Day 5: Fairlie

We had a cold start today, 4 degrees in Methven. The bikes complained with particularly mine and Dave Macs starting quite reluctantly. Fair enough. They did get going which is all we ask. DM was also a reluctant starter. After several years we have trained him but every now and then he tries to revert back to old habits and starts suggesting we leave a little later and maybe go into town for a cafe breakfast. Like a dog we have to be firm and consistent ( but still giving love and affection so he doesn’t feel sad) and so we have to shut that kind of talk down because if we give him an inch we will be leaving at 11 and getting in at 9 at night. 

We started the day by heading up the Rakaia gorge on Double Hill Run road which travels to the top of the gorge. The day was perfect and the only word to describe the scenery is majestic. We travelled in silence which I assumed was because we were all reflecting on the aforementioned majesty but in reality it turned out that our helmet comms had dropped out. 

At the top of the gorge we entered Glenfalloch station and followed farm tracks through scrub and across shingle fans. Morning coffee out of a thermos enjoying the view and the peace and then around the corner onto Lake Heron station. We had a brief delay on the way out while Dave Lear got lost in the cattle yards. We could see him circling around and around and following every little track but some how avoiding the twin lane highway out of the farm. During this inspection of the property he studiously ignored his own gps track. Eventually he had exhausted all options to be lost and he decided to join the rest of us who had been in plain view all the time. We will watch him closely from now on. 

A fast deep gravel road out, always enjoyable with the bike waggling about as it looks for lines through the gravel drifts. 

At lunch both Dave’s endeared themselves to me. Almost to the point where I considered not savaging them on the blog. My front light had failed. My solution was denial. Dave Lear is a bit of a thinker and had concluded that I was invisible and the final day of the trip may end in the dark. Between him and Dave Mac they solved the problem and by the end of lunch I had a new, brighter light. This is why I keep them. 

The afternoon was occupied by riding through Orari gorge, a really fun double track route that roughly joins Geraldine to Fairlie through the inland Canterbury mountains. Beautiful. 

Post ride bike maintenance was briefly enlivened by Dave Lear lubricating his rear wheel instead of his chain. We really need to watch that one closely. 

Tomorrow we cross the McKenzie country into Otago. The mountains are waiting.