Day 2 – Molesworth Cobb Cottage to Hanmer Springs 85 + 9km
Ranger had kindly agreed to open the gate for us at 6am, which meant people were up & at ‘em at 5. I tried to sleep a bit longer (I am on holiday after all!) but gave up soon after. Ate breakfast with Paul & others at table, Paul’s lighter had conked, so no hot baked beans for him. We were entertained watching Paul shovel in a pile of cold baked beans, chew briefly, then vomit them back up into the nearby bushes (think Paul also had heat-stroke). I managed to get down 95% of my BackCountry Apple Pie, leaving the remainder.
Had a failure of my own – gas canister would not re-seal when I unscrewed from stove. Gas everywhere! I dumped canister outside tent where it continued to splutter & fart every now & again. I didn’t want to take it with me, so waited until the last rider had left before unceremoniously dumping it into the bushes (naughty! – but at least I didn’t put it in the long drop...)
Rolling along it wasn’t long before the climb up Ward’s Pass loomed. It actually wasn’t that bad when compared to Heartbreak Hill yesterday & I found myself at the top pretty quickly. The Tandem Boys and another rider were halfway down the other side, so after quick photos & a video diary, on I went, to my surprise catching the tandem boys at the bottom where they had stopped for food & water.
Isolated Flat is, well, isolated and flat. The Tandem Boys steamed past just as I started up the next big hill, leaving me on my own again. After that hill it was fairly smooth going, slightly downhill(ish) and a reasonably quick surface.
Somewhere in the middle of all this a 4WD club loomed large – about 20 of these beasts steaming past in the middle of the road, creating a huge amount of dust and without even slowing. I stopped after the first one had covered me in dust & headed about 50 metres away from the road, where I snacked & let the dust settle. Soon after I was stung on my tummy by a bee that had somehow got inside my top. It flipping hurt!
Acheron accommodation house & campsite appeared just I was becoming discouraged – finally, I was getting out of this! Snacks, water changeover & I was off, hoping for a fast run into Hanmer, as lunch was calling. Water needs to be treated at this campsite. Horrible surface & a cold headwind made the run into Hanmer a bleak one. From the Jollies Pass turnoff I was playing ‘are we there yet?’ in my mind as the climb up took ages. Jollies descent was steeper & far rougher than I had expected. About half way down I stopped in a lay-by to let my brakes cool (I was braking lots) and noticed my SPOT was missing. Noooooo!! Nothing else to do but start to walk back up the hill (it was under the webbing on the front where I could see it, but had fallen off during the rough descent). About 500m up the road, a 4WD approached – they had found the SPOT – saved!! Secured it in the front pouch of my backpack this time (it sat there happily for the rest of the trip).
Hanmer was good – it was easy to spot the best cafe & 4 Square – just look for the bikes. Freezing southerly wind though, so it was a cold wait for the all day breakfast I’d ordered. A trip to 4 Square & reloading of the backpack & bags & I was off – again as tail-end Charlie (I thought) and with the goal of an overnight stop at Hurunui 50km away.
Leaving Hanmer I was in good spirits – the light drizzle had stopped, the wind wasn’t as biting and I had warmed up in my jacket. 9km out from Hanmer I downshifted as I climbed the hills toward the main bridge out of town and the rear derailleur exploded – turning 180 degrees on itself, jamming solidly in the process and breaking the joining link in the chain. F.....! Assessing the damage on the side of the road I tried to un-jam the derailleur – no joy – locked solid. A quick phone call to Sandra to get number for Hamner Bike shop (it was 4.30pm). Bike shop kindly drove out in a van and after confirming the derailleur needed more than roadside assistance, I was shuttled back to town. Unfortunately the store was closing – it was just the boy & offsider, so they had to follow orders from the owner & close. Nothing for it but to return at 8.30am the next day, when the owner would be in & he could fix it (or sell me a low grade replacement – that was all they had).
A sense of relief overtook me as I sat woefully on the steps of the by now closed bike shop. I’d been feeling a bit down, missing Sandra & Emma a lot and bewildered by how fast everyone was. After the string of problems during the day, maybe this was the culmination and now everything would be okay. I chatted to a couple of locals who confirmed that this was Hanmer’s one & only bike shop, so there was nothing for it but to remove and bag the broken chain and start the walk to the campground 1.5km from town.
At the campground I ended up talking with a guy in his 70’s who was still (road) club racing until a year ago – amazing! It really made me appreciate the universal language that is the love for the bicycle. Maybe this was indeed what Brevet was all about..... that mix of circumstance, people and places. It was with a sense of peace that I pitched the tent, then set to getting myself and gear cleaned up – after 2 hot & dusty days things were already a mess. The washing machine and dryer were put to good use (note that flowing soap from the toilet block is a perfectly acceptable washing machine powder substitute).
I did feel a bit odd walking back into town in my jacket, compression recovery tights, bike shorts & bike shoes, but it was all I had. Burger & Chips were enjoyed al fresco, before the walk back to camp.
Clean, happy & formulating a cunning plan for an emergency derailleur fix in case mine could not be repaired, I drifted slowly to sleep.
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