Spooners Tunnel

Sunday 24^th December – Christmas Eve

We expected a chorus of birds this morning, but the tui and bellbird must have flown somewhere else for their morning squawk as we managed to doze for a while after the sun rose.  In fact quite a lot, because we didn’t get organised to leave until well after 10.00.  Our first stop was Motueka (insect repellent and shampoo were a couple of necessities we had forgotten to pack).  I have never seen it so busy in a supermarket – we usually avoid the shops in the days leading up to Christmas and I now remember why.  Trolley traffic jam and with no lane markings it felt like being caught up in the Arc de Triumphe.  We escaped!!

We also had a little nosey at the Motueka market, bought a few gifts and regretted having such a big, late breakfast.  Dumplings and kebabs would have made an appetising brunch.  We picked up some leaflets at the information centre and later on that day realised we should have paid $2.50 for each of them.  Hopefully, the centre will be open when we go past next so I can become an "honest" shop lifter.  

We drove through some back roads (Moutere Valley) through brown fields, stand alone decorated Christmas trees and forests to Belgrove.  We picnicked on the side of the road (same place as Easter time when the track was closed due to flooding).  In the heat of the day we cycled to Spooners Tunnel (which also features in the NZ Historical Trust magazine this month).  Great ride, all uphill there – but pretty gentle.  The tunnel is the fifth longest open to cyclists and walkers in the world – 1.3 and something kilometres.  Built in 1893-95 and decommissioned in 1955 with the closing of the railway track from Nelson to Westport.  Riding along I lamented the loss of railways and the advent of articulated trucks on the roads - wouldn't our roads be safer and the road toll far less? Apparently, the locals thought so too, as they sat on the tracks trying to prevent the closure. 

The tunnel was pretty amazing - smooth gravelled floor meant we could speed along through the sooty concrete blocks guided by little reflector lights and our own brighter lights. The speed limit was 15 km an hour, but it was too dark to tell how fast we travelled and really we didn't care.  It was so much fun and oh so cool (probably cheese making temperature) so after our return journey we decided to do a repeat. 

Back to the car was rather a bumpy affair - our bones shook under our shuddering bikes sped as we let fly down the rocky path.  No flat tyres on the trip!  

On the way back to our digs we took a couple of detours.  Firstly to Lord Ernest Rutherford’s memorial which stands on the site of the house where he was born.  Then to Wakefield – a quaint little town with the oldest church in the South Island (ruined by someone who decided to machine paint concrete over what would have been wonderful wood).  We stopped at Moutere and simply had to have a ginger bread and something to eat at the oldest pub in New Zealand 1852 (still standing proudly with its own wood ) under the shade of some umbrellas that were struggling to stay upright in the breeze.

Back at our bach we sat and read our books, sent a few Christmas messages (yesterday we had no telephone signal or internet but today we have - perhaps it is a Christmas present from Spark), and barbequed some more veges for dinner.  I think Harry is converted to bbq’s or if not yet, he will be soon.