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Te Anua - jan 18-19

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Doing a little "brochure tourism" to end the trip - variety of boats, float planes and buses. Feeling sore from the hike, so overcompensating with lazy mans way of seeing NZ. Fine westher, in a place that gets 6m of rain annually, sorta makes up for mt cook (still cloudy). First adventure (after sleeping in the circus caravan) is boat ride in Doubtful Sound. Took first boat across lake Manapouri, snow-covered mountains dropping straight into the lake, then a coach bus over the pass to doubtful sound and boat #2. Cool fjord with a few waterfalls off the 2500+' mountains and seals playing on the rocks in the tasman sea. Furthest south I've ever been, and not essy to get here. Second adventure- glowworms. Another boat, from Te Anau to a cave with a rushing river running through it. And when you turn out the lights, thousands of little blue glowworms! Had a boat ride inside the cave, making it a 4 (+2 repeats) boat day.  Learned a new song too. ...
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Mt Cook - jan 16-17

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Driving north in the rain, planning on 3500' of climbing to mueller hut. Big day, little nervous. Started climbing 10.45 towards the glacier, when we heard first the first of many rumbles. Thunder or avalanche? Into the clouds, 20+ steps at a time (2200 in all) got us halfway up, then serious rock scrambling up another 500m, across 4 snow fields to the hut at 1819m. Little rain, little non-liquid precip, temps around 40 and fun despite not being able to see much past the next trail marker at any time. Dehydrated dinner not terrible, slept not the worst. Next day's "fine" weather didnt materialize so hiked down without seeing the glaciers. Will have to come back, but will not bring dehydrated vaquero scramble for breakfast. Long beautiful drive to te Anua, with stops for lunch,  and dropoff rented gear. Tomorrow begins last stage of new Zealand. 
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Middlemarch/ cromwell - jan 15

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48 and rain coming to start the last day, our weather luck looks like it runs out. Left waipiata at 8 after inroom yogurt/toast/coffee, for a mostly downhill ride. Couple more bridges, another tunnel, rain held off until the last few miles. Arrived in Middlemarch by noon. Oversll great riding, tons of sheep, more bikes than cars past 3 days, and a planetary exhibit to boot. Rail trail is the way to go here - roads much hillier, bumpy asphalt and no shoulders. Slept on van back to cromwell to dropoff off michael and pick up a car, then stage 3 begins tomorrow. 32 miles. 
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Waipiata-jan 14

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Another sunny cloudless start, supposedly rain later. Back on the trail heading northeast, different terrain with a gorge, tunnels and bridges. Onto oturehua to check out historic hayes engineering works/home - smart guy with some cool machines to make farm equipment. Back and forth over the 45 degree latitude line, to the highest point on the trail (618m) then cruised down into a big headwind and into waipiata, population about the same as yesterday. Craig made a new friend too.  37 miles 
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Lauder - jan 13

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Set off 8.30 under sunny skies, downstream along clutha river. Easy 13km of single track to second brekkie in Alexandra. Onto the rail trail, straight and slightky uphill through ranch land, up to chatto creek. Much drier here, temps building on the hills. Detoured to ophir, and an 1880 suspension bridge. This whole area was populated in 1862 after gold was discovered. An ice cream stop, then arrive in thriving metropolis of lauder 3.30, where we doubled the population. Staying at lauder school B&B, dinner across the road.  Thats the town. 36 miles. 
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Clyde- Jan 12

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Sunny start, then some repacking for 2 of us to make the weight limit. Beautiful riverside riding (on the left!) along fun gravel trail. Some cool bridges attached to rock face to lunch stop (coffee afloat boat, with venison burgers and iced coffee). Literally cliffside riding as water turned aqua into Clyde. Two switchback climbs but otherwise pretty smooth riding with decent tailwind. Pulled into Dunstan house at 3pm, cool 1899 house in historic town. 27 miles
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Queenstown/cromwell - jan 11

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Slow morning (after more overnight thunderstorms) reading, packing/unpacking before football watching at local sports bar.  Its Sunday somewhere right?  Craig awaiting delivery of his CPAP mask, walked out of the bush on a one day delay. Then 4pm bus along Kawarau river (rough bike trail along the road) to Cromwell for stage 2 of the trip.  Little more football before thai dinner, short walk around town. Much different climate - dry, windy, warm.  Tomorrow we ride. 
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