Otago Rail Trail cycle ride

It's been a while since I have updated the blog with our adventures and we have been pretty busy. We decided to experience the Otago Rail Trail which is a 150km cycle track on an what was the old railway line (with the tracks obviously now removed!). We cycled from Clyde in the west to Middlemarch in the east over 3 days. The scenery in this area is beautiful with rolling hills and the Dunstan Mountains forming a majestic backdrop. Our first day involves collecting our bikes, loading our panniers and getting on the trail. We cycle about 45km in the first afternoon and have some sunshine and nice views. We get to Lauder and check in to our accommodation and head to the pub for a well earned beer and some pasta for tomorrow's energy.

The next morning we wake to pouring rain...so we aren't too quick to get ready and out of the door. Finally we head off in the steady drizzle and chat to other cyclists making their way along the track. We have a stop off for a coffee and a chance to dry out a bit and then press on and get wet again although it does start to dry up a bit as we approach our second night stop off at Ranfurly 48km along the track. We are staying at a backpackers tonight and pasta is on the menu again and surprisingly my legs aren't feeling too bad.

The next morning we wake very early and it is a beautiful morning so we get going again and it is really lovely cycling along with no-one else on the track, the birds are singing, the sheep are munching away in the fields and the rabbits are dashing across the track in front of us. We make good progress and stop around 10.30 for a coffee at the Otago Hotel. As we are sitting there the sky goes very dark and then the hail storm descends - its incredible as we sit on the verandah which has tin roof! After it has passed we head off again and make good progress and then all of a sudden the wind gets up and we are battling a head wind that means our average speed of about 15kph drops to barely 8kph and the last 10kms takes forever, well maybe 1.5hrs and its so strong I struggle to keep my bike on the track! Finally we finish the trail having cycled 60kms and treat ourselves to some well earnt food. Luckily the place we are staying has an hot tub so we make the most of soaking our weary muscles!