New Zealand Listener - November 5, 2016

48 LISTENER NOVEMBER 5 2016

THIS LIFE

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W

hen my wife, Hope, suggested

we tackle the Alps 2 Ocean

Cycle Trail, I thought why

not? Were we not veterans of

numerous rail trails and one-

day rides all over New Zealand?

True, we were slightly more

spherical than your average Tour de France entrant,

but it was nothing a few months at the gym and

wheeling round the Orewa Estuary wouldn’t put

right. Besides, alps to ocean should be mostly

downhill, shouldn’t it?

Oh, foolish pride. Why didn’t I pay more atten-

tion to Mr Saunders in fifth-form geography?

First, let me say that the A2O, as the 301km ride

is known, is well worth the effort. The scenery is

breathtaking, the track ever-changing and often

challenging, overnight accommodation is varied

and the meals generally excellent, but don’t let

anybody tell you it’s easy – unless, of course, you

are the right side of 50, have thighs of steel and

regularly cycle up the sides of mountains.

We decided on a package deal with Trail Adven-

tures, a husband-and-wife business based in

Oamaru, the trail’s finishing point. They picked

us up at Christchurch Airport and drove us to the

starting point at Aorangi/Mt Cook. Scott and Dee-

Ann Fitzgerald proved to be great operators and

their hybrid bikes were well suited to the terrain.

We were given the last two places in a group of

15, nine of whom were visiting Australians who

belonged to a social cycle group from Kiama, New

South Wales. We had some misgivings that we

Climb every

mountain

would find ourselves surrounded

by Lycra-clad thirtysomethings, but

most were grey-haired like us and,

vigorous transtasman banter noth-

withstanding, possibly the nicest,

most supportive group of people we

have ridden with.

Day one: Mt Cook to Braemar Rd,

35km

A night at the Aoraki Court Motel

and a slap-up breakfast at the Hermit-

age began our journey in style. After

our official start at the White Horse

Hill Campground, we cycled on to

Mt Cook Airport and followed our

bikes on a brief helicopter ride across

the Tasman River to the ride proper.

The first section was a bit of a wake-

up call for us and the Aussies, who

were more used to road riding,

because it forded several rock-strewn

creeks feeding into Lake Pukaki and

was so rough in places that one of

my panniers bounced off unno-

ticed. Fortunately, since it held our

lunch, it was retrieved by one of the

Aussies.

Day two: Braemar to Twizel, 42km

After an overnight stop at a farm-

stay, we skirted Lake Pukaki with its

outstanding vistas of the Southern

Alps. The lake is edged with kowhai

and flax, as well as larches and

pines, which gradually give way to

the seared grasslands of Pukaki Flats

• a stark reminder of the lack of rain
  in the region as we pedalled on to
  Twizel for the night.

by Roger Spragg

New Zealand’s longest

continuous ride is well

worth the efort – if you’ve

done enough hill prep.

TRAVEL

Don’t let anybody tell

you it’s easy – unless you

have thighs of steel.