On to Invercargill Tuesday 15 March

Monday March 14 and Tuesday March 15, I think

Back on the bikes heading from Te Anau to Otautau and our farm stay.  It was a blustery ride, the longest yet for Mimi/Den...100 KM.  We were greatly assisted by tail winds, three club tail winds for those of you who golf, propelling us at high rates of speed.  It would all have been a blessing except that such winds gust out of side valleys, causing breathing to stop on downgrades.  Everyone in our group of six was elated but cautious on the downhills.  One could actually feel the bike wobble, and the front wheel threaten to turn.  

Our farm stay was with a couple, Ray and Jill, on their sheep farm(working farm for about 25 years).  Great, sprawling house all on one level.  One other couple from our ride shared the house.  I was the only one interested in the trout stream out back...my size stream, with visible trout sipping tiny somethings.  Ray the sheep farmer told me that if they are taking willow grub, my chances were slim.  They must have been taking willow grub.  Could not have been my dubious form in the high winds.  Anyhow: Den 0, but I tried until rain drove me inside, in my wet clothing but buoyant spirits.  Mimi and another farm stayer went on a farm tour with Ray, inspecting the upcoming lamb and vegetable table fare, getting a good feel of the 800+ acres, where they saw the ewes saved specifically for birthing (and they are ewes who produce twins); lambs almost ready for market  and others sheared for their wool. They are sheared once a year and a good shearer can do a thousand a day. There were some cows as well, but Ray said they are too small to bring a lot of money in, so next week they will be gone. Goooood dinner of roast lamb, peas, carrots, potatoes, salad. The piece de resistance was pavlova cake, a NZ specialty of fruit, chocolate icing topped with a sort of creamy topping, white cake with bits of fruit... terribly decadent! Television afterwards watcihg more horrow stories coming out of Japan, then a reality crayfish catching show in the rough seas off Bluff; afterwards we guests retreated to bed around 9 pm, beat from the ride and good food.  Rain during the night with Ray over breakfast telling us to expect cold and high head winds.  Ray was correct.

Today we rode, maybe plodded being more descriptive, winding our way along 'undulating' hills to the Tasmin Sea.  After five hours our whole group threw in that towel, ate a nice lunch and sleepily took the van into Intercargill (we are on the very South Coast now).  The ride had been grueling, with much bike time spent in low to middle gears, maybe 70 km, and then a sigh of relief lunch at Mrs. Clark’s funky cafe in Riverton, a cool little seaside village. Blue cod cakes, mushroom soup, mussel cakes, salads, bowl of fries with aioli mayo, a sort of Shepard’s Pie for Denny, a Speight’s (popular beer here, higher octane beer than Miller Lite!) and a Corona... yummm!

Now in Invercargill, have done a bunch of laundry and  about to go see The World’s Fastest Indian  Indian (motorcycle). He was born here.

Delicious dinner. I got to again have raw oysters from Bluff. What a treat. Denny and I loaded up on carbs, pasta with mushrooms.

Off to bed preparing for another day of riding into headwinds. Yup.

Heading out of Te Anau...rain threatening the whole day

Denny my fearless front rider!

Notice the wind?  In our backs!

Lunch stop in little roadside bus stop because I was sure the school we passed was NOT where we wanted to be...oops. And when we tried to ride back to the correct place, the wind just picked our bikes up right up off the road.

Yes, the wind was this fierce...Mac is leaning into it.

Loved the shelter   

Ours farm stay hosts' house

Fall on the way in their beautiful garden

Delicious roses

Touring the huge sheep operation... 2400 of them!

Cattle to be sold next week

Our wonderfully warm and funny hosts, Ray and Jill

Close to dinner time

What a a spread!

Mac and Sherry

The Pavlova... tah-dah!!!

After dinner enjoyment

Leaving their property after a fabulous send-off breakfast

Where their sheep fields begin.. some 800 acres

And we are off!

First stop in tiny village

Getting further info such as 'The maps may not have totally correctly described the upcoming terrain.'

Loved this!

Man who owned this place had things that had belonged as far back as his great-grandparents, and he appeared to be in his 70's. American Pickers, where are you?

Wedding dress seen in photo on wall..worn by owner's great-grandmother

Would have bought a bunch, but then i would have had to get rid of Denny's bike clothes...hmmmm...

Too sweet

Getting to the Tasman Sea and closer to 'undulating' hills and

Last truly gruesome hill. We actually walked up most of it as at this point, we did not think our legs were still attached to our bodies!

The wind. The trees.

In Riverton. Done for the day...yeaH! About 65 Km.

Riverton right on the Tasman Sea

Fabulous meals...

The very cool funky place where we had lunch - Mrs. Clark's

Love that van!