A2O Day 2 - Twizel to Lake Ohau Lodge

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We left our bags at 8.30am for the coach to take through to Lake Ohau. The cars were also left at a parking area to be picked up in a few days on our return. For ourselves, after we had prepared our lunches and got ready for the day we headed into Twizel for some decent coffee to start the day. We eventually left Twizel around 10am.

The first part of the bike ride is very easy going out along Glen Lyon Road past lifestyle properties and eventually along the Pukaki and Ohau Canals. Along the Ohau Canal were large salmon farms to provide a bit of interest but mostly it was a time to cycle easily and swiftly.

This was flat and in stark contrast to yesterday's lake and Alps. We were surrounded by the hills and mountains of the Ben Ohau Range with the low Ohau Basin spreading outwards on all sides. Everything was brown and bare with rocks and tussock. However, it is also beautiful in it's own way. Ahead of us lay the broad glacial valley of Lake Ohau. Once we reached the lake, the road trail finished and the bike trail started by dropping down to the lake shore. In the distance up the lake were ominous clouds and what looked to be rain. The wind also got up.

The trail along the lake is good and relatively fast to bike on. We eventually stopped at Maori Swamp (a small bay) to lunch near a rather broken down old hut. From there it was about another 3 kms back to the road which would take us to Lake Ohau Village and on. At this part of the journey the wind came down the lake and we were to bike directly into it for the rest of the way. What could have been a nice place to bike became anything but as we battled the wind and odd skitterish rain. We found a sign saying "almost there" - Yea Right!! On and on into the wind and to add insult to injury when we did finally get to the turn off to the Lodge and finally without the wind to contend with it was uphill and down to our lowest gears. Ahhh, not good! Especially for me being somewhat knackered.

We are all in rooms down the hill a little way but the main lodge building is very comfortable. After showering we settled in for some drinks and quiet reading for the afternoon since the weather has continued to be blustery and showery. The dinner menu looks superb so we should be well fuelled for the next leg of the journey.

Today's ride was 40km and we are now well up the lake ready for the next stage tomorrow which will take us uphill then down to Otematata 64kms away. Our total kms for the past two days is 104kms or there abouts depending on whose computer reading you are using.

Two days into the journey and I can say that the thoughts of a slightly downhill ride for 6 days appears to be wrong so far. The past two days have been challenging in various parts with a long day coming up tomorrow. Hopefully sore backsides and tired legs will improve.

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Photos

Dinner time with the crew
We had a superb dinner at the Lake Ohau Lodge