Focus on the Journey not the destination.

Joy is found not in the finishing of an activity but in doing it.

Four days

150kms of old rail trail through some of Central Otago’s most beautiful country side.

Little towns I had heard of and now seen – Clyde, Alexandra, Omakau, Wedderburn, Ophir (apparently the coldest spot in New Zealand ) Hyde, and Middlemarch.

Each morning 12 of us would set off for the next leg of the journey approximately 38 – 40 kilometers.

So much excitement on the first morning to be assigned and fitted for our bikes and finally setting off on our adventure. It was a bit chilly to start but a clear blue sky and sunshine kind of day.

Our journey each day was punctuated by a coffee stop at the first possible café along the way. Then later along the trail a stop for lunch. This would be at an old hotel – some of these seem to be situated in the middle of nowhere such as Chatto Creek, or a picnic by the river near “Red Dwarf Hut”. On our final day we had a flying downhill ride into Middlemarch where we had a lovely leisurely lunch under the trees.at a café.

After coffee, and lunch we would be off with a fresh burst of energy, back on our way winding through tunnels, through high country sheep stations, over and under old stone bridges and up long hills, On the second day there was much celebration as we reached the highest peak before heading downhill slightly to our next accommodation in Wedderburn.  The hills are just what a train can handle, not really steep but long and slow inclines and providing a degree of challenge. The second two days were mainly downhill and with no wind and fabulous sunshine days we were able to really enjoy conversation, picnic lunches, and taking in the views.

Assigned accommodation for the four nights on the trail was a mix of lovely old hotels, lodges, and cabins.  The night before we left for the trail we had a draw to settle the accommodation over the week. With much amusement each couple got to select a giant ice-block stick with a venue for each night. The assigned venues provided another opportunity to mix and mingle with different members of our group and each evening we shared the days’ events as we all enjoyed a meal together

I love the philosophy that life is all about the journey and not the destination. Our bike-ride certainly followed this ideal. We were not just all about getting to our destination as fast as we could but enjoying each part of the trail and the company of others as we went. We enjoyed our stops for photographs, to take a breather, to shed warm layers, exploring the remains of a place steeped in history, coffee stops, and long lunches. Each stop created an opportunity to head off with a different person for a new conversation. There was also opportunity to cycle alone, to reflect and just enjoy our own company. We would have regular stops to keep the group together. There was much banter and friendly ribbing and joking amongst this group of friends and high spirits were maintained throughout the day.

The beautiful Central Otago scenery was stunning, and it is fair to say we probably got to see it at its best. Beautiful sunshine mornings, no rain or wind was our weather pattern for the week. The little townships with authentic and original old buildings made you feel like you had taken a step back in time and we enjoyed the great southern hospitality, with plenty of food and beverages at the end of each day.

Joy was definitely in the doing, and while we celebrated as we reached the end of the trail, we were all feeling a little sorry that it was time to leave for home.

Enjoy your journey and  set a new direction with this Map My Vision exercise  https://jorobertson.co.nz/mapmyvision/