The end

Winton to Bluff

68km

Our first proper cooked breakfast, courtesy of Deborah at the Belvedere B&B set us up for our final day. A lovely old house, beautifully restored and decorated, with typical Kiwi relaxed hospitality. We've arranged to be met by the rellies at 5PM, so after our (relatively) rapid progress yesterday we're in no hurry to set off. It's a beautiful day of clear blue sky and no wind. Yet; all the forecasts predict brisk Soueasters later in the day.

Memorable scenery has given way to memorable observation: a horse making clear it's dissatisfaction at an empty feed bucket; trotters being trained by being led around the paddock behind a Ute. It seems to me front pair have a chance, but the back one is being trained to follow other horses so is unlikely to be a winner. Southland rural life... 

The back roads are quiet, particularly the gravel shortcut the Kennetts guide you down that has since been closed to traffic by earth bunds at either end of a bridge; luckily there's space to wheel the bikes round the end rather than backtrack. We make it to Wallaceville around 11 and laze in the sun eating enormous ice creams.

SH99 is very busy, and we're glad to get away from it after 3.5km. The turn into West Plains Road is the last we see of the Southland Traverse. It's not clear where it goes, but it's not the same route as us. We skirt Invercargill, following the Waihope estuary on the cycle trail, except for a brief diversion due to 'trailworks'. The smooth gravel trail leads us out across the saltmarsh; and the first glimpse of our destination. There's time to stop and read the information boards scattered along the route.

At 2:30 the wind picks up as promised/threatened, though more Easterly crosswind than headwind. Only 20km or so to go... Which seems interminable. Bluff is in sight but never seeming to get any closer. Then a few irritating little climbs are added to the mix. Just before one such, as we are reading the final info board, the grey Honda squeals to a halt beside us. We could hardly have timed it better. We have a brief chat, then they peel off to the top of the climb for some 'high-speed action' photography. We roll past the derelict Ocean Beach Freezing Works, into the 'heart' of Bluff. Now here's a town that may have a heart, but it's lost it's soul. Just as well Penny and Adrian arrived when they did as our plan to sit in a cafe awaiting the appointed hour was stymied by the lack of open outlets. Though we did imagine a scanario if they'd not seen us, of us sitting in downtown Bluff (!!) sipping coffee until 5 while they waited  patiently (?) at Stirling Point.

One last effort up the ridge to Stirling Point, and we ride side-by-side over the brow and down into the carpark, ready for our photo call. This Northerner set out to go as far South as possible without getting his feet wet, and all that remains to be said is 'Ee, by gum, WE MADE IT!!!'