Tag 35 - Otago Central Rail Trail (Part II)

In order to conquer the long distance to Middlemarch, I started early in the morning at 8 o'clock. This was really necessary because it continued on gravel roads all day long. As it was the first railway built in New Zealand, there were no major inclines, it was a leisurely climb of about 400 meters from Omakau. Unfortunately, unlike the day before yesterday, the wind did not cooperate anymore. I had strong headwinds at times, so I had to dismount several times. Upon reaching the highest point, you have a great view of the Central Otago valley. You cross a point that is exactly halfway between the equator and the South Pole. The sign up there says that it's all downhill from now on, which is mostly true, they should have mentioned the wind. Fortunately, after going around a rock formation for half a lap, I now had the wind behind me for several kilometers, so I could make good progress. By midday, I was close to Ranfurly and had already covered about 65 kilometers. However, I didn't want to stay there long as the sun was getting stronger. I had a quick snack, refilled my water supplies, and continued. The route remained beautiful, but the combination of heat, sun, and wind made the journey exhausting. About 30 kilometers before Middlemarch, I took a break at a hotel where I wanted to have a drink. The hotel is currently closed and looks quite dilapidated. But in the foyer, the owner Ian had set up a self-service cafe. A great idea, hopefully the other cyclists will pay for the food! The way from there was again filled with strong winds. I was heading towards slightly worse weather. So I reached my intended destination in Middlemarch around half past 5. With about 121 kilometers, it was my longest day in the saddle in New Zealand. Tomorrow, I will take a shuttle to Cromwell and then later in the afternoon, I will take a bus to Tekapo. From there, I will probably ride my last trail in New Zealand on a bike, as I have rented a car in Christchurch for the last 10 days, as there are some places that were not reachable on my bike route due to the distance. But now I'm looking forward to a few more days on the saddle.