The other cyclists beside us are already gone when we get up. As it will be another hot day I wash my cycle shirt and wear it wet to help keep cool-I wish I had thought of this idea sooner.
It is fairly flat and direct so we make good time about 40km in 3 hours. We stop in Hinds at a convenience store for a snack. We have the side road to ourselves most of the way. There is a bit of a crosswind but it is okay.
I think that it is only another 5km to Ashburton but it is still 12km so I have to keep going.
Close to town we get on a bike path. The I site is closed but Peter has the address of the motorcamp so we carry on.
The Maori at the motorcamp jokes that it is $100/night for a shady spot-I say that we should have brought our tree with us.
There is a shallow pool, so once our tent is set up we take a dip. After a good shower we ride into town for supper at KFC.
Back at the camp we chat with a Kiwi beside us for quite awhile. He is on vacation for a month and just driving whereever he feels like it (although he does race cycle). I find out as he was in forestry that the huge plastic covered mounds in the field are called "silage". It becomes feed for the cows after breaking down for years.
It is late when I am getting ready for bed brushing my teeth. I hear a woman moaning and making odd sounds so I go outside. A woman is lying on the ground half clothed. She is shaking and it looks like she has blood on her face.
One of the Maori fellas comes by and then another fellow to help. I suggest that an ambulance be called but they know the woman and just help her back to her room.
When I finish in the bathroom, the men including the owner are in the kitchen chatting so I go to ask about her. They say that she had been binge drinking and has spewed up on her face. The owner intends to kick her out.
I tell Peter about this as he is still awake.
After breakfast at our picnic table we pack up.
As it is too far to cycle to Christchurch in one day we arrange to take the Atomic Shuttle but the morning one is full so we have to spend the day in Ashburton until the 6:30PM shuttle.
After arranging the shuttle and checking and sending a few emails at the I-site we hang out under the trees in the park as everything is practically closed today. Except for a little walk and getting lunch at Pizza Hut, we sit on the bench all day.
Later in the afternoon for about an hour the wind picks up-very strong gusts, gale force (read later on the internet 120KPH). While waiting for the shuttle Peter gets me to book a backpackers, YHA is full so I book Charlie B's.
The shuttle is 1/2 hour late. There is one woman waiting for a bus and every 30 seconds she walks out to the road to look for the bus and then back to the shelter of the doorway. The road is straight so she wouldn't miss the bus if it pulled up.
Just outside of Ashburton the bus takes a detour as a tree is leaning on a power line and the road is blocked by the police. We wouldn't have been cycling in the wind unless it was behind us.
It is warm and pleasant when we arrive at Charlie B's. It is an nice older buiding, clean and well kept/organized.
After getting settled in our room we walk to Burger King; I am famished.
Day 59 cycling 68KM (last day cycling in New Zealand)
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