Day Four - hodder river to hamner springs

I am falling behind on the blog, it's now the start of day 5. Yesterday was an 12hr ride. We arrived at Hamner after 8pm and checked into hotel, stored bikes, a quick shower and onto the Indian restaurant next door before they closed at 9pm.

It wad an excellent meal.. we were all starving. Then a quick walk through the small town, which was mostly closed and back to bed, too tired to do anything. 

It's now 6am and I'm contemplating the day ahead, but need to finish Day Four.

I am now confusing myself as this is still entry for day Four.

We surfaces from out tests at 6am, the clouds were low over the hills, weather still and dry. We didn't manage to get organized any quicker, not getting away until 8am.

Lindsey, Sonia and Frazer (dad, mum and son) shared the camp with us, they had a car and 3 bikes and are also going the S2S, Sharing the driving between stops. They left ahead.ofnus and we'd see them along the way. Sonia and Frazer riding today. 

The first stage from Hodder to Molesworth camp was 45km with 1040m climbing, 2 steep spikes which would test our already tired legs. Road was in good condition and we made good progress arriving for lunch at the camp. The fill the tank with dehydrated meals before the final push to Ward Pass at over 1100m and onward to Hamner for another 86km, 880m climbing. 

The elevation map looked mostly downhill for 50km, before rising for 10k then dropping sharply into Hamner.

With the Southerland in our faces it didn't feel like downhill and we pressed on over Isolated Flats, that's the name not my description, although it is well named.

We arrived at Acheron campsite for miso/tea and some snakes before the final climb out of the molesworth. 

The steep drop into hamner was on a cut out gravel/rocky road which was not pleasant to navigate, and final road section into out destination was a high for me. Looked flat be seemed to accelerate at a nice pace past the expanse of pine trees into the picturesque village.

HIGH AND LOWS (low highs not low lows)

Amanda: reaching ward pass, downhill into hamner

iain: 'flat' road into hamner after downhill, which looked flat but i continued to accelerate without peddling. Section before Archon camp, was struggling to keep up and navigate with the group.

James: Dramatic scenery. Head wind across Islolated flats