A short day today, partly due to the very limited range of places to stay after Murchison heading towards Westport. So we just did about 22 miles, or 35 kms, cycling via the back roads (well, we walked a fair bit of the initial hill) - gravel - to Murchison. The black flies were waiting for us so no hanging around. We were also encouraged to get a move on by the drizzle and the menu we found for a local hostel and cafe - Gowan Hill I think.Since our food supplies were pretty much zero having failed to find a food shop during the afternoon yesterday, we were very much in need of a meal. The Gowan did us a pot of tea (with two refills, and nice strong tea too made with loose tea not bags) and a tasty vegetarian omelette each for about $15 which felt like good value. One of the people running the hostel was a Devonian, still with a recogisably SW England accent tho' he's been a kiwi for 40 years with only one visit back 20 years ago. I asked if he missed anything about the old country and he chose two food related items - well this was a breakfast conversation - clotted cream and crabs, both hard to find items in NZ. We saw Devonshire Teas advertised in Nelson's Founders Park so I guess in NZ a Devonshire Cream Tea does not, horrors, imply clotted cream. Some research in the field is evidently required. As to crabs, mussels seem the thing here, and both crabs and, ah joy, herrings are missing.On the Devon ex-pat's recommendation we took dirt tracks initially, called the Braeburn Track, going over a modest hill and down through various fords, then at Tutaki tarmac returned and we eventually, after a scenic ride, reached Highway 6. This was an enjoyable gravel road since we knew we only had a short-ish distance to cover - see it on google maps. Then to Murchison Kiwi Holiday Park after a quick look at the museum where the focus of attention is the story of the 1929 earthquake that was pretty big and centred just along the road. I think 19 people died. Given the news that Christchurch has just had another lesser earthquake (they've closed the city centre apparently) we're earth tremor alert now.Harrington's brewery once again provided a bottle of beer each to accompany our pasta - Belgian Tempest and Wobbly Boot. Both brilliant beers and no wonder the man back at Rotoroa didn't say he missed great british beers.
A short day today, partly due to the very limited range of places to stay after Murchison heading towards Westport. So we just did about 22 miles, or 35 kms, cycling via the back roads (well, we walked a fair bit of the initial hill) - gravel - to Murchison. The black flies were waiting for us so no hanging around. We were also encouraged to get a move on by the drizzle and the menu we found for a local hostel and cafe - Gowan Hill I think.Since our food supplies were pretty much zero having failed to find a food shop during the afternoon yesterday, we were very much in need of a meal. The Gowan did us a pot of tea (with two refills, and nice strong tea too made with loose tea not bags) and a tasty vegetarian omelette each for about $15 which felt like good value. One of the people running the hostel was a Devonian, still with a recogisably SW England accent tho' he's been a kiwi for 40 years with only one visit back 20 years ago. I asked if he missed anything about the old country and he chose two food related items - well this was a breakfast conversation - clotted cream and crabs, both hard to find items in NZ. We saw Devonshire Teas advertised in Nelson's Founders Park so I guess in NZ a Devonshire Cream Tea does not, horrors, imply clotted cream. Some research in the field is evidently required. As to crabs, mussels seem the thing here, and both crabs and, ah joy, herrings are missing.On the Devon ex-pat's recommendation we took dirt tracks initially, called the Braeburn Track, going over a modest hill and down through various fords, then at Tutaki tarmac returned and we eventually, after a scenic ride, reached Highway 6. This was an enjoyable gravel road since we knew we only had a short-ish distance to cover -