Curious Kiwi Cyclist: Two Lakes Healing October 2018

Back home: The Seed of an adventure is planted.

October 2017 I saw a Facebook post from Mark Gibson whilst we were still on our cycling adventure in Canada, in which he suggested cycling round lakes Wairewa and Waihora as an extension of the 7 Rivers Walking project. I immediately posted back saying I'd be in should he want to progress the idea, so on our return from travels I got back in touch to see what progress he had made. At that stage it was still just kernel of an idea but we quickly gathered at least two other people, Kathleen Gallagher & Denise Ford, to begin the process of creating the Two Lakes Healing Cycle adventure.

We first met as a team in May, decided on a name for the adventure we were planning, booked the two marae - Makō at Wairewa and Ngati Moki at Taumutu - and discussed the kaupapa of the event plus how we would promote it. From that initial meeting we met regularly each working on different planning aspects of the event. My role was to organise the health & safety, promotional material and the registration process whilst Denise looked after the inquiries, Mark the financial processes and Kathleen, the creative aspects. [Our Facebook event page, WET's information, Biketober promotion, EcoCanterbury calendar]

We also met with ECan staff and councillors who could possibly contribute to the event and found they were excited by, and supportive of, the event. Councillors Iaean Cranwell & Steve Lowndes both committed to speak whilst Iaean, through his close association with Wairewa marae, became our host for Friday evening until Saturday afternoon.

So with the date set for the weekend of October 5-7th, we pushed ahead with the planning and promotion. By mid-September we had twenty other people committed to the weekend of cycling. We met with them at Smash Palace the week before lift-off to give background, safety briefing and answer any questions. Excitment about the adventure was building!

Friday 5th rolled round ... the weather was playing up with low clouds & scudding rain giving me some disquiet. But despite those concerns we gathered by 5pm to be welcomed by a mihi whakatau into Wairewa Marae by Mihi, Iaean, Craig and whanau. After that we ate a shared meal, listened to korero about Wairewa and the healing process for that lake given by Iaean and Craig Pauling before retiring to the wharekai for supper and some creative activities led by Kathleen & her nephew Dylan Pyle. This was the beginning of a book celebrating the ride and the inspiration that was to come from it.

Caroline unpacking gear

Makō - whare tupuna

The morning, looking toward marae atea

For some of the cycling party it was the first time staying on a marae; Iaean and Craig helped make the experience a warm and embracing one. The ambience for the weekend was established so effectively by the manaaki shared. Iaean woke us with a karakia, blessing the adventure and hoping for a following wind and sunshine .... and so it came about! The mist lifted and the sun came out, and we did indeed have a following wind. :-)

The group set off just before 9am, heading through Little River before the weekend traffic got busy, turning off onto the Rail Trail just out of town. First stop was on the shore of Lake Wairewa where Iaean shared a karakia and spoke further about the activities progressing the improvement in the ecological health of the lake.

Lake Wairewa

Little River Rail Trail

Iaean sharing kōrero at lake edge

Back on the trail I, as 'tail-end'charlie', found myself either taking rather too many photos or nearly crashing off due to focusing on the birdlife rather than cyclists coming the other way.
Our next stop was on the outskirts of Birdlings Flat where Iaean and Steve Lowndes (Chair of Environment Canterbury) further shared information about the work being undertaken to heal the lakes. Whilst Steve was a speaking a rather grumpy local took umbrage at our bikes being leaned on his fence, shouting the odds at us all then specifically at Steve for all the ills of ECan!! The chap did himself no favours by creating the single unpleasant moment of the whole trip!

Onward then toward Motukarara (a distance of 13.3km), across DOC administered land on well graded trail, dreading the likelihood of massed lakeflies as we cycled close to the shores of Waihora. Thankfully the flies were not too problemtaic though most of us were prepared with head nets & goggle.

In this section much of the trail is railway embankment raised above the lake and adjoining wetlands providing marvellous views of the countryside and the prolific birdlife.

The call of nature meant a number of our party called into the DOC loo at the Ataahua Reserve (Kaituna Quarry) where some of the day trippers or accompanying car bound family members met us. It was there that we 'lost' two of our party as unbeknown to me as 'tail-ender' they were behind the hill taking photos .... hei aha!

It was at the restored & relocated Motukarara station that our missing pair caught up with me & Caroline as the main group having gone on to meet Craig and the Ahuriri Lagoon site - they didn't want to keep him waiting & I had been given a map with directions so when the other arrived we could catch up with the main group. Whilst we waited we took in the lovely resting spot that had been landscaped by the Lincoln Rotary Club....... recommend they fix a shade sail next or plant trees for shade. It was jolly hot for early October.

We set off to catch up with the others, having been joined by Kathleen's husband, Michael as he & Kathleen had done the car-bike swap. We turned off the rail trail headed for Ahuriri Lagoon on Matthews Rd using both the written instructions + Google maps ......bad move. We ended up at the other end of Matthews Rd with no obvious connecting route through a farm to where the group may well have been. Another hei-aha moment!

By this stage we were hanging out for our lunch spot & once we'd got cell-phone contact with the main bunch we decided to go along the trail a bit more to await the group coming along the other direction. Sadly we missed a wonderful reception haka by Craig & his boys at the lagoon as well as a stimulating korero about the Ahuriri Lagoon Project.

All together again we struggled on (thankfully we had a following wind) to Yaars Flat/Lagoon [Ta-rere-kau-tuku] for lunch and a talk on lake birds by the inimitable Peter Langlands. We could have done with some larger trees to provide shade as the sun was relentless but at least we know that the wonderful restoration undertaken in the area alongside the mouth of the Ararira/LII river by DOC & school students will, over time, create a stunning habitat for creatures great & small as well as shade for us poor humans.

There had to be at least one flat tyre

Back along the gravel road we wobbled, passing a cool, shaded fishing spot, before joining the paved road toward Coe's Ford where we stopped for the loos. It was a delight to see the Waikirikiri-Selwyn flowing so well, while a number of tourists were already enjoying the camping facilities provided. In the past I have helped with planting day around the camp ground; it was rewarding to see the plants doing so well despite both flooding & droughts in recent years.

Our final stop for the day was at Hart's Creek where Hamish Rennie shared the story of his family's association with the area and the contribution he has made to restoration projects. Those who still had the energy took a stroll along the creek to see more of the restoration project WET has ably profiled in this YouTube video. Sadly the peerless Colin Patterson, farmer + poet was no longer with us to share his stories & poetry of this special place.

Caroline enjoying the ride ... now the end is near.

Even the cows came to listen!

The last 9kms were a bit rough .... heavy gravel with uneven camber - but many of us had the smell of 'home' and a good feed in our nostrils so set off at pace. Lake Waihora was to our left as we peddled toward the coastal settlement of Taumutu-Fisherman's Point. Whilst the land is relatively flat the wind was starting to get up causing the dust to rise whilst the sun continued to beat down.

We arrived at Ngāti Moki marae just before 5pm having completed a 73km journey with the weather goddess looking favourably on us - I would not like to do this journey should the win be blowing against us!

I popped round the back to the kīhini to catch Fiona to let her know we had arrived & could see her hard at work preparing a feast for us. As we did not have a kaikaranga and only she and Uncle Pat were present to welcome us, a simple mihi whakatau ceremony brought us all safely into the whare tīpuna.

After everyone had brought all their gear into the whare nui Fiona served us a delicious two course meal. While I cleaned up afterwards she took the group into the main room to share the stories of the place ....... having been on the marae 10x I was excused from the listening to the stories again! :-) At least from the kitchen window I was able to capture the last rays of sun catching the spray from the centrafugal irrigators!

Later that evening I took those who wanted to on a stroll across the stream to the beach to star gaze. Those that wanted to or had energy left, spent some time writing poetry, sketching or drafting prose to be shared in the book. A peaceful ending to a superb day.

Sunday dawned fine so after a shared breakfast (plenty of left overs too from the evening meal) we wandered along to the gardens, the Hone Wetere church and then along the stream where we spent some time being creative. Caroline, feeling less than creative, spent her time weeding round the riparian plantings.