Great Taste Trail Take 2

Mapua Wharf It was our last day on the Great Taste Trail.  We had to cross the Mapua Estuary and the first boat was not until 10am which suited us fine.  It was a gorgeous morning although it was very chilly.  We had breakfast at a waterfront café and then boarded the little ferry to take us across a stretch of water which was calm as a mill pond.  The ride took us across to Rabbit Island which is a huge sand bar or dune that is planted out in pines.  It looks no different to when I was a student at Nelson College some fifty or more years ago.  Then it was a destination for picnics during weekends with family who were visiting their boarding school sons.  It was rather nice travelling through it again.   After that we skirted around the edge of the tidal flats on a mixture of gravel paths and boardwalks.  It is very easy riding.  Soon enough we were at the Richmond junction and turning toward Nelson.  After five days of little or no...

Ruby Bay looking toward Nelson Mapua was our destination about 40kms away.  Bev and I were meeting Rob at Toad Hall and it was thought it would be about 7kms. It would have been the case if we had ridden there directly.  Instead the trail took us along the Motueka estuary which, on yet another cloudless day, was very beautiful in the relatively early morning sun.  Eventually we met a very patient Rob who had already had his coffee.  Along the way we passed the wreck of the Janie Seddon, a rusting hulk, that had been a troop ship in the two World Wars.  When we last passed by it was sitting on a sandbank about 500 metres away from its current position.  Janie Seddon behind me Toad Hall is quite a destination.   It is a café, a deli and a fruit shop all in one and is popular with both locals and tourists.  It helps that the GTT goes past it.  Rob was sitting patiently enjoying the sun when we arrived nearly an hour later than intended.  Ta...

Baton River suspension bridge at Lublows Leap This day was to be longest we rode at around 71kms.  We left Tapawera a little later than expected as we found a coffee cart at the beginning of the section.  Unfortunately for me they had run out of decaf so no coffee.  Bev on the other hand was in luck.  While I was waiting to be served, the barista was in conversation with a couple of visiting Americans who were downloading about Trump.  They were very unhappy with where the country was now heading, commenting that less than half of the country voted for him if you counted absentee voters.  About to start the Tapawera to Riuwaka leg The trail from Tapawera was mostly downhill for the first 15 kms, with half of it sealed.  Then we hit the gravel which slowed us down a bit.  The scenery was very beautiful with mature bush and a rather pretty Whangapeka river.  After about 18 kms the next hurdle was Baton Saddle which was a 2.5km climb.  It h...

  Sponner's Tunnel portal south end It was a very cold morning and our hosts told us that there was a sprinkling snow on the top of the ranges behind us. It was definitely cold when we got onto our bikes.  We had a pleasant breakfast talking with some fellow cyclists who were from the Sunshine Coast.  They were headed in the same direction as us.  As usual we left a bit later than them.   Crossing a river between Wakefield and Belmont Rob had suggested we meet at the Wakefield Bakery as it was renowned for its baking products including pies.  It certainly had a lot of tempting food.  They had a huge range of pies which were being purchased in large quantities by local workers.  We had a coffee and as we were leaving had a quick chat to a group of local cyclists who were using the cycle trail.  Apparently they rode part of it almost each day depending on the weather. Like us they were enjoying retirement.   Shortly after we le...

Rain had been predicted for our first day.  It was not raining when we loaded up the car but just as I was strapping the bikes on the carrier rather big drops began falling.  By the time we were on the road the heavens had decided to deluge us all including cyclists who were already on the bike trail next to the road.  The sensible ones were sheltering under some trees.  At Cycle Journeys we had a briefing and they even included Rob in the orientation. He was going solo and not using their service.  They could not have been more helpful.  Soon we had our rain jackets on, rain covers on our panniers and tyres checked.   About to depart the depot We ventured out into the cold rain and fortunately the climb out of Nelson warmed us up.  As we got to the top of the short ride the rain eased and by the time we reached the railway trail it had ceased.  Our first stop was t Pics Peanut Butter World.  This had been recommended by Cycle Journeys a...

The portents for the day were not good with rain and showers predicted for much of the day whether we were in Picton or Nelson.  We were hoping that the rain would arrive and that would be it for our time away as cycling in the wet is not that pleasant.  While we loading our bikes the host came out and we were able to have a chat with her.  She was lovely and interesting.  She had moved from Christchurch about six years prior and had made Picton her home creating a community that she felt in engaged with.  She worked as a nurse at Wairau Hospital and seemed fully engaged with her work.   A coffee stop was next at my favourite Picton café situated opposite the foreshore.  When we arrived it was quite warm and then suddenly the clouds came over and the perceived temperature dropped,  By then the coffee had been consumed and we left in a persistent drizzle that continued until we got to Blenheim where it was warm and blustery without a shower in...