Monday, January 30,2023

Arrived here in Dunedin on Sunday late afternoon. We completed our 48 miles on Sunday and were picked up by our tour guide in Warrington. Due to the busy roads we were driven here to the city of Dunedin.

We stayed here in Dunedin for today as we had the day off from riding. After a relaxing breakfast ,we walked around town here to see the area. At noon ,we met in the hotel lobby to be driven 40 minutes outside of Dunedin to Otago Peninsula. This Peninsula is home to the Royal Albatross bird. We enjoyed a fabulous tour at the Royal Albatross Center. We were taken to a viewing area inside on top of the hill where several Albatross were incubating their eggs or recently hatched chick.

The Royal Albatross have a wing span of 9 to 11 feet. They fly for a year around the Southern Ocean before returning each September to Otago Peninsula. They mate for life but have just 1 egg every 2 years.

In September when the first Albatross returns in September to Otaga Peninsula, the church bells are rung here in Dunedin.

The viewing area was in the Quarry section of the Peninsula but there are nesting Albatross in 7 different areas on the island. The parents each take turns to incubate the egg while the other mate goes in search of food. It is not uncommon for the Albatross to stay warming the egg for 12 days before being relieved by their mate. At day 17 or 19 the Albatross Center will intervene with water and food if the mate has not returned. If needed the egg will be placed in an incubator till one of the mates returns.

This area is just gorgeous. We had a beautiful weather day as well!

I am posting the pictures from today’s tour.

Love,

Tomorrow we leave the city by van and get an hour outside the city before we start our 48 mile ride. Have a wonderful day!

Marsha

Sunday, January 29,2023

We had just picture perfect weather today. Biked 48 miles today mostly near the coast. We had some very serious hills today but had a great ride.

I will write more tomorrow but here are the pictures from today.

Love,Marsha

Saturday, January 28,2023

Last night we did find the cause of our flat tires was a very sharp pointed stone that was just barely thru the schwable tire. It was removed ,2 tubes patched and the bike back in commission.

With the tire fixed, we pulled out this morning at 8:30. It was misty and much cooler today. We were the last ones to leave the hotel which is not usually our style but within 2 miles we caught up with 2 fellow riders who were having trouble with their Garmin’s. They joined us and within 5 miles we picked up another 2 riders who were also having Garmin trouble.

So we had a pace line going with the tandem in front and the 4 riders following us. I am not always so good about pushing my legs to ride at a consistent pace but with the riders following,I knew I needed to stay consistent. We rode about 25 miles with that group at a 13mph pace. It certainly made the miles go by quickly as I really concentrated on my leg power.

We did come up on a significant hill that the 4 singles could ascend much faster than us but we saw them again after the downhill and into the rest stop.

After the rest stop, we did have rain again but within the hour it stopped and blue sky was peeking out from behind the clouds.

We had a few more hills but then a good straight road which let us keep our speed up right into lunch. Lunch was a lovely picnic at a roadside rest. This was 52 miles for the day, so the bikes were loaded up and we all rode in the van to reach Oamaru our destination for today!

A lovely dinner at Star and Garter . Manny had orange roughy fish with roast potatoes and veggies,I had chicken with pasta. Dessert was an apricot crumble with vanilla ice cream. Just delicious!

We are both tired tonight and are heading to bed as we have 45 more miles to do tomorrow!

I will write more about things we have seen and the history as soon as I get more time to write! Love Marsha

Friday,Jan.27,2023

A beautiful weather day though the heat did build throughout the day. We had a good start at 8:10 am. We both felt good. Had our first stop at mile 20 for some of the PB and honey sandwiches we packed at breakfast! Perfect! Back riding through the Gilroy valley very pastoral. Sheep and cows in the fields, Magpie birds flying about the fields. Road edges with wild flowers of crown fetch, buttercups, Queen Ann ‘s lace, dandelions and daisies.

At one field the farmer had erected 3 crosses to remind us of Calvary, Golgotha hill. There was a significant hill here today with the 3 white crosses. On the field below were sheep grazing peacefully. I couldn’t help but think of Jesus ,our lamb,our Savior who sacrificed himself for the plan of our salvation. Just as the sheep here are sacrificed to become food for others.

We biked on to the Rakaira Valley where some scenes from Lord of the Rings was filmed. To reach this valley you bike up from Glenroy valley and reach a rim looking down into The Rakaira Valley. As you emerge at the top, the valley spreads out beneath you with full 280 degree view.

Just stunning and awe inspiring. We were unable to take a picture as it was not safe to pull over,quite narrow. Our tour leader had a picture of this view which I took a picture of his picture. Not great but at least you will have some idea!

Rakaira Valley

When a picture isn’t possible or doesn’t do the view justice,we always say, just take it in! A memory to take with you!

We had lunch at the bottom of the Rakaira Valley. But as soon as we left from our rest stop there was a steep climb back up to the top of the valley. We made it , although slow, and reminded us of our rule if you are going slower then 3mph you mind as well walk. Manny did not check the speed ( it probably was less than 3) but we just kept pushing and made it to the top!

Made it into lunch at mile 48. But as we went to leave our back tire was flat! Manny and our tour guide checked the tire 5x’s but could not find the cause. So new inner tube in and off we went. 8 miles later flat again! Manny started changing the tire ,I contacted our ride leader as we were now going to be the last ones into Mayfield our destination. The sky was getting quite black and a storm definitely coming.

Our tour leader picked us up,they got the tandem up on the bike rack. Back in the van now to make it to Mayfield where everyone was waiting. Only in the van 2 minutes and it poured with intense wind!

Everyone else also dry, the last 2 riders made it into Mayfield just as the heavens opened!

We all made it the rest of the way into the town of Geraldine via van.

Certainly a day of adventures!

Another 53 mile ride tomorrow,so sleep is calling! Love to all! Marsha

Thursday,Jan. 26,2023

Good evening all!

We rode 50 miles today from Waipara to Oxford. We first traveled by van from Hanmer Springs to Waipara so as to make the riding distance 50 miles.

Starting at about 10:30 am it was a warmer start and it was a full sun day! Plenty of sunscreen applied today! We had lunch provided by our tour leader ‘s wife, at a Rugby Club just 22 miles from our destination here in Oxford. We did the ride in 4 hours so we were pretty pleased with that speed.

Our dinner tonight at The Oxford Club here in town. Manny and I had fish and chips with a small salad included. The fish is called a guere ( sp?) and always recommended by our tour leaders. I had beer batter fries and Manny had Kumoro fries which are like a sweet potato fry but we think actually made from yams.

Tomorrow a 67 mile riding day but glad we start first thing in the morning. It will be a long day.

Here are my pictures from today!

Agapanthus flower – very prolific here

Rugby fields

Lunch at the rugby field

Time for sleep will write more as I can! Love, Marsha

Wednesday night dinner

Wednesday, January 25,2023

Good evening all! We rode 50 miles today from Kaikoura to Waiwu. A beautiful stunning area but 4,300 ft of climb which is alot! We made it but it was tough! On the way, a fellow rider had his water bottle fall out of his water bottle holder on his bike. The bottle was all cracked and no water left. We shared our water which was fine till I dropped and spilled most of one of our bottles. But thank goodness we had just enough water to get us to a planned rest stop provided by our tour guide where we refilled! Tomorrow we have extra water bottles to place on our bike!

Today’s weather was really like summer. While it is summer here, the weather has felt a bit like fall,but certainly not so today so we are adjusting to the warmer temperature.

There was an optional additional 30 miles for today’s ride. Only one person did those extra miles. The rest of us took the van here to Hanmer Springs as was the original plan.

Hanmer Springs is a tourist town but certainly on a small scale compared to the shore back home. The main attraction here is the hot springs pool that occurs naturally here. The exception being that the town does need to further heat the water as it is not quite comfortable at the temperature occurring naturally.

Our dinner was delightful at Salt and Pepper Cafe Manny and I had chicken breast wrapped in bacon with cranberries served over potato mash.. I will attach the picture. For dessert we shared a brownie with raspberry sauce and vanilla ice cream. Um um good!

I will post more about today another time. I need some sleep as tomorrow is another 50 mile day! Good night all!

Tuesday afternoon January 24, 2023

We are pulling out from the sheep station.

Father and son are the only 2 workers. They have 2300 acres. They have 10 rams, 2,000 sheep, and 3,000 lambs each spring which is August /September here. They use Romney/ Telux brand of sheep . They have 8 border collies which the son trains to herd the sheep . He gets the border collies as pups and it takes him a year to train the collie. Some collies are more easily trained than others . He has one collie now ,Gus who is very adept at a year but another who is 2 years old who is still like a teenager. Hamish, the son, calls him frisky acting. Hamish will sell the border collie if he is not working out well but if the collie is trained he can sell him for $8,000. The collies can work for about 8 years before they start to slow down.

They do sell the lamb meat mostly to China. The wool is just a break even operation. They sell it at $3 Kilogram and it is used for rug fibers. The cost of sheering the sheep and the monies from the wool off set each other. The wool from Romney/Telux sheep is coarser as compared to wool from Merino sheep. Merino wool much finer and with longer fibers. He does not use merino sheep as the climate here is not conducive and they would develop hoof rot.

The most common disease they get is fly egg infestation.The flies are attracted to the smell of the wool. The flies lay their eggs ih the sheep’s wool and then as the eggs hatch they will eat the lamb itself. To prevent this they have an automatic eye which sprays the sheep with disinfectant as they go past. Also keeping the wool shorter in the summer is better.

The optimum each year is for each sheep to have 2 lambs,twins. They scan them after breeding season and any that are not pregnant are sold off. Lamb gestation is 10 months.

They do have 400 head of cattle and use the electronic tag system as soon as a calf is born. This is a very similar system to that used in the states that effectively feeds and manages the milk production from each cow

Hamish gave us a demo of the border collies shepherding 4 sheep. He could use one or usually 2 collies to shepherd. He has 2 systems. One he uses different whistles that he personally whistles (not a device) and the collies know from the whistle to go right,left circle guard or be sit. The other system he uses is to have the collies bark at the sheep by the command he gives . What an amazing relationship between Hamish,the collies and the sheep!

As we rounded up to head off, the tour leader ‘s wife goes quietly to Hamish,her brother -in law, and gives him a bag of homemade jams and bread. Such a loving, warm welcoming family.

I am going to see if I can post some pictures. It has been a long time since I used word press. We will see if I remember.

Tuesday, January 24,2023

Our day begins here in Christ Church,New Zealand with a group van ride to Kaikoura

We will be stopping along the way to see a real sheep station. It is the nephew in law’s station of our tour leaders wife.

We have a day off riding today except for an optional 20 miles once we get to Kaikoura. We expect to do that just to keep our legs limber.

I am using this time to catch up on my posts.

Yesterday, Monday we rode up into the volcano rim just outside of Christ Church. It was a 50 mile loop but almost all 3,000 ft of climb within 20 miles. It was challenging but we were glad we are use to hills in Pennsylvania The views were stunning! We were glad to be able to take it all in!

There are 13 riders on this tour. 7 from Calfornial,2 from Washington,1 from Florida,1 from Bethesda MD and Manny and I from Pa.

With the start of this tour we have feasted on 2 superb dinners,the first at 5th Street Restaurant and last night at Duxdine. The first night all entrees served family style with a wide variety of options and last night individual entrees but with helpful suggestions from our tour leaders. At their suggestion,Manny and I chose the Geeri fish entree. Very tender,tasty and yummy!

Arriving early here to Christ Church we were able to take a walking tour. As I mentioned in an earlier post,this city had an earthquake of 8.5 on the Richter scale in Jan. 2011. They have rebuilt their city with the goals of : 1.bringing people of different age levels back to living in the city with increased parks and green spaces, 2. keeping their culture of Maori people who came here from Tahiti before the British settlement of 1850. 3. Keeping the structures from The Canterbury School and The Canterbury University as they were damaged so significantly to be just torn down 4. Bringing the public buildings such as the library and government services buildings in closer proximity to each other. This endeavor has led to a very green city look and feel. Also a nice mix and blending of architecture. Because of the costs involved the city still has many structures that are awaiting restoration. Also private companies still sorting out how best to proceed as there are new building codes and new city requirements. One example was of a hotel who just sorted out all the insurance and city needs this month and will now proceed.

I need to mention now how impressive the bike routes are here. Within the city all painted green on the asphalt as a bike lane or as you share the ride with a highly visible bike icon. Excellent signage. Also the bikeway never leaves you stranded. Always a safe way forward. Each intersection has a separate light for walkers ,bikers and cars. While of course still needing to be attentive, the lights turn green only when any turning traffic is not permitted to go

The drivers are very aware of bikers as there is much daily biking activity. We felt the drivers were attentive to bikers always being present.

We are still driving to our destination today. I will mention now that this is a large dairy producing area. Just with it’s development in the past 10 years They have the world’s largest dry milk preparation facility. Vineyards very popular here of which we rode past 2 yesterday and drove past 3 today. Not as many as Sonoma Valley but certainly noticable. The city very much encourages the arts. They have several artist programs, one of which is for a sculpture. Each year a new sculpture is funded. Some sculptures stay permanently while others only for a certain time frame. Our tour guide liked that some of the sculptures are just for a period of time as if you do not like the sculpture then it will be gone within the year!

Sunday, January 22,2023

A delightful breakfast this morning at The Ortari B&B. Off by bike to church at St. Mary’s here in Christ Church just a mile from the B&B.

Sometimes our experience is very much homogeneous of the locals wherever we are like Munich,Milan, London,Assisi,Villach Austria,and Cesky Krumlov in Czech Republic

but today was very multicultural. People from Vietnam,China,Africa,India, Singapore and of course New Zealand. British influence here remains ever present. The people at mass certainly were not tourists but live here in Christ Church .

Manny and I have always tried to attend church in the various countries we have traveled to. Often times the language different but the order of the mass universal. The attendance at church throughout the world is a real tangible experience of the universality of church.

It is so enriching yet always strikes me how much the same we all are.

All the best to all. Have a great day!

Love, Marsha