Oh dang, was it ever nice to wake up clean and dry in a room after it had rained the night before! There was a threat of rain all day today but it never really came down until after we got settled in Kumara.
We stopped in Greymouth for coffee before officially starting the West Coast Wilderness Trail that we will ride all the way to Ross.
And today we rendezvoused with the Tasman Sea!
We rode a good portion of her coastline on the North Island along 90 Mile Beach. Now we meet again along the West Coast Wilderness Trail.
The Tasman Sea is named for Dutch explorer Abel Tasman who in 1642 was the first European to site New Zealand. He first anchored at the top of the South Island however due to an altercation with Māori, left without further exploration.
Years later in 1769, James Cook circumnavigated the islands for six months and landed several times meeting with Māori as Cook had a translator.
Many migrations, agreements and settlements followed. Every country has a colonization story to tell and there are always multiple ways to tell it.
As we head south, the temps get a little colder, the views even better and the people ever friendlier.
Click on the image below to view today’s video.
Keep Calm and Pedal On 