Cycle Touring on the South Island of New Zealand

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Thursday, December 30th, 2004 - Invercargill to Tuatapere

Distance: 92.6km
Average speed: 18.1 kph
Time in saddle 5:06
Max speed 53.3 kph
Departure 8:30 am
Arrival 3:45 pm
Temperatures - ranged from 52 F to 55 F, with mist and rain.

Fueled by a very tasty breakfast of pancakes and fruit with hot chocolate and cappuccinos, we left Invercargill with a tailwind. The weather was overcast and misty, so we donned our rain pants and Goretex Jackets.

Departure in the rain.

After an easy flat 38K, we stopped for brunch in Riverton "The Riviera of the South". Hhm, on a cold, windy day like today, I wasn't buying it. The Beach House Café served up a delightful eggs benedict with salmon. Yes, its true, we ride to eat!

The road began to undulate past endless cattle, sheep and deer pastures. Yup, they farm deer in New Zealand. Venison would show up on the menus quite often throughout our trip.

Venison on the hoof

The "towns" were few and far between, and no more than wide spots in the road. In Orepuki, we stopped at the tavern, the only place in town that a) served food and b) was open. In fact, by the looks of Orepuki, the Tavern was the only commercial business operating there. But it was a great opportunity to get in from the rain, which had turned heavy, and warm up beside the wood stove, which was roaring. We had hot tea and microwaved pizza, while the barkeep talked about the weather. "Summer" has been pretty much non-existent this year. The weather throughout New Zealand has been unseasonably cold and rainy and everyone is scrambling to find dry firewood.

Aotearoa, the Maori name for New Zealand, means Land of the Long White Cloud. I think the newspaper has a better name, though:

We finally arrived in Tuatapere, a slightly wider spot in the road. Tuatapere is "New Zealand's Sausage Capital" famous for their "bangers" made from beef. Jeff had them for dinner and pronounced them quite good.

Sausages, anyone?

NEXT PAGE: Tuatapere to Te Anau