Loaded Tour video preview

I started working on the New Zealand video, all I have now is a preview, but more to come.

Hope you enjoy.

Update

So it’s been two months since I left New Zealand! I can’t believe time has gone by so fast.

Last week I was in China, but no riding :( Probably for the best, drivers there were crazy.

Anyway I’ve started going through all the handlebar cam videos (over 100) and photos (over 1400). I’m going to try and make an epic video of the trip. Will probably take a couple months.

Cheers,
Dustin

Back in Auckland

I’m a certified open water diver. Blam! Wonderful experience diving at the Poor Knights. Sorry no pictures of this.

I’m back in Auckland organizing all my stuff for my flight home.

Seal on the south island.

Matapouri Beach, Northland

Scuba gear on dive boat (in Ricorico Cave, Poor Knights)

Looking out of Ricorico Cave

Leaving the Poor Knights (2nd dive day, notice the nice calm waters)

Still at the Poor Knights

So Paul didn’t get cleared by the doctor for diving. He had to get a confirmation from his doctor back in Switzerland, but due to the time difference couldn’t get it in time. So it was just me and the instructor for the pool session. It went really well and I demonstrated all the necessary skills. The same day diving at the Knights was cancelled, but we managed to get out the next day, althought the winds were at 21knots with 3m swells. The ride out was very rough. Everyone was puking, I went through 5 bags. Once we got to the islands we were sheltered from the waves. The boat pulled into a massive cave, apperently the largest water cave in the world by volume. We geared up and entered the water. I piled again on the surface but after we descended I felt better. The water was amazing 20c with about 40m of visibility. Because there wasn’t much sunlight there weren’t many plants. Mostly small creatures and filter feeders on the wall. Luckily for me it was just me and my instructor again, this never happens. We went along the edge looking at the urchins and fish out to the cave entrance then swam back to the boat. When we got back to the surface I puked again :s
We then left the cave and went over to sharkfin cave. This dive I had to demonstrate some skills. After we swam down amongst the kelp. Visibility was about 15m so we saw lots of fish. At one point there was a school of fish circling us which was really awesome. These were amazing first dives, and apperently I did really well. I still have to do my last two dives and the boats have been cancelled the last 2 days. Really hoping I can get out tomorrow. Paul left for Auckland today. He is going to try an fly out early. It is also looking like I will have to bus it back since it would be pushing it to ride back.

Scuba diving the Poor Knights

We made it back to Auckland in 2 days. We did a campervan relocation for Jucy Rental cars. This is basically a free rental, providing 5 days and unlimited miles to get the campervan back to Auckland. Too bad gas was so expensive. It still worked out cheaper than flying or taking the bus.

From there we caught a bus up to Whangarei, and I biked from there to Tutukaka, Paul hitched it. I plan on biking the 200+ km back to Auckland in 2-3 days.

We have finished/passed all the inclass work for the PADI open water diving certification. Just finished the dive medical, and I passed, waiting on Paul. Rest of the day will be in the pool. Tmr weather permitting we will do two dives at 12m around the poor knights. But the weather looks shorty so probably diving off the coast. Day after another 2 dives at 18m, and then we are certified :)

Christchurch

We made it to Christchurch after 3 days of intense riding. The ride leaving mount Cook was very pleasant, very cold at first but became really nice later in the day. The view of the mountains over Pukaki Lake were awesome, I had to restrain myself from putting up 30+ pictures of the mountains. We arrived in Lake Tekapo village early in the day, had a nice coffee and made a really good dinner at the YHA. We had to camp at the hostel since all the beds were booked.
The next day we did over 130km to outside Mayfield. This ride was fairly flat and boring. There were some hilly sections but nothing too bad. We camped at a rest stop hidden back on a dried up river bed. The mattress made the rock surface below rather comfortable. We had a minor scare when we saw a bunch of smoke and heard something burning. I investigated and found a harvested wheat field on fire. I think it was a controlled burn… either way it was on the other side of the road so we weren’t very worried. The next day we had crazy headwind riding to the north. It took forever to do the first 40km. Then we had to cross a gorge, where the side wind was crazy. To the point where we were almost being blown off our bikes. After climbing back out of the gorge we turned east towards Christchurch. This stretch of road the wind was on our backs and we were coasting along at 41km/h. This was really nice! The road was boring though, super straight roads, cutting through flat farm country… reminded me of Ontario.
We made it to Christchurch by 5, bought a bunch of beer, got to the hostel started drinking, and went and got some Indian food.

So after riding almost 5000km this is looking like the end of our cycling journey around New Zealand.

We are now trying to figure out what to do until the end of our trip. Most likely heading north to do our PADI open water certification. Just have to figure out how to get up there.

Sefton Biv

We are back from Sefton Biv. Quite the adventure. The hike wasn’t very long but at times was very intense. There were really steep exposed sections that we had to be very careful in, especially when we were descending. We got to the biv ahead of schedule and had the thing to ourselves. It was very small, and would be considered a backcountry hut compared to the more popular frontcountry Mueller Hut that could hold over 20 people. The views were spectacular and the weather was awesome. We climbed further up past the hut to the terminal face of a glacier. Which was really cool, but too dangerous to hike out onto, especially without the right gear. Back at the hut we had some Turkish coffee (basically you boil water, add coffee beans, let it boil some more, let the beans settle, then drink), it was a nice treat. We then hiked over to a pool of water left by a melting glacier, and went for a quick swim. The water was crystal clear and surprisingly warmer than expected. After we had pasta for dinner, watched the sun set, then went to bed early. The weather forecast for today looked grim with late morning showers, and snow falling above 1800 meters. We were at 1600 meters, but we knew the hike would be too dangerous if the rocks were wet, so we were up by 5am. Watched the sun rise and were hiking down by 6:30. We were back in the village by 10, just in time to get coffee and muffins at the Old Mountaineering Cafe. As I type this it still hasn’t started raining, but I’m glad we were up to see the sun rise.

Mount Cook Village

After leaving Dunedin we had a really tough day to get to Middlemarch. It was a very hilly road with massive climbs and rain. We weren’t sure what the elevation would be like for the road and after descending a big hill at the end of the climb out of Dunedin we stopped at a really nice garden cafe. We got lattes, muffins and split a really good roast vege and falafel sandwich with a garlic aioli on top. We waited as the rain let up and started riding. Soon we were regretting the coffees and sandwich as we were faced with a series of difficult climbs. I was having trouble finding anything positive about the ride. Then we got near the top with a nice view of the southern alps and interesting rock outcroppings all around us. I felt like I was in middle earth. Then we had some nice downhill, ending the ride with a beer at the pub in Middlemarch.

It rained over night but by the morning it had cleared up. We rode down the Central Otago Rail Trail. The old rail road was converted into a bike trail and is very popular with locals and tourists. It was gravel which made it a little more difficult for us, but the worst part was the head wind. At times we were pedaling really hard and only going 8km/h. Anyway it was nice because there weren’t any big climbs and we managed to ride just under 100km. We found a place to camp on the trail close to a toilet (which is very useful).

The next morning was freezing. We were up at 6 and riding by 8. We only did another 20km on the trail then switched over to the road. We took a shortcut to Clyde bypassing Alexandra. Stopped in Clyde for muffins and tea (really nice cafe in a really old building). There was a long climb up from Clyde to the top of the dam, and then we followed the lakes all the way to Cromwell. It was fairly scenic, very nice day but lots of holiday/weekend traffic. The worst are the people towing boats, I think sometimes they forget they have an extra wide boat behind them when they are passing. We stopped at a small vineyard and I had a sample of the wines, they were all whites, not bad, but I prefer reds. The ride continued until we got to Lindis Valley where we camped at the ruins of an old hotel.

The next morning had us riding uphill until we reached the top of Lindis Pass at an elevation of 965 meters. The downhill was not as enjoyable due to the strong headwinds, but the view was really nice all the way to Omarama. We had a small break there then went for a swim in the river just north of the town. We were heading for Twizel, another 27km north. Along the way we crossed paths with another rider we met back in Greymouth. He got us worried that the stores would be closed in Twizel since it was Sunday. We rode hard arriving at 5:30 to find they were open until 8. We had only 8km to the freedom camping site further north so we bought lots of food and a couple large bottles of micro brew. It was a tiring ride to the campground with all the extra weight, but was definitely worth it, since the feast we had was amazing.

Today we left at 9 with only 56km to Mount Cook Village. This was mostly downhill with spectacular views of Mount Cook. We got into the village by 12 had lunch and checked into our rooms at the YHA. I’m not sure if I mentioned but YHA has deals for cyclists, beds in dorm rooms are a flat rate of $19, which is an amazing deal since a bed here is at least $32. We checked out the info center planning our hike, hoping for a 2-3 day hike. They were useless and almost condescending. We decided to hike a difficult trail up to Sefton Bivy. We got some more info from the mountaineering shop, where they reassured us we didn’t need ropes and harnesses. So that’s the plan for the next 2 days. After that we have about a 3-4 day ride to Christchurch where sadly the riding will most likely end…

In Dunedin

Wow it has been a long time since my last post. Trying to remember what happened each ride…

We left Te Anau heading for Tautapere. Another long ride. Some rain. And some bicycle issues for Paul. While climbing a steep hill two of his rear spokes broke. Toby and I took most of his heavy packs to try and prevent the wheel from buckling before it could be repaired. Another highlight was a massive double rainbow, all the way across the sky! Anyway we get into Tautapere and this place is a tiny, country town, their claim to fame being the sausage capital of New Zealand. We booked into the backpackers and bought food to make a big Christmas breakfast in the morning. We walked outside and suddenly there was a band of bagpipers and drummers going down the street, random. We headed over to a small motel/pub, and this place was packed with locals. We got some home cooked meals that were very satisfying, and we were treated to a performance by the bagpipers, all 20 of them managing to fit in the small pub. Quite the experience.

The next morning we made our massive breakfast. 1 whole box of pancakes, baked beans, and eggs. We some how managed to start riding shortly after. The roads were barren. The towns we passed through were all ghost towns. Nothing open, no cars… It was eire. The ride was easy with no major hills and a strong tail wind. Arriving in Invercargill we found a backpackers that was open and a small convenience store.

The next morning we said goodbye to Toby as he was continuing his journey in Australia. Paul and I checked out some shops for boxing day specials and prepped for our trip to Stewart Island. I almost bought some hiking boots but decided to wear my cycling shoes instead (they are very comfortable, not rigid, and the cleats can be replaced with a plate). We bought a bunch of food and managed to fit everything into our tiny packs. Thankfully the trail had huts to sleep in, so we didn’t need our tents. We did pack our thermarests just incase all the bunks were full, but in the end we didn’t need them.

We caught a shuttle at 7am from Invercargill, arriving in Bluff with a bit of time before taking the ferry at 8 to Stewart Island.  We then took a water taxi at 10 to Fred’s Camp Hut, and started hiking the Southern Circuit towards Rotohaue Hut. At first the trail was really nice and dry and the lush forest was tantalizing. And then it started getting wetter and muddier. We tried our best to stay dry until we got to the swampy area and we realized it was an exercise in futility. Eventually our feet were soaked and we were getting reckless as we pushed for the hut while getting poured on. Soon we were walking straight through the puddles and mud which was becoming more than knee deep. Upon arriving at the hut we got the wood stove going and started drying all our clothing. We ate our ration of pasta and handful of trail mix.

By the morning most of our stuff was dry. But it only took about 5 minutes on the trail for our shoes to be wet again. But this time we wore our rain pants and were more careful to avoid the puddles getting a lot more technical jumping from root to root and swinging from trees… But nothing prepared us for the alpine bog at the top of Doughboy Hill. It was basically a giant field of peat moss, that acted like a giant sponge. The actual trail was just completely destroyed, I was carrying a walking stick and a few times measured the mud to be more than waist deep. We avoided the mud like the plague. We were also treated to some gusting winds and rain at the top. But the views were great, especially of the beach below. We descended the hill which was very steep and treacherous. The trail was basically a muddy river, which was very slippery. The beach at the bottom of the hill was beautiful. The hut was also really nice and we managed to dry our cloths with the wood stove. Pasta again. Oatmeal in the morning.

We had to climb up another hill leaving the beach similar to the one descending from Doughboy hill. It was easier and much safer going up. At the top there was more alpine bog. But luckily no rain today. More hiking through the forest with a semi gradual descent to mason bay. This was a long section of trail on the beach. Very nice… But hard on the feet. We came across a hunters hut, also operated by DOC. There was a ton of food that people had left behind. We pillaged the place, taking a box of crackers, half package of pasta, and 4 cans of Heineken (left by a Canadian couple as a Christmas gift, according to the visitor book). We made our way further down the beech arriving at the actual hut. Made some food (pasta again), and went for a late night stroll to try and spot the elusive kiwi bird. This thing is so hard to see that most New Zealanders have never seen one even though it is their national icon. Well we didn’t see any. I should also mention, until arriving at Mason bay hut, we hadn’t seen anyone for the 3 days of hiking. 

Oatmeal again. This was going to be our longest day, starting with a flat section to Freshwater hut. We were hiking by 8 and were extremely lucky to see a kiwi wander on to the trail in front of us. It waddled away, turned around and waddled towards us before cutting off the trail and up the hill. This made our day. We arrived at freshwater after only 3 hours of hiking. This is where most people catch a water taxi out (the most popular trek being a helicopter ride to mason bay and an easy walk to freshwater hut). Well we continued hiking to the north arm hut. This trail got real nasty with mud. It was pouring again, and we were getting pretty miserable as we finished the last of the 26.5km. At the hut, pasta again, and you guessed it oatmeal in the morning.

We hiked to Half Moon Bay (the town of Obane). We needed to get back to town to get Paul’s bike from the shop before it closed, since the next was New Years day. Unfortunately the ferry didn’t leave until 3:30pm. There was one other option, to fly. We checked it out and managed to get a massive discount only paying $70 each to fly directly to Invercargill. The plane could hold 9 passengers but there were only 4 of us. It was really cool. Back in Invercargill we went to get Paul’s bike but the shop didn’t have it fixed claiming they had to order the spokes in. BS. We took the bike down the road and the guy managed to replace 4 spokes and true up the tire in less than an hour. After we had a massive feast of Indian food, probably the best I have had in New Zealand.

We ended up taking the next day off just relaxing and watching movies, including “Boy”, which is a really funny indie film from New Zealand. It was filmed on the East Cape, and I recognized many of the filming locations from my bike ride around the cape. I highly recommend the movie.

I’m getting tired now… it took us 3 days to bike up to Dunedin, another broken spoke for Paul. Highlight would probably be Nugget Point, where we biked up along the coast to a lighthouse, spotting tons of fur seals and managing to spot a yellow eyed penguin, the rarest penguin species in the world. This coast line, known as the Catlins, was really nice.

We took a day off in Dunedin and we head out on the Otaga Rail trail tomorrow hopefully arriving at Mt. Cook in 4 maybe 5 days.

Massive photo dump, including stuff from Milford sound…

In Invercargill

Sorry for the long delay… and you will have to wait until I get up to Dunedin before I can do a mass upload of pictures. This is more of a I’m alive type post.

We are back from Stewart Island. 4.5 days of hiking. 85km of some of the nastiest, roughest track I have ever hiked. Think remote, unmaintain, rain forest, marsh, and exposed alpine bog, in the rain, while knee deep in mud. But all worth it. We didn’t see a single person for 3 days!

Will fill in the rest of the blog when I get to Dunedin. Cheers.