Day 16: Waihola to Kaka Point

Woke up to a very chilly morning, it was so cold we decided to cook our oatmeal and eat it back in our cabin where we had the heat cranked up. It was windy, too, so we knew it was going to be a tough ride. We couldn’t procrastinate too long, however, because the chance of rain increased each hour, and we wanted to put as many rain-free km behind us as we could.

The road from Waihola to Milton (the first town we came to) was very hilly. The shoulder of the road was wide enough, but there was a lot of traffic as we were on the main highway. Our first time riding on the busy State Highway 1, and it was rather busy. We just kept going up and down, up and down, with the wind in our faces practically the whole time. Nothing like pedaling in your granny gear on the flats because the wind is pushing against you so hard.

We were pretty beat riding into Milton, and we decided we would like something hot to drink, so we pulled into Café Lola and got a pot of tea (chamomile apple, which tasted like apple cider and was very good) plus some “toasties” which are basically toasted pieces of bread with cheese, tomato, and some sort of sauce.

We took a peek at the weather report, and saw nothing but chances of rain coming up. So we headed out from Milton, knowing we had 23 km to get to Balclutha, the next big town. There we would make our decision of where we were stopping for the day

It was a very hilly ride from Milton to Balclutha, with a headwind, and then the rain came. It came down pretty hard in some places, then would let up, and the sun would shine, then it would come again. By the time we got into Balclutha, we were cold, tired, soaked outside from rain and inside from sweat.

We stopped at the iSite, and used a picnic bench to make our pb&j lunch, and then went inside to try to warm up (it was disappointly lukewarm inside). We looked at every brochure they had in the place, and while we were in there the rain kept coming down, and at one point even sleeted or hailed a little bit. But we kept looking at the map, knowing it was just another 22 km to where we really wanted to be for the night.

Finally, after quite a long break, we made our decision. We were going to do it. The ride promised to be a lot flatter than what we’d been doing, as it followed a river down to the sea. Decision made, we went to find a grocery store to stock up on goods.

We rode out of Balclutha, full of energy from a Lift Energy drink we shared. It was basically just caffeine and sugar, and it seemed to help a bit. That, and the fact that the ride was much flatter, helped improve our spirits. We turned off the main road at some point, following a gravel road for about 6 km. A local passing by us stopped and asked if we were lost (we weren’t, Matt’s directions are spot on, of course). I’m sure they don’t get many bicyclists on their quiet gravel road.

Eventually, we started seeing the sea in the distance, and we were getting tired, but kept pressing on. Just a little bit further! And one last hill, up to the town of Kaka Point. It’s right on the edge of the sea, and is a cute little town of about 200. We rode through the center, looking for the motor camp sign, which we spotted, turned right, and then were faced with a quite steep climb for several blocks up to the camp. Both of our legs were burning by the time we reached the top.

There was no one on duty at the campground, but the sign said to pick a spot and pay later, or pay in the honesty box in the kitchen. We chose a cabin, since we’re not really keen on getting soaked tonight, and it looks like more rain in the near future. It’s not that much more for the cabin, really, it’s just a basic room with a bed and a heater.

At this point, I couldn’t decide if I needed to eat or shower more. Matt said he would make dinner while I showered, and I took him up on that. By the time I was done, so was dinner, and we enjoyed a large portion of pasta with cheese. Yum! And then we had a delicious dessert “slice” of coconut goodness, a dense bar about 6”x12”x1” with lots of sugar and calories, and just perfect after a ride like today. I know we only did 63 km, but it felt like 100. We had to fight for each and every one of those km. I’m pretty proud of us! And we were rewarded with an awesome place to stay for the night.

After dinner, Matt showered, and we walked down to the beach. The tide was out, so there were rocks exposed, that I think are from the Jurassic and Triassic periods. Way cool!

We had to hike back up to the camp, and now we’re relaxing and planning our next day’s ride. There’s a 16 km side trip that might be worth taking tomorrow, but only if it’s not storming. If the views aren’t great, it might not be worth the extra effort. Other than that, we’re going to keep pressing south toward Invercargill, through the Catlins. Already we’ve seen some spectacular scenery, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us coming up.

**We had missed posting Day 12, but that has been fixed now if you want to check out the beginning of the Otago Rail Trail**

Distance: 63.51km

Time: 5:06

Average: 12.42kmh

Max: 46.21kmh

Climb: 502m

A fence of boots?

Pam thinking that the only thing better than battling a headwind up a hill, is to add rain to the mix.

Bride in to Balclutha, sure there is more I should learn about this bridge.

Hint of a rainbow in the left corner

Awesome tidepools, you can see the tracks made as the various animals move around!

View of Nugget Point from Kaka Point.