Hawea Lake
In the mountains, on a hill, in a clearing...thunder...THUNDER! Flashes of lightening! Am I exposed up here? There's other stuff higher than me. Then rain. Then heavy rain. Then drip...drip...drip. I'm getting wet. Touch the outside of my sleeping bag. Oh, not good. But it's still warm and dry inside. No sense getting up til this thing passes. If it passes. Storms seem to get hung up over the mountains here and can stay all day. Ok. Start to pack up in the tent. Be ready when there's a break to get to the picnic shelter where Blaze spent the night. At least I thought that much ahead. Ok. Now's your chance. It's stopped for a moment. Whoa! Other people in here. We moved your bike trying to keep it drier as the rain blew in. Thanks.
It was a beautiful sight out over the valley with the rain and mist and fog. But it wasn't showing signs of letting up. Have some coffee. Pack the wet tent. Get ready to go. A small town is just 6 miles down the road. If the rain keeps up I can stay there today. Time to make my getaway. Up with the umbrella. Pedal off. This is delightful. What a great day. My pants are soaked through, top to bottom, but I'm grinning from ear to ear. I want to bike further than 6 miles. But my sleeping bag is soaked and my tent is dripping wet. If I can't dry these 2 essential things, I can't camp out tonight. And after this town, there's nothing for about 40 miles. And we all know that's not going to happen. Not with a late start and needing to take time to dry out.
This town had a cafe and I was greeted by a group of cyclists on an organized tour. One woman also ride a trike although their bikes were loaded up on the van. Too wet on the road to bike they told me. It's a great day for biking, I reply grinning! Turns out I was able to help the triker with the handicap sticker idea for her trike. She actually qualified. I also helped the tour leader by sharing my design for a box for her trike to get it home. She wasn't ready to just take it to the counter inboxes. Know that feeling. Over it!
Got my bag and tent dry while having a coffee and wifi. Lots of talking story. Lots of interest in my tour. Fun sharing:)
The weather changed for the better as I continued on. Two lakes today, I was told. That's an understatement. OMG!
I couldn't wipe that grin off my face all day:). What a ride!
But then the sun got to be too much. Because I haven't bathed in 4 days I have layers of sunscreen over layers of bug dope. And the oil from the bug dope is winning...and I'm frying out here. Can't hide my whole body under that tiny umbrella.
Did figure out how to get it to work helping to push me when the wind's at my back. Faced the top into the wind and tucked part of it behind my body so it was pinned keeping it from collapsing with my head. I could feel the assist up several hills today and I could keep it open on the wind, a plus!
From heavy rains to scorching sun! A great day cycling in NZ!
Gleeful BagLady
Food today:
Coffee at camp
Flat white coffee at cafe
Leftovers of last night's pasta dish for lunch
Passion fruit and yogurt ice cream stick pre-dinner snack
Tuna, mayo, and chopped onion on 1/2 pita for dinner
Nutella on 1/2 pita for dessert
2 Digestives at bedtime.
My food bag is pretty empty. I hope I can get salad fixings in Wanaka, next town...tomorrow.
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