A2O Day 4: Otematata to Kurow and past

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After a sparse breakfast and a walk around the golf course, we left our bags and collected our lunches from the shop across the road. From there we headed to the Benmore Dam where we had to bike up a steep incline to the top of the dam. That was not a nice way to start the day! It was steep and I was knackered by the time I reached the top. It was a grand view out over the Waitaki Valley and well worth the effort. From there the Speedos flew down the incline on the other side of the dam. From there on it was an easy ride on the far side of the Lake Aviemore past lovely picnic and camping areas along many part of the lake. It would be a superb place for people to go off the main road to camp in a scenic, quiet and beautiful place.

We biked many flat kilometres until we reached the Aviemore Dam where we had lunch lying out on the grass overlooking the Waitaki Valley. It was a superb view.

Now we were back onto the main road to Kurow which had more traffic than we would like but it was relatively easy biking through to Kurow where we had a really great coffee. While we sat, Sheila and Dave arrived followed by Joyce and Richard.

Onto the final leg which said we were to turn onto Grant Road after 4km. It was more like 8km and straight into the wind again. Oh, no! The easterly seems to come up every afternoon and we always finish into it.

Grant Road eventually arrived then we had a LONG ride up a slowly rising road, past vinyards and to a Private Road where we had to cross the river ford to get to the track into the farm we were heading for. Onwards again up a long track before we eventually reached Glenmac Station Farmstay. Here, we split into some in the shearers quarters and some at the house with Keith and Kay and their family. It is typical farm life where we just fit in with whatever is happening.

It has been a lovely day of biking for the main part but getting to our accomodation beyond Kurow needs to be sorted. It was much further than expected which to be xxkms and we ended up doing 56kms made much harder by the head wind.

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Photos

At Benmore Dam
Overlooking Waitaki Valley back towards Otematata

Morning tea stop
A lovely place to stop by Lake Aviemore