Lake Ferry! Heard of it? I hadn't either.
With No.1 partner in Adelaide for an Edu conference what better trip than a quiet little foray south through the Wairarapa. Not sure where I'll end up, I've never been down through the Wairarapa and have always wanted to ride the Rimutakas into Wellington. Plus would be interesting to see what the rest of New Zealand looks like in Rugby World Cup mode outside of Jafa land, (Auckland). On trusty Horatia, (yes that's right, my bike has a name!), with paniers loaded here we go.
A gentle drive down south with brunch at my favourite Cafe in Te Kuiti 'Bosco'. Love their little meat loaf and salads meals. Coffee is great too and the staff are so friendly. Weather is kind, great day for a ride, bugs included.
Ohakune for the night and a nice beer at the end of a leisurely ride.
Next day saw a lovely ride through to Taihape for breakfast, actually got quite cold and time to don the waterproofs for some clouds on the horizon. Palmerston North and up & over the Paihiatua Track road because the Manuawatu gorge road still closed from a huge slip during winter. Nice winding roads made for bikes stretching their legs. Rain hit with lots of spray coming into Masterton, where I had a yummy lunch and good coffee. Got lost heading out of Masterton but eventually found my way out of town and headed down to Martinborough. Still riding through quite heavy rain showers but still pleasant just taking my time and enjoying the countryside, the country is still beautiful even through rain. I would like to have spent more time in Martinborough but had to content myself with the local petrol station. This is the last fuel you can buy before you get down to Lake Ferry, so it has to get you back up also. I have put Martinborough firmly on my list of 'must come back here one day' places.
The weather really was quite bleak by the time I got to Lake Ferry with dark grey clouds and a strong southerly coming off the Cook Straight. Cold. I couldn't raise anybody at the motor camp where I had booked a cabin and it was getting on in the day. The fire was on inside but I was buggered if I could find anyone to take my money? To be honest the cabins didn't look that great, I'm sure it would be lovely place to stay in the summer when it was sunny and warm and there were lots of families around, but it was not hospitable on this night. So it was off down the road to the Lake Ferry Hotel with the bar was happy with locals and friendly publicans. The fire was going, and they had a room. In fact they had plenty of rooms, I was the only guest! I had a nice beer and studied the huge geo-map on the wall of the pub. I had a lovely burger for an early supper and they left me to it locking the premises up at closing time, leaving me with a cup of tea perched in front the fire watching my favourite TV show Nothing Trivial. Ohhh heck, will Mac & Catherine EVER get together? I was literally the only person in the pub that night and it felt kind of eire with the wind and fog/mist. Horatia was safely tucked up in the little lean-to outside and with a quick torch light check through the window it was lights out.
Having studied the map the night before I choose to give the continental breakfast that had been left out for me to head out to the Cape Palliser lighthouse. Still raining unfortunately and this added another dimension to the ride, a wet one. I persevered down the coast road avoiding pot holes, gravel roads & loose sheep. Passing through Ngawi (the town that has the dubious honour and the most tractors & trailers per capita of anywhere else in NZ). Horatia certainly wasn't looking as pristine now. I got through one ford and came to a holt at the second! The water was just too high and I wasn't prepared to risk it, with the rain it was only going to get higher. So close to the lighthouse, about 1-2 ks away by my reckoning. So close and yet so far! Still, at least it means it can go on my list of places to come back to.
Now, the Rimutakas!
More to come...
