Day 24 Hokitika to Franz Josef

 Day 24 Hokitika to Franz Josef

I rolled into Franz just on dark after a P.B. 141 kms. Was having a family call and showed them the sunset, it was dark already in Auckland. The photos were all taken today.
The pros machines lined up outside a cafe in Hokitika. They were lazing around inside ready to spin into action at a moments notice... Like fighter pilots taking on the enemy.

They finally caught me at Hari Hari where I thought my tyre was splitting down the seam and was frantically organizing Jade and Rodney to get a couple couriered down. No panic they assured me. They are made like that, joined in the middle. Crisis over.

I trundled and they passed me a couple of times and were looking for somewhere to swim. The river they were looking at was flowing that blue glacial milk from all the rock ground to powder. They wisely chose not to as it was boiling down and deep. River crossing used to be called the NZ Death for good reason.

I biked into Franz from Top 10 in the dark and pulled up at a trendy bar called The Landing. I was the only one there, the cook had gone and so I settled for wedges with cream and sauce. The cycle trail I was on most of the day was super. Beautiful smooth surface and lots of information boards.

At Lake Ianthee I took a photo of Kathy of Hari Hari backing the Rav 4 into the water to pick up their fizz boat. Her and Martina are both at university. She could get a first class honours in trailer backing. Went in first pop and she never stopped yakking to me.

I recalled staying in that exact spot when about 10 on a caravan tour with my folks. We got attacked by bugs at night. There was an old log in the water and dad said don't push it out. People had boats out there. Later I gave it a nudge and in the morning it was way out lurking ready to attack any boats. Dad was concerned and told the boaties but I just had to suffer in silence. He was good like that. Once I came home on my bike after being out all day with mates and they were out the front talking to friends who were leaving. Mum whipped a brand new packet of menthol cigarettes out of my top shirt pocket. I was busted. They never said a word. Today it would be rounds of restorative meetings and hand wringing. I did enough of that on my own. 

There is a photo of men working the track. They were spreading shingle and rolling it flat. There were tracks of wild pigs along where they hadn't yet rolled.