TA day 20: Murchison to Reefton
Distance 122km, Elevation Gain 1396m
Another lovely most clear blue sky day albeit a little chilly and misty first thing. Breakfast at the Commercial Hotel Cafe was full on English for some with standard B&E for me plus usual wake us up coffee. On the road out of Murchison just after 8 am with a long sometimes bumpy ride into the valley and foothills heading towards the Maruia Saddle road. The ride up to the saddle started off very steep but soon reduced to moderately steep for 20k and a ride of 580m. See photos of us and others riders at the top.
Then came the big descent through beech forest for another 20k until we reached the highway. Back on sealed roads for a 30k run into Springs Junction, unfortunately the highway was very busy with trucks not giving much room and little shoulder to work with.
Lunch at SJ fighting off the sand flies and the bumblebees. They just would not leave us alone!
From SJ we rode up highway 7 to Rahu Saddle (696m) before flying down the 35k descent into Reefton, which we reached by 5pm a little wet from the West Coast welcome rain.
Accommodation tonight is at the Lantern Court motel and dinner at Dawson hotel where we caught up with fellow TAers over a few beers and gins.
