Adventure Magazine Issue 220
Issue 220: June/July Winter 2020
Issue 220: June/July
Winter 2020
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Alps to Ocean Cycle<br />
Why do it guided, even if you’re a Kiwi<br />
Words by Elaina Culbert and Natalie Tambolash - Images by Elaina Culbert<br />
At a time where the world is closed to<br />
international travel, it is time to delve<br />
into those close to home adventures and<br />
support local. Quite often, us Kiwis wouldn’t<br />
dream of doing a guided or supported<br />
trip here in NZ – we seem to have that “I<br />
can do it” attitude. Elaina was one such<br />
Kiwi. She would have placed herself in the<br />
self-guided category before this, but after<br />
cycling the A2O trail with her partner Tina,<br />
it’s safe to say she’s had a change of heart.<br />
Alps to Ocean Day 1 and my Word is<br />
#Hot: We drove in sweltering heat and<br />
started our first ride not far from Fairlie and<br />
ended the day riding around the Tekapo<br />
bike park plus got to have a favourite,<br />
Emerson’s pilsner on tap! We are travelling<br />
with two lovely Aussie guys and our tour<br />
guide is amazing!<br />
Alps to Ocean Day 2: Day 2 took us from<br />
Tekapo to Twizel with a bonus explore<br />
towards Aoraki/Mt Cook. Stunning scenery<br />
and enjoyable once out of the insane wind!<br />
Alps to Ocean Day 3 and my Word<br />
is #Celebrate: What a way to spend a<br />
birthday! We departed Twizel in high spirits.<br />
About half an hour in, the rain came. We<br />
TRAVEL NZ, SUPPORT LOCAL<br />
Image: Rebecca Ryan<br />
The Alps 2 Ocean Cycle is the longest continuous ride in New Zealand. The trail descends<br />
over 2000ft and travels 300km to the coastal town of Oamaru passing through glacial-fed<br />
lakes, golden grasslands and limestone cliffs until it reaches the Pacific Ocean. The Alps<br />
2 Ocean Cycle trail is a one way ride, so you’ll need to have a way of being dropped off<br />
at the start point. There are quite a few companies that offer this service if you don’t have<br />
someone who can do this for you.<br />
We caught up with Elaina Culbert who recently completed the Alps 2 Ocean (commonly<br />
known as A2O) with World Expeditions.<br />
made it the first 20k where our amazing<br />
guide was waiting with a hot cuppa and a<br />
bday cake surprise. What a great team we<br />
are with. The ride around Lake Ohau was<br />
stunning in the misty, majestic scenery.<br />
The track flowed beautifully. The rain came<br />
harder. We celebrated making it to Ohau<br />
lodge and it was a relief to have a complete<br />
change of clothes. A beautiful platter was<br />
served and we celebrated again with a<br />
bday bubbles.<br />
Next was the big climb over the saddle. It<br />
was a day of determination. The rain set<br />
in harder and the temp dropped. We were<br />
soaked to the bone and FREEZING! As we<br />
descended the other side the track became<br />
a steady stream of water. By this stage<br />
we just had to have faith that the ground<br />
underneath was solid!<br />
Finally made it to the next meeting point<br />
where a warm van was waiting. We had<br />
done 60k and celebrated our achievement.<br />
Did we decide to pull out and take shelter?<br />
Hell no, “let’s knock this off” Tina grins, so<br />
off we go for another 20k of swallowing<br />
mud! It was the best feeling to arrive tired,<br />
numb and cold, celebrating once again.<br />
Experience all that NZ has to offer!<br />
Why not cycle an iconic trail - Alps to Ocean,<br />
Otago Rail Trail, West Coast Wilderness.<br />
Get out and explore your own backyard!<br />
www.worldexpeditions.com<br />
0800 350 354<br />
enquiries@worldexpeditions.co.nz<br />
Our thoughtful guide had already sorted<br />
our room and bags were waiting for a<br />
hot shower. We had beautiful salmon for<br />
dinner, a well-earned drink and a soak in<br />
the wood fired hot tubs. I couldn’t think of a<br />
better way to celebrate my bday!!<br />
Alps to Ocean Day 4 and my Word is<br />
#Burn: Incredible scenery and riding today<br />
around lakes and dams from Omarama<br />
to Kurow. A cool start and the sun was<br />
shining. A lovely picnic lunch by the lake<br />
(we have been so spoilt by our guide who<br />
is an absolute gem). The off-road tracks<br />
were fast and smooth, just magic. Our<br />
accommodation tonight is really unique and<br />
we have just had the most amazing meal.<br />
Oh, and the wine tasting was superb... and<br />
the burn... well that’s sunburn on my left leg<br />
and... chaffing!<br />
Alps to Ocean Day 5 and my word<br />
is #Peaking: After a fabulous night in<br />
Kurow staying at the gorgeous Waitaki<br />
Braids where we enjoyed luxurious<br />
accommodation, outstanding food,<br />
beautiful wine and the warmest welcome,<br />
we set off for the next day of adventure.<br />
I was peaking. The fresh air and scenery<br />
was energising and happiness levels were<br />
right up there. The riding today took us<br />
into new scenery along the fast and high<br />
flowing Waitaki river to the farm lands of<br />
Burnside Homestead... magic.<br />
Alps to Ocean Day 6 and my word is<br />
#Exceeded: The high from yesterday<br />
wasn’t quite as high upon waking to very<br />
cold and drizzly weather. Luckily our<br />
guide Jan was able to give us all a pep<br />
talk to awaken the spirits! We set off from<br />
"I feel like I’ve seen<br />
NZ through new<br />
eyes this trip and<br />
learnt so much."<br />
elephant rocks and 20mins into it I was<br />
wet and muddy and grinning ear to ear.<br />
Once out there I was loving it again. The<br />
trail was a dream to ride with lots of little<br />
ups and downs. We had some fun on the<br />
downs, what a blast!<br />
The scenery on this final day was so<br />
interesting. I feel like I’ve seen NZ through<br />
new eyes this trip and learnt so much<br />
thanks to Jan’s exceptional knowledge.<br />
After the last stop with only about 10k to<br />
Our Stand Out Moments<br />
• Stand out accommodation was Waitaki Braids (we<br />
would definitely go back there, it's not just a bed, it's<br />
an experience).<br />
• Biking along the Lake Ohau track, the scenery was<br />
magic.<br />
• Enjoying the experiences outside of the biking like<br />
the meals together, the hot spa pools, the picnic<br />
beside the lake, wine tasting, photography.<br />
• We found the tour guide highly flexible so that we<br />
could adapt when the weather wasn't right. This<br />
made the trip much more enjoyable.<br />
• We thought the trail was extremely well built and<br />
lovely to ride.<br />
• Benefits of guided travel in New Zealand - Even for<br />
Kiwis<br />
• Having the time and taking the time to stop at<br />
places we never stopped at (as we were always on<br />
route to a destination)<br />
• Seeing NZ through fresh eyes, through the eyes of<br />
a tourist. Exploring small towns we haven't been to<br />
in many many years.<br />
• Not having to drive!! For me, who is normally<br />
driving, I loved relaxing and looking out the window.<br />
I saw things I would never usually see.<br />
• Not having to worry! All we had to think about was<br />
getting up and biking! Everything was so well taken<br />
care of, it was lovely being taken care of and not<br />
have to worry about the minor details.<br />
• Not having to take the time to pre-plan the trip<br />
• Being able to explore cycle routes that started and<br />
finished in different places (self-guided and we<br />
always have to finish where we started)<br />
• Having a guide meant finding out about places,<br />
gaining knowledge we wouldn't have if self guided.<br />
• It really felt like a holiday and it was great doing<br />
something we wouldn't normally do.<br />
• Would be a great trip with a group of friends<br />
For more information on a Kiwi iconic cycle, discover the<br />
Alps to Ocean Classic here: https://worldexpeditions.<br />
com/New-Zealand/Cycle-Trails/Alps-to-Ocean-Classic<br />
go we gave it everything and sped along<br />
the track, adrenaline pumping with the<br />
finish line so close!<br />
What an adventure! A special thanks to<br />
our guide, Jan, I knew I would love this<br />
trip but the whole thing totally exceeded<br />
my expectations in every way. Would do<br />
it all over again in a heartbeat. Thank you<br />
so much!<br />
ADVENTUREMAGAZINE.CO.NZ 23