Another great day for cycling on the west coast, I left Lake Paringa and started to go towards Haast 51km down the road. The vast majority of the west coast is a world heritage area, this provides for some fantastic nature, but the vastness is on a big scale. Todays trip has taken me to Makarora, yesterday I fell off the internet and mobile coverage from Fox so I have done 210km with no mobile coverage. It only when you cycle it you get a good sense of how big yet sparsely populated the area is. I thought I would pick up mobile coverage again in Haast but no the mobile has not arrived at Haast yet. There were a few tough little climbs coming between Lake Moeraki and Ship Creek coming towards Haast, and any time you stop you have a bunch of sand flies on you. Having said all the it is still a majestic ride. Leaving Haast you have 50 Km of following the Haast river up stream because of the distance the gradient is nothing it more rolling hills, you then come to the Haast pass, this kicks up the gradient quite 8% or so but is very short 4-5km tops which was enough, then it is a very gradual climb to the top. When you get to the top it is goodbye West coast and hello Otago. After two 130Km days I have got a nice easy 75Km to Wanaka tomorrow 24Km will be back on trails rather than road. I can also climb back on the internet tomorrow as I know it will work in Wanaka.
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| Gates of Haast, or is that Gates of hell with the Hill ahead |
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