Mountain Biking
Queen Charlotte Track
Punga Cove (Camp Bay) to Portage Resort (Torea Saddle)
Rain, mud and more rain – Riding alone
Day 2: April 27, 2004
A steady rain woke us. New Zealand weather can be very wet and unfortunately, it looked like one of those days. The clouds hung low, seemingly hovering like giant cotton balls just a few feet above the Sound. It was peaceful to look at, painful to think about riding in. The rain would taper, I would get optimistic, then the rain would regain its momentum again. Over breakfast, Kelli and I decided to hop the morning water taxi to our next stop at Portage Resort. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t feeling a bit despondent.
This section is generally described as wide but quite steep in places with drop-offs and rocky areas and has perhaps the most undulation (short steep hill climbs) with exposed ridge line riding that is, according to the Department of Conservation, often unrideable when wet.
It sounded like it would be a tough four-hour ride even in dry conditions. I really didn’t want Kelli and me to be pushing our bikes along exposed ridges in the rain and muck for what could easily be six hours or more – but damn it, I wanted to ride! I didn’t come half way around the world to not complete something I started.
There was hope. My map mentioned an easier option for this segment; I could ride the Kenepuru Road from Punga to Portage, which was also supposed to provide great views. Hmmm. I pondered this option as we packed our bags and arranged our ferry transfers to Portage. The biking gods must have been watching me and decided to really make it tough for me to decide – the rain stopped and the sun ever so slightly peeped out of the low clouds. That was all the impetus I needed to ride! Kelli hopped the ferry as I watched from the knoll high above Punga Cove. That was not only the last I would see of Kelli for the afternoon, but the last of the sun as well. As I was getting my gear situated to ride, the sprinkles started again, never to stop for more than a minute during the rest of my day’s ride.
The hill that I was ecstatic to ride down the night before now was the first vertical task of the day. Grinding upward, I made it to the top, crested the saddle and began a descent on the gravel road into farm country. The road was rough and muddy, the sky gloomy and wet, but the scenery was indeed very nice. The backside of the knoll is truly isolated farm country. In the steady rain, I pedaled past paddock after paddock; the curious sheep would stop and stare as I rode by. I imagined them thinking, “What in the hell is that human doing?”
The first 7 km road miles of the 19 total are gravel. The going was relatively slow and muddy as compared with an asphalt road, but was never the less beautiful in a very wet way. After 7km, you’ll come upon a crossroad. Pavement! Woohoo! Being a mountain biker, I’m not sure that I’ve rejoiced so much to see pavement! Turning left at the clearly marked intersection would eventually lead me 12 more kilometers to Portage Resort and my awaiting wife.
The rain continued as I began a never-ending series of short climbs and descents as I roughly followed the coast. Water views were constantly to my right that proved to be a very beautiful backdrop to my soggy ride. I learned a valuable lesson on this segment – never get behind a truck carrying sheep going uphill. All of the sheep’s business seems to fall out the back of the truck, leaving a smelly and putrid minefield for one to ride through. Amazingly, I couldn’t have been happier. Yes, cold, wet and smelling of sheep shat, somehow I was euphoric. I pulled into a rest area at Sandy Bay and found myself under the cover of some of the widest, most immense trees I’ve ever seen. They were so thick; the ground under them was bone dry. This seemingly arid oasis provided a great opportunity to wring my gloves out, catch my breath and finally take a picture or two.
Back on the road, I really had no idea of how much farther I would be riding until I reached Portage Resort. After a few more undulations I spotted a small store called Portage Store. I figured I must be close – I thought I would stop in for a roadside beer and a few directions, and then be off. Sad to say, the store does not sell beer, but the fact that I was actually at Portage Resort sounded good to me!
I rounded the corner, checked with the office as to where Kelli was and then surprised her with my presence! Muddy and wet, all I could do was smile. I couldn’t have been happier and more miserable at the same time. After I cleaned up, we hung out at Portage’s pub (The Snapper Café), consumed a few jugs of the area’s finest lager, caught up my riding log, played pool and ate some tasty snacks. Dinner was at their opulent and modernly decorated dinning room. Cheaper options exist as Portage Resort has backpacker’s bunkrooms and the aforementioned store sells inexpensive food. After a beautiful dusk and a delicious dinner we crashed for the night. The rain was sporadic, but the forecast looked good for the next day. But then again, who knows what the weather may do when you're talking about New Zealand's weather.
Help Keep Outdoor Travels A Free Informational Source!
By clicking through the links of these great outfitters when you want to purchase new gear, you'll not only receive the best pricing, you'll also be helping Outdoor Travels pay the bills. We certainly appreciate this simple gesture!
