We had hoped for a clear, still wintry day to ride up past the base of Mt Hutt into the wide Rakaia valley beyond. We got half of our wish.

Clear it was, but the opposite of still. “Quite windy, isn’t it?” a few drivers remarked on the way out, noting the swaying pines. We weren’t prepared for the Antarctic gale roaring down the valley towards and through us.

So it was a slow start, with eight of us bunched together for morale, stopping regularly to whinge about the headwind.

Generally we calculated that downhill into the wind was like flat, flat was like uphill and uphill was not fit for print.

We were riding along a gravel road that never deviated far from the broad riverbed. This made sure the ride was always scenic, and the view of the bigger mountains up in the headwaters of the Rakaia gradually became a part of the view.

The return journey absolutely flew. Worth the wait, and we even got to play tour guide to some 4WD Japanese tourists heading up the valley.

Hororata Café Serviette Notes

(ED: Get the real image from someone... ) 

LEFT: Team Ground Effect rolls down the Rakaia Valley on a glorious looking day.