Day 2 – Rain, Pies and the Rakaia Gorge
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| Beef brisket and cheese pie. A good pie makes everything seem better |
Packing up a campsite in the rain is not one of the great joys of bike touring, but by about 8:30 am we were rolling again. The first stop was a short ride into Sheffield, home of the famous pie shop.
<!--more-->Breakfast was a beef brisket and cheese pie, which can only be described as world-class tucker. A good pie makes everything seem better.
From Sheffield we continued along Inland Scenic Route 72, which gradually moves you away from the Canterbury Plains and into more undulating foothill country. The road runs right along the edge of the ranges, and the riding reflects it — rolling terrain with the occasional sharp climb thrown in.
The granny gear made its first appearance of the trip today.
The highlight of the day was the long freewheel down into Rakaia Gorge. Even in the mist and drizzle the scenery was spectacular.
The low point came shortly afterwards — the climb back out of the gorge. At about 13% in places, it felt a bit like Alpe d’Huez, thankfully only for about a kilometre.
Most of the ride passes through small rural villages surrounded by farming country — plenty of dairy and vegetable production. It’s a scenic ride, assuming you can see it. For most of the morning the views were hidden behind fog, mist, drizzle and steady a rain.
Temperatures were about 6–7°C on the road. That doesn’t sound particularly inviting, but with no wind and a steady pace you warm up quickly. Overall the riding conditions were actually quite good.
Traffic requires a bit of attention though. The roads are fairly narrow and there are plenty of trucks moving through the area, so it pays to keep your wits about you.
We eventually pulled into our campsite at Taylors Stream after covering 69 km and about 540 metres of climbing.
Dinner tonight is the gourmet touring selection — packet noodles, followed by party mix lollies for dessert.
Luxury.
The legs are feeling good and we’re gradually settling into the rhythm of the ride.
According to the itinerary we should reach Geraldine tomorrow night, which means we’re back on schedule. More importantly, there’s a caravan park there, which means our first shower in a few days and a chance to dry some gear out.
Looking forward to it.
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| Picked off tree on the side of the road, potentially for desert – not very nice though |
Day Summary
Route: Waimakariri Gorge Bridge area → Taylors Stream
Distance: 69 km
Riding Time: 4 hr 45 min
Climbing: 540 m
Weather: Rain until midday, cold (6–7°C), calm
Best moment: The descent into Rakaia Gorge
Ride links
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/22110127308
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