Team South - Day 3 - Mon April 16
It is my turn to write the blog tonight – Sarah Wilson – I am quite new to the road cycling culture and Rod has been a wonderful guide along the way. Normally I am more comfortable in a pair of crampons and holding firmly to an ice axe. However the last couple of days of climbing some big hills on a bike have almost converted me. The downhills have been particularly thrilling!
On a trip like this we hoped for good weather and our dreams have come true. Azure skies, golden poplars in their autumn glory and windless days have been a real joy. Today we had both perfect weather and incredible Otago scenery.
We started in the crisp morning air on the shores of Lake Wanaka and gradually climbed our way through arid hillcountry to the waving red tussocks of the Lindis Pass.
The Pass was the second highest point that we will reach on the Tour. One of the Hong Kong teams had already retired to their camper van lower down the climb up the pass. But we suggested to them that the 32km down from the top to Omarama is one of the greatest cyclists’ road descents in the country. Why not give it a go?
The hot sun beat down on us as we zoomed down to Omarama, where we met at the finish by Lynn Oram, who will be our road crew for the rest of the tour. About 30 minutes after us, the Hong Kongers came in fizzing on their adrenaline high.
Today was a very important day for the team as it was up to Rod and I to wave the Hikurangi flag at the back without one of our day-riders, while our other teammates, Darryl and Hamish, the Ricoh boys, mixed it with the fast riders up front…
…but, of course, it is the third placed rider who counts as the team time for the day. So Rod and I, third and fourth in the team, were tenacious in our attempts to retain our last placing.
However, some very clever tactics from the Fiordland Flyers team out-smarted us and they now hold the coveted last place position in the South Island Tour. We promise to try harder tomorrow, bolstered by our new recruit, Sophie Jerram, who has just cooked us a delicious dinner.
