TWO HUMORED MILES ON CYCLES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 2901, 17 February 1893, Page 2

TWO HUMORED MILES ON CYCLES.

ASH BURTON TO DUNEDIN.

BY TWO "ARIELS." About 200 mile?, on cycles, on row? s reported to be rough and very hilly, seems quite an undertaking to two inex- ; perienced cyclists. However, we deter- '' mined to attempt it in spite of the opinion which prevailed among more experienced riders that wa would fail. On Friday, January 6, we started at cine o'clock, with thd intention of reaching Timaru that evening. The road as far as the Rangitata bridge, which was the route we had chosen, was rough and uninteresting, making riding very tiresome, and doing anything but raising our hopes of reaching Dunedin in lees than a week. Our spirits were raised by a good dinner at Wheelband's hotel, and the assuiauce chat we had good roads before us. At two o'clock we again mounted our machines, and were well rewarded for our hard ride of the morning by the excellent roads right into Timaru—roads, we would venture to say, with out equal in New Zealand as far as cycling is concerned. Geraldine was the next place we reached, but did not stop there. Ie is rather a pretty town; scattered, with plenty of bush here «md there. We did not- btop to admire the scenery, as we wished to reach Timaru as soon as possible. We saw plenty of grain growing in this district, that looked very promising for the farmers. Temuka was the next township we passed through, and we had a look at the Maori pah, where a tfood number of Maoris are living. At Washdyke we were greeted by a perfume arising from the freezing works in the vicinity—a perfume strong enough to make us increase our speed and to decrease our appetite. After a short ride over slightly hilly country we reached Timaru, feeling as hungry as hunters. Here we put up at the Umpire, and after stowing our steeds away and having a refreshing bath, we did justice 10 the excellent repast the genial proprietor put before Üb, After tea we. had a look round Timaru, and strolled down co the breakwater, where we witnessed the hooking of a large shark, which, after a shcyrt time, managed to break the line and escape. Starting early next morning we expected to have a rough ride as far as Parvora, but found the roads still good, though hilly. Reaching the Partora river, we found the bridge had been washed away by flood, which necessitated taking off oar shoes and stockings and carrying our machines over four streams of considerable breadth, thereby causing us a good deal of delay ; put on remounting we were toli by a shepherd whom we met that wo had good roads for a loug way, and that we would be able to act breakfast at Makikiht, which we reached after being out two hours, during which time we had ridden twenty-two mites. At Makikihi we were told that we had forly-two miles to ride before we reached Oanuru, and that we would have to carry our machines ovei several rivera. We determined to go on, now that we had got so far, and were rather fortunate in finding no water in the rivers till we reachod the Waitaki, where there i<* a fine bridge and some splendid streams of water, which looked very deep. We had a tough piece oi road to tackle now for about six miles, in fact little better than riding over boulders and tussocks. It did not take us long to get over that, and the roads began to improve wonderrully, so that we reached Oamaru in time for dinner. We spent three hours there looking round, under theguidance of some o»maru cyclists, who gave us useful information as to the route to Dunedin. Starting at four o'clock, we reached Hampden at six, where wd meant to htay for the night. At Oamaru, when fairly into the hilly country, we found it very tough riding uphill, but very pleasant going down. Under the latter circumstances we put our feet on the rests and "let them went." The country hereabout is very pretty, and we were rather astonished to see grain growing on the hillsides. We could not imagine how the farmers contrive to reap it with a binder. We found the Kakanui traffic bridge had also been washed away by flood, so we had to again take off our ■hoes and stockings and wade through the stream. The riverbed was strewn with the remains of the former bridge as far as we could see. Great pieces of white stone, weighing several cwts, were strewn about. At Hampden we put up at Walsh's hotel, which we can heartily recommend to any of our cycling friends, aa we were made very comfortable. We started early next morning. The roads were still good, and the scenery was mated beautiful. Beaching the Horse range we had to dismount and push our machines to the top. It took us about twenty minutes to reach the top, and about five minutes to reach the bottom on the other side. After leaving the Horse range, the country seemed to be alive with rabbits. They were darting across our path in all directions, while others were lying dead on the road and skeletons were hanging on the wire fenced in hundrtds. At Palmerston we stayed only half an hour, and then rode on for Waikouaiti. Travelling between these two places was uninteresting; the roads were firit class but the soenery not worthy of mention. At Waikouaiti we had dinner and a spell of about two hours before going on. After riding for some rime over rather stiff hilly country, we reached the Kilmog. Wo were told that we would have-a stiff ride over this hill, but found it not such hard work ; inde«d we did not think we had passed over it, so i we asked a small boy where we were. " Well, I guess," he replied, with a grin, "that you are on bicycles." "Yen, but where are our bikes 1" we asked. " They are here," he replied; which rather annoyed us, as our friend was not more than ten years old. " What is the name of this hill Twe abked. " Kilmog,'* he replied, and my companion laughed and said, " By golly, its going to kill two this time." After leaving here we rode through some beautiful bush country, slightly hilly. Passing Blueskin and Port Chalmers, we rode on for two or three miles, and then Dunedin appeared in sight. Such a mass of buildings we had never seen before. From the .'position we were in, we could «cc the whole city, for we were right above it. After a winding up-and-down.-hUI ride, we entered Dunedin, feeling fit to ride another fifty miles, after a very pleasant trip of three days. All along the roads we were treated with the greatest kindness, and that combined with the pretty country and splendid roads made us feel as if those who had stayed at home had lost a gteat deal of pleasure in not being with us. In conclusion let me say that it was one of the moat pleasant trips we hive * eve.r b^d, and we would heartily recommend it to our brother cycli&ta for tfca coming Enter holidays,