2000 Biking New Zealand

Day 14, 21 December 2000, Thursday
Nelson – Havelock; 85.8km @ 15kph, Havelock Motor Park, $25

Arose hungover and in no fit state to cycle. After a breakfast of corn flakes and fresh berries, Nigel drove us back to the Honest Lawyer where we collected and packed our bikes, went to the loo, and reluctantly got on the road. Cycling first through Stoke on the outskirts of Nelson, then down to and along the bay with its lovely houses and tempting restaurants, then out of Nelson and back onto SH6, and along the bay there on a flat road for several more km. We had a second tearooms breakfast just before tackling Whangamoa Saddle – rolls and coffee to settle our queasy stomachs. And then, just approaching a very hot noon, we began the 7km ascent on the first of two challenging saddles – with our butts also on two challenging saddles!

I enjoyed Whangamoa in a perverse way. Mainly because I actually managed to cycle every cm of it – in low gear yes, with numerous rests yes, but cycle it I did. Partially because I managed to avoid being wiped out by a truck taking a blind corner too fast. On these corners the road dips inward toward the mountain, the shoulder more often than not drops away altogether, and most trucks drag their back wheels right to the edge of the road as they corner. So I would watch for traffic approaching from behind, and when it was clear, I would cycle like mad to get around the bend and back onto a stretch of road from which I would be visible. As the road over the saddle twists and turns through conifer forests, I seemed to spend a lot of time racing against time, heart hammering for more reasons than one. Nearing the top I was offered a lift by a woman towing a horse van – much to the embarrassment of her kids. But by then my hangover had all but dissipated and I was not yet ready to call it a day.

We had a truly exhilarating run down t’other side – moving faster than I like, but without any choice in the matter. Luckily the road drops virtually in a straight line to a picnic spot of grass and yellow flowers midst smooth-barked trees. And a cross to a dead trucker. And here we took a quick break before heading for our second saddle, Rai.

Rai, 1km shorter than Whangamoa, proved tougher in the growing heat – especially as part of it was too steep to cycle. So we walked much of it with tired bodies and diminishing spirits. Surrounded by forest and the chirruping of a million bugs. In Rai Valley reached after the ascent and descent we bought a wedge of “the world’s best cheddar cheese” and had a drink in a not-too-pleasant bar and decided we weren’t going to make Picton after all. And having decided to stop for the night in Havelock we got back on the road with ‘only’ 30km to go. Some of it rolling, some of it flat, all of it hot.

Havelock is situated on one of the many sounds that constitute Marlborough Sounds – created by the ‘drowning’ of a river system. Home to 500 souls, it is dubbed the “Green-Lipped Mussel Capital of the World”. Cycling along the sound we were kept company for awhile by four black swans. We checked into the Havelock Motor Camp where we had to insert coins in a box for a too-short hot shower, and then dined in delight at the Mussel Boys restaurant. A really well-run, friendly place with superb mussels – of course. On the roof, giant green-lipped mussels – and above the door of the police station just along the road, a giant mussel in a police helmet! We fell into conversation with an American couple at the table alongside. He was clearly bored with us until we mentioned we were cycling – at which point he literally lit up and spent some time telling us about his cycling experiences in the US and giving us the website address of an annual cycle event in Iowa (or somewhere).

We had shopped for rolls ‘n things at a little supermarket before dinner – we were their last clients and they gave us sweets out of a bakkie for Xmas – so we prepared something to eat on the road tomorrow when we got back to our basic little room.

We’re glad to be here.