NZ bikepacking Tour Cape Reinga to Bluff

15/03/2026

Top to Bottom done and dusted. Couldn't be more proud of our team of 4.

15/03/2026

There was a bit of anticipated excitement in the camp this morning. Karl and Ro picked us up at 7:30 after a smallish breakfast as we were going to get a big breakfast at a cafe in Winton.
We got dropped off at the spot we finished at yesterday and Karl joined us again.
The forecast wasn't great but we had no wind at all when we started. About 10 k out of Winton the wind started up. On the outskirts of Winton some oats had been done the old fashioned way and the sheaves were in stooks ready for threshing.
Ro was waiting for us in Winton and warned us not a cafe was open! So we went into the corner dairy which luckily had pies etc.
We had a couple of showers of rain but luckily the real heavy ones went around us.
After our disappointment of the big breakfast not in our stomachs we headed to Wallacetown .
It's surprising how straight the Southland roads are. The crosswind was getting stronger. Into Wallacetown for a quick top up of fluids at the dairy then down the road to Invers.
Ro was waiting at the Tuatara cafe so we had lunch there.
Karl put his bike back on the land cruiser and the four of us headed to Bluff. The weather was a bit cooler and the wind stronger. Bluff was going to make us earn our finale .The cycle track meanders around the big estuary then heads round to Bluff. Unfortunately some of the track was straight into the wind. The pace slowed a lot and I'm sure two snails were laughing at us as they passed us by.
Going into Bluff we had the tail and stopped at the Bluff sign for photos.
Then the finale push on to Sterling Point.
It was a wee bit emotional to finally get there. Ro had the bubbles there for the celebration. Plenty of photos were taken and Josh , Jess and Cooper were there also. Cheers everyone for being there today or following the trip. Especially Ro and Karl to take us home.

Good bits of the Sth Island
The people... we met plenty of great people who were keen to hear what we were doing and people doing a similar thing
Great tucker
McDonald Downs
Lees Valley
Awatere Valley
Molesworth
Hamner Springs
Mavora Lakes

Bad bits
Molesworth weather
Rubbish on the sides of the roads
Winton Cafes😊

On a side note after all this time I still can't ride in a straight line on the areo bars

14/03/2026

After an earlish start we had breakfast then we're down to the boat just after 7. It was the staff boat and 7 bikers were on it.
I started my bike app on the boat. I had done 12k in 20 minutes at an average speed of 30k an hour and hadn't even got on the bike seat😊
We got our bags sorted on the bikes again and headed off towards Mt Nicholas.
We saw some stunning views of the lake and mountains towards Glenorchy.
Just past the bull paddocks at Mt Nic we went up a very long valley on our left towards Von Hill.
By the time we got to the base of the hill we were ready for smoko.
Once we climbed to the top the land scape changed again to a massive valley amongst the mountains.
We got to the Otago / Southland border and took some photos. We are into our last province of the trip.
Karl and Ro came over to meet us and Karl rode up from Mossburn. It was great to see him .We met him about 7 k on the Queenstown side of the Mavora Lakes. He may have been sweating a bit😆
We went back to the Mavora Lakes turn off and had lunch.
Karl guaranteed us a tail wind and 30k speed going back. We set off looking for the tail wind. For the first couple of ks it was a headwind and we were thinking the wind had changed direction but suddenly we had the tail wind. The only thing he had wrong was the av speed was 35-37 k. We even got blown up a couple of hills.
We got down to the flat and got onto the bike track.
The paddocks are all set up for winter grazing with the baleage set up in the grass and kale paddocks.
We got to Mossburn about 2:30 and went to the cafe.
Accommodation for tonight is in Mossburn but we wanted to make the most of the tail wind. Luckily Ro was able to pick us up so we got down to just past Dipton. Which takes 40 k off tomorrows ride.
Cheers to Ro and Karl for coming over and being our Uber.
We went to the Mossburn pub for a great tea then onto the accomodation.
142 k for the day.
One day to go!

14/03/2026

So close now

13/03/2026

After a night of strong wind we awoke to a cool morning. We had breakfast at the accommodation then headed out to go up the Kawarau Gorge.
We had been told around 8am is a good time to go through as the workers have already been through and the tourists are still are in bed.
Being Friday the 13th wasn't a good omen for the superstitious
We jumped onto the bike track and headed to the Bungee jump to eat our smoko. No one felt like paying $395 to jump off a bridge as we have heard we will need the money for buying fuel!! It's one of the good things doing this trip you don't have to listen to all the bad news thats going on.
We went on the bike trail to Queenstown. The E bikers coming towards you at high speed and only in semi control are way more dangerous than the motorists.
The stags in the paddocks were roaring and there is no shortage of bunnies and hardly a sheep.
Cousin Kevin finished the Sounds to Sounds ( top job Kev)yesterday and he assured me there are no sheep towards Milford also.
We got to our accommodation dropped the bikes off and went to the pub for lunch.
Barbara and Dave also got to Queenstown today so we had tea with them at the Lone Star and caught up with how their trip has been.
Heading to Walter Peak tomorrow, over the Von pass and onto Mossburn
Karl and Ro are coming over and are going to ride up from the Mossburn side ,so it will be great to catch up with them. 64kms

13/03/2026

A tree obstacle on the Queenstown trail which had come down overnight

13/03/2026

Queenstown - so busy

13/03/2026

12/03/2026

Not many days to go now

12/03/2026

Another early start for breakfast. Margaret and Bailey bought over bacon eggs and hash browns so we cooked them up. Chip was out and about early also shifting stock. Cheers to Paulette for a great set up.
So close to home so turning down to wards Becks didn't quite seem right.
We had a good run into Alex with no wind then a tail wind N/W then all of a sudden it turned cold. So we covered most of the season's in one day.
A quick stop at the industrial cafe for smoko then onto Clyde.
Cheffy met us for lunch so it was good to have a catch up. We had an hour or so with him then thought we had better get into Cromwell.
By this stage the wind had picked up again and it was a strong headwind. With the wind and E bikers heading towards you on the Dunstan trail you had to be wary on the blind corners. We have been in sync with a couple of groups doing the sounds to sounds so it's good catching up with them every now and then to see how they are going.
By the time we got to Carrick winery we needed some hydration. We were surprised to see Sylvie Watt there also so it was good to see her. She has been following what we've been up to.
After a drink we headed to our accommodation in Cromwell for the night and are about to head out for tea and get food for tomorrow. We are not far from JJs Cromwell yard so the girls will probably want to go over and check the tractors out😊107kms