We started today with a bus trip to the point where we started yesterday’s ride – heading west instead of east this time. The A2O Trail is 301km and we will cover most of it.
Sadly the wind had changed and we had strong head and cross winds for the 29 km ride to Lake Pukaki. We rode beside the canal at the start passing a large salmon farm.
We then hopped on the bus and headed towards Mt Cook and Tasman Glacier. The weather was inclement and the summit of Mt Cook was covered in clouds but we climbed the 250 steps up to view Tasman Glacier which is receding at an alarming rate (450 to 900 m per year).
We then enjoyed a nice lunch at the cafe in Mt Cook village and visited the Dept of Conservation visitors centre which told some of the history of the early climbers including Freda du Faur, a Tasmanian who was the first woman to climb Mt Cook (skirt and all).
In the afternoon we went back to Pukaki to rejoin the cycle route, leaving the clouds and rain behind and enjoying the blue sky and waters. We biked 11 km to Twizel, a small town built to house the hydro electric workers.
