Pete's Ride of Dreams: Fox Glacier to Lake Paringa

4/17
43 Miles (1246 miles total)

I decided to ride today to see how it feels after a day of rest. Unfortunately, the pain is getting worse. It did not subside today after warming up...which put me in quite a predicament. A few hundred miles from the first town that offers a bus to christchurch, I thought I might be forced to ride through the pain up Hast pass (900m) to Wanaka, which is just outside of Queenstown.

Despite my leg worries, I spent some time at the Fox Glacier. The weather was immensely rainy and windy, luckily their are bike paths in the thick rain forest leading up the the glaciers. Although cloudy, the glacier was very clear as I hiked up to it. Interestingly, is the only glacier in the world to terminate in a rainforest.

I rode through the dense tropical forest the rest of the day, crossing many one way suspension bridges. One of the highlights of the ride was Bruce Bay, just a few km from Lake Paringa. It was quite a change in scenory from the rainforest.

At Lake Paringa, I believe I found the savior of my trip. The Koop Family. If you guys are reading this, I really cannot thank you enough. Sven, Denis, Alexander, and Phillip soon adopted me into their family for a few days and helped get me to Wanaka.

After pedalling a few miles with one leg, I set up camp at Lake Paringa. I said a quick hello to Sven as I passed his camper van and began setting up camp. Physically battered and mentally exhausted, I took out my tent. Soon enough I heard a small voice, "Need any help?" Very tired, I saw this small kiwi boy gazing up at him. I quickly obliged and I began directing him with my tent supplies. More than a little interested, Alexander soon came over and we were putting my tent together. Telling them of my problem, Phillip soon came over with a little gift. "Do you think you deserve a rest," Phillip asked. "I'm getting there," I said back. He handed me over a full bottle of german beer. Soon enough I began chatting with the family. Fittingly, a double rainbow quickly appeared. I kid you not! We spent the evening talking about the west coast, eating a dinner, talking about travel, and playing a game of scrabble. They offered me lots of delicious chocolates, cookies and fresh fruit. Telling me they were heading in the same direction, they offered to take me along!

We soon headed off to bed. To top if tonight, I was awoken to a sound unlike any other and a few rattles on my tent. I opened my tent flap to see a few dark figures running across the floor. About 6 kakas, an indigenous south island parrot, had congregated into some crazy party. Like a few drug feigns, they ran around the pen grass, chasing and flapping at one another.

They were especially curious when I put on my light to take a few photos!

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