Since I really loved the previous cycling trip I decided to go on another one: the Great Taste Trail. It’s supposed to start at the i-SITE in Nelson, which I couldn’t find because they have renamed it the Nelson Visitor Information Centre, which I did manage to find

I will use this very spot as the start of the track though, I hope the rest of the track is just as clearly marked

Looking up from the previous photo, and I’m on my way!

Some information about the trail, here a link to a complete map of the trail

Nelson Art, it looks like it will be a nice sunny day

Not for very long as a few minutes later this is the weather

As long as I’m in Nelson the trail is on this kind of surface

They did a good job keeping the trail separate from the main traffic, mostly the trail is on dedicated cycles lanes

The weather is improving again

Photo taken from ‘Monaco‘

The Waimea Inlet

On final approach for Nelson Airport

Not much traffic, great!

Many, many grapevines

Cows seeking shelter from the blistering sun

Must be good living here

If I’m not mistaken these bridges (there’s more of them) were built especially for this trail

Me on the other side, I’ve done about 20 km or so now

Bike and pannier carriers are holding up fine

Such stunning views today

Brightwater, the birthplace of Sir Ernest Rutherford, the only Kiwi worthy of being revered worldwide

Me with a statue depicting a young Ernest

And what a great physicist he was!

Anyway, the trail continues, I think this is what you could call a rustique farm

St. John’s Anglican Church in Wakefield

More Wakefield

Pretty mural

Kids who like mountain biking will have a good time here

Another one of those bridges

I’ve cycled about 30 km now and I have a stop at Fairfield Berries where I get myself a $10 punnet of amaaaaazing strawberries

Om nom nom

I also got myself a super fresh ice cream with Boysenberry, so good. Fairfield Berries, I’ll be back!

The trail continues just south of the Wai-iti River through some lovely pine forest

These kind of houses are so much nicer than what they are currently building all over Christchurch

I’m now on a loooong climb, the road is only going up and up and up

And then they have these metal barriers in the ground, I guess to keep non-cyclists out

But guess what! It’s another typical case of ‘Kiwi Ingenuity’ where they (almost, I lifted the rear of my bike) prevent access to the very means of transportation this trail was designed for : the bicycle, I guess a whole team of managers signed off on this awesome idea…

After a long and tiring climb I make it to the Spooners Tunnel

Proof: me, and the tunnel

This tunnel is 1325 m long

About halfway in, without my head torch it’s of course absolutely pitch black in here

Past the tunnel and continuing towards Kohātu

Sometimes the trail dives under little bridges and continues on the other side of the road

Soon I’ll be in Tapawera

Yes!

Tapawera

I must have done over 70 km by now and I still have energy to continue so I cross the Motueka River and start looking for a place to camp

Luckily I’m at a safe distance from the Alpaca, I don’t trust them (with their spitting)

After 81 km and 7.5 hours I found a place to camp, next to a flowing river, all’s good!

Map of today’s trip: from Nelson on the right to not far from the Wangapeka River Bridge on the left