Some days you wake up, and you know it’s a day for adventure. I’ve been in Queenstown for a month now, and I’ve still only seen a small percentage of the area. I’m not one to settle for only seeing the main strip, and so, I made a point this week to put in the sweat-equity and get outside of town.
The beauty of a bike is that it’s freedom on two wheels, the only cost comes in the form of calories. With the sun setting as 9:45pm here, I started my string of adventures at 7pm last night and rode West, out of town, just to see what was there. I found some great overlooks, as well as a local trail center – win/win. Less than good, I ran out of water about halfway home, but that’s just a minor detail. I rewarded myself with pizza and a donut; I earned it I think.

Nearly dropped my bike in the lake trying to get the shot…

I woke up today to beautiful blue skies, a bursting sun, and a vague sense that today needed more adventure. There is a bike/foot track that rims the lake, and I was keen to see what the things south of town were like.
With better preparation and a sense of determination, I embarked on what turned out to be the longest ride I’ve done in a number of years. It was a solid grind, and Strava tells me it amounted to all of this:

#stravduro 

Not bad for a Friday afternoon.
The real story lies in details of this ride though. There was a fair bit of elevation gain as it apparent, and that created some stunning views of the surrounding mountains. The setting was so dynamic, as the wind gusted through the tall grass at the top of Jacks Point, it all seemed as alive and fluid as the water in the lake below. It felt like a fairytale setting…or Lord Of The Rings.

Not bad:  The Remarkables to the East, and Lake Wakatipu to the West.

I will forever marvel at the places a bike has taken me, and continue to pursue more extravagant locations and push my own limits, all for the views, the feeling of accomplishment, and the stories that come from getting out there and pushing oneself.

Lake-side watching the sunset.