Road Trip Days 5-6: Glaciers, Mountains, Lambs.

So last we left off... Queenstown, snow. Like, we woke to this:

Of course, Queenstown. At least you're pretty.

The following 2 days were probably our most active, yet had the most driving, and the most lambs.

We left Queenstown fairly early and drove over the hill to Wanaka, a one hour drive away. Better weather greeted us in Wanaka, and we found ourselves lounging for quite some time on the lakefront before finally going on our hike.

The drive to the Rob Roy Glacier hike is so beautiful that if you didn't know what you were going for, you'd feel like the drive itself was enough:

Around every corner a mountain, a waterfall, a lush valley with happy sheep.

The Rob Roy Glacier track starts out with pasture land, where hikers must brave the stares of cows and sheep as they pass by.

And lambs!

Soon though, you see a swing bridge and are reminded you are in fact in NZ.

We did this hike once before in much different conditions. Last time, the clouds were low and it was drizzling off and on. I still thought it was one of the most beautiful hikes I had done, but on my second time, with good weather, I was completely dazzled. The contrast of ferns and beech forest to glaciers and snow, blue sky and blue water... it's breathtaking.

After our hike, we drove back in to Wanaka for pizza and beer (thank goodness that's a meal you can get nearly anywhere in the world!) and then hit the road for Dunstan Downs.

Dunstan Downs is a high country sheep station. They have over 8,000 merino sheep on their 30,000+ acres of land near Omarama. The land here is rugged, but the sheep are tough, and the people warm and welcoming. Dunstan Downs is owned by Tim and Geva Innes, who run a farm stay (in their home) as well as a backpackers accommodation.

Kim and I stayed in their home, and Geva cooked us an amazing breakfast in the morning while she explained to us what really goes on year-round on a high country merino sheep station. (Hint: lots.)

After breakfast we got to meet her four lambs: Dora, Lily, Friday, and Halloween (the latter two named after their birthdays). Geva explained that each year she acquires a few lambs who have been mis-mothered: either mom has died giving birth, or she has up and left them. Apparently merino sheep are rather delinquent mothers, and every year Geva has a handful of baby lambs to bottle feed.

So, as expected, meeting and feeding the lambs was the best thing ever. And I want them all.

Friday, Lily, and Halloween.

Halloween

Breakfast time!

Ok, full disclosure. I made a lamb video. I know, who does that?

I do. Here's my lamb video... CLICK ME.

I'm soooo full......

So after Kim and I were torn away from left the baby sheep, we headed north to Mt. Cook. We revisited the Hooker Valley Walk, which Scott and I did nearly 4 years ago on holiday but haven't been back to see. I had forgotten, again, how beautiful this part of the country is.

Drive to Mt. Cook, view of Cook across Lake Pukaki

This hike is fairly easy. It's 2-3 hours round trip, but has a minimal gradient and a wide, new pathway. We passed lots of families and tramping groups, yet still managed to feel like the only ones there at many moments as well.

Kim on the swing bridge.

At the end of the trail, hikers are deposited at a lookout over Mt. Cook and the Mt. Cook glacier. The glacier is a dingy, dirty thing that dead ends in this glacial pool:

Kim: "Coldest my feet have ever been, ever."

Icebergs. (Thats the glacier int he middle/background.)

The rarely un-obscured peak of Mt. Cook

Cool cloud formations as the weather changed on our hike back.

Looking back one last time at Cook and the alpine flora.

Kim and I then returned to Christchurch. I had 4 days of work, while she ventured to the West Coast. She saw black water caves with glow worms, flew in a helicopter and landed on the glaciers, and tramped around the Punakaki Pancake rocks. I don't have her photos of these things or I would shamelessly share them with you. So I guess ya'll will just have to come see those things for yourself!

Road Trip to Wanaka and Alexandra (but mostly just bike pics)

This has been the rainiest summer/fall that Christchurch has had in ages. In March there was 4 times more rain than in your average March (thank you, cyclone Lusi.) Every time we visited Queenstown, we heard about the amazing weather they had been having, but it always rained. We are starting to feel like the rain follows us. We headed back down to Central Otago for a quick visit to Q-town, then a few days in Wanaka and a few days in Alexandra. Although we had some fair weather in Wanaka, the rain followed us to Alexandra. Which is a desert.

Anyways, thats my winge about the weather for now (except that, Im not even kidding, we are experiencing the end of Cyclone Ita - the one that devastated the Solomon Islands a few days ago… and once again the windows are rattling, the roads/houses are flooded, and it's raining inside my house in 4 places.)

Ok, now I'm done with the weather report. Back to last weekend.

Scott teamed up with a much faster partner than last year for the 6 Hour Super D in Queenstown. The gondola shuttled them up to the top of the hill, where they then zig-zagged back down, trading off turns, for 6 hours of fun/excitement/endurance/pain/torture. 

Their hard work also paid off, as Scott and Nick took 3rd in the Men's Teams of Two, out of 33 teams. 

They're team "Jamaican Hopscotch Mafia" - the ones in the matching hats.

Meanwhile, while Scott was racing, I went out and did some very cold, wet shuttles with a few friends. I smashed the ground hard and thought I broke my hand. Oddly, a few ibuprofen, a few beers, and a good night sleep fixed it up right.

The next morning we rode some fun and some crazy trails in Wanaka. Scott and our friend Dane (visiting from the States) took turns hitting big jumps and drops, and I found my place as photographer. 

Unfortunately Scott took a chunk out of his knee, causing him to take a very temporary break from riding on Sunday afternoon. This allowed some one-on-one coaching time for me, and I practiced getting my wheels in the air. Which is the scariest thing in the world, only secondary to giant squid.

You gotta start somewhere...

My photographer is working on his skills, which might need close to as much practice as I do at jumping. 

Scott and Dane woke up early Monday morning to do a sunrise photoshoot, while I slept. It was fun for everyone.

Dane and Scott's new car. Both have superior off road efficiency. 

Dane left early Monday morning to fly back to the country where the sun exists, while Scott and I leisurely drove further down south to Alexandra. On the way, we stopped in the adorable (probably retirement) village of Clyde, which happens to have the most killer trail going. It's called Cup Cake Track, which makes me like it even more. 

And it was sort of sunny-ish. 

Wheels in the air!

We stayed 12km south of Alexandra in a little stone building called "Paddys Cottage" (Rent It Here). It was built in the early 1900's out of stones from nearby ruins. Stone buildings were built in the 1800's during the Central Otago gold rush. There are barely any trees in the area, so people used the one resource widely available. Hence, ruins can be found all over the area today. Kinda neat.

Outdoor BBQ, indoor wood burner, lots of charm, sheep in nearby paddock, beds for 8 people, hot water for 2.

Old-timey stuff.

Cozy Stuff.

The next morning, a bit of exploring and a hike around Flat Top Hill. Pretty fall colors galore.

We spent Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons riding in Alexandra on borderline illegal but completely ripper trails.

Alexandra is very cute. And kind of boring unless you are on a bike.

Getting artsy.

Good thing we filled up on adrenaline and smiles this week, as it looks like we'll be battening down the hatches for another 24 hours or so here in Christchurch. Hopefully the weather clears after this though, because we're going to try for a West Coast trip over Anzac weekend.

Hope it is sunnier where all of you are, and that you have a great Easter weekend!