To hold myself ‘run accountable’, photo-blogged EVERY day of my 2 week journey in New Zealand. Reward? Would see more than your average tourist – each morning: new run, brand new area. Last day in New Zealand? Kirikiriroa Marathon.
March 11: Queenstown Gardens – 3 miles
Doubtful Sound. FULL day: 2 buses, 2 boats – 7:15am pickup, 8pm return…but first, a 3-mile pitch-black run along Lake Wakatipu thru Queenstown Gardens. Would purchase a flashlight later in the day – last time getting spooked in the early a.m.
March 12: Sunshine Bay, Queenstown – 6 miles
Hobbiton
Misty day in LOTR’s Misty Mountains. 4WD tour UP Coronet Peak, gold panned in Macetown. Back in Queenstown, laced up, light jacket (from February’s Cowtown Marathon)…gotta get in my run miles. Steep hill climb to Skyline Gondola, then west ‘cross town past 3 city parks – run destination: Sunshine Bay, on the road to Glenorchy.
March 13: Frankton Track, Queenstown – 9 miles
9 mile trek on Frankton Track, mix of trail & bike path, east alongside Lake Wakatipu. Last day in Queenstown – goodbyes to my fave New Zealand town. 3 ½ hour drive, south & far far east today – Dunedin, South Island’s 2nd largest city. Inside Cadbury’s, filled a taster cup with thick liquid chocolate. Heart racing, sugar-shook remainder of the tour.
March 14: Southern Cross Hotel, Dunedin – 6.2 miles
Rain Day #3: 10K treadmill trot at the hotel gym, window view of Otago Harbour. Only 2 of 14 NZ days ran indoors, not a bad average. Climbed to the top of Larnach Castle. Slow rainy-day Garden stroll [with bestie Dawn] I’ll remember most.
March 15: ‘Penguin Run’, Oamaru – 8 miles
Harbour-walked past old rotting bridges covered with sea birds – to tonite’s adventure destination: Oamaru’s Blue Penguin Colony. Purchased VIP tickets (worth every dime) – then laced up/got my afternoon run on. Penguin Crossing sign (don’t see THAT every day), then switchback’d UP, UP, UP. Climbed Cape Wanbrow Reserve, trail-ran high above Oamaru – WOW views of the mighty Pacific below.
March 16: Oamaru Historic District – 4 miles
Sightsaw most of Oamaru during Thursday’s pre-dawn run. Public Gardens, World War I & ANZAC Day memorials, Harbourside Station, former Post Office (Oamaru limestone, circa 1883), Opera House – & the trip’s best morning sun, pink rising over Oamaru Harbour.
March 17: Matakanohi Reserve, Hamilton – 3.8 miles
Back on North Island, pre-marathon day. Quick up & down trek on Hamilton’s River Road, along the Waikato River. Lotta rolling hills, like most of New Zealand. Morning at Hobbiton, afternoon in Hamilton Gardens. Tomorrow: my South Pacific marathon, Kirikiriroa.
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- March 11: Queenstown Gardens
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- March 12: Sunshine Bay
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- March 13: Frankton Track
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- March 14: Southern Cross Hotel
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- March 15: ‘Penguin Run’
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- March 16: Oamaru Historic District
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- March 17: Matakanohi Reserve
Run NZ – Cape Wanbrow Reserve, Oamaru
Misty rain today. Day plan?
Travelling high above Queenstown on a 4WD “Lord of the Rings” tour…through the movie’s Misty Mountains. Iconic, right?
Piled into an off-road Jeep, fast left Queenstown behind — headed toward The Remarkables mountain range (New Zealand’s premier ski locale). Scenic spot high above Lake Wakatipu, then a quick stop at Kawarau Gorge – site of the world’s first commercial bungee operation. Luckily, no jumps happening today (because of weather) so I had a good excuse 🙂
Rain curtailed our picnic plans so moved things indoors. Took tea in Arrowtown’s historic Chinese Settlers Village (inside Ah Lum’s store, circa 1885) before driving UP the Arrow River – literally UP the river itself – to Macetown, an abandoned gold mining town.
Rain jacket, check. Shovel, check. Gold pan, check check. Ready to get rich quick!
As luck would have it, I DID actually find gold – a small flake (with the magic of an iPhone zoom lens), visible to the naked eye. But because I’m obviously independently wealthy, washed my fortune back into the Arrow River. Easy come, easy go 🙂
FAVE part of the day? One-lane path UP UP UP Coronet Peak to Skippers Saddle. AMAZING colour, whatta view!
Back in Queenstown, laced up, light jacket (from February’s Cowtown Marathon)…gotta get in my run miles. Steep hill climb to Skyline Gondola, then west ‘cross town past 3 city parks – run destination: Sunshine Bay, on the road to Glenorchy. 6 miles total.
NZ’s eastern shore tomorrow nite, sleeps in Dunedin. Gotta/hafta/must do? Cadbury CHOCOLATE factory tour. Can’t wait!
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- Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown
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- LOTR’s ‘Misty’ Mountains
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- world’s first commercial bungee location
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- Kawarau Gorge
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- Mt Beetham, Arrowtown
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- GOLD!
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- one lane, no guard rail
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- Skyline Gondola
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- massive REDWOOD
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- Sunshine Bay, on the road to Glenorchy
Alarm set, pre-dawn start. Not just any morning run – Franz Josef Glacier.
Woke north of town, Alpine Glacier Motel off State Highway 6. Half-mile trek to Glacier Access Road – [Catholic] Lady of the Alps on the left, [Anglican] St. James on the right. Good omen 🙂
Quick left off Hwy 6, crossed the Waiho River via Bailey Bridge. Bounced over the wooden pedestrian plank, alongside this one-lane country bridge, to a dirt access road. 4 miles to Franz Josef trailhead.
Westland Tai Poutini Nat’l Park. Scary dark trail run thru giant ferns & tropical vegetation. [NOTE to self: BUY A FLASHLIGHT!] Darkness soon gave way to pale-pink sunrise. Trail-ran DOWN to a murky silt-choked river. Rock hopped across, spun ‘round & glacier gawked — Franz Josef straight ahead/high above. Popped over boulders, trekked UP, UP, UP. Snow-melt waterfalls littered the mountain’s jagged rock walls. UP, UP, UP. Nearing the glacier base, read a Park placard detailing the death of multiple adventurists, following an earthquake initiated rock slide. Ok, enough – but jeez, it’s beautiful here. When it’s my time, let it happen quick…somewhere high in elevation, surrounded by snow (my humble Alpinist prayer ❤).
Waterfall-played on the return trek to town. 5 hour drive ahead, heading East now. Tonite’s destination: Queenstown, NZ’s hippie-happy Boulder. Ski town built on the shores of Lake Wakatipu.
Close 30 minutes from Franz Josef, River Walk hiked. Bright morning sun poured over Fox Glacier (popular heli tours buzzed overhead). WOW, whatta view! Lunched an hour later in Haast, before travelling a narrow rocky stretch – ‘The Neck’ – between lakes Wanaka & Hāwea. Foothills of the surrounding Southern Alps mirrored off these glacier-fed waters. Stunning.
Apartment dwelling 3-nights in Queenstown. Tomorrow morning: touring Doubtful Sound – 2 buses, 2 boats. But first, burger & a pint in Queenstown Gardens. One week down, one week to go…vacations go so fast.
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- mountain sunrise
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- glacier gawking – WOW!
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- fave New Zealand sign
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- snow-melt spillway
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- glaciers, boulders, waterfalls & altitude — fave NZ run, nothing better!
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- return trek over Bailey Bridge
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- Yikes!
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- River Walk hike
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- Southern Alps mirror off these glacier-fed waters
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- Lake Wakatipu
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- burger & a pint in Queenstown Gardens
…meanwhile, far far away — the Colorado Marathon…me [Captain America] in the upper right promo ad 🙂
Franz Josef Glacier
