For me this whole ride wasn’t about getting to Bluff; it was more about enjoying cycling and New Zealand and the company of others on the way. Yesterday’s forecast was correct and it was cold and wet with a head wind. So all I wanted to do now was just get the day over with.
We had arranged to meet John and head off, but he needed to first get breakfast and then wanted to take a photo in the local branch of Wrightson’s, for whom he worked. Fair enough, but with this slight the delay I was feeling impatient. When we finally got going in my haste I missed a cycle path turn and so in my frustration I tried to skid around at the last moment and in doing so hit the deck. It was the TA kicking my butt and reminding me it’s a privilege to be able to do this trip and I should enjoy it.
No harm was done but I didn’t notice until a while later the water bottle I bought in Auckland had fallen out of its cage. I cursed my haste once again, but it did seem like there was some universal law of water bottle symmetry having an effect; I didn’t start the trip with that bottle so I wasn’t going to finish with it.
On the way to Invercargill we caught up with Amy who had started from Mossburn early that morning. The five of us made the rest of the way to Bluff together.
I didn’t actually feel any sense of achievement or joy to get to Sterling Point (that would come with time) but was just happy to be able to stop riding my bike and spending time with Mum and Dad who were waiting for me.
We changed out of our wet clothes in in the Oyster Cove cafe’s washrooms and had lunch. I had blue cod and an Invercargill Brewery pale ale. It was expensive but easily both the best meal and best beer of the whole trip. A fitting way to finish the trip.
Thank-you to all those I rode with. You made a good trip great.
Made it!