Riding the Rail Trail

Big sky country kiwi style

We left Christchurch and headed west and south towards Queenstown. Everyone told us that we had to go to Queenstown and we are not going to Queenstown as it is overrun with tourists celebrating Chinese New Year. Instead, we opted to ride some of the Otaga Rail Trail instead. This is an old railroad line that was decommissioned in the sixties and made into a 150 km bike trail. Like the Tasman Great Taste Trail, it's one of the Great Cycle Trails. It goes through dry farmland with massive rock formations resembling the American west. The whole trail takes about four days, staying in small accommodations along the way. The good folks at Trails Journey dropped us off at the top of the grade and rode back from there, mostly downhill, but it's not a steep grade. Spectacular day. We also rode the Roxburgh Gorge trail and with more time we would have been able to explore the Clutha River trail. Next time: Alps to Ocean Trail!  And maybe Queenstown after that, at a quieter time.

Wildlife encounter on the trail

Best carrot cake ever along the trail at the Station Cafe in Lauder