Bicycle Touring and Cycle Travel in New Zealand: Bike Tour Down under New Zealand north south Island.

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Six Years Down The Road: breaking even and meeting friends.
April 16, 2008 (Sent From Twizel, South Island, New Zealand)

Please post your comments and replies on our blog:
http://downtheroad.org/adventure-travel-bike-touring-blog/

All of the previous letters can be found at:
http://www.downtheroad.org/LETTERS.htm

Since my last letter we have been enjoying good weather in New Zealand's mountainous Alps and the southern tip of the South Island. We have seen the days shorten and the leaves turn bright red and yellow as Summer is replaced by a crisp dry Autumn. We rarely get to see the seasons change because we tend to be in the tropics in the fall/winter, and experiencing this change has been comforting to our internal clocks.

After an extended time in the bush and off the grid/internet we pulled into the big university city of Dunedin to soak up the urban conveniences and file our taxes over the internet. During this annual headache Cindie takes over the computer with her accounting and tax software which leaves me in the university library with maps, guide books, and time to dream and piece together or trip through the USA and Canada. (more below)

When we finally connected to the internet we were surprised to receive dozens of emails from readers congratulating us on completing six years of traveling on bicycles. The funny thing is that we had completely forgotten about our trip's anniversary. March 30 marks the day we let go of everything and started living this out of the box lifestyle and now six years later on this anniversary our thoughts and feelings were consumed by paying off Uncle Sam so we do not get deported and sent to jail - OK, probably just fined but the jail part is much more motivating for me. When reporters ask about the day we left home we often describe it like we jumped into the complete darkness not knowing where we would land. It was a big gamble not knowing what life would be like past the point of no return and how we would be holding up after years on the road. Now, after six years, we know that we landed on our feet, held up reasonably well, survived even the worst situations, and even created a whole new (for us) way of making a living in this strange new nomadic environment. Six years later we are forging ahead with no plans to stop!

What Has Changed?

Many of the emails we received asked us what has specifically changed during the last year on the road where we crossed the unpopulated outback Top End of Australia and beautiful New Zealand. Since my last anniversary letter, besides replacing another set of worn out tires and drivetrain components, we have spent a good portion of our non riding time finishing up our second book. We are so close now but have hit a major road block. The sluggish internet speeds and restrictive up/download public access allowances in this part of the world has frustrated us to no end. I could have easily moved large cover and layout files around the internet in Asia but have repeatedly failed here. We are being charged US$8/hour for slowish internet with a 120MB up + download restriction including web pages, email, and posting pictures to our web site. We have decided to postpone the completion of the book a few weeks until we get to Alaska where the deer, antelope, and internet run free.

On a more positive and unexpected note over this past year we have been regularly recognized by the other touring cyclists we meet. Humans much less cyclists were few and far between in northern Australia but once we started riding in New Zealand, where cycling is extremely popular, we found ourselves in the wonderfully awkward situation of people we have never met recognizing us and knowing all the details of our trip and lives from our book and web site. For example, we have been approached in places like campgrounds and rest areas with "hey aren't you the DownTheRoad.org couple from America"? or "I know you. You are Tim and Cindie from the internet".

I would be lying if we said that we did not like the attention. We have spent years in distant countries with only each other to talk to and now interesting people are coming up and wanting to talk to us. The only drawback is that we want to know about their lives and travels instead of answering questions about ourselves. I never feel like we deserve to be seen as more than we are. I always stress there is nothing special about us and anyone can do what we do if they wanted.

Another bit of big news this year revealed itself as a result of Cindie combing through our finances for taxes. Cindie announced that we are now (almost) breaking even with our income equaling our travel expenses. She predicts that with the upcoming second book release and busy season on our web site we should be in the black in a few months. Apparently we could say we were breaking even now but the record low US dollar has made Australia and New Zealand more expensive. The USA should be cheaper which will also help the bottom line. Cindie, who is always looking ahead financially, has already informed me that any surplus will be used to replenish our savings instead of increasing our shoestring budget. So, while I dream of getting a cheap hotel room every couple weeks while traveling through North America Cindie tells me that she dreams of camping and paying off the remainder of our house.

In Our Immediate Future

On May 2nd we fly from Christchurch to Alaska where we plan to spend a month with Cindie's sister and family in Valdez. Around June 1st we start riding south through Canada and the west coast of the USA. In November we plan to be in Tucson, Arizona for several bicycle events and to ride with old friends. If we can find a cheap place to stay in Tucson we will spend the winter there but if not we will head south to Mexico, find a quiet village, rent a room, and rest for the winter.

In the spring of 2009 we want to ride north through the western states to the Pacific Northwest in time to pick up the Adventure Cycling Association's Trans America Trail and cross the USA before summer ends. In the fall of 2009 we will visit my family in Indiana and most likely go to the huge bike event I first attended with my father in 1977 when I was eleven called the Hilly Hundred.

After that we plan on visiting (maybe in order) The Middle East, Africa, India, Europe, Russia, Central Asia, and whatever else we can think of.

Please join us to see how it unfolds.

Tim Travis

please post your comments and replies on our blog:
http://downtheroad.org/adventure-travel-bike-touring-blog/

All of the previous letters can be found at:
http://www.downtheroad.org/LETTERS.htm

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Cindie’s Daily Journal: Te Anau, Invercargill, Curio Bay, Catlins, Otago, Dunedin, South Island, New Zealand (March 12 - April 1, 2008)

March 12 - Te Anau We met an interesting couple from Africa, the immigrated to Australia from Zimbabwe, it sounded like a tough place to grow up and they eventually had to leave,

March 13 - Te Anau to Black mount 60 km After a morning of internet and a visit to the wildlife park we had a really late start to riding. We planned to ride to Clifton but a headwind developed and slowed us down. We are now at the end of summer and the nights are getting cold. The benefit of this is the sand flies are going away, yeah.

March 14 Black mount to Colic Bay 80 km We met a couple from Oregon, the hills were gently rolling the thing that scared me was the trees, they grew in one direction and looked like this area could pack a fierce wind. oh I am glad it is a calm day.

March 15 - 16 Colic Bay Stopped in Colic bay to work on the book and start pulling our taxes together. I couldn't be busier, every moment I can I am doing data entry for taxes and putting the finishing touches on our packing list

March 17 Colic Bay to Invercargill 55 km. Tim got a flat on the rear wheel and when he shifted his gear to make it easier to get the wheel off his cable broke. We were on the side of the road for over an hour

March 18 Invercargill. Met a group of geography students from Wisconsin, it was really fun talking about home and politics, a lot is going on and all the candidates made stops at the university. I can't say I have seen a presidential candidate speak and I have to put it on my must do list. Wow how very cool is that. Met Robert Esson, 77 years old and riding in new Zealand for 17 years

March 19 Invercargill to Fortrose 42 km. On the road we met a number of cyclists going the other way, a Englishman on a Dahon folding bike, and a couple of Canadians on their way to Invercargill too. Since we got such a late start out of Invercargill we decided to stop at the free campsite at Fortrose, a pretty spot on the estuary where we watched the birds come in during low tide, a nice spot. Just as we were setting up and ready to lock the bikes I realized, ok it was my fault, I left the locks to the bikes on the tree back at our last camp site, augghhhh. We both agreed we had to go back for them and Tim, bless his heart, volunteered to ride back and get them. I was oh so itching to get back on the road but yet again we were off our rhythm.

March 20 Fortrose. The day was stunning, no wind, a partly cloudy morning, Tim left unloaded and I stayed with our gear, I had the tough job of reading a book all day, oh a luxury I have not enjoyed in a very long time, thank you Tim. Tim was back in four hours, he rode there and back without stopping, and yes, we have our locks back, a tragedy narrowly averted.

March 21 Fortrose to Curio Bay 44 km. We took a side trip to Waixxx point and it was well worth it to us because we saw sea lions on the shore, close enough to get a good look at them and we even watched them play in the surf. They are such huge creatures and have a hard time waddling around on the beach but in the water they are really graceful. There was a short gravel section to ride and the gravel was deep and the wind was strong from the side, so strong it pushed me across the road. When we finally got to the flats I was relieved that I didn't wreck going down the the steep hills. Well I let my guard down too soon. As we were riding on the flats a large rock bounced up between my fender a fork and locked up the front wheel, I knew I was going down when my front wheel started skidding. Oh I tried to keep the bike upright but I couldn't and down I went, I landed so hard I though I may have broke my collar bone but luck would have it and all I did was bruise my palm and my pride. I just don't have the rhythm.

We arrived at the campground at Curio Bay just in time to put up the tent before it started to rain. The hector dolphins were out in the afternoon, the campsite at Curio bay may be one of my favorites in all of New Zealand, the camp itself is very basic, I would love to know the history behind the murals on the water tanks, the showers are hot, the kitchen tiny but we met all kinds of people there and there is an outdoor covered area that has very stunning views of porpoise bay. just lovely, so nice we decided to stay and extra day, we are not in a rush to get out on the roads during this Easter weekend.

March 22 Curio Bay. I waited all day to see a dolphin but they just didn't arrive, but a walk on the beach and we found a fur sea hidden in a bed of seaweed, a very cute and sleepy creature. Back at camp we gazed out at the sea all day and when we went to the kitchen to make dinner we met Robbie from Portland. He said I looked oddly familiar and then he asked us if we wrote a book about our travels and the connection was made. We told him about the porpoise bay and the dolphin and we asked him if he wanted to see the yellow eyed penguin and off we went to the viewing area. Tim had camera in hand and true to his nature took some spectacular footage of the penguins which are quite large. Back at the kitchen Rob made an interesting dish I have named Robaroni and it consists of rice peanut butter and tuna. Rob is traveling a tad faster, ok twice as fast, as we are and I can see the joy of riding in his eyes, some people just love the open road and turning the pedals and Rob is one of them. He is off to Thailand soon to teach English and continue his travels, he plans to teach then travel. All this while paying off a student loan, impressive.

March 23 Curio Bay to Caberfeidh 54 km. A bit of a hilly day and I feel like I am on the verge of getting out of shape, it happens when we stop so much but it is a necessary evil at this point. Stopped at a road and went up and found a corral and set up the tent, the farmer came by later and visited with us and said we were welcome to camp in his paddock and we were lucky we were not there in the morning because the cows were going through.

March 24 Caberfeidh to Nugget point 44 km A trip that was well worth it.

March 25 Nugget Point to Lake Waihola 72 km I was lucky to see a pair of yellow eyed penguins leave their nest and go out to sea this morning, the whole thing was beautiful to watch, I was in awe the entire time.

March 26 Lake Waihola to Dunedin 49 km. We may not have had far to go today but the hills were relentless, I heard stories of the hills around Dunedin and they are all true it is hilly. The first hill was really long 7 km and an hour later we were at the top and flying down the other side. The other side was steep as well with a few ally oops, we flew down one side and up and over a short hill, who hooo I love it when I don't have to pedal over a hill. Thanks Tim for pulling me over. We stopped at a beach for lunch, it was low tide, I picked a few mussels and had them for lunch. Awesome.

We had a nice leisurely ride along the beach through the town of Brighton and into Dunedin. We came to an intersection where we could have gone to Green Island or follow the scenic road towards Blackhead. We chose the scenic road and had a nice ride over the hill past a coal mine and then we looked up the road and Tim and I both thought we were looking at a phone pole is that a pole, holly sh** it is the road. Not kidding, luckily it wasn't straight up just up and short relief in grade and then a steep section again. In our wisdom we had lost the detailed map of Dunedin so we were riding blind. We continued to follow the scenic road until we came to a garage and asked direction. Easy, we turned right went to the bottom of the hill and followed the signs for bikes to Dunedin and we were in town pronto. Hardly any traffic at all. Nice. We are staying at the Manor House a youth hostel that allows camping. Ok there are three sites but hey it works.

March 27 - April 1, Dunedin - Working on taxes, hey check out that rebate. We leave when the taxes are done.

A couple of American cyclists we met on the road.	The beautiful scenery of New Zealand.
The road that has no end. View of Te Waewae Bay and the fiord lands in the background.	Can you say muscle car. Cindie pushing her bike through a stream, oh the water was cold but I had my sealskins on so I felt the cold but didn't get wet, yeah.

Cindie with Robert Esson, he is 77 and has been cycle touring for 17 years. whoa.	Cindie waiting for the sheep to go by.
She is roaring at Tim, he got a little too close This little guy was lost but now he is found.	A couple of canadians we met on the road. A heron wading in the shallows.

Robbie and Cindie riding out of Curio bay.	Yellow eyed penguin.
The petrified forest at Curio Bay. View of farmland.	View from Florence Hill lookout. On the way out to nugget point we saw this 4 wheel in trouble, good thing he has that snorkle.