In April 2022, Rhonda and Rob Cave set out on a 306km bike adventure on the Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail.
This April 2022, Rhonda and Rob Cave set out on a 306km bike adventure on the Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail, Rob on a normal bike & Rhonda on a mountain E-tricycle. According to Rhonda, completing this ride was one of the highlights of her life due to her having a brain aneurysm at 17 years old in (1987) which partially paralyzed Rhonda's right side of her body.
When Rhonda saw a fat tyred tricycle in a bike shop window in New Brighton a year ago, her mind went into overdrive thinking about the opportunities this could open for her. Once the trike was hers, and after changing the pedals to better hold her foot she trained every chance she could get to get her fitness up. For their trip, Rhonda and Rob used their campervan for accommodation and so Rob could leapfrog ahead and cycle back to meet up with Rhonda along the trail.
This is how Rhonda and Rob's trip played out in Rhonda's words:
1st April, Day 1, Jollie car park to Tekapo B Power Station
We got to Jollie car park at the top of Lake Pukaki after driving 5hrs from home in North Canterbury. I biked down the long-corrugated gravel road, under the penstocks of the Tekapo B power station to the camping area where we stayed our first night. During our ride, we experienced stunning views of Aoraki/Mt Cook & Lake Pukaki.
Meanwhile, Rob biked further up the rough track to Rotten Tommy, which is where the helicopter drops you, if you start from Mt Cook village, then back to Jollie Car Park. He then drove down past me to the camping area and biked back up to meet me. This was how we would manage for the next 9 days.
|
|   |
2nd April, Day 2, Tekapo B Power Station to Twizel
Day 2 started foggy and did not clear until midday. Rob drove the van to the Salmon Shop at Lake Pukaki Visitors Centre and biked back. I biked along Hayman Rd to meet up with Rob and we biked together in the fog to the Salmon Shop. The fog cleared and we had an awesome view looking back to Aoraki/Mt Cook while we covered the long open tussock grassland area to Twizel.
We then stayed the night at Lake Poaka Campground, where we experienced gorgeous views and a sunny afternoon.
3rd April, Day 3, Pukaki Canal, Glen Lyon Rd to Lake Ohau Village
The third day continued the pattern by beginning with fog but once again clearing by midday. I biked up Glen Lyon Rd and alongside the canal. The fog was so thick I could not see to the other side. I reached Lake Ohau and waited for Rob to come around the lake to meet me and we biked together to where Rob had left the van at Lake Middleton camping area.
 |  |  |
4th April, Day 4, Historic Woolshed, Clay Cliffs to Ahuriri Campsite.
This morning Rob biked up to the High Point on the Tambrae Track and back. I could not go on this track because it was too narrow, steep, and rocky for my trike.
When Rob came back, we drove to the Historic Woolshed and I cycled back down the Quailburn Road, sometimes reaching an exhilarating 35km/h on the downhill gravel road. I took a detour into the Clay Cliffs and experienced some stunning views, before heading to the Ahuriri Campsite. Meanwhile, Rob biked from the Historic Woolshed up to the High Point and back, this time from the other direction, then met me at our overnight camping spot by the Ahuriri River.
5th April, Day 5, Omarama to Sailors Cutting
Today was a short day for me biking only from Omarama to Sailors Cutting. I could not bike the next stage to Benmore Dam as it was too narrow and steep with sheer drop-offs down to the lake for my trike. I also decided not to ride the alternative route along the busy highway. However, Rob found the new trail beside the lake a highlight and great fun on his bike. We went back again to Ahuriri Campsite for the night.
6th April, Day 6, Benmore Dam to Kurow
A beautiful fine day saw me biking along the North side of Lake Aviemore meeting up with Rob again about halfway to the dam. We then had lunch in the van at Aviemore Dam before I set off again past the Wharekuri Ruins down the Waitaki River. I experienced gorgeous views down the valley and an easy track for the trike. We then stayed at Kurow Motor Camp for 2 nights.
7th April, Day 7, Day Off
We decided to take a break from the trail on Day 7 but did some biking anyway around Kurow and up the Hakataramea River road. After that we had a lovely relaxing long lunch at a local winery.
8th April, Day 8, Kurow to Elephant Rocks
On day 8, I set off from Kurow Motor Camp alongside the braided Waitaki River on a nice easy rolling trail passing through the wetlands to our overnight stop at the Duntroon Domain. We decided to bike on to the spectacular Elephant Rocks in the afternoon and had an enjoyable wander around taking photos. Doing this stretch on this day reduced the distance we needed to cover the final day on the long haul to the finish.
LAST DAY, 9th April, Day 9, Elephant Rocks to Oamaru
On the final day, after 9 days of biking, my left knee and calf muscle were feeling sore because in my case my left leg does most of the work. Rob parked the van at Island Cliff and came back to meet me. I had trouble coming out of "Aslan's Camp", where the filming of "The Lion, Witch & Wardrobe" was done. There was a series of tight, uneven bends going up a steep and narrow hill. I managed to get around the first bend but struggled to get past the second bend. Thank goodness for cellphones, Rob came to rescue me. We then went through the Rakis Railway Tunnel out to the rolling hills and could see the ocean and Oamaru way in the distance.
We were now down to the last 20kms when to my shock I saw my brothers coming up the track to surprise me and bike the last 20km with us, such a nice gesture! As it was such a nice day, we had a beer at the Enfield Pub before proceeding to Oamaru where more surprises awaited me. When we pedaled our way down to the finishing point, we met my daughters who were waiting for us with a glass of champagne for me. Wow!
That evening we stayed at a good friend's house where my mum and dad were also able to join us. I felt so lucky, my entire family had come to celebrate my journey!
Sadly, our awesome journey cycling the Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail had come to an end! I must take my hat off to my husband Rob for his organizing and support, and who through his leapfrogging with the van, virtually did the trail two times over. What a wonderful experience! I loved it and would do it all again in an instant.
I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all the people involved in the planning and construction of the A2O and I really appreciate that I could ride the majority of the 315km on my trike! And to anybody thinking of doing this trail in the future I have two things to say and that is do your training then, go for it!
