Day 5: Otematata

Today started off with low cloud, drizzle and icy temperatures. Despite that we were feeling quite cheery but the mood soon matched the weather when we realised that our planned excursion through the Lees Valley wasn’t going to happen due to the road being closed. With the benefit of hindsight I think this saved us some pain as we would be arriving in Otematata about now, half an hour after the only eatery has closed. However we didn’t know that at the time. The 2 Dave’s wanted to go through and “take a look “ but graciously allowed me to override them as they knew I would sulk. Not because I don’t like doing bad things (which I do ) but because I knew I had underestimated the distance we had to cover today and having to turn back would have meant a long long day. 

So with temperatures of 7degrees, more drizzly rain and a bleak mood we rode through the Canterbury foothills, enjoying the New Zealand summer. 

After lunch things started looking up as we escaped into the McKenzie country over the pass of the same name. Getting off the sealed roads meant warming up as we worked harder and it just got better as we took the long Haldon road to the Northern branch of lake Benmore with the same  name. It’s mostly straight with some sweeping curves on a surface of pea metal that is just a delight to ride. It’s very fast and the surface is loose enough that even at speeds of 100kph(roughly) the bike will break traction. Soon thoughts of gloom were banished and thoughts of Dakar were raised. The exhilaration continued into the mountainous moonscape contrasted by aquamarine blue of Lake Benmore. The Black Forest station road gave an opportunity for Dave Mac and I to play a game of chase, respectfully of course. The game ended when my luggage half separated itself from my bike over the rough ground   No damage done. I’ve had it for a couple of years but to be honest I never did read the instructions!

Tomorrow is supposed to be a short but technical trail  through the Oteake conservation reserve , crossing the Hawksdun range. 

So Jennie said I should be nice to the Dave’s in the blog and mostly I feel I have  done  that. It’s been sooo difficult as they provide so much fodder every  day. So last night Dave Lear and I were sharing a room and to avoid disturbing Dave Macs occupation of the rest of the cabin  we closed the door. Anyway , the room was too stuffy and so at 2am I thought I would sleep on the large sofa in the lounge. Of course  all the lights were on and Dave Mac was asleep, fully clothed with a finger on his phone.  This is normal for him. I tried to gently close his door but he has instincts and like a cat he was awake. He gave me a warm smile so I explained my lack of sleep and my plan. He understood of course, so allowed me to get comfy on the sofa and just about fall asleep before surfacing from his room before disappearing into the bathroom.  God knows what went on in there but it sounded like he was servicing the cistern or drowning a possum. I was worried, even more so when he went into the supermarket this  morning and reappeared with about 20 packets of something called “Nut butter “. I have no idea if the events are linked.