Today the fellowship split so that josele could get to Greymouth, rent a car and do one of the most scenic drives in the world, the strech of oceanside road between Greymouth and Westport. I am sure he'll be back wiht lots of amazing pictures that we'll post when we can. I promise we are trying...
I on the other hand have had a very good but hard day of cycling up the Otira Alpine Road. I got to the village of Otira, with it's sprawling population of 2. It is a beautiful, beautiful valley and the mountains surrounding us are getting scarily "alpine" meaning big, high and covered in snow.
However, Otira is a very interesting place to stop because I am now only 11 kms away from the top of Arthur's Pass. I have also climbed half the height, but the remaining 10 kms are the source of whispered rumours between the bikers we meet: Smoke coming out of the brakes of descending bikers, slopes of 16%, others say 12%...
The actual route I am following has even got a name, the Coast to Coast and this morning I passed by a spot on the beach where it was specified that the Coast to Coast started there. Later that day, a lady in a shop asked me if I was attempting the Coast to Coast. I said yes, becaus actually if I get through the pass, the rest is flattish and downhill all the way down to Christchurch, so basically Coast to Coast. But what worried me was the term "attempting".
So what do you think, people? Can this old elephant, overwheight, with weak knees and not good cardio who is too fond of wine, cross the alps?
Definitely , you have nothing to fear !
ReplyDelete(well , ok , maybe somethings to fear)
In preparation of your adventure I spent all of yesterday sat on the sofa eating pizza and watching the special extended version of a certain trilogy of films.
I survived it to so I know you can too ...
Good luck sir , go go go !! :O)
You can do it buddy go for it!!!
ReplyDeleteI know that by the time you read these messages you will be over the Alps (I disagree with the overweight elephant part).
ReplyDeleteI hope your knees and cleat have stayed strong and you are as proud of your climb as we are. GO YOU!!
I now feel incredibly guily for only reading about it (whilst eating chocolate) and I feel very lazy compared to your mammoth adventure.
p.s Enjoy the downhill, you deserve it xxx