Day 3: Franz Josef to Koromiko. 559km 9 hours 🌞

-

Refreshed and ready to ride north.
Team kiwi say good morning to Big Kiwi and her chick
Then head north.

Mist ahead
Which will soon rise and let us through into
A glorious clear day.

To the Clocktower Cafe
At Greymouth
Nextdoor to the pounamu shop crowded with tourists.

Blue skies, green pastures
They Tasman sea tumbling ashore
Steadily wearing away the rocky coastline

We pass Punakaiki by - 
Nowhere left to park.
So we take a coffee break at Charleston.

Through the Buller gorge
The river, deep and mysterious
Masking her hidden power

Murchison for a cuppa
At the Beeches
On to St Arnaud and a  photo at Lake Rotoiti.

Sweeping swathes of vines 
In the setting sun
welcome us in the upper Wairau

We are nearly there
A warm family welcome and roast chicken
At Koromiko end the ride.

A wonderful day on the road.
The West coast with her best clothes on
One of our favourite rides.




















Comments

vinod said…
Love you guys ...
8 May 2019 at 21:32
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Homeward bound: Picton to Queenstown, New Zealand. 875km, 11.5°C-22°C

-
Image
We saved the best for last. The longest distance we have ever ridden two up in one day. From Marlborough's Wairau Valley vineyards... To lake Rotoiti And the forest-clad hills  That accompany us south and to the west coast. Coffee stop at the Beeches in Murchison Awesome pies for lunch in Hokitika Whitebait fritters at the Paringa Salmon Farm. So good to be on familiar roads, So close to home We decide to make a run for Queenstown while the sun is still shining. Through the Gates of Haast Over the Haast Pass To the warmth of Central Otago at Makarora Along the shorelines of Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea Through the early evening golden light  Etching patterns on slopes of the Crown Range. Home to Te Komata  Our house on the hill Which welcomes us with open arms. We are truly blessed to live in this part  of the world. Vineyards spread across the Wairau Valley. Home of Marlborough wines.   Lake Rotoiti - high water this summer. Beyond lake Rotoiti ...
Read more

Ngorogoro Crater

-
Image
Ngorogoro Crater formed 2.5million years ago after a volcanic eruption. The crater is about 19km in diameter and has steep sides. The road descending into the crater is definitely a 4WD road. Steep and rugged. The floor of the crater has lakes which provide water for animals year round. There is a resident population of wildebeest and zebra, buffalo, zebra, many hyena, lions and birds. While we were visiting the area the skies were magnificently moody. The crater is around 2300m altitude so it was pleasantly cool. Short grass necessitates knee bending for the warthog whilst feeding. One of the many hyena cooling off. A weaver bird.  There were lots of weaver bird nests in the trees. Some birds were on the winge carrying straw to their nests. The superb starling. A contented wildebeest Plenty of lions on the prowl. Weaver bird nests Zebra galore  Lions having breakfast on a freshly killed buffalo. Getting around by Caravan 
Read more