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Day 7: A beautiful but v.deceiving ride to Mt Cook
Such an oportunistic place to get a good nights sleep, but spent far too long reading scary book and then could not get to sleep because was too scared. Don't know why I do it to myself, because it happens every time with scary books! For some reason though, got a lot more scared because only 2 of us in room. Feel much safer in a dorm, which is totally bizarre since a dorm = sharing a room with complete stangers who could just as easily be murderers. Still, that's how my stange little brain works. Woke up in morning cold to the bone. Is so unbelievably cold on a morning and night at minute in NZ; bring on warmth of Fiji! Ran over to farmhouse and v.happy to find that some people already up and had lit fire...bonus. Made porridge and cup of tea = lovely and warm, and ate by the fire. Lovely. Had to make lunch then and get ready to set off for Mt Cook at 9am. Really cloudy morning - as well as freezing cold - so could barely see anything around us, including mountains.
Was a nice, straight, flat ride on main road, which lasted for 8kms. Then, had to turn off for Mt Cook = where ride got a lot harder. Rode through Pukaki and passed Lake Pukaki woth not a hill in sight, but just because you can't always see hills, doesn't mean they are not there. I learnt this lesson only today. This seemingly flat road was a really hard ride and causing poor little legs quite a lot of pain and distress. Was really hard work just to pedal. Thought it was just me being a bit groggy from lack of sleep, but complained to Deb and she was finding it same. What was going on? Felt just like we were riding uphill. Turns out, the whole road to Mt Cook is a steady, cunning and never ending incline most of the way there. 60kms incline...you've got to be kidding! Would rather the hills be obvious and steep than the tricky little road that this was...pretending to be something it wasn't...hate that! Lucky that had such beautiful things to look at. Lake Pukaki was beautiful...a beautiful, bright, milky blue colour. Don't know how water gets so electric coloured and
milky all at once, but is apparently something to do with the glaciers that feed into it. Reminded me of a paint pot of water after cleaning a brush; a kind of fake, artificial, azure blue.
Ride only got more beautiful as we continued on. Clouds started to dissipate and sunshine glimpsed through....took 2 hours for that to happen mind. Had been a freezing cold and v.hard ride up to that point. 30kms later, had passed lake, sun was out and were now just waiting to get to Glentanner. Glentanner = 40kms into cycle, place where could stop and have lunch and also the 'passed half way' marker. Really need to get to Glentanner. Body really struggling and ride soon becoming most non-enjoyable of all done. Every pedal = struggle for body. Hate hills that drag on. Short and sweet; they are my kind of hills. Also hate feeling of putting in effort and moving so slowly, so v.v.slowly. Nearly all ride been in granny gear. And especially hate hills that try to disguise themselves as flat roads...they are my least favourite of all!
Nearly passed out with joy when first saw Glentanner. Was like a dream...a mirage...and
best of all, road to it was all downhill. First downhill in 40kms...love you Glentanner. Thought of food had been only thing keeping me alive in last 10k...that, and the view of Mt Cook. In last 30mins, cloud cleared even more, revealing a v.snowy, v.large and v.beautiful Mt Cook. It looked amazing, really amazing. And, to be cycling towards and through something so brilliant = pretty amazing too. Took lunch to eat outside cafe so could keep admiring view- v.disappointed they didn't have salt and vinegar crisps = other thing had been dreaming of. Had to stick to packed sandwich, nuts and raisons. Had a 30min stop, then had to force myself to get back on bike to get to Mt Cook. Never felt like that before; really not enjoying ride today, although Deb seemed o.k., which was good. 22kms left. Could only hope that would either be flat - really flat, not just pretending like before - or a series of SHORT, steep hills. Would take either at this point, although the former would obviously be preferable.
Didn't get my wish! Road ahead was full of more sneaky, never-ending inclines. The view of Mt Cook got better and
better with every bit we pedaled further, but the ride itself got harder and harder. Couldn't wait to get there. Pedalling at infuriatingly slow rate and concentraing on scenery all at once = tough going. But the mountains, thez were beautiful. Sky perefectly clear now and as moved forwards, were being engulfed by snowcapped mountains in front of us. Overwhelmed by size of Mt Cook. Finally got so close that couldn't fit all scene on camera and got first glimpse of Aoraki Village. Yesss....nearly there. One last push from whole body = now a total dead weight, then we arrived at YHA hostel. Never been as happy to arrive somewhere, nor has body.
Checked in and immediatley bought packet of crisps...before even went to room. Couldn't wait. It was one of those times where you need something, not just want it. I had a lot of those times as a kid apparently...so my Mum tells me. Ate crisps and walked to room. Crisps made me feel better straight away; they have some kind of muscle healing power...scientists don't know. Mini rest + crisps = a little revitalised and so headed for Doc office to arrange a night stay up
Mt Cook, in Mueller hut. Lady there really helpful and gave us following information:
* All could do was just turn up early tomorrow (8:30) and get in line for a place; not possible to book. *Quite a hard climb, well v.hard, but sure we'll be o.k....?
*Needed own sleeping bag, which don't have. Hire = $20 = a bummer.
*No decent day backpack either. Hire = another $12...bummer.
*Mueller Hut = no facilities, no electricity, no bedding, but $35 a night = most ever paid. Shocking!
Trudged to bakery after news, in diar need of a cake! Never ending apetite today. Bakery and only shop in town in posh hotel complex. V.generous to call it a shop; was more a few shelves of food. Bought pasta sauce, tuna for sandwiches, then into cafe. Got some v.tasty chips. V.tasty indeed...especially because could put own vinegar on. Nice, but still hungry after that even. Had to buy an ice-cream. Ate that as wondered back, which was also nice, but again, still hungry and still totally weak. Un-fillable today. Got a shower to try and ease body, which it did, but also made me really tired. Had to lay down for
a while. Read book to stay awake - struggle to sleep later if sleep now- then went to make dinner. Really hungry. Big dinner, but still not full. What is wrong with me!?! Blogged for an hour, but ended up buying an expensive chocolate bar as well...just needed it. Went off to bed kind of full and packed up a few things for trek tomorrow. Really excited. Such a cool thing to stay up a mountain!
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