Rain

When we finished breakfast this morning it was threatening rain. By the time we were ready to set off it was a gentle drizzle. We started anyway. The rain kept picking up in intensity but it wasn't too cold, the course was mainly downhill, and the Buller gorge provided some impressive views. A little past the halfway point, at about 30 miles, I was taking break and the van pulled alongside. We were almost at the lunch stop and I knew I would be calling it a day soon, so I hopped in the van, joining three other riders.

We stopped for lunch at Berlin's Cafe and were joined by the rest of the cyclists one and two at a time. It was cold enough that we asked if they could get the fire going. That turned out to be out of the question because "it is supposed to be summer." the rain was really coming down now and all but three hardy souls piled into the vans and headed for the showers at the motel in Westport.

My shoes are stuffed with newspaper to accelerate the drying and the wet clothes have been through the dryer. It is now late afternoon and the rain appears to have stopped. Let's hope tomorrow is drier.

I don't think that I have mentioned it but we have 15 riders plus three guides this week. It's a great group and we are enjoying each other's company.

Westport is on the Tsaman sea on the west side of NZ's South Island. Tomorrow we head south to Punakaiki "on a rolling coastal road that offers many spectacular views and delightful sandy coves." Then we have a rest day. #END
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