DAY 18 – Haast to Mossburn

DAY 18 – Haast to Mossburn – 143km / 10:45 total / 8 Riding time /19.3 kph average

I had no WIFI or phone reception so I hadn’t checked the weather for today. The first bad sign were the flags and trees vigorously flapping around outside. As soon as I was on the bike it was very obviously a raging headwind. I knew if it’s like this all day then it’s going to be a very long and miserable day for me and the other tour riders.

Malcolm had left before me so I was on my own barely managing 15kph on the flat into the headwind. I figured once I got closer to the alps that there would be a bit of shelter from the wind as the mountains acted as a windbreak and fortunately this was the case.

 The scenery was keeping with the south island, green green green everywhere, ferns, waterfalls right by the roadside and turquoise blue rivers. If you’ve been down here you’ll know what I mean.

I was very low on energy and I ate all my remaining food at pleasant flats campsite and started the climb to the top of the Haast pass. Within 2k I realised I was completely bonking and I needed more food, so finding a sunny spot I picnicked on the side of the road next to a waterfall whilst I completely finished off my emergency rations which was half a peanut butter jar. 

It did the trick and I managed to slowly grind my way up the steep road. Near the top it flattened out and another tour cyclist whizzing past me shouted “almost there”. I shook my head in disbelief because according to the book it showed that it was super steep right before the top but alas 500m later I was there at the pass!

After chatting to a lovely German couple in a campervan (she gave me a small sandwich which was nice as I was completely out of food and still 17k away from the nearest source) I got my photo and descended…or at least tried to as I was back with the wind in my face again so the descent was rather slower than you might wish for.

I reached Makarora and went into the first café I saw. Ignoring the signs which said you would be charged extra for an overfull plate I proceeded to pile my plate full of lovely buffet roast food and was excited (not…) to hear the server tell me that normally the wind blows from the north every other day in the year and I had struck it bad. This certainly added salt to the wounds since I was already a day behind and the wind would have been ok yesterday.

The cyclists I had seen in Greymouth were coming in looking exhausted as I was leaving the café and also having a hard time with the wind. Anyway the stop,food,coffee had done the job and I felt much much better. I cycled alongside lake Wanaka for a while and then over the hill was beside lake Hawea.

 The wind was definitely easing and had changed also to a side wind so my pace was picking up. The day was sunny but the wind was keeping things refreshing. Lake Hawea had much less white peaks than Wanaka as it was more sheltered.

I found the Hawea river track, tried to call the people who had the open home just down the road in Albert town but could not reach them and left a message. Basically I didn’t have any accom booked for tonight and didn’t fancy trying to see if there was any space in any of the backpackers in Wanaka. I prayed about it and really enjoyed the river track so much before I knew it I had arrived at Albert Town which is North Wanaka.

I tried the open home number again and got Robbie!!!! Brilliant! She put me onto Kevan and he told me everything I needed to know in order of how to find the batch, sleep in the bed, use the towels, and eat the food in the freezer. Are you kidding? 

This was completely amazing and such a blessing. I finished the evening early at 6:30PM having only done 143k and pretty shattered but happy with the outcome of the evening. I knew I would be able to get a good sleep tonight and recover well for tomorrow.