Over the top: and a long way to Wanaka…

Distance: 115 km. Ride Time: 8:49 hours.

Knowing a long day was in store, I was packed and ready to go this morning when the local café opened for breakfast. I fueled up and stocked up with lunch and a bottle of Powerade, and set out for the pass in the cool morning air. The was a hint of breeze blowing on my back, but the day promised to be another fine clear day much like yesterday. after only a short distance I stopped to remove arm and leg warmers for only the second time on this tour, the first time was yesterday afternoon.

The route climbs just over 30 kms to Lindis Pass, but the grade is gentle but for the last 7 kms or so. Even then it’s not overly difficult gaining the pass, and I reached it a little after midday, and stopped for my lunch break.

The descent into the Lindis Valley was long and fast, and even after the road leveled out the going was mostly downhill and easy pealing with a tailwind. By mid-afternoon I had covered 70 kms and had reached Cluden Hill, the only other real climbing on the route, and by now had decided to push on to Wanaka rather than set up a bush camp.

Once over Cluden Hill it was an easy roll down to Tarras, which I reached just after 4:00 pm, and stopped for an ice cream and another bottle of Powerade. There were just 30 kms to go to Wanaka, but I knew from past experience that these would be the hardest.

Soon after leaving Tarras the road turned westward, into the wind for the first time today. Fortunately it was not too strong, and I was able to maintain a steady pace, but had to work quite hard at it. With not much left in my legs, a couple of small hills had me walking for a short while, but finally I made it into Wanaka at around 7:00 pm, and checked in to a backpacker hotel, where I will stay for an extra night.

My tired legs could hardly carry me to a nearby restaurant, where I treated myself to a proper dinner after such a long day in the saddle, then it was back to my room and out like a light.