Wellington – Koromiko – Awatere Valley – Molesworth Station – Hanmer Springs - Boyle Village

So its 2pm and where on the Blueridge ferry to Picton, SOUTH ISLAND…….The Queen Charlotte pass is so stunning, you could spend months exploring these areas. Get into Picton at 3pm and done a lap and rode  south to Koromiko, where i was told of a DOC camp, anyhow, there's some bureaucratic shite going on with certain doc sites and tents, OK for a car, bus to camp but not tents, something to do with hoteliers whinging about loosing revenue, bicycle tourists aren't in their sites?, anyhow long story short Claudia, Ian Scoltock science teacher from Auckland,  also cycle touring and a keen tramper (hiking in Kiwi) in his 60,s and I are evicted in the dark, so where on hwy  1 at night with semis roaring past looking for a camp we got a camp at  a local closed school, courtesy of the council bloke, who i know didn't want to do it,and came back later feeling shithouse about it. but i know how it goes its his gig, and we find out later there's been an ongoing battle about that camp in the local rag……..anyhow Ian well read is writing some scathing articles as we speak, ill check them out, so camper beware, we are usually miles away from town, and stealth wild camping, hey was  not fun at the time. but shows you the insane protocols the admin of council come up with. Such is life!
Anyhow Ian,s great company and we had a good laugh about it all that morning at the old schoolyard, he's off to Christchurch to visit family….we leave for Blenheim, and try and stock up for a few days with out services.
So off to the Awatere Valley and the Molesworth Station Leg,  to Hanmer springs  in the Marlborough region ,about 220 klms,  from Blenheim, most of it unsealed with a few passes, one at about 1400m so anything goes out there,were prepared very well………i think, turn off is just south of Seddon, miles of Awatere white grape Vineyards, beside the river with a back drop of mountain  ranges……….
Sometime that evening, i flagged down a luxy ute to ask about any good camping spots, old mate Simon in the ute, the young fella just happened to be a local vineyard owner ,wine maker,  with his family, he offered his front lawn, down the rd at his home at the vineyard,  he was on his way out for a few days. happy camper, was I. Met the vineyard care takers, Dave and Caroline, after a cuppa at their place they offer us the couch and shower, in a little cosy bungalow, thanks so much guys, i keep saying it must be karma as we have quiet a few visitors at our place, same deal if it feels good we make them feel at home, and share the love. Dave ad Caroline have been managing vineyards for years hard working folk, Caroline was in aged care so Claudia, and Caroline had a lot in common…….we got to try a bottle of their 2008 Pinot Gris, I'm a red man myself, but really enjoyed that one, smooth well crafted quality drop, i could taste the Awatere..
Up early, Dave and Caroline out, so we leave a thank you note, as the day unfolds, I realise I am in a place of immense beauty, vast, rugged and like nothing I felt  or have seen before, real soul food, I'm just sucking this place in, the Mighty Awatere river, and its  Mountain ranges, like some kind of ancient landscape,
A good ride into the valley, we wild camp, beside a cascade stream, somewhere, the next day ride on past the junction of the Awatere and Clarence river onto Cobbs cottage a Docs camp, near the new Molesworth Station, a 180 thousand hectare station owned by Docs and and leased by landcorp, who work with conservation values of the area.Set up camp, and later that evening meet Annie and Hawk, Annie has lived in Hanmer for a few years now and had not visited for a long time, several years ago while hiking, and bicycle touring she had an injury nearby….. that stopped her tour, so it was fate to have met her that day. Ani has a great caring spirit, she offered us a camp out at her place in Hamner Springs, so blessed to have crossed paths with her, she reminded me to enjoy the ride and not just clock up miles, to live the moment, thanks Ani. meet a few people at the camp, a nice stay.
Leave cob cottage heading to Acheron camsite about 60ks……..Wards pass was memorable and hard work, meet dennis at one of the gates one of the employees of the station he was eradicating bunnys, an average of 500, 22 slugs a night he had callouses  on his hand to show for it …what a bloke……………were running late, to catch the gate, as the station moniters traffic and closes at seven, this for saftey, and bunny shooters work the land at night, so a molesworth worker crosses paths with us and radios in a lift for claudia still had anothe 20ks, claudia gets a lift with Bruce the ranger, and i cycle on in time……
Spend xmas at Ani and Richards place at Hanmer, a queit one, just another beutiful day in paradise, spent a few hours at the thermal spring pool……….Thanks Ani and Richard.next time we meet we will have that bottle of wine………