crossed the lewis pass on Friday reaching a height of 905 meters, a cracker of a ride, just like Scotland. cycled 66 miles and reached springs junction, which comprised a petrol station/truck stop, motel and cafe, made use of the cafe, but had to cycle back 5 miles to the DOC free campground. Initially I had been wary of staying there by myself, but by the time I returned there were a couple of campervans. Mind I was abducted in the evening and taken to John and celests van to be forced to drink scotch whisky!
Next day sheeting with rain so just went the 30 miles to Reefton put up the tent again, out came the sun so things dried up. Reefton is the heart of the klondyke area and there are old gold mines all about. There is also one working mine, apparantly it looks a bit like a quarry the sludge and rubble is excavated out then roughly sorted, what appears to be valuable ore material is put on trains and taken to greymouth. I know this because 3 of the guys working there were staying in cabins on the campsite. The lads had a fresh skipjack tuna fish which they had been given and cut into steaks, they fried these (taking over the whole kitchen) then ate them with salad and new potatoes, now for the good bit they also fed me, the only draw back to this will be that I know i will never taste such good tuna again, it was absolutely delicious!
today I have cycled down to Greymouth following the railway line. I have passed old coalmines, and smelt coal burning in the air (coal is still mined in the area), and am staying in the YHA and using the washing machine.
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