Day 11 Notes

We have just had the only place we going to stay 2 nights on my trip. The rational for the 2 night stay at Ohakune was climbing the Ohakune road up to the Turoa Ski field as a roadie  I wanted to appreciate the climb for what it is  the highest sealed road in New Zealand and a true Cat 1 climb.  So I can officially stay I cycled to the highest road in New Zealand on my trip. The climb is tough, I mean really tough. The profile of my up and down is just classic, it is a 1033m climb over 18km.  The feeling of getting to the top is brilliant, the effort getting to the top is brutal, the views at the top were sensational.  I spend a bit of time at the top and I think this climb should be on all New Zealand cyclists to do list.  I must say I have been so lucky with the weather today it was a cracker.  But wait there is more the climb was the morning after which I had some lunch and a coffee then switch wheels and off on the old coach road. This is the start of the mountains to sea trail.  I got as far as the viaduct which not far in then did a turn around to come back my legs felt heavy from the morning so it was a light afternoon.   I can say Ohakune is a great place to be with a lot of really good cycling at your doorstep. I will be back some day.

The profile from this mornings climb.. up up and up.. GPS data here 

Where i am heading in the morning.

Last look at the flat.

Warning about uphill, don't see those to often.

Up we go.

Half way up.

Got there in  the pokadot jersey

The views.. wow wow wow.

Old coach road.

More climbing on the old coach road.

For Rachel with love.

On the tracks on the old coach road.

The viaduct 

On the viaduct.

Another view of the viaduct

It was rude not to.

Not that i did much the the start of the trail.

The train station.