Christchurch: Located on the East coast within Pegasus Bay just north of the Banks Peninsula it is the largest city in the South Island. Although the largest, it does not feel like a big city at all. The tallest building in the city center can hardly be called sky scrapers and the rest have an outdated but warm feeling to them. Much of the city center revolves around tourism, as much of New Zealand does.
When we arrived in Chch our couch surfing hopefuls were unable to host us so I began frantically trying to figure out where we could sleep for a couple nights (because we all know by now that a hotel is out of the question and a hostel is following not far behind). Thankfully, I was put into contact with Greg and Wendy via the warm showers list (a website for touring cyclist). Greg and Wendy kindly took us in with such short notice and I feel forever in debt to their hospitality. -- If you two are reading this I would like to thank you again for your kindness. I hope that you understand that you made our time in Christchurch an absolute pleasure. Greg, good luck on you tour in France, I hope to make it there someday myself. --
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After our legs had rested and Mt. Cook Began calling our names we knew that our stay in Christchurch had expired and it was time to make our way to the highlands. We headed west into the long, straight, and flat roads of the Cantebury Plains. For those who have been reading this web log it is well known how I feel about the long, the straight, and the flat roads. Now, combine that feeling with a Nor-Wester that slammed us with head winds the entire day and one might start to get the idea of how my day went. I can confidently say that it was the most challenging day of cycling not only physically but also mentally... ever! It took six riding hours to cover a mere 45 miles, with nothing but the flat unending plains to stir my senses. The day ended in the Raikia Gorge with a rainy night. annihilated, I asked a higher deity for forgiveness on whatever it was that I had done wrong.
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The next few days ran smoothly because of the new perspective of suffering that I had achieved. The more one suffers the more joy one will ultimately achieve. One will come to realize joys of the previously unknown luxuries held in daily life. With the knowledge of how things could be, the way things are is much more than satisfactory. One could also reverse this thought and apply it to those who experience day to day luxuries and not any of suffering. In the end they actually do suffer because nothing is ever satisfactory. Now apply this to the unending consumption caused by American capitalism and we might have an idea of were the societies that revolve around such materialism might be headed. True never ending suffering! Of course this is an extreme example but something to think about.
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Since the plains had ended, the landscape gradually got more and more epic. After a small pass over a range I was greeted from afar with the snow capped mountains within Mt. Cook and grassy fields rolling up the sides of smaller mountains close by. As if this was not enough, I was soon blessed with the oddly teal colored glacial lake Tekapo. Apparently, there is a very thin layer of soot that rests a top the water from the glaciers that feed it. When the sun hits this layer it causes the lake to appear as if it is glowing! Not long long after we passed Lake Tekapo we came across Lake Pukaki glowing just like the last, but with Mt. Cook at the head of it. The decision to camp on its shores was made instantly.
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We arrived without delay in Mt. Cook National Park the next afternoon. I am not sure that i can put into words how absolutely stunning this area of the world is. The entire region emanates pure, raw, and peaceful earthly energy. Snow capped jagged mountains with glaciers running between them, deep long valleys harboring rushing rivers while flora and fauna cascade within their boundaries, water appearing from underneath glaciers falling down steep mountain sides, an ever changing view caused by the ever changing shadows and lighting. Pictures have boundaries, and words have their limits. The only way to understand this place is to personally experience the emergent properties that the senses exhibit combined with ever breath of air that it feeds you. Definitely a place I would love to experience again.
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I took a lone hike the evening before we left. This turned out to be no ordinary hike. The trodden path is about a two hour round trip, but the trodden path only takes you to a plauto half way up the mountain side. Although, at this point, the views were fantastic and my legs were burning a voice in my head kept saying, "It will be a lot better at the top, keep going!" Of course, I succumbed to my ego or my inner spirit, I am not sure, and continued upward. From this point on there were many opportunities which one slip would send my body plummeting down a rocky mountain face like, but not as graceful, as a slinky. I did make it to the top! Although my legs felt like they were pumping with hydrochloric acid, the solitude and peace obtained out weighed this feeling. It was a 360 degree panaramania. It was hard to take in any view for too long because another was always inching into my peripherals. For all the suffering that my legs would endure the next few days because of this hike, it was certainly worth it.
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We caught some serous rainfall on the ride out of Mt. Cook. The rain really is not all that bad. As long as you can stay warm its can be a nice change of scenery. Riding along Lake Pukaki was rather surreal. With a sky that blended perfectly with the colors of the lake the human eye could not tell where one ended and the other began. With rockey cliffs that jutted out from the shore line, it seemed as if they were just floating in the skys. For about 60 km we took in this dark yet beautiful scenery while unknowingly being protected by a close mountain range from fierce winds from the west. We were soon head on to the slaughterous winds carrying rain so ferociously that it felt like needles were being thrown at you. With my rain jacket totally soaked through and acting like a parachute in the wind, rushing semi's carring walls of water with them, and being forced to always look down in order to protect my face, I was ready to throw in the towel after less than 500 meters. Just as this thought crossed my mind I passed a sign stating the next town was in 8km. Only 8km, huh! This 8km broke me down to a helpless, passive, and less than cognant being. It was like a survival state that my body knew it had to keep going no matter how much my mind said stop. We made home in a laundromat for many hours in a small town called Twizel and waited out the rain.
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Heading back to the east coast was also breath taking. For just about an entire day of cycling we trended downward in a gently undulating roads which carried us from one mountain lake to another, and along side a wide river. Eventually, mother Pacific welcomed us with her beauty and some brisk winds. To me, there is just something amazing about riding next to such a grand sea. I reckon that it could be my closeness to such an eternally vast body of power and beauty that is held in such a perfect equlibrium. While hugging this most balanced body, Brandon and I ran across a strange set of boulders scattered about a beach in Moeraki. These perfectly rounded boulders looked like a next of giant dinosaur eggs. Not much to say about them just check out the photos.
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We made it to have made it to Dunedin, and are planning on checking out some local sites and resting our legs as much as possible.
Much love and peace to all my family and friends. Harper, you just keep in growing! I think about you all the time and when I do tears come to my eyes because of how much I want to be with you. Mom, Dad, and Erin I love you all so much! Mark, keep on keeping on! Much love and give Dutch a big hug for me!
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