DAY 16 –Cowboys paradise to Whataroa

DAY 16 –Cowboys paradise to Whataroa – 149km / 12:30 total / 6:25 Riding time /23.2 kph average

I’d met another bikepacker at the ranch who was not in the TA and I ended up setting off quite a bit before him once the ranch had managed to fire up the generator so I could have a hot coffee! Eating breakfast by headlamp mainly!

I continued on the amazing west coast trail and about an hour down the road got a puncture. After determining the failure was actually in the pathetic lightweight inner tube I continue with Rob the bikepacker who had managed to catch me whilst I was faffing around with my wheel. We rode together for a while but even though I was just cruising for his sake he was still breathless and told me to go ahead.

It was a beautiful morning and I arrived in Hokitika in the middle of it. My cellphone had died yesterday and so had my chargers so I thought. I spent over 4 hours in Hokitika sorting out chargers, getting a new cheap smartphone then sitting in the café whilst I charged it and got the route and all the other required software downloaded to it. I also had to get some more drink holders for my bike and replace the broken ones. I had also lost another bottle which I found squashed in the middle of the road on the way out of town. It was quite late in the afternoon when I finally set off again.

Once in Ross I found Malcolm Hughes and the Swiss who told me they had just booked accom at a hotel in Whataroa but it was impossible to phone through. I decided that would be a good option and after failing to also phone through I set off with this as my final destination for the night although it was still 75k away.

The other guys where ahead of me and I never really saw them but the wind did drop so I was able to make good time and only briefly stopped at Lake lanthe for the photo control point I arrived at the hotel only 10 minutes after the other guys. There was plenty of room at the hotel although it was a little run down and the food was very average, but it was nice to have some other TA riders for company.   

This leg had been pretty flat fortunately although still very pretty in parts. I checked the weather and noted we were in for some serious rain tomorrow and potential head winds.