Perhaps not surprisingly after yesterday, I was a bit slow to get going this morning after not having a very good sleep and started the day with doing the domestics of the washing of the riding gear before heading into town for a big breakfast as too late for any real dinner last night!

Luckily I read the days issue of the Southland paper and there were big articles on the Burt Munro weekend with activities commencing from Wednesday and comment that accommodation is going to be at a premium… Buggar, had not picked up on this earlier, but at least I had warning as against just winging it and trying to find accomodation which I had thought at Invercargill would not be an issue.

I wanted to go to Manapouri and checking out of the motel at 10am it was a nice ride for the 20 odd ks and when at the Cafe there I got the tablet out to check on the internet accommodation sites and although there were no vacancies in Invercargill, I was able to secure accommodation at Winton for tonight and at a hotel in Bluff for Wednesday through the AA accommodation site. This changed my plans a bit as I was intending to go through Riverton, but the accommodation options were somewhat limited there anyway, with most being at the beach, as against in the town which was a couple of ks away so not that convenient for an evening meal etc.

To get to Winton, Manapouri was then a bit of a detour, but I had wanted to go there for a look even though there is not really a lot to see other than the lake. There were options to get to Winton, but as the day was overcast and it was going to be a reasonable length ride decided to take the shortest route which after a further 20 odd ks would put me back on the road that I had ridden in on, this time heading back to Mossburn and then Lumsden.

The magpies were back, but they were less in attack mode, more just in close flyovers, but still a pest.. Shortly after Manapouri, the day which had been overcast then started to drizzle/rain and it was like that for the rest of the day although it was not cold.

Some food at Mossburn helped with what was to come as there were some really long straights but the gradient was slightly declining so this helped. I had been wondering what the gravel road was to the left of the left verge, thinking it might be to shift cattle on the Souths “moving day”, but then it clicked it was part of the cycle way.. A lot of money has been spent putting down base course, but why it runs parallel to the road seems a bit of a waste of time and money to me.

I saw a sign to Dipton and it was only later on joining the main road that I realised that this intersected, so how much extra I might have ridden was unknown, but I should have checked the map application.

Got to Lumsden and I remembered this town from my first tour with Al and also remembered that it was a drag that day to Winton. As it turned out it was easier today and if there was any wind it would be assisting, with a couple of sharpish rises shortly after Lumsden.

I was counting down the k’s to Winton and my mental calculations were out by 10ks on the low side when I saw a road sign, buggar.. Still good progress was being made at 30+.

Arrived at Winton and had forgotten the name of the motel and without checking the tablet chanced it by checking at the first motel which turned out to be the right one, expect that the Motelier said that they had to cancel the reservation, but were able to offer me a room due to a cancellation!.. When I logged in on the table there was a cancellation advice from AA confirming reversal of my credit card debit, so it was good that I had not logged on as if I had I may not have then called at the motel.. I would have thought though that it is “live time” on the booking with AA, but apparently it is still up to the Motelier to confirm availability..

This then made me a bit nervous as to whether I actually had a booking for Wednesday night..

Anyway it was all good in the end and the Motelier was very good and wanted to ensure that I had been credited from the AA and in looking after me and able to use the washing machine and washing powder at no charge.. Unfortunately I was in the end unit and the wifi did not extend that far.. I did an update at the Hotel over dinner, but power on the tablet ran down, buggar.

Total for the day 150ks, with a climbing elevation of 586m. The average speed was 27.2 which although there was a down hill gradient, I had to work for it so was pleased with the day.