2618 k's (english)

I did it!

At 10 am today I reached Bluff on South Island. I stay in Invercargill, and cykled down to Bluff and up again to Invercargill today. So I have cycled NZ north to south, 2618 kilometers, cheated a couple of times (3 actually; into Aucland, into Wellington, and up Haast Pass), and still no punctures!

If you check my photo gallery you will see that I went out of the beaten track for a while. Heading south from Queenstown I took the TSS Earnslaw, an old steam ship that crosses Lake Wakatipu, then the road along the von-river. The road is gravel all the way, with a couple of smaller fords. Gravel is usually ok with my bike, but this was loose gravel, and not very easy to ride on. I slided and fell a couple of times, but only in very low speed (no wounds).

After the Von the road has been flat all the way down to Bluff. So flat I missed the Crown Range, the hills on North Island and theroad up to Whakapa Village. Cycling gets a bit boring when the road is straight and for as long as you can see..

Even if I have finished my Cape Reinga-Bluff expedition, I will stay on NZ one more month. I'll go to Stewart Island, maby Doubtful Sound, and do the Milford Treck. Still plenty to see!

Greetings from Alf