I didn’t get much sleep last night trying to figure out my South Island plan, so slept in slightly. I had a hurried coffee and said goodbye to Anna and the kids. 

I live in the Northern suburbs, so it is a 13km time trial to get to the Bluebridge ferry checkin at 7.15am, which I made in the nick of time. It turned out there was no need to rush- the ferry was delayed almost an hour. 

There were a lot of riders from the second and third start waves getting on the ferry today, so it was a big procession of bikes into the vehicle bays. 
I got my checkpoint photo (Cook Strait crossing), then settled in for the 3hr trip. 

Once into Picton I headed straight to the bakery for a quick pie and custard buns before hitting the road.  What a road! It’s many years since I last rode Queen Charlotte Drive…a very picturesque and fun ride, with rolling terrain and sweeping turns over the sounds. 

My unicycle, complete with new bearings, new tyre worked flawlessly. Better still, the extended handlebar relieved much butt hurt and arm/hand strain. I could ride this setup all day!

After stocking up in Havelock I rode a bit further to a place called Canvastown, which seems to consist of one pub/hotel with half the locals enjoying a night out.  It’s a pretty cute place, and they serve an amazing burger and chips…just what I need before the big climb tomorrow.