain. We would bike it - Sam would run.
We gave Sam a 90 minute head start & then the chase was on!
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Over a mountain - through a boneyard - stinking hot weather - and murderous sandflies.
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Seven very sweaty hours later - with 1km to go - we had an eye on Sam ahead!
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Did we catch him ? Would you have ?
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After fantastic but long days in the saddle, walking & kayaking in the Abel Tasman National Park with seals, stingrays, singing cicadas & Ian Galley was a perfect compliment.
Darryl Wilson (boss & CEO of tour provider Wilsons) welcomed us into their space. 8 generations of Wilsons have lived in the Abel Tasman & it was great fun staying & paddling with their team.
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We were with an interesting group of international travellers that included judges, professors & Wall St fund managers. The homestead is the perfect place to relax & the night sky at Awaroa is simply breathtaking.
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A quick visit to Nelson Hospital with the baton...
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And then it was back on the bike to Picton via the Maungatapu Track - which is infamous due to the Maungatapu murders in 1866. Five people travelling from Picton to Nelson were robbed for their cash & gold then murdered by the Burgess Gang who were convicted when one of the gang turned on the others & provided the evidence needed to convict them. They were the only people to ever be hung in Nelson. It's a grade 4 track with lots of altitude changes that brings you out at the Pelorus Bridge.
After touching base with the team at Wairau Hospital, it was on to Picton.
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That's the South Island complete... from Bluff January 5th to Picton on February 12th.
On Friday 16th weather permitting the Orthopaedic Flying Squadron transports us to Wellington & the baton literally passes to the North Island....bring it on!!