Cycling New Zealand Day 1: Queenstown to Wanaka

After much time and lots of loud arguments Brian and I finally took the road at our precise starting time of 1 hour later than planned. The road to this point was full of interesting surprises, both positive and negative but we finally got there. We left one of the most amazing houses I think I will ever have the chance to live in for a tent and the open world. What were we thinking???

                Today’s ride was going to be one of the toughest ad longest rides of the entire trip at a staggering 118km. We knew it be hard but boy I don’t think we were in for the true nature of this beast. At 10:30 we took our first of what would many breaks of the day; we were startled to find that we had already gone 26km into our journey. But as soon as our break had started it was already over, a quick drink of water and a protein bar, back on the road.

                The second leg of our journey brought us into the Gibbston Valley which is renowned in New Zealand for its wineries, and man was there a lot of them; we must have passed over twenty separate wineries all nestled in this stunning valley carved by the roaring Kuwarau River. With the third part of this journey we found ourselves down along the steep and narrow road roped along beside the river. A few days earlier I took a random journey with a few friends from Queenstown to Wanaka, today’s destination, and had the chance to scout the road we now found ourselves on and from that moment on I felt myself dreading every slight incline and hill that we had taken so effortlessly in the car. Although we did have to walk the bikes up some of the hills and make stops to rest our weary bodies; most of the fear I had been experiencing was I my head because before we knew it we were riding into Cromwell just after two o’clock a total of 65km behind us. We made a quick stop for some Subway and sooner than we would have liked we were back on the road towards Wanaka and Johan.

                Now I have done some things in my life that were physically taxing but these 53kms were easily the hardest experience I have ever put on my body. We left Cromwell into strong headwinds, our first of the trip, which left our flat journey beside the lake feel like we had just climbed a series of gruelling hills. It took so much out of us, mostly me Brian’s a beast, that after that short 18km our last 35km would take us over 3 hours to finish. I must say that despite our many arguments and disagreements I would have been sleeping beside that lake just 10km outside Cromwell if it were not for Brian’s constant encouragement and drive.

                The 115km and 10.5 hours we pedaled were worth every push when we rolled into Wanaka and ‘Brohans’ house that evening. The reason we call him ‘brohan’ is because this man is the ultimate ‘bro’ he welcomed us into his house with a hot shower, cold beer, and fresh fish and chips. I credit my entire day two to him and just want to reiterate how much of a legend this man is. Day down 118km!!