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Some advice regarding cycling in New Zealand
Hi,
I haven't posted for a while, but I could use some of the collective wisdom of this group. My sweetie and I are planning on packing our tandem and heading for New Zealand in September and cycle around for three weeks. We plan on renting a van or camper or truck to haul the bike from place to place and then do day rides in the areas. We plan on just under three weeks for the trip and will start in Aukland and cycle down to the southern tip of the South Island. I ordered the Cycling New Zealand book, but I'd love to hear from anyone who has ridden there or lives there. Arnie |
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Some advice regarding cycling in New Zealand
On May 3, 7:21*pm, arnieb wrote:
Hi, * *I haven't posted for a while, but I could use some of the collective wisdom of this group. My sweetie and I are planning on packing our tandem and heading for New Zealand in September and cycle around for three weeks. We plan on renting a van or camper or truck to haul the bike from place to place and then do day rides in the areas. We plan on just under three weeks for the trip and will start in Aukland and cycle down to the southern tip of the South Island. I ordered the Cycling New Zealand book, but I'd love to hear from anyone who has ridden there or lives there. Arnie Hi Arnie, I always recommend these cycling guidebooks: http://www.paradise-press.co.nz/ One for the north island and one for the south island. They are small, light and contain all the information you need. I may be biased - I stayed with him when he ran a hostel for cyclists and he was very helpful. He is a local who is a cycling advocate. I like to support that. New Zealand is a wonderful place to cycle. There are many interesting things very close together. It's hard to go wrong. Here are some random thoughts. On the North Island, I enjoyed cycling on the Coromandel Peninsula. It's quiet with lovely scenery. The geothermal plateau in the centre is a very interesting place to visit. The geothermal reserves around Rotorua are fascinating. Buses will drop you off at one end and pick you up at the other end of the Tongariro Crossing. It has been called the best day hike in New Zealand. The Te Papa museum in Wellington is worth a visit. The roads on the South Island are less busy. The coast down to Kaikoura is beautiful. You can go whale-watching when you reach Kaikoura. The glaciers on the west coast are worthwhile, but the west coast is a rain forest so be warned. Queenstown and Wanaka are similar. They are both towns on a lake by beautiful mountains and known for adrenaline sports. Queenstown is more famous. Wanaka seems to be preferred by the locals because it is more laid back. There are some good climbs in the area - the Haast pass and the climb between Queenstown and Wanaka are recommended. I enjoyed taking a day trip out to Milford Sound by bus. I missed Doubtful Sound (next time). When I was on the south coast I was forced to a stop by wind in Curio Bay. It turned out to be good fortune - there is a petrified forest there and I saw penguins and dolphins. I hope this helps. Enjoy! Cheers! Don |
#3
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Some advice regarding cycling in New Zealand
I haven't cycled in NZ, but I have driven there. The local drivers are
often pretty reckless, and both speed and tailgate. The roads are usually narrow, and shoulder space - where it exists - is extremely limited. A lot of the bridges (and there are many, many bridges) are single-lane. Also, the hills you'll encounter are prodigious and it rains a lot, but I see you're from Washington state, so maybe that won't be an issue for you! Then again, there's not much traffic and the scenery is spectacular. I'd recommend the south island (known locally as "the mainland") over the north. -- Phil |
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Some absolutely brilliant advice! Thanks so much for your useful posts.
I am thinking about going travellling later next year and have been told that cycling round NZ is a fantastic experience. There is so much planning involved but hopefully it will be worth it once I am out there. Thanks for the recommendations on books though. Hadn't thought that anyone would have specifically written on this topic. This forum is just brilliant for ideas! Thanks |
#5
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Quote:
Aha !I have a cycle this day ! Wonderful! |
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