I covered the shortest distance yet today (less than 100 miles) but had some truly outstanding riding in a very pretty setting.
Heading East from Nelson, the road follows the bay for a little bit, then quickly winds its way over two ranges of hills and follows the Rai Valley Southward then Eastward to Havelock. This small town is on the coast but deep in an extended series of sounds (flooded valleys.) Just past the town, the road climbs to lookout point with a good view both ways down the sound and where I spotted and listened to another species of bird. What it lacked in size and colourful plumage was more than made up by a clear and piercing song.
There was a trailer selling whitebait fritters and coffee but as it was getting quite warm I had a sudden hankering for ice-cream, which was not available. The road after Havelock was the worst I have encountered so far, with bare tar, loose gravel, bad patches, bumps and subsidence, worst on the sharpest blind corners of course. Apart from working the weestrom's suspension a bit more, it just added to the challenge of finding the best line through each corner.