OTAGO PENINSULA - DUNEDINThis morning we take our bikes - sans our luggage that is normally strapped to the back - and head out for a 60 km return ride around the Otago Peninsula. If you look at a map of the Dunedin area you will notice that this peninsula juts out into the South Pacific creating Dunedin harbour. The ride is similar to riding the seawall around Stanley Park, but going in the opposite direction on the other side of the road.
We leave early, because we need to be back in town between noon and one o'clock for an appointment with Cycle Surgery, the only bike shop in town that would agree to box up our bicycles. This will be our last pedal adventure of our trip - so it is a bit emotional as well.
The ride was cited in our Lonely Planet guide to cycling in New Zealand as the authors all time favorite ride in the country so we couldn't pass up that kind of recomendation. It proved to be that for sure. There were many different moods to this ride.
First, cycling out of the city on bike paths that were literally just a meter or so away from the sea, passing tons of other bikers on their way into the city for work. Then, as the bike path connects to the peninsula proper the mood becomes very serene. We pass several small fishing villiages / tourist traps as we wind our way west. When we come to a village called Portobella we stop for a rest and regroup as the next part of the journey is a one way, no exit road to the very tip where there is an Albatross colony - complete with a tourist visitor centre, gallery and coffee shop. These albatross have it made.
Having had one around my (Doug's) neck for about 14 months, I wanted to cycle out and maybe shoot one - photographically speaking of course.
We pedal all the way there and back and we see a few of these creatures - nothing to write home about - oops I guess I am wrong there.
We stop again in Portobello for lunch and then begin a return ride via Highcliff road. The road name fits its character. Straight up for about 15 kilometers, but at the top we are once again rewarded. Getting home in time for our appointment is becoming an issue as Doug is stopping every hundred metres or so to take another picture or video. There are striking views of the Pacific from this height with large pastures of sheep and goats making up the foreground - and kilometers of old stone fences that demand to be captured. Check out the photos for this day and you'll see for yourself.
Then the downhill. That's the other reward that comes with struggling up a large seemingly endless series of hills. As we approached the apex of this ride, we could see Dunedin in the distance and we could also look down on the road that we travelled at the beginning of this journey. All very beautiful and to tempting for our camera to resists. Yeah, blame our being late on the camera.
We descend into Dundedin in record time - the roads were smooth and the corners were manageable for a high speed entrance into the city. Life is good on the road, as long as you don't end up on the road.
We arrive in time for our appointment, drop off our bikes and we are now officially on foot and our bike riding days in New Zealand are over. We will come back just before closing and lug these two boxes about ten city blocks to our hotel (it would have made an interesting if not embarassing picture but alas there is none to be had).
The rest of the day is spent sitting around Dunedin's Octogon (a city central park-like area), soaking up the sun, drinking beer and eating more of the country's millions of sheep.
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