28 January 2018
We're having a heatwave. It's hot. Humid, too, although locals look at us like we're bonkers when we say so. Here in Canterbury, there is relatively low humidity--today, for example, weather.com says Waikari is at 33˚C (91.4˚F) with 41% humidity. Not as humid as places like Auckland and Wellington (we are told tales of clothes getting moldy in the closet!), but pretty humid compared with Colorado, which typically has single-digit humidity during summer. The other day someone at the life-saving pool (which has been hovering around 30˚C) said, "You Americans probably have heating and cooling sorted, Eh?" Eh. I have rooted out one small, upper left corner of the cottage minifridge that get's cold enough to freeze water if it is in a small, shallow container. That ice cube is the highlight of my day.
The heat has resulted in some spectacular sunsets (always look for the silver lining!) and some new adventures.
 |
| Sunset behind Rocking Frog Cottage |
 |
| The light dying west. |
 |
| Rocking Frog Cottage |
Sunday started out overcast, so we roused ourselves after church for a ride on the Waitara Valley Vineyard trail. The trail is described thus:
The Waipara Valley Vineyard Trail has been developed by the Hurunui Trails Trust to encourage cycling and walking in the Waipara Valley. Pass through world-class vineyards and historic farms, visit cellar doors and dine at winery restaurants, experience Greening Waipara Biodiversity Trails, the historical steam train at Weka Pass Railway and other activities in the area. Enjoy a trail designed for cyclists, walkers, joggers - young and old. The views across the valley to the main divide are truly remarkable.
Not too many pictures because the trail was rough (by my standards) and hilly. I had to hold on, pedal hard, and take opportunities to catch my breath. I finagled a stop at the cellar door of Black Estate and under the guise of asking for water for my bottle, struck up a conversation with a worker on the estate from Ft Collins! In addition to wine, olives for olive oil are also grown in the region.
 |
| First gate into a vineyard. |
 |
| Sheep keep the grass down between rows of vines. Notoriously shy (and kind of dumb), this group bolted as soon as I had my camera ready. |
No comments:
Post a Comment