Nailed by the Rail Trail

Anyone who know us knows that we are always up for adventure and exploration. Our time in New Zealand has only intensified our spirit to get out and see and do.

So maybe that is what inspired me to do one of the dumbest things that we have tried in a long time.
I had heard about the Central Otago Rail Trail from lots of Kiwi's. It is a spectacular old railway that was constructed between Middlemarch to Clyde back in the 1890's. It was abandoned as a rail line and in 2000 opened as a trail open to the public...150 kilometers of land dedicated to cycling, walking or horseback riding.

That's where the stupid comes in. What in the hell made me think that we could get on cycles, and ride almost 100 miles? Well, one is that EVERYONE told us it was beautiful and we talked to several people including some not-so-in-shape people who had done it. I even met a 60+ year old grandma who had done it with her grandson! So of course, I thought that I could jump on a bike and pedal like its 1978! NOT!
I have to admit, I didn't do my due dilligence research like I usually do for things. I may have even lied a little.
When I booked our trip and our bikes for the rail trail the lady asked me if we had been cycling before.
I may have said yes. In my defense, I thought that the fact that we both exercise and run that a little cycling over a flat rail trail would be easy. Old people had done this for God's sake! Plus, we were crushed for time.
We had a 3 day weekend and with the 2.5 hour drive to the start we didn't have much time to lose. I didn't want to risk someone telling us "no". We had a great weather forecast with nothing but clear skies and temps in the mid 70's...It was going to be perfect. I wasn't going to let some minor issues ruin a great weekend. Minor issues like I have about as much balance on a bike as a one year old with a bottle full of tequila.
Oh, and I almost died...like twice the last time I was on a bike. Bruce calls it the "Copenhagen Incident"
I figured that we would be fine...

My first time on a bike in 20 years...the Copenhagen Incident

One thing I forgot to ask all of the fine Kiwi folk that had done this trail is how long they took to do it. We only had 2 days to cram in almost 100 miles (150km). I didn't know that that was a BAD idea. What I didn't know is that most people do the trail over a leisurely 4-6 days! I wish someone told my butt!!!!

It was all smiles at the beginning....before the pain started...

The first day started out great. We got to Clyde, picked up our bikes, got a crash course in "mountain biking 101" and were off on the Rail Trail! Oh, it was all smiles and fun for the first 10k. We took picutres, we stopped, we smiled. It was great. Then, outside of Alexandra I almost went over a ravine. Was going downhill a little too fast and forgot how to brake. Should be reason number 1 that I should NOT have been on a bike. After my near death experience, we continued on another back breaking 30km.

I almost died!!!!

I'm laughing and looking at the bike like it did something wrong!

The beautiful day started to seem hot and oppresive but the scenery was amazing. We finally came upon a beautiful little cafe near a creek and decided to treat ourselves (and our butts) to a little rest.

Me and my bum, happy for a break!

Bruce at the Chatto Creek Post Office

We also decided that we deserved a little vino for a good journey. That was another bad idea. Who ever thought it was good to give me, Miss Weeble Wobble some liquor and THEN let me back on a bike was not thinking! Bruce was safe, he kept a good distance from me to keep himself from getting killed by my wild wobbling. After our little lunch with a lot of drink, we climbed back on our bikes to do another 15 grueling kilometers to our B&B for the evening.

One of the scary, old bridges along the trail...pretty, but scary!

Beautiful scenery

Long way to go...

When we finally arrived we were dusty, tipsy and dog tired. We did get the chance to meet some great Kiwis who were traveling ahead of us. I have to admit, they were so helpful, but so not. When we walked in the first thing they enquired about was how our trip was and how are butts felt. God knows that is not common or appropriate conversation but on the Rail Trail it is:

"Hi, how's the bum?
"Sore, how's yours?"
"My arse is killing me, see you down the road!"

They also took one look at our gear and told us that we didn't have the right pants, bags, water bottles, or anything. Overall, we were not well prepared. By the end of our first day, 5-1/2 hours after riding 44 kilometers, I knew they were right.

Our accomodation the first night, an old school house

Getting on the road again

I did not want to put my butt on that bike seat the next day. What made it worse was that we had to do 66 kilometers the next day! No use in whining, it was my idea to do the damn trail. After a lovely night at a B&B in Lauder which had been an old schoolhouse in the 1800's, we got up with the sole purpose of nailin the rail trail! I got up on Saturday morning ready to take a full 10 hours to bike 66 kilometers. The first couple of kilometers was hard, harder than I liked to admit and then after about 2 hours we stopped for lunch (without the wine this time!). We met Gramme, the wonderful proprieter of a cheery little pub in Oturehua. We had a quick little 1 hour rest, took picutres of his awesome 1972 Corvette and then pushed on. The weather stayed beautiful and the scenery became more breathtaking. Then an amazing thing happened, after the climb up, it started to go downhill!!! We were racing away at 20-30km an hour it was awesome. We were able to save our butts a lot of pressure too! We got to our B&B in Kokonga in a record 5 hours! (Record for us, that is!)

Beautiful bridge, aka "Rest Stop! Thank God!"

The two most important things in Life! Bar and Toilet!!!

 

About to go through a tunnel..a dark, long tunnel

You First!!!!!

Another rest break in Oturehua, complete with a 72 Stingray Corvette!

I think that the Kokonga Lodge was our present for doing such a great job. The hosts, Dorothy and Malcolm welcomed us and literally made us feel like we came home. Their house was cozy and relaxing and they treated us to the best dinner that we'd had in days! It was heaven. Probably a little too much like heaven... Two bottles of wine and a 3 course meal later, it was time to head in for the evening. We still had one more day of 40kilometers to get to the end of the Rail Trail in Middlemarch. It was hard to leave the Lodge, my butt really didn't want to go but when I woke up, everything in me made me want to get back on the trail. The day was crisp and clear and the scenery looked like something from a Disney picture. We talked and laughed and made a quick detour by the beautiful Taieri River. It was a perfectly beautiful day.

Awesome sunrise, greeting us for the last day

Walk in the Woods

Stopping to get a drink..yes, it was safe!

At 45 degrees South and at the height of butt pain!

The Kokonga Lodge, Our home away from home!

Next thing we knew it was over. Just like that, the beauty, the ride, the cool people and beautiful B&B's...it was all over, just like that. We had nailed the rail trail!

And my butt still hurts.

Check out all of the pictures from our Butt breaking trail ride! Click here.