As I woke up to another beautiful morning with full sunshine over Mount Cook I knew it was going to be a special day. The goal was to reach the summit of Mount Ollivier at 1933 m. A peak that was apparently Sir Edmund Hillary’s first major climb in 1939. The first part of the [ Read More ]
Distance: 115.8 km Ridetime: 5:06:21 Average: 22.7 km/h Max speed: 48.5 km/h Total distance: 18428 km On the South Island it doesn’t get dark until 21:30. With that in mind I thought I could fit in a couple of hours of hiking up to the Mount John observatory before starting the 110 km ride I [ Read More ]
Distance: 81.3 km Ridetime: 4:03:56 Average: 20.3 km/h Max speed: 45.3 km/h Total distance: 18312 km Today was the day that I would ride into the mountains. It all started gently as the flat I had beencycling on since Christchurch changed into a rolling landscape. In the background I could see the real mountains emerge as [ Read More ]
Distance: 94.89 km Ridetime: 4:21:36 Average: 21.8 km/h Max speed: 39.4 km/h Total distance: 18231 km Before I left Christchurch I had checked the forecast, and I knew today would be a cloudy and perhaps rainy day. Something to get used to in New Zealand. Sure enough I woke up to the sound of rain [ Read More ]
Distance: 72.43 km Ridetime: 3:37:48 Average: 19.8 km/h Max speed: 48.7 km/h Total distance: 18136 km As I said goodbye to Linda, Phil, Luca and Eli in the morning and thanked for the great welcome to New Zealand, I was looking forward to hit the road again. I followed the beautiful winding road along the [ Read More ]
I knew cycling would be popular in New Zealand. I got an indication already on the plane from Sydney to Christchurch as three other people were checking in their touring bicycles! Brigitte and Klemens from www.by-the-way.ch had been on the way for 2 years starting in Switzerland, and Martin from France had been cycling around Australia. As our flight landed late [ Read More ]
To say that I was well looked after in Sydney would be an understatement. My friend Vanessa had thought of anything I would possibly need and prepared it before I arrived. A bike box for my flight to New Zealand, bus tickets to go around the city, extra keys for the apartment, and a fridge [ Read More ]
Distance: 127.33 km Ridetime: 6:09:35 Average: 20.7 km/h Max speed: 56.3 km/h Total distance: 18064 km For a long time Sydney was the final destination of the trip. Now that I have included a 2nd stage starting in South America I guess I’m only half way, but arriving in Sydney was still something to celebrate! [ Read More ]
Distance: 122.73 km Ridetime: 6:21:58 Average: 19.3 km/h Max speed: 45.2 km/h Total distance: 17937 km My tires usually last between 3500 and 4000 km. It is now 3700 km since I left Alice Springs , and I’m starting to pay the price: Two flat tires today. I will need to look for new ones [ Read More ]
Distance: 147.26 km Ridetime: 7:25:08 Average: 19.8 km/h Max speed: 52.8 km/h Total distance: 17814 km In the morning I woke up the the sound of waves and not rain on my tent. After a few hours of cyclingthe sun was even shining again – the way I’m used to in Australia. I was happy that [ Read More ]
