Shortly after I returned to the Hotel from dinner last night, it started pouring, there already being a gale fair blowing.. During the night while I was snug in my nice room, it sounded like clothes in a dryer with a metal dome with the banging that was going on with objects hitting the building..

This morning, at least the constant rain had ceased, but it was still fair blowing and it was coming straight down the main street in Bluff, just the direction I wanted to go.. The harbour had quite a chop and white caps and the Stewart Island ferry had been cancelled yesterday after the Skipper on the way over said that he was not returning and apparently the crossings were likely to be cancelled today. I take it that it was in fact from the weather and that the Skipper did not have a Heidi in Oban!!

After a leisurely breakfast which included discussions with an international guest list, I could not put it off any longer and hit the road at 9.15am. The first 10ks were frankly bloody awful as I was being buffeted around in the wind and to cap it off the odd shower would come driving through that actually hurt when it hit your face. After the first 10ks, the road direction changed which put the wind coming less full on and a bit more bearable, but it was a struggle as even the road section going past the Open Country factory when the wind was favourable, it was not that comfortable going too quick with the amount of buffeting from the wind. Luckily there was a wide shoulder giving a bit of “wobble room”.

There were heaps of motorcyclists heading to Bluff and they were struggling with the wind as well and it was only later when I was in the Cafe at Invercargill that I read that there was a hill climb time trial up Bluff Hill today as part of the Burt Munro events, so lucky that I went up there yesterday as the road would be closed today.

Although there had been breakfast at the Hotel, by the time I got to Invercargill I felt that I deserved another, so it was another “big brekkie” with all the trimings.

On leaving Invercargill, I took the Woodlands/Invercargill highway and the wind while not directly behind, was off the shoulder and quite helpful so I was happy to take it and cruise between 35 and 40ks. At Edendale where there is a massive Fontera factory, the road direction changed and the wind was not quite as helpful, but certainly better than being on the nose..

The rumble strips are back, but at least there was a wide shoulder to the left of them so they were not really as much of an issue as they had been in the north.

Riding through Mataura (Justin Marshall’s home town), there were a few house “do uppers” available on the main street right opposite the Freezing works or massive factory that was there which is now being demolished with about 6 diggers that I could see on site, some of them on level 1. Looked like the CBD in Christchurch post earthquake.

Cruised the rest of the way to Gore and checked into the booked motel and a bit of extra room tonight as have a 1 bedroom unit. It was good to check in early at just on 2pm to get the domestics done and then wander into town for a few groceries and a coffee. By late afternoon it was pouring and basically has not stopped since… There was an article in the local Gore newspaper that Monday of this week had been the coldest on record and farmers are complaining about the “big wet”.

Total ks for the day was only 93 with an average of 26.8 which I was happy with given the struggle of the first 28ks to get to Invercargill. Somewhat surprisingly on what seems a “flat” road, there was a climbing elevation of 525m.

Certainly feels good to be heading home so nearly time to get the jug on for a cuppa!!