Alps to Oceans Bike Trip
Helicopters, Stations, Batches and Crutching
In 2010 there was a nationwide request for proposals to build cycle trails in New Zealand and the Alps to OceansBike trail was born. This spectacular cycle trail extends more than 190 miles from Mt Cook on the west coast to Oamaru on the Pacific Ocean on the east coast. We decided to bike this trail in part because we had previously enjoyed biking the Otago Rail Trail 2 years ago which is also on the South Island and because a friend had recommended this. (see my earlier blog at https://incredibletravels2.blogspot.com/2018/03/back-in-saddle-otagocentral-trail-bike.html)
However, for this trip in contrast to our Otago rail trip we rent e-bikes. This is my 2nd time cycling with an e-bike and John’s first time. He seems to have succumbed after seeing my relaxed outcome previously and re-assessing the purpose of a holiday and has adopted this decision without guilt. On Sunday Feb 16thwe fly from Auckland to Queensland. Vaughn, the new owner of Trail Adventures picks us up and we take a 2-hour drive to Aoraki/Mt Cook Village to Aoraki Court.
Unfortunately, it is pouring rain, dark and we can’t see Mt Cook or any mountains from our room. We hike a quarter mile to a nearby restaurant in the pouring rain. John says the forecast calls for a high probability of rain for the next several days; I worry about the possibility that we’ll be biking in the rain. Do we have an option to do otherwise? Yikes!
Monday Feb 17thAoraki/Mount Cook to Braemar Station ( 35 km)
New Zealand’s must-see mountains
On Monday Vaughn picks us up for breakfast at Hermitage Hotelfollowed by a visit to a fantastic small visitor center at Mount Cook that provides some history of the geology of the area as well as information about the Maori people. There we pack up our bikes and paniers with rain gear, smart wool, my camera and chocolate of course.
We start the trail at White Horse Hill campground, Aoraki/Mount Cook biking a 6.5 km cycle down to Mount Cook airfield. I somewhat reluctantly board a small helicopter for a short transfer across the braided river leading into Lake Pukaki in the Mackenzie Basin.
The weather has improved substantially so the helicopters can fly unlike the previous day. We are apprised of the helicopter rules ~ “do not put your hands above your head when near the helicopter. First aid kit is in front cabin.” We watch as the helicopter first takes our bikes successfully over the river in a large container dangling below.
The weather has improved substantially so the helicopters can fly unlike the previous day. We are apprised of the helicopter rules ~ “do not put your hands above your head when near the helicopter. First aid kit is in front cabin.” We watch as the helicopter first takes our bikes successfully over the river in a large container dangling below. 
Next we join 2 other couples from Portland and Australia to enter the helicopter. The maximum number allowed on the helicopter is 6 and we have been weighed in advance to be sure we aren’t too heavy! I luckily get to sit in the front seat with one other woman and the pilot. Is this the front cabin? 
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| Mount Cook |
The view of Mount Cook emerges slightly peaking between the clouds as we cross the Tasman river to creek landing. In that 3-5-minute adventure across the river we seem to have bonded to the other bikers having survived our first helicopter trip!
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| View as we head to landing point |
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On the other side of the river we have a 30 km bike ride through the golden grasses and then down the side of emerald colored Lake Pukaki past amazing mountain range views. We pause periodically to look back for Mount Cook the highest mountain in New Zealand (12,218 feet) which is somewhat lower than Mount Rainier (14,411). It is fully visible now and is snow covered and and rugged. The Tasman Glacier peaks out slightly below it and we have learned that this glacier is now 27 km long but because of climate change it has retreated 7 km since 1970 and the glacial melt shows no signs of slowing. In this national park there are over 142 peaks and 72 glaciers covering 170,000 acres. It merits it’s name as the Southern Alps. All of the glaciers are crawling back. However, while biking I find I am only able to watch the very rocky trail in front of me and work to manage my positive self-talk telling myself that I won’t fall. Biking on uneven rocks is actually quite difficult and while there is no steep ascension it is unsteady and requires good balance and focus. I do fall once but no head injuries!
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| Riding along side Lake Pukaki |
Eventually we arrive at Braemar Station (a station is a large farm) where we stay the night in a small 50’s style cabin (with no internet). Our luggage has been left here by Vaughn. The views from our cabin bedroom window are of rolling landscape that includes hundreds of sheep and from the living room window views of the emerald Lake Pukaki and majestic snow covered mountains.
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| View from our batch |
We join the other 2 two couples from our helicopter adventure who have arrived at a nearby cabin (aka “batch”) for drinks and dinner, cooking salmon and steak on the barbecue. All the food ingredients for the meal are provided by the lodge owner, Jolie, including salad and potatoes grown in her garden and rhubarb cobbler for desert.
The company of our new friends is enjoyable and we find they have a background of psychology, midwifery, kindergarten teaching and lawyering. Conversations are lively and interesting and we thoroughly enjoy ourselves even though John and I were chagrined at first that we had to make our own dinner. All was assured with John at the barbecue nurturing the steak and salmon successfully even without his thermometer! We also learn that at this batch, perhaps all batches, we are expected to wash all dishes. Home away from home I guess but no dishwasher ..so we are back in the 50’s.
2ndDay Tuesday Braemer Station to Twizel (43 km)
The Farming Industry…Sheep vs Cows
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| Morning Front View from Batch |
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| View from batch bedroom window |
There apparently was a thunderstorm during the night that we slept through and woke up to the sounds of sheep and someone yelling at the 8-10 sheepdogs. The sheep are herded by the dogs in mobs into a trough where they have their butts shaved, a process called “crutching”. I watch as the “eye dog” pushes the sheep together with the stern look of his eye and no barking. I can’t figure out what exactly is happening but find it intriguing. Later one of the workers on at the farm explains that “crutching” is needed so as to prevent sheep from getting “shitty”, which attracts flies that lay eggs and then maggots. The result is discomfort for the lamb and disease. The farm worker seems surprised by my delight of learning about crutching and I feel very much a city girl at that moment!
Sheep farming is a significant industry in New Zealand, which has the highest density of sheep per area in the world. There are over 39 million sheep in NZ, about ten per individual and about 16,000 sheep and beef farms. The owners of this sheep farm have been doing this for 20 years and it clearly seems to be a labor of love involving long hours. Adding a few batches to their operations gives them some welcome added income. Unfortunately, many sheep farms are being converted to cattle farming which is more lucrative but much worse for the environment and global warming. Later in the trip we meet a Kiwi man who retired at age 50 having made a small fortune instructing sheep farmers how to convert their farms into cattle farms.
We leave this lovely place and continue cycling on rocky pathways around the side of Lake Pukaki and enjoy more amazing views of glaciers, rugged mountains, rolling farm land and placid lakes. John keeps telling me this the most beautiful bike ride he has ever taken and delighted about our luck that it is not raining.
Bike trails are well marked. About 35 km later we come to the end of the lake and then head across the the “Pukaki Flats” to Twizel, a town of 1280 inhabitants originally made for workers building the several hydroelectric projects in the area that consists of 31 miles of canals, 2 dams and 4 power houses for producing electricity.
We stay at The Lakes Motel that like our prior place includes a small kitchen area and living room. Rules here are that we are expected to wash our dishes or we will be fined! We opt to eat at a great restaurant nearby called Poppies and these folks agree to provide our bike lunches for the next day. We greet our US/Australian bikers there and compare biking notes. All of us are in awe of the landscape. And we have no dishes to wash!
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