2000 Biking New Zealand

Day 08, 15 December 2000, Friday
Fox Glacier – Franz Josef Glacier; 23km av unknown, Glow Worm Cottages, $55

What a great day. Despite us getting soaked and chilled. We slept well and late and breakfasted at the tourist information café (Fox is pure tourism – all places to stay and places to eat and places from which to tour the glacier). Charl made some calls to change our onward dates with the next four places at which we are sleeping, and I caught up the diary a little.

After breakfast we took Chad up on his offer of a drive to the glacier. And were particularly interested in a couple of things he told us. Firstly, the west coast is really tightly tied up by the conservation people (DOC – Department of Conservation). Making it very difficult for new businesses to get started. Which might explain the lack of commerce and development we have noted so far. And secondly that should he purchase a piece of land and a Maori purchase a piece of land – the Maori can cut down and sell his trees, the Pakeha can cut down his trees but must give the wood away for firewood. In other words, the Pakeha may not profit from the natural resources.

Chad dropped us in the parking area (not a parrot in sight) and we took the one hour return walk to the glacier face. Getting colder the closer we got. We walked an undulating dirt track and clambered over some stones and rock-hopped a river. Walked through original rain forest past an ancient valley carved by the glacier in aeons past. Until we were close enough to see the blue ice blackened by the earth and rocks it carries with it. To see the cave under the glacier from which the Fox River flows. To see the amusing signs warning people not to get too close.

At this latitude Fox and Franz Josef are the glaciers closest to the sea in the world. A small plane crashed in 1943 on Franz Josef 3.5km from terminal face; 6.5 years later it appeared at the terminal face having ‘travelled’ at 1.5m per day. Sometimes the ice moves 5m per day (considerably faster than Swiss glaciers); the average is 1m per day. Franz Josef was named after the Austrian emperor, by the Austrian explorer Haast, in 1865. Fox was named after a visit by the New Zealand prime minister, Sir William Fox, in 1872.

Then hitched a ride with an Argentinean couple back to town. They have been living and working first in mainland China and now in Hong Kong. He works for Nike – something to do with leather.

Then back on our bikes and back on the road Franz Josef-bound. In a fine and persistent drizzle. But what a ride. We had been warned by Lonely Planet that there were three hills between the two glacier villages. Some of which inclines we cycled, some of which we walked. Through wonderful mountains sharply peaked and covered with dense forest. With misty clouds trapped and wrapped midst trees. But the real delight were the downhill runs. Three of them. All seemingly longer than the ascents. They just went on forever. All frighteningly fantastic. Steep and long and traffic free.

And then only 7-more km brought us to FJG – a little bigger, just as touristy. Where we have a great en suite with kitchenette room at Glow Worm Cottages. The proprietor just gave us a key when she saw our wet and chilled state and told us to come and settle with her after a hot shower.

We checked out the local restaurants but finally decided on cup-a-soup and rolls and pie and salad which we bought at the local supermarket and ate in a our rooms watching a gardening show on the telly.