More Songs from The Big Chair

By -
Through a mixture of connectivity issues and general laziness there is a bit of catching up to do!

In the Middle of the Night 

Our stay in the Makarora sheds was great and I think everyone appreciated that the rather basic accommodation was a price worth paying.  Overnight there was heavy rain which fell as snow on the higher ground so we awoke with distant white peaks all around us. 

The ride to Wanaka is stunning in any circumstances but with clear skies and the snow-capped mountains it brought a grin to everyone's face.

Jessica

Everyone was in to Wanaka nice and early and did whatever took their fancy.  I took advantage of a nice hotel room to do exactly nothing but watch awful kiwi television but then...........bloody Norah!!!!   The first episode of the latest Top Gear series.  Oh bliss.

Blowin In The Wind

On Monday we did the 52 mile ride to Queenstown BUT using the highest paved road in NZ, over the Crown Range.  The day is basically up and over one big hill with 3000 feet of climb.  It was one of the very rare occasions that it is acceptable to deploy the adjective Awesome.  As we started the climb we came across a fence festooned with bras.  Apparently it all started in 1999 with 5 and has since grown to thousands.  On the other side of the road the boys have clearly started a rival attempt but, being boys, it is all a bit half-arsed with half a dozen pairs of grubby pants hanging forlornly on the wire.

At the top of the climb was a stunning vista with Queenstown and the lake below us and the road falling away in a series of hairpins.  Just to add to the spectacle and Air NZ jet flew past BELOW us on its final approach to the airport.

I Only Want To Be With You

The relevance of the song lies in the band name (note it is NOT the Dusty Springfield version).

We spent Monday night in Queenstown, tourism capital of South Island and Adrenalin Sports capital of the known universe. We got in early so I set up my command post outside the motel with the mountains for wallpaper.

Love Train

The Railway Hotel in Murchison isn't really a hotel and there isn't actually a railway for that matter.  It is another pub with rooms but actually very nice and the menu promises me a plate sized steak so I have nothing to complain about.  It was a longish 70 miles to get here but with beautiful clear skies and pleasant scenery and I am now writing this twaddle from the beer garden.  Tomorrow we finish riding but first there is a steak to eat.






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll/Mr Tamborine Man/I Write The Songs

By -
Image
  After an 18 month separation Plum and I are reforming the band for another tour.  The two of us, plus 6 others, are heading up to Scotlandshire for another crack at the North Cost 500.  I should probably introduce the full line-up:   Lead Singer - David.  David is the young(er) pretty one.....brother of John.  David also happens to be my Financial Adviser and is funding this trip (plus a yacht and a cocaine habit) out of what he makes from my account.   Lead Guitar - Nick.  Friend for 50 years.  At school Nick was a keen cyclist and consequently, quite rightly, bullied.  Nick has forgotten more about cycling than I will ever know.   Bass Guitar - Stuart.  Stuart and I worked together for many years; he has powerful legs and can push out big watts while looking like he is coasting.  I hate Stuart.   Keyboards - Michael.  Michael is also younger but not pretty.  Michael believes that upgrading cycle compone
Read more

If I Could Turn Back Time

By -
Image
If ever you are in the Inverness area on a Friday and looking for a lively night you could do a lot worse than avoid Muir of Ord.  Our hotel, the only pub, wasn't serving food so we walked into town where it appeared that Steven Spielberg had just finished filming some sort of post-apocalypse movie: nothing open, nobody on the streets and the odd bit of tumbleweed blowing along the pavement.  Even the fish and chip shop couldn't be arsed to open...on a FRIDAY NIGHT!  We managed to find a take-away offering a rather odd choice of kebabs and curries (served in pizza boxes for added novelty) and purchased some food which made up for in calories what it lacked in food-hygiene standards.   I recall a meeting where a few of my co-riders and I met to kick around ideas for a group ride.  We considered all sort of destinations....mostly in those parts of Europe where the weather isn't consistently shite.  I'm ashamed to say that I think it was I that th
Read more

Julia's Song

By -
Image
As some readers will know, Plum is no longer Chard's most eligible bachelor.  The lovely Julia has taken on the job that Social Services would otherwise have to do....making sure he changes his pants once a week whether they need it or not and loading routes onto his Garmin.  We are all very grateful to Julia, especially Chards most eligible bachelorettes who can get back on the dating scene now Plum is safely off the market. As we were starting our trip Julia fell, dislocated her foot and broke her Tibia so she is probably missing Plum more than usual. She has insisted that the show should go on so thanks for being such a trooper. Today was another with a shortcut that promised to turn a very hard day into something more manageable.  Some of our group took the high road and others took the low but I had a more cunning idea.....get in the van.  Whatever is ailing me, long covid or acute spinelessness, reached the point where pushing the pedals just w
Read more