Closest I've ever been to being taken out! Holy crap! (And I don't usually swear but...)
Heading down a wide open road. Good visibility both directions. Flat. See truck coming up on my tail. See truck ahead. Courteously, I take to the grassland stop to let them by. There is no shoulder, just white line then grass. I'm off the road maybe 10 ft. Of course, it's a law of physics, the trucks meet at ME! And my truck pulls left off the road!!!! Are you kidding me???? He missed me by a foot or two! That's all!!!!
There is a near washout where this highway parallels a river. So trucks on this side are whizzing past with rocks too trying to shore things up. And there are milk trucks hauling to Invercall on the southern tip because they can't get up to Hokitika to the milk processing plant. A lot if large farms are having to dump the milk.
But other than those trucks, the road is empty. Eerily empty. Pleasantly empty. My own road. So nice for cycling (when two trucks are passing right by my side:)).
I've been struggling with sightseeing things down here but I'm so not a tourist. I'm a traveller. I don't want to see what others are paying to see. I want to see the wonder that they are missing as they hustle from one tourist spot to another. And there is beauty everywhere if we just slow down and take the time to look. For example, right now I have a site no one else has ever seen. It's in this moment as I look back across _______ Lake to the glaciers to the south. And there are low lying clouds, an absolutely tranquil lake, birds chirping, and not a car on the road. Mine! All mine!!! And it's free!!!! Because I took the time to stop and look and listen and soak it up.
Monday, Jan 8th
Just shy of Fox Glacier Village
Yesterday I cycled into Franz Josef Village, did town chores, then ran into Ben and Laura who were taking a zero and sightseeing. The said the hike up to the glacier was amazing. I said a guide in town had told me about glow worms in a tunnel up the hill and I was going to check it out. I did. But someone on the way there said they were a long way down the tunnel and when I got up there and saw how small this tunnel was, I knew there was no way I would go in there. That's the only place I've ever had a panic attack. In a black tunnel in a science museum. What an awful feeling. Don't ever want to feel that again.
Back in town I decided to check out a backpackers that gave a 25% discount if you biked in. Great. I took the second cheapest dorm room because the cheapest was all booked. I walked into this cramped stuffy room with luggage all over the place and only a top bunk left and I knew I'd made a mistake. I'd rather be in my tent. Can I cancel? Lets see if I gave something else. For a $1.40 more I have a 5 bed dorm room with only one other in it. Great! Whew! And she never showed up so I had the room all to myself.
The shower felt fabulous...as usual. And after a wander about town and the realization that I wasn't willing to pay those restaurant prices to eat alone, I went back to the hostel and cooked up my eggs and my pasta and broccoli. And I brought cooked food with me today.
Ok. Today I made a glacier run. It was beautiful but didn't compare to those in the Canadian Rockies. Couldn't get up to it. But it was a nice hike. And the waterfalls were dramatic!
Knew I had a short hilly ride today to Fox Glacier Village and after the hike to the glacier it was early afternoon before I really left. What a grind! Where are my climbing legs? Oh I kept wanting to stop. So slow. And I had decided I'd just go to before the village to camp tonight and then plan to stay the next 2 nights in town during this next storm. So that's where I am tonight. Camped. But it feels like the storm is arriving early. The winds are picking up and gusting. I sure don't feel I'll stay dry if the skies open with these winds. Could be an interesting night. Why do I do this to myself? I think I like the challenge of seeing what I can cope with. And I'll get to town tomorrow and dry out. After the last big climb. (That's really why I quit here. And besides there's a great view of this river. Too bad it's the lumpiest camping spot I think I've ever had.)
Add to that I don't have the warmest of my gear. Just a 50* bag and it will be in the 40s tonight for sure. It's 5 pm and I'm in my wool thermals, a jacket with hood over them and wool sox. Not much more to add. Taking things to the edge it feels like. And liking what I find there:) I'll enjoy tonight more than last night in that comfy hostel even though I'll be cold, sleep on lumps, and possibly wet. But that shower now...that was nice:)
Food today: cowboy coffee at hostel, then a Danish from a bakery.
Hummus and crackers for lunch with dark chocolate for dessert. (Haven't found an organic chocolate yet. Cadbury's just doesn't cut it.)
Hard boiled egg and a banana for dinner. Maybe a precooked pasta snack later.
BagLady
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
