ANZAC Biker's South Island Tour: March 9 - 10 Final Blogs written by Peter and Phil

Peter's final Blog

Days 19 & 20 At Christchurch and Travelling Home

On day 19 I woke at about 7.00am … a bit of a sleep in for me after the days of riding. Had a better night of sleep not being annoyed by the constant itching of the bites I received in the last couple of days of the ride. I think there might have been bed bugs at the last motel we stayed at on the ride!

After getting a takeaway coffee it was breakfast which Chris prepared which included scrambled eggs, bacon and tomatoes. Great start to the day!

After breakfast it was bike cleaning and packing time which took a couple of hours to complete.

After a sandwich lunch Chris took us to the NZ Air Force museum which was interesting. After this it was back to Chris’s house until dinner which was a real nosh-up of casseroles vegetables followed by apple pie bought by Ray who joined us for the final dinner.

We all reflected over dinner on the highs and lows of the trip and the wonderful fellowship we enjoyed on the ride.

Some statistics were discussed including the facts that we had ridden 770 kms , the van had travelled over 4000 kms.

Quite impressive really!

After this we went to bed ahead of the 2.30 am wake up to travel to the airport!

On day20 we ( Rob , Stephen and myself) woke early as expected and made our way to the airport for the flight back home.

Phil is to fly home later in the day….

In some ways it is sad to leave after such a great trip but the memories of what we have done and achieved will live us forever!

Special thanks to our NZ hosts for showing us around the South Island of New Zealand and to Chris for making this happen… he is an inspiration to us all for his energy in all things cycling

Thanks also to the Aussie crew who made the trip over the ditch. Your friendship and fellowship over the past 3 weeks had made a real impact on the success of the NZ Bike Trip

This is the final sign off on this trip blog.

Catch you on the next biking adventure!

No pictures on this blog

Day 18- Kaikoura to Christchurch 49 kms of riding

Today was an early start to the day once again at 6.39 am wake up and breakfast at 7.00am for a 7.30 am start on the van ride up state highway number 1 to Waikuku which is about 160 kms . The start was delayed a bit for us to get coffee and a cake. The early part of the road trip was along the coast where the road engineering was tested with the geography and natural order being in an earthquake region.

After this the road started to flatten out as we entered the Marlborough plains region where there were many wineries. Marlborough is well known as a world class region for wines.

We stopped again along the way for petrol and the obligatory coffee ahead of starting the ride at Waikuku .Chris had a friend Gerry meet us for the Pegasus ride into Christchurch.

The ride was along gravel roads and tracks for most of the way but getting closer to Christchurch we were on sealed roads and bike paths.

We stopped for lunch in a lovely cafe Kaiapoi where we met another of Chris’s friends Ray who rode with us to Chris’s home in Christchurch. At this Gerry left us to return home.

We arrived at the destination at around 3.30 pm and celebrated with a communal hug of achievement for all the riding we have done over the almost 3 week period of the trip.

After a cup of tea Chris and I showered and went to dinner at his daughters home where I met his grandchildren Lilly and Tyler. The family meal was great and it was good to get into grandpa mode again.

After dinner it was home to Chris’s house where I am now doing the blog.

The only downside of today was the fact that Rob and I have been “eaten alive” by mosquitoes or some bugs and have been itching all day

I have tried some ointment from the chemist to get some relief but frankly it is of minimal effect

It is somewhat sad that the rides have finished but the reward of doing what we have done as a group will live with us for the rest of our lives.

Special thanks to Chris for making this happen… more about this in a later blog

Early on the ride we stopped on the beach

Me on the swing bridge near where we had lunch

Me riding on the trail

At lunch at Waikuku

Some boats on the canal near where we had lunch

Phil's Final Blog

DAY 20 – Christchurch to Brisbane – Final day

March 10, 2023

Today I flew home to Brisbane. My day started at 2 am to say my goodbyes to Peter, Rob and Stephen who were on an early flight to Melbourne. It was then back to bed for more sleep. Lucky me!!

After breakfast Chris and I went out in the van to shop before returning for lunch. At 12.30 we set off for Christchurch Airport in two vehicles, the van and Chris’s car, as Chris had to return the van to Cross Country Rentals and he needed transport home.

After saying our goodbyes at the airport we went our seperate ways. Chris to return the van and collect his car, me to take the 3.55 Qantas flight to Brisbane. Checking in with the bike was the best service I’ve ever experienced. It’s the first time anyones ever put fragile stickers on my bike box or accompanied me to the oversized luggage gate. All with a smile. Well done Christchurch Qantas ground staff. The Qantas cabin crew were also very good throughout the flight and my luggage came through unscathed. A good effort by Qantas after some of my recent experiences.

I arrived back in Brisbane to miserable rainy weather. So much for sunny Queensland!!

It was a maxi cab from the airport arriving home in time for a delightful dinner prepared by my very considerate wife. It was nice to be home.

It had been a great trip which was only possible due to Chris’s meticulous planning and local knowledge. I’d ridden nearly 800 kms over fifteen days through some of the most scenic country in the world, had three much needed rest days (one more than those who’d done the Nelson road trip), and travelled many hundreds of kilometres in the van which had clocked up nearly 4,000 kms by journeys end. We’d ridden the Dunstan Trail, the Otago Central Rail Trail, the Alps to Ocean Trail, the Wilderness Trail, the Big River Waiuta Trail, the Maruia Trail and the Pegasus Trail. Not a bad effort for a group of mostly septuagenarian guys. It had been a good trip.