Well_ngdone!
Featherston to Wellington
83.2km
Day 31 of 30! If you're wondering about the title, we (I) originally intended to ride on through to the sign at Te Papa and make the final photo 'Welliington'. But instead of the 4km extra round trip from Bluebridge I settled for a quick half at Trax before catching the last bike-friendly train home!
A blustery, slightly chilly start from Magnolia House just before 8; the gale had abated but the wind turned Southeasterly overnight, with a hint of a shower in the air. We never felt more than a few drops, despite the cloud being well down on the Remutaka as we cycled out to rejoin the route. The forecast was for morning showers coming through from the South, clearing to a sunny afternoon, so we were going to meet and pass through any weather coming over the hill. Long sleeves while riding for the first time in the trip...
The run out to Cross Creek Road was longer than I recall, the cycle track weaving on and off the road shoulder as we crossed the numerous bridges, the headwind sometimes making its presence felt but not impeding progress too much. Then the quick climb up the gravel road, with a view back to Lake Wairarapa and beyond, and on to the shelter at the start of the Incline trail. By now we were confident the couple of kilometres of single-track up to Cross Creek station held no challenge. A bit wrong about that: it was probably as technical as anything else we'd encountered apart from the Kaiwhakauka track. A great surface but narrow and winding, with a couple of drop-offs commanding respect (and a bit of battery assistance). Up the incline proper it was a matter of 'eco' mode and head down, with the benefit of wind assistance as the track turns (bizarrely) Northbound. As we entered the first tunnel, the threatened shower arrived, so we paused at the exit to don rain jackets. At which the rain departed and never troubled us again. There was a work crew up on the bypass track at Siberia Gully, presumably working on the sway cable that has come adrift; maybe they'd already got it fixed because we didn't notice much movement, despite all the dire warning signs reassuring us it was safe!
And on uphill toward the summit. And a cyclist coming down the hill, who seemed determined to interrupt our steady progress. I'm not sure how long it took for us to recognise Pauline, but I suspect she was beginning to think us very rude for not greeting her more warmly. All I can say is, 1. it was unexpected to meet anyone we knew, especially as we were a day late, and 2. everyone looks very different in a cycle helmet! But what a fantastic, and surprising, welcome made all the warmer (literally) by the promise of morning tea at the summit shelter. Our penultimate control point photo at the Summit Tunnel, tea & coffee and delicious apple & cinnamon muffins at the shelter, and time to begin the descent.
Trundling easily downhill in formation, another cyclist powering rapidly uphill toward us: good friend Dave from Petone, anticipated but further up the trail than expected. Introductions all round, a catch-up on progress, and off downhill again. A foursome selfie at the next tunnel (we'd decided we would take a photo at each one) and on down the trail. Whereupon we meet Andy & Alastair, the pair of intrepid TA Breveteers who were our first inspiration for this little jaunt. Each are in training for an upcoming cycling escapade, and have ridden out from Paremata to escort us all the way into Wellington, no doubt to ensure we didn't jump on a train at Maymorn (fat chance, bus replacement as usual!) and cheat our way to final glory. In the end they did 20km MORE than us on the day, without any electrical assistance. We truly are not worthy... More introductions, more catch-up, and our increasing entourage continued downhill, our first views of the upper Hutt valley (as opposed to the Upper Hutt valley, which comes later) [actually the Pakuratahi valley, but I couldn't resist the pun] dropping Pauline at the Kaitoke car park to return home. Along the way there was a brief (shock, horror) climb up the old Highway 2, then back onto the trail to another tunnel, where somehow Marg & I found ourselves alone as Dave disappeared ahead, and Andy & Alastair paused to help Pauline load up her bike. A final selfie, then off after Dave, the five of us regrouping at the final squeeze gate of the trip.
At Te Marua we paused for coffee and pies (and for Alastair & Andy, the last of the muffins), and to reoganise our route guide to expose the final pages: Te Marua to Wellington. Given that last time we did this route, we ended up on the opposite side of the river from our TA-following companions (shout out to Jeannie, Merv, Wendy & Warren!), we didn't think we could risk not using the instructions. The route follows some lovely single-track through the bush (and some not-so-lovely bits beside the road) down to Harcourt Park and the footbridge river-crossing we missed last time. Just North of the park we met up with Dave's wife, Irena, who had cycled up from Petone, fresh from a morning session with the physio. An honour indeed... She'd been displaced from the pleasure of waiting in the park by some hoons on trail-bikes, sadly. I have to say the trail down the stop-bank on the true right of the Hutt River as far as Totara Park Road is much preferable to the trail down the other side alongside SH2.
We'd had a heads-up from the TA Facebook page that the Hutt River Trail down the East side was disrupted at its lower end, with an accompanying alternative route using the new Petone cycleway. Dave had ridden out on the original path that morning, so (being a purist) I resisted all blandishments to take either the new single-track on the West bank, nor the 3km shorter route through Melling. The ride itself is a bit of a blur: there's not much in the way of distinguishing landmarks as you ride along a green belt on the river side of the stop-banks, and Dave was setting a (for us) blistering pace. We'd far back abandoned our regular 5km breaks, feeling a little, totally imaginary, pressure from riding in a peleton of six, rather than setting our own, more measured pace. As we approached Lower Hutt, we were joined by another good friend from Petone, Graeme. We had a standing invitation to pause for coffee at his home, but by the time we negotiated the river crossing and the (surprisingly, all new to Andy & Alastair) Hikoikoi peninsula we had the bit between our teeth. Once on the Esplanade the end was literally in sight, albeit distantly, so we just carried on. The Petone contingent left us when we climbed to the rail bridge and headed for the SH2 shoulder cycleway. By this time, Marg was leading out determinedly, setting the pace with a bit of electrical assistance. It looked like we'd make it in time for the 15:55 train back to Paremata, though we were a bit conflicted by the offer of a pickup to be driven home. We chose to play it by ear, as if we made the train it saved A & A from a 25km ride home from the city...
So, we made it! I 'stopped the clock' at 15:45, though I think that was when we got to the pub, not when we arrived at the Bluebridge terminal. We had to wait for a motorcyclist to move his bike before Andy could frame the perfect shot to commemorate the end of our 2-part odyssey. The final control point photo is the same as the first. Between the two we've covered over 3000km of New Zealand, most of it on our bikes, literally following the road (and trail, and track) less travelled. Final thanks go to Penny & Adrian, and Jeannie & Merv: without you the logistical challenges could well have found us filing this adventure in the 'too hard' category. And of course to Marg... Whatever she cooks up next (and I have some idea what it is) it will be epic!
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