NZ14:Day 20-9th Dec~Pete's full day ride in the Waitaki Hills

Day 20 ~ Dec 9th: six & a half hours on a horse in the Waitaki Hills

I was up at 7.30 & chatted to the cycling ladies at breakfast. They were going to Oamaru, >60k away!

I arrived at Pete's around 8.30 & we were up & away 15 min later, riding Rosie & Tommy again.

We rode across the river at the same place, but took the more southerly Otiake River branch & not Lone Creek as yesterday.

I'd seen some horrible brown stuff on the river stones the day before, & Pete said it was didymo. Apparently it was brought to NZ by someone from the US?

Here's what Wiki says about it:

I asked Pete about the brown stuff on the stones.
He said it was Didymo.
It completely spoiled the water :-(

In 2004 Didymosphenia geminata, a diatom commonly known as didymo or rock snot,^[1] was discovered in New Zealand, the first time it was found in the Southern Hemisphere. To restrict its spread, the whole of the South Island of New Zealand was declared a controlled area in December 2005. All items, such as boats, fishing gear, clothing, and vehicles, that have been in a stream, river or lake, must be cleaned before they enter another waterway. Biosecurity New Zealand working with Environment Southland, AgriQuality and Fish and Game New Zealand launched an extensive public awareness campaign to encourage river users to clean their equipment after use in affected waterways. This campaign was highly successful, with 99% of freshwater users surveyed in 2008 in the South Island being aware of didymo. Didymo can have a notable impact on the insects that are a food source for many species of fish. It can form massive algal blooms. It makes riverbeds slippery posing a danger to waders and swimmers. Didymo blooms also pose a hazard for: hydroelectric power generation, irrigation and recreational water usage

Challenging terrain again!

Pete said that the spread was difficult to control (even if all humans thoroughly cleaned their kit), as water birds got their feet wet & then flew it to another watercourse.
What a bummer!

I think the Otiake is on the right?

Our route followed the upper Otiake, but the river was often hidden by the bush & the fact we were up on the sides of its valley.

Pete
He'd got off for gate duty

As the river got smaller, the route became steeper & we zig-zagged up the east side of the hillside on a track. Because the track was so steep & long, Pete had us stop at each bend of the zig-zag to rest the horses.

At one point Pete pointed out a herd of wild goats on the other hillside. I took a few pics, but they were pretty well camouflaged at that distance, despite being mostly white.

A close up of wild mountain goats

Same goats (near the top of the pic),
 & Pete's hat for perspective!

You can barely see the white, goaty,
blobs on this one, but you can see
how remote it was!

Having a breather on a bend, looking
back to where we'd come from

The path we'd ridden up is the line from about 8 o'clock

It was pretty steep, but ~ as with all the challenges underfoot, Tommy & Rosie coped really well.
I suppose they're used to it! 
I think I'd've been totally knackered.

Another 'where we'd come from' pic

There's a line of track from just above Pete's hat
going up to the right. That's where we were headed.

The Otiake River ~ seen running from Rosie's right
ear down to the Waitaki River.
The Waitaki runs along the bottom of the nearest
ridge (about 3/4 of the way up the pic), & is the
boundary between Canterbury to the north
& Otago to the south.

No other humans for miles & miles!

We continued winding up the Otiake valley until about 1010, when Pete suggested we got off & walked them on the way down the other side.

Anyone who's been rambling will know it's often harder on the joints going down hill!

It took about 20min to walk down.

Taking the horses for walkies ;-p

As well as goats, there continued to be
the odd cow/heifer/bullock/stock/kine/
thingy cattle wotsit!
At some point, Pete must've said they were
dairy-cross cattle, cause that's what I
wrote in my notes that evening

The little plateau where we were to take a break
with muesli & choc bars & a brew.
Smashing! Just the job :-q

The Otiake River headed SW

Pete contemplates nature.
Perhaps ;-p

Tommy & Rosie get a short break at about
1030 before the next uphill section.
& I get a Rule 10 down by the Otiake!

The Otiake River continues into the Otago hinterland

The white blob near the bush is on the
little plateau where we'd stopped.

The number 7 shaped track is the one we'd walked
down, & the bit at 5 o'clock to the river is the plateau

Same 7, river & plateau, but from higher up the other side

Going up the other side, Pete pointed out where Keith Dennison's land ended & DOC land began. Keith's farm was big, but the DOC land seemed almost boundless.

I think this one is a pic of the edge of Glenmac    

land, & that the boundary to Keith's   

land is the gully down the middle?    

Nearly at the top.
I think that's Lone Creek in the distance?

Looking north from the top of the hill

The flat valley down to the right is the same one we'd
seen from the top of the hill the day before.
This time we we going down there

Lonesome cows. They may've been boys?

We were headed towards the big, flat valley we'd seen the day before from above the northern end, & it was an even bigger valley than it looked from above.

Then the weather closed in, & the (in)famous Mt Domett wind was blowing :-/
I put my jumper on initially, but then it started to rain & Pete gave me a mack to wear (Given we were in a valley, I suppose you could call it a Glen Mack.  Har Har ;-p ). 
The mack covered my legs & stopped me having to sit in a saddle puddle!

Shortly after we got down to the flat valley, Pete found a bit of a wind break & we stopped for lunch. It was about 1230, & Pete brought out butties & home-made cake. Yum :-)

Pete hobbled Tommy & Rosie & we took the
bridles off so they could eat. I didn't realise when I was
taking the pic, but it was Pete's turn for a Rule 10 ;-p

Lunchtime.
Salad & chicken roll, 2 home-made
cakes & an orange drink.
Tell you what ~ I could've eaten it twice!

Back on the road we continued along the valley floor. Even though we were along the floor, we were pretty high up in the hills, & had been at about 900m above sea level at our lunch stop.

Big beefy bull. He looks like a Charolais?

At the bottom end of the long valley we saw a bull with his cows. We gave him plenty of space, but I zoomed so I could see his face. Handsome chap :-)

Eventually, we came back to Lone Creek, & then went right towards its confluence with the Otiake.

Where we we going

And where we'd just been.
Shortly after this some wild pigs came out
of the bush & Rosie nearly jumped out of
her skin. The excitement woke me up a bit!

Selfie of my R ear & the cattle stalking us!

This was a Huge thistle flower

My notes say that the path rejoined the Otiake, & the grass & speargrass was joined by other vegetation as we got lower. There were some lovely flowers (daisies, dandelions, dog roses & huge thistles), but Rosie wasn't too keen on standing still while I took photos, & I only managed one which wasn't blurred.

Pete on gate duty again.
Same gate, but going the other way.

A natural rock formation that looked a bit like an old fort

Strange how Pete's mack was yellow when
we began the climb out of the valley . . . 

We'd crossed the river again, & at about 2.30 Pete headed up the side of the hill to the west/left  of the river after doing a weather check.
I was quite glad of a bit of a wake-up call. I'd nearly been nodding :-0
The hill was fun with a nice skinny track through the bush, but the weather broke at the top :-/

. . . orange here . . . 

. . . yellow again . . . 

. . . & orange near the top of the climb

Reviewing my notes as I wrote this, I saw I'd written Goats/Didymo/ Wild Pigs/Dairy Cross Cattle/Charolais Bull/Daisy/ Dandelion/

Spaniards??/Speargrass.

I understand all the hints except Spaniards??

Duh? ? ?

Pete's place is left of the larger clump of trees above the hillock, 
& directly behind the line of single trees

Staying high & parallel with the Waitaki for a while, I managed a pic of Pete's place below us before we dropped down & rode home, getting back at 1/4 past 3.
We washed the horses off again before turning them out. They promptly rolled of course!

Back at the Dennison's I treated myself to another spa bath, dyed my hair ginger for the Hobbit party - I was going as Tauriel!, & had a quick kip before dinner.
Kaye had made apricot chicken, eggy mashed spuds, & salad. 
As usual, it was all delicious. Thanks Kaye :-)
I also had some more of the Aus Barossa, paid Kaye for my 2 night's DB&B, & went to bed early ~ before 9pm. I was knacked, & I had a long day ahead which would involve getting to Queenstown by early afternoon, flying to Wellington, & getting togged up as an elf for the party at the Roxy.
Followed by a midnight premiere showing of the Battle of Five Armies. Awesome :-D

Interestingly, no-one mentioned the ginger hair at dinner ~ I suppose they were thinking 'mad dogs & Englishwomen', even though there hadn't been much sun all day, never mind at midday ;-p
OAO

NZ14:Day 19-8th Dec~Makarora to Glenmac via an afternoon ride with Pete

Day 19 ~ Dec 8th: Makarora to the Waitaki Valley & a 1/2 day ride in the hills
I woke fairly early, & quickly dressed with a view to grabbing some sunrise photos, & it was just hitting the snow dusted peaks in the first pic of the day.

The Makarora River is between the field & the hillside

I spent a few minutes getting wet feet in the dewy grass taking various photos before asking Bridget about breakfast.

It turned out she wasn't expecting me to have any with her, but she boiled me some eggs, & I washed them down with coffee, before packing the car (now minus the smelly shell), & setting off at 5 to 9 with 233,128k on the clock and 392k driven the day before.

More interested cattle~I took a similar one at Ruapehu
in 2009, but I never uploaded it for some reason

Lake Wanaka in the morning sun

There were 2 routes to chose from, & after Wanaka I planned to use the SH8A into Tarras (where they'd filmed some of the Arwen chase scenes, & where I been in 2009).

Looking back down Lake Wanaka towards Makarora

The route to Wanaka from Makarora continued on the SH6 (we must've been old friends by now ;-p), & which left Lake Wanaka to the right.
Then it nipped left across country a teeny bit, & down the west side of Lake Hawea.

Lake Hawea & pink flowers

Not sure, but I think this is Lake Dunstan ~
where I had a quick swim in 2009

I forgot to turn right into Wanaka, so ~ as there were no habitations of any kind (apart from remote farms) on the way to Tarras, I had to take the longer route down the SH6 to Cromwell.
But that was OK as it took me down the west side of Lake Dunstan & some glorious colours either side of the road. I decided then, that I would spend a morning here once I was in Queenstown for a few days.

After putting $40 of petrol in at Cromwell, I left there at 1020, having done 107k.
As I turned left onto the SH8 north, I picked up Annaliese from Finland & Stephanie from Italy who were on their way to Aoraki. So there were now 3 of us headed north & keeping Lake Dunstan to the left for just under 20k.
I knew I would be going over the Lindis Pass after Tarras ~ I'd driven it the other way in 2009, but I drove as fast as I could: my ride with Pete was still >150k away.
15 min ahead of schedule at Omarama the girls got out. I was going east down the SH83, & they needed to go north on the SH8.
I put some more petrol in, & had loo/double espresso/chocolate (crunchie & a kit-kat) stop. 
I'd done another 108k in an hour & a bit ~ including the Lindis Pass. 
Ooops!
Like I said, I'd put my foot down!
I saw a sign for Omarama Hot Tubs where I'd spent a relaxing time after skiing Ohau in 2011, but I was headed south & east past Lake Benmore towards Otematata.

Sheep ahead ~ rather a lot of them!

However, before I got out of Omarama, I came across this lot!

It looked like they been somewhere to get a haircut

Alongside

Sheep headed into town

Sheep over, I stopped twice ~ only briefly, for a quick pic of a lovely bit of still water with some waterfowl on (you can't see those at this resolution, but they're there, honest) & a great willow, & passed the Kurow winery at 1235.





Otiake Rd. (to Pete's) was closed, so I had to detour up Grants Rd. & work out where Pete's was from memory & my good sense of direction. Fortunately it is (perhaps I was a homing pigeon in a former life?), & I found the stables with no more detours.
I got there by 1240 &, Pete walked across the field his house is in the middle of, & saddled Rosie & Tommy while I got the jodhs etc on.
I asked about the beautiful Dylan he had ridden on our previous outing in 2011, to hear the sad news that he'd 'lost him'.
I don't know if it was an accident or illness, but the very handsome Dylan was no more :-(

Not sure, but I think we're having a canter here

You can see the way was quite challenging

    
    

The suspected Hereford

Pete & Tommy

The river branched after about an hour & we took the Lone Creek fork. I'm not sure if we were still on Glenmac land at that point?

Like I said, challenging riding. Brill fun :-)

Pete & Tommy at the canter

A bit further on we came to a little hut & rested the horses for a bit while we had some juice & muesli bars kindly packed by Pete.
I'd had a banana in my bum bag, but with the getting on & off, & riding up steep bits where I leant forward to help my nimble horse get up the slope, it was fairly soggy at this point. But I ate it anyway.
Waste not, want not & all that!

After the break it was back across the river & uphill again, in a general curve to the right.

Nearly at the top & Rosie sees the cattle

The Waitaki River & valley.
We were high enough to see the sea

Obligatory photo of yours truly.
I think that's Lone Creek down to the left?

Looking down into a high valley we were
to ride along the next day.
I think this is looking from the NE end?

White-faced Herefords(?) again, but we were looking
down a completely different valley this time 

We stayed quite high for a while, so there were some good views of the Waitaki & the surrounding peaks ~ Mt Domett at 1942m being one.

Once off the open hills, I think we ended up on Domett Rd., which run more or less in a straight line north-east back to where Otiaki Rd becomes Grants Rd. 
Mt Domett was about 8k behind us at that point.

Riding along the road, we attracted the attention of some horses & ponies in a field to the right.


A lot of them were very pretty, so I got Rosie to hang on while & got a few pics.
She didn't want to, mind! 
Once we'd hit Domett Rd., she'd picked up the pace & had been walking out really well once she knew she was on her way home.

Not sure, but that may be Mt Domett in the distance?

Because Rosie wasn't for co-operating & standing still, the pics were a bit rushed & cockeyed.
We got back to Pete's at 5pm & washed the horses down before turning them out.

I said my thanks & 'hasta mananas' to Pete, then I made my way back to Glenmac to find Kaye wasn't in, & the lady who greeted me offered me a bunk room separate from the house.
I'd just unloaded the car, & was thinking about my pile of washing when Kaye returned & said I could have a single room in the main house. That was good :-) It saved me having to cross the garden in the night for the loo!
Kaye also offered me a spa bath which I gratefully accepted. I had a full day ride the next day, so easing off my unaccustomed riding muscles would be very welcome.
After about 20 min in the hot water I was in danger of falling asleep, so I got out, dressed & put a load in the washer. However, despite several hand washes, my white Fylde Rugby Club shorts were still not - white, that is. 
Back in the lounge I met the ladies who were with the car. There were 3 & they'd come from Braemar Station (beside Lake Pukake), about 140K to the north. They had cycled via Twizel, Ohau, Omarama, Otematata & Kurow, doing between 25 & 40K per leg. At least, that's the route I wrote in my notes.
They were Dawn, Laurie & Mavis, & were headed to Oamaru the next day ~ 2 cycling & 1 driving the car.
At dinner, there was me, the 3 ladies, & a couple ~ Arthur & Jocelyn. My notes don't say where they were from, but Kaye did us all proud & we had roast lamb, root veg, cauliflower cheese, mixed veg & mash, washed down with wine. I had the Shiraz - I think it was Aus wine & not the local or even NZ, but it didn't matter, it went great with the lamb ;-q
We also had something my notes say was fried aires, but I've no idea what I meant. That's my hieroglyphics for you!
Pudding was strawberries, meringue & ice cream, & I finished all that lovely food with a coffee. There would be no caffeine problem, I was pretty goosed. So much so, that after Arthur's tales of wine & being a student, I got my washing out & on the line (Keith said the weather was due to be fine overnight), packed my overnight bag for Wednesday & the Hobbit party in Wellington, & was in bed & asleep before 10.
OAO