New Zealand Bike Trip 2 – Day 1 – Queenstown to Mavora Lakes

December 28, 2013

This bike trip is a continuation of my trip of May 2013, Staring from Queenstown. The first leg of the trip was on a 1912 steam ship, the TSS Earnslaw, from Queenstown to Walter Peak Station. Weather was warm and sunny and a great start to the trip. I was a bit rushed getting to the warf to catch my boat so as a substitute for lunch I had a sheep milk ice cream on board. What better way to start an adventure than with ice cream, and while it tended to melt quickly in the warm sun I took this as a sign that it did not have any artificial ingredients.

 

Loaded ready to set out

TSS Earnslaw with bike waiting to be loaded

Sheep's milk ice cream

Nearing Walter Peak

 

Arrival at Walter Peak Station

Once I arrived at Walter Peak Station I took a few minutes to fix a problem with shifter from my hastened assembly and also to configure my GPS correctly before I lost access to Internet. Since my last trip I had purchased a Garmin Etrex 30 and was able to download free 50,000:1 topographical maps for the entire trip. This GPS also allows me to track the entire trip and gives me distance traveled, average speed, distance to destination, etc. Very happy with GPS as less time lost consulting maps.

 

Trip through Walter Peak and Mount Nicholas Stations along Lake Wakatipu and up the Vonn Valley. Road climbs to over 700 meters elevation at the saddle and then descends slightly as you approach Mavora Lakes. I crossed two fords and will post a video later. The first was quite shallow and I biked right through while I walked my bike through the second. The water approached the level of my hubs but waterproof panniers kept all my gear dry.

 

Some stunning views long the way.

 

Road through Walter Peak Station

 

Views along Lake Walkitipu

Views near the saddle

Road South towards Mavora Lakes

I continued to Mavora Lakes, camping next to North Mavora Lake.

 

First glimpse of South Mavora Lake

North Mavora Lake

 

Posted with Blogsy