Alps2Ocean

Supporting Oxfam Aotearoa

To my surprise, this is happening!

5 April 2022

After a week of self-isolation when a family member picked up the Omicron variant, I found myself dropped off on the bike trail beside Lake Tekapo. I had written off all hope of participating in the trip, but as I reached my last day of isolation and an all clear from the test, I contacted the tour operators to see if I could join the tour on day 2. I was able to get on an early flight to Christchurch, and Adventure South pulled out the stops to re-book all my accommodation and arrange a transfer to Lake Pukaki. It’s all on!

I set off from Tekapo Village in the early afternoon full of confidence for the ride ahead - after all, Google told me it was only 41km and less than 3 hours on my bike. I hadn’t fully appreciated Google expected me to ride on the busy highway and not on the meandering canal and lake paths. 55km and over four hours later I arrived in Twizel, swearing off Google’s advice for the remainder of the trip.

The ride itself was a delight. Much of the trip followed the Pukaki Canal before descending to Lake Pukaki and running along its shoreline. Clouds hung portentously over the Alps, shielding Aoraki from view but creating their own dominance of the vista.

The final stage was a descent to the Pukaki Plains, following a path through a gently rolling tussock landscape, before gratefully reaching Twizel, and where I was finally able to meet up with my friendly travelling companions.

The forecast for Wednesday is gale northerlies and rain in the morning before switching to southerlies in the afternoon. Snow is expected higher up in the Alps. And Wednesday is the biggest day of the whole ride - 83km from Twizel to Omarama with the biggest hill climb of the trip in the middle. At least the general direction is downhill. As I learned today though, one still has to pedal.

More vistas than you can shake a stick at

6 April 2022

The rain came… and went before breakfast had concluded. We were instead treated to steadily lifting cloud that opened to bright skies by mid-morning. The wind didn’t quite manifest itself as gale force, but it was still around enough to make a for a few gritted teeth moments.

But these were relatively minor in the context of a day that brought us endless moments to savour, from the royal blue waters of Lake Ohau, the unique landscape of the MacKenzie country, and views of the Southern Alps that gave us a glimpse of Aoraki looming beyond.

We left Twizel and joined the Pukaki canal for one last time before reaching Lake Ohau. From there we rode along the lake shore. After lunch we had the longest climb of the trip to Tarnbrae Saddle, the highest point of the climb at 900m. Although a relatively gentle climb, it was a climb that still went for some 11km under a hot sun, and we were all grateful to reach the summit. From there we descended to meet our guides for afternoon tea beside historic woolsheds, and enjoyed a relatively straightforward and steadily descending ride along back country roads to reach Omarama - where hot pools and dinner awaited (not at the same time).

Where common values make for good companions

7 April 2022

One of the things I’m really valuing about this trip is the pleasure of travelling with a group of people sharing similar values. We all came together as supporters of Oxfam and Amnesty International because we all support what both organisations are seeking to achieve in making the world better for all. And while this doesn’t permeate every discussion, it means that we have a similar starting point in being here. It’s also evident in the way that everyone has an eye out for each other, with all wanting to see everyone successful as they take on this challenge.

Today felt like day three of a hike. Day one is where you’re fresh and keen and the muscles haven’t realised what’s about to hit them. Day two is what happens when the effects of day one are made apparent and there is a good deal of muscle pain involved, generally with anything to do with a backpack. Day three is when the body is getting used to what’s going on, and while not quite there, is better able to adjust to the rigours of the exercise.

That certainly doesn’t mean to say today didn’t hurt. Every time I climbed on my bike after a break my muscles groaned, but they’re settling in more quickly and getting on with the day.

The centrepiece of today’s riding was Lake Benmore and Sailor’s Cutting, an 18km stretch that runs along and above the lake across paths cut into the rock, in a barren yet spectacular landscape. Where yesterday was marked by a long and punishing climb to the Tarnbrae saddle, today was a series of short climbs and rapid descents back down to the lake, before one gutbuster that took us above the Benmore Dam.

From there we descended to morning tea at the dam. We then rode down on a quiet sealed road to Lake Aviemore, a resting place for many a classic Kiwi caravan along the many campsites on its shore. We lunched at Deep Stream where a few hardy souls, with the vocal encouragement of the rest of us, had a mid-autumn dip.

Kurow was only an hour away, and the final stop in a 69km day of riding. After Aviemore, the landscape changed markedly as we left the MacKenzie Country for the more open Waitaki district and its braided rivers.

In the zone

Another crisp and clear day, with an unfeasibly large breakfast for anyone game enough from the local hotel. Today we knew the task well enough, which was to get underway and enjoy all that was on offer. From Kurow to Duntroon, the trail followed riverbeds and roadsides, as the landscape quickly transformed from deep valleys to open and rolling farmland.

I quickly realised that for today, I was pretty much in the zone. Steep climbs still hurt, but I was in a groove and could press on from point to point, and enjoy being part of the unfolding day even more so than previously.

After Duntroon, we steadily climbed to our lunch location next to Elephant Rocks, a series of imposing limestone formations that carry millennia of history and a changing landscape. Much of the next few hours were spent among, below and above these rock formations that dominate the surrounding area.

For every grunty hill climb, there was an exhilarating descent on well worn tracks that required concentration but with little danger of a need for evasive action. And at the end of the last hill climb, we were rewarded with a view that for the first time took in the coast, our goal since the start of the journey. For a period, we joined a disused rail line and passed through the 200m Rakis Tunnel, with a long downhill run to the small village of Windsor.

We ended the day with our bikes parked near Windsor for collection in the morning, and then bussed on to Oamaru for accommodation and dinner for the night. With many of us flying back to our home towns the next evening, it was a chance to celebrate the week together, what we had achieved in our fundraising, and to thank our hosts from Adventure South, Oxfam and Amnesty International.

Tomorrow we return to collect our bikes and complete the remaining leg of the journey.

End of the ride, and the start of new friendships

9 April 2023

We returned to Windsor early in the morning for the final leg of the ride. Another crisp and clear day for a perfect finish to the week. The trip continued to follow parts of the railway line, and meandered across rolling farmland for the 22km to Oamaru.

Entering Oamaru was the first time we had had to contend with traffic of any sizeable amount, but with Zeb’s Amnesty flag flying high, and riding as a single bunch, we were hardly out of any driver’s field of vision.

And so we reached the ocean mid-morning, a lot fitter than when we began, and delighted both to have completed and to have taken part. As we gradually went our separate ways through the day, we parted with new friendships forged, not exactly out of adversity, but certainly out of effort and a common cause.

At the time of writing, my generous friends and colleagues had donated $3373, and the combined Oxfam and Amnesty sponsorship across all riders had reached $59,333. Once again, my sincere and deeply grateful thanks to all who have contributed.