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