Day 2: Wanaka to Makaroa

                After being treated to the hospitality of a legend we took our ever slow departure from Wanaka to the small stopover of Makarora. Though we had been forecasted stormy conditions we exited Wanaka to beautiful blue skies and a nice cool breeze. Climbing the first few hills burned off some of the stiffness left by yesterday’s marathon and we coasted down the slopes a smile so big nothing could wipe it off. The second leg brought us out of the sheep covered hills to an absolutely breathtaking road along the side of Lake Hawea. Even though there were climbs nothing could break my spirit today, so naïve I am. Climbing to the neck we were greeted by our arch nemesis, strong head winds. But when biking up the nation on a limited time frame we could nothing more than take in more stunning views of the now Lake Wanaka and force are way through the headwinds determined not to let it break us. But the unrelenting winds were proving too much for us and Brian with his lingering head cold and his extra effort put in yesterday was the first to lose spirit. After almost in involuntary tears the day before, I knew I was going to have to be the one today to step up and stay positive just like he had done for me yesterday. And boy did I try, for almost 10km but the non-stop punishing we were getting from the wind broke me as well as I bellowed back it and swearing curses and wishing ill fortune on its very inanimate self. But like the warriors we are forced to become we pushed through and have arrived at our overnight stay, 9km past where we had excitedly thought we arrived, in Makarora. So as I sit here finishing this entry off around a warm fire as Johnny Cash plays ballads to my aching muscles, I think ever at the next day where we have been forced by 150km/h winds to hitch a ride on an intercity bus to our next stop. In closing I have another statement for our nemesis wind, “I hope that you feel the pain and burning of all our sore muscles and sunburnt hands for your blows delivered today and may you live with these pains and knowledge for the rest of your inanimate life.”