Rail Trail - Day 2

Typical rail trail scenery - the old gangers sheds mostly have info panels inside

big views

Me - amidst scenery

 

The photographer taking the last shot

 



look closely (if you click on the pics they enlarge) I'm on the bridge

preparing to enter the first tunnel

coming out of that tunnel

 

another tunnel

I'm ahead of Malcolm for once

Scenery on the way to Omakau

me on another viaduct

in action

old railway station building

Our park at Hayes Engineering

The old sheds

inside one of the sheds - a bloke's paradise!

Inside the museum-like Gichrist's store

 

Today dawned sunny if cold - 6 degrees in the bus at 7.00am.  We drove the car + bikes to Hayes Engineering which is a Historic Places Trust Property.  (Hayes invented fence strainers and other important NZ farming stuff in the early 20th century).  Then we hopped on our bikes and went across the road to the trail. 

The scenery was stunning as you see on the photos.  Also mainly downhill makes it very pleasant.  The tunnels were interesting - hard to cycle holding a torch.  You can steer but not brake.  You're supposed to walk through - yeah, right!  Malcolm had his head lamp, worked well when he took his sunnies off!  The tunnels were quite close so he cycled a bit of the trail with helmet, lamp and sunnies - looked very Malcolm!

We got back to the bus after 3 and 3/4 hours cycling - would have been less but we met a garrulous lady (teacher) who held us up for ages.  After lunch we drove the bus to Hayes and re-united with the car.  We looked around the homestead and workshop buildings but were a bit put out that the overnight parking was $20.  Usually at these places it is very minimal.  You get into the homestead and workshop museum area for nothing but we would have anyway - we are members of NZ Historic Places.

We went into the village to the Gilchrist's store which is famous for being unchanged since 1902.  They obviously sold out of bread back then because they didn't have any!  Then back to the bus to relax.  The staff have all gone home from Hayes Engineering now and we're here all by ourselves, except for the cows in the paddock beside us.  We are liking Central Otago.