The weekend cycling in Nelson

 Hi,

What an awesome weekend away to Nelson.  Thank you Sally for organising loads of it.  And thank you Nelson Cycle Hire for providing excellent service and bikes.  

Sally and Andrew collected us from our place early on Saturday.  Sally had prepaid for the car park so the system let us into the covered parking building (mostly) and we were in out of the driving rain pretty fast from there.

Coffee and a bagel for me and Mike and then onto the plane.  Short flight (25 mins air time) to Nelson and landed in sunshine.

Wellington airport iced latte

Nelson airport iced latte

Got changed into our bike gear at the airport and then waited for JR to arrive at Nelson Cycle Hire.  Walked over there to meet him and Tess and get decked out with suitable bikes.  I got a new hybrid eBike.  Made in NZ.  Upright position, soft seat.  [After the weekend, I am totally sold on an eBike - wow!].

Vicki and Alistair arrived with their bikes and car (they parked there car outside the airport for the day) and sorted out their gear.

We loaded everything into the trailer and JR set off for Tapawera.  This is where we began our first day adventure.  60 kms stretched ahead of us.  Blue skies above us.  We helped JR get all the bikes off the trailer and before too long, around 11am, we were off.

Andrew immediately hit an issue with his gears.  He and Alistair sorted that out and Andrew joined us all by the time we got to the Hidden Sculpture gardens.  Andrew was the only one of us on a normal bike.  But Andrew certainly had no issues keeping up with us even with not a lot of time in the saddle in the past year.  :-o

The gardens were lovely.  Quiet, with art works through a big, peaceful garden area.  And a gallery.  Then past Kotahu (where we could have stopped for something to eat if we wanted) and onto Spooners tunnel.  Lovely long (1.3km) cool (like maybe 10 degrees cooler) and dark tunnel.  My light on my bike came on automatically in the dark.  But I also had a head torch (not that I could tell).

We're off - Tapawera in the background somewhere

Hapless selfie

This is the life

Spooners tunnel

Out of Spooners for a long downhill where I could easily crank the eBike up to 5 (whatever that assistance level really meant) and in top gear I was easily sitting on 42km/hr.  But it did end in a gate just around a curve at the bottom - so you need to pay attention to the "! " sign.

Random track

We stopped at a cafe called Villa (I think) in Wakefield for some yummy late lunch.  We were there around 2.15pm and their kitchen was closed but the cabinet food was good (that closed at 3pm).  Quiche all round. And ginger beer.

Tootling along

Looking staunch

Bridge

From here we rode to the airport and dropped off bikes for an overnight recharge.  Alistair kindly shuttled us to the motel - Beachcomber.  And we had our bags there as JR had dropped them off earlier that day.

Nice room for $108.  Huge bed!  Forceful shower.  Once clean and dressed in non bike gear we walked 50m to the Sprig and Fern for a superb dinner.  Yum!  Some of us may have consumed alcohol too.

Off to our rooms and I think some of us were probably asleep by 8.30pm.  Hahahah.

Up at a lazy time to meet at a cafe for 8am.  Raglan Roast for a very good iced latte (been here before and I do like this place.  One day I hope I can spend more time here).  Then next door at The Sands for a very capable brekkie.  Scrambled eggs on toast for $10.  All good.

Then off to the airport to get the bikes and jump in the van with JR for day 2 drop off.  

Raglan Roast iced latte.  Mmmmm

This time we were dropped off outside a SouthFuels petrol station in Sarau.  Probably also around 11am like the day before.  We explored some lovely back roads.  

Settlers cottage 

Gravity - very nice

We meant to try some wine at Gravity but the setting and menu looked so good, we got a cheese platter for 2 between the 6 of us.  When it arrived, it looked so good we got another one.  And it would have been one of the best cheese platters I have ever had.  Big pieces of cheese.  Soft, hard and a a blue.  Nice break.  Chutneys.  Yep.  Well done.

Casting nasturtiums 

Intrepid cyclists

From here we headed to Mapua and got onto the ferry at 2pm (we only waited for 10 mins!).  Then across Rabbit Island and around some new boardwalks to the Eddyline pub.  What a fantastic find that place was - because their spinach and artichoke cheese dip was so good!

We sat outside in the sun and shade and had a few drinks and a few dips.  Mmmmm.  Then back on the bikes and around to the airport to pop the bikes away at Nelson Cycle Hire.

Rabbit Island beach

Riding, riding

Hapless selfie # 2

Cycling selfie

After dropping the bikes off, Mike and I walked to the roundabout outside the airport grounds and got an uber to our accommodation.  U Boutique on Haven Road.  Sally and Andrew got dropped off by Alistair and Vicki (they continued to Blenheim and home).  Showered and popped into Countdown and then rang for a taxi to Anita and JR's house.

Skull island for Toby

Met Ali and Ally, Bill and Betty - all there to celebrate JR's birthday.  Stunning food with a backdrop to match as the sunset on a glorious day.

Sunset from Anita and JR's house

Moon and Venus peeping out

Selfie # 3

Taxi back to U Boutique and off to bed.  Probably 10pm before I fell asleep.  Up at 5.30am (oohh) to get ready for the taxi at 6am for our 7am flight to Wellington.

Left Nelson in beautiful weather.  Flew over low cloud from Blenheim to Wellington.  Sunny in Wellington but the drive up to our house meant we entered a cloud again.  Hahah.  Sally and Andrew dropped us off and we said hello to the cats and started work.

Fantastic weekend.  Superb customer service and bikes.  Great company.  I did not want to return home.  Hahah.

Have a good week ahead, all.

Love,
Angela