Bike Ride to Macetown

Peter writes…

 The 23 k to Arrowtown began with the lakeside trail we had previously walked in on from the airport and from there a mixture of tarmac road and gravel track round Hayes Lake brought me to the town. Stopping at the Bakery again to shelter from the rain and to fuel up with a full English breakfast I checked the route guide noting that it included 30 river ford’s! Five of these were in the first kilometre. Having promised the rental company that I would carry the bike across any fords the bike, at this point, was more of a hindrance than a help with me wading up to my knees in fast flowing water with the bike on my shoulder. However, from then on the track rose up the valley side and only dropped down to cross the river every once in a while.

 

Didn’t see many 4WDs fortunately as the track was not very wide with sharp bends and steep drops into the river below. With so many notches on the river’s belt evidenced at the first ford it was not so surprising.

 

Each crossing meant wet feet and shorts but this was to be the swan song for these trainers, getting a bit thin in the soles and feeling every stone. They are still fine for everyday walking – and very clean after 30 soakings in a mountain stream - so have just been donated to the Auckland City Mission – perhaps they will inspire some size 8 down on his luck to take up hiking.

 

Reaching Macetown I stopped for picnic in the by now warm sun, read a couple of chapters and changed into my swimming shorts (to give my cycling shorts a chance to dry off). A swim in a pool in the river was irresistible before starting down.  Straight off the glacier, the water was beautifully refreshing and with the sun and wind dried off in no time. With the rain gone and stunning views opening up ahead and down into the river valley it turned out to be one of the best rides ever and has to rival the sailing in Sydney Harbour is one of Peter's highlights of the trip.

 

Making it back to Arrowtown for a tea and a slice there was of course still another 23 k to do. A bit of a slog back on the main road and missing a turning added a few more kilometres for good measure. By now I was pretty well exhausted but nevertheless had to get the bike back by 6pm and managed to do so with ten minutes to spare –  a really full day. The bike hire was my birthday present from Margot followed by (after a shower) a beer in the Yacht Club Bar in front of a roaring fire.

 

We should point out that the Yacht Club is just a bar, not a club at all, in case you had visions of us in yachting caps and blazers.

 

The next morning out to the airport again to pick up another camper van for relocation back to Christchurch. Peter caught the early bus and signed up a rather clunky Volkswagen T35 van - our Jeremy Clarkson moment was over. The car was fun but, in the end, just a car.