RobiNZ Personal Blog

Otematata to Oamaru | Time Out 2021-22 Otematata Oamaru Drive

Time to farewell Lake Escape Apartment, that last, last, last, look to check you haven't left anything behind... Another lovely Benmore morning. I drove the road ridden yesterday, along Lake Aviemore, heading for an Oamaru overnight stop. Scars of the incredible geological forces that shape this land are evident. Back to Kurow I hadn't had any breakfast, for a good reason as driving past Waitaki Braids. Parked the Bravo next to a younger (supposedly a class smaller, but is it?) sibling, a Fiat Punto! This cute customer dog was eagerly greeting every arrival. Waitaki Braids take French Toast and Coffee... Read more →

A2O Reprise | Otematata to Kurow (Waitaki Braids) | Time Out 2021-22 Otematata

Let's be honest, today's ride is all about lunch... I was back on En-Trance Rob, although quite a lot of tarmac today there is enough gravel trail to keep it happy. Besides, ~90km is a bit far for me on a two-speed, due to still broken gearshift, gravel bike! Another calm morning ride towards Benmore Dam. The weather was overcast, cool again (10°C), but forecast to improve and warm up. Love this view even with the hydropower infrastructure in the foreground. Lake Benmore, calm. Benmore Dam lookout, today it's downhill on the other side of the dam and along Te... Read more →

A2O New | Otematata to Sailors Cutting (Lake Benmore) | Time Out 2021-22 Otematata

When we rode the Alps to Ocean Trail (A2O) in 2019 the section between Omarama and Otematata was an unremarkable roadside trail. In early 2021 an alternative trail was opened from Sailors Cutting around the lake to Benmore Dam. This was the reason I came back; it rapidly gained a reputation as an A2O Trail highlight, which given the rest of that trail is high praise. Meeting a Twitter mate I met Jason on Twitter (now on Mastodon), from memory via a mutual connection in a long COVID thread, and he moved South from Auckland while I was planning my... Read more →

Roxburgh to Otematata | Time Out 2021-22 Drive

Today's mission was a simple relocation from Roxburgh to Otematata. It would be my base for a long weekend, Friday - Tuesday, of Alps to Ocean A2O Trail riding. It is only a couple of hours drive but I had no need to rush. (All the 'Closed' warnings in the passes are because I made this map in winter!) Farewell Roxburgh Another perfect day... Alexandra Bike Pick-up Stopped in Alexandra to pick up En-Trance, my dual suspension mountain bike, which I left behind with a stuck through axle. Sadly the news wasn't good, they had not been able to release... Read more →

Roxburgh Gorge Trail - Alexandra to Doctors Pt. | Time Out 2021-22 Roxburgh Alexandra

I drove, about an hour, from Beaumont, through Roxburgh, to Alexandra to finish riding the Roxburgh Gorge Trail to Doctors Point. It was about five in the evening by the time I set out on the bike. It's about ten kilometres each way, slowed by extensive photography for reasons which will become apparent. To get to the trail I had to cross the SH8 Alexandra Bridge. Thought this view of the Clutha River Mata-Au was special, but it had much more to deliver this evening. Roxburgh Gorge trail to Doctors Point There won't be many words in this post, but... Read more →

Clutha Gold Trail Beaumont to Lawrence | Time Out 2021-22 Roxburgh

I woke to a cooler strangely foggy morning. Today's ride was going to be short so had a leisurely breakfast before putting the bike in the car for the drive down to Beaumont. Back to Beaumont It was about eleven, and a fine sunny day, by the time I arrived in Beaumont. Left the car on a side road and set out towards Lawrence, about 20km away. This part of the trail leaves the Clutha, heading across country following the road and an old railway line. Odd bike and Big Hill Not sure what this was about, some extreme biking... Read more →

Clutha Gold Trail Roxburgh to Beaumont | Time Out 2021-22 Roxburgh

First item on the agenda today is sorting the broken bike... The bike problem I took Giro Rob (with yesterday's broken rear gear shift) down to Highland Bike Hire, in the Highland Pharmacy, to see if they had any suggestions. Alastair (Pharmacist, bike hirer, hire bike technician) said he could take a look during the day as had cables etc that might be suitable. He services all his hire bikes in a container workshop behind the Pharmacy. I hired one of his bikes for the day so I could keep riding. It was an Avanti Montari Sport, hardtail mountain bike... Read more →

Roxburgh Gorge to Shingle Creek | Time Out 2021-22 Roxburgh

After a huge, included in the rate, breakfast at Granny Stringer's Cottage my first Roxburgh Ride was going to be up the gorge. Every Roxburgh ride was fuelled by a lovely breakfast of muesli, fruit, toast and muffins, and coffee. Was loading my gear bag when realised I had left my tyre levers in the bag of the bike I left behind in Alexandra. Had all the other tools, they must have been loose when I emptied it. I headed into town (over this bridge) to get some as the G-One tyres are a tight fit, no way you'd get... Read more →

Driving to Roxburgh, how hard could that be? | Time Out 2021-22 Alexandra Roxburgh

Today's agenda was simple; relocate from Alexandra to Roxburgh, just 41km and a 30-minute drive away. To fill in between morning checkout and afternoon check in I took the chance to revisit St. Bathans and places in between in the region around the Otago Central Rail Trail ride. A bike packing problem... I hadn't used my gravel bike here so just had to chuck En-Trance MTB and gear in the car and head off. Fitting both bikes needs wheels off and that's when I struck a problem. The mountain bike's front wheel through axle was so tight I first thought... Read more →

Alexandra and Lake Dunstan Trail | Time Out 2021-22 Alexandra

Whenever I've driven, or been driven, along SH8 between Cromwell and Clyde could not help but gaze at the bits of farm and access trail on the other side of Lake Dunstan (right of photo below) thinking they'd be good to ride. In 2021, after some remarkable engineering, it became possible, no essential, thanks to a new Great Ride: The Lake Dunstan Trail. A lovely day in Alexandra! I rode from Alexandra, taking a river side trail to Clyde before joining the Dunstan trail. Was so glad I had decided not to ride in yesterday's wet weather! The cycling would... Read more →