Day 35

Franz Joseph to Lake Parangia 100km

I didn't sleep too well last night. They had the tents packed in so tightly here I was feeling a bit claustraphobic. Up with the sun I found the kitchen was deserted and I took my time making one toasted ham and egg sandwich after another. Good thing too as I burned many, many calories traversing the mountains betwee Franz Joseph and Fox Glaciers later that morning. Three summits in 23km each of more than 250 meters. Probably the most difficult climbing since the Coromandel. In Fox I took a long and leisurely lunch,waiting over an hour for the bread shipment to arrive at the local store. Feeling re-energized after eating I actually went 4km up a gravel road to take a picture of the Fox glacier. It was almost worth it. Seeing an enormous glacier carving its way through a dense rainforest is really impressive. Then I was off heading south into the NZ hinterland.

This part of the west coast is very desolate indeed. Dense forest occasionally opening up along the many streams flowing out of the mountains to the east. There are a few 'towns' listed on the map out here, usually nothing more than a house or two. The town of Karnagiua was nothing more than a mailbox and a gravel road heading off in the distance.

I was making my way to a place called 'Jacob's River' where Pedallers' Paradise listed a motel with campsites. I did indeed find a motel at about 73km in, a motel with no patrons and no proprieter. It may have been closed, but the place had a rather Bates Motel kind of feel to it. Considering my options, such as they were I continued on south keeping my eye open for a possible camp site. The terrain continued with the occasional cow pasture (no thanks) between impenetrable forest.

At about 85km I noticed a dirt path heading to the west where I could hear the ocean. I pushed the bike about 100meters and came upon the most beautiful, deserted beach. Perfect! I looked about for a flat spot to pitch the tent when I was suddenly set up by sandflies. The worst horde of the little bloodsuckers since Mariua Springs. No wonder this gorgeous beach was devoid of human life. I barely escaped with enough blood in me to continue my journey south. After making my escape I wondered what the little vampires eat in between visits by unwitting cyclists. Perhaps they lay dormant in their little sandfy coffins till the next walking bloodbank stumbles upon their scenic domain.

Me and my new welts pressed on towards Lake Parangia where Pedallers' Paradise promised a DOC campsite. I planned on having the tent up and being safetly ensconsed inside before loosing what remained of my precious blood supply when I came up a much less creepy motel offering a bed for $35. Inside and away from the swarming vampires for the very nice price of $35! With way too many km showing on the cyclocomputer I finally stopped, took a nice long shower and slept soundly on a mattress for the first time in two weeks.