Getting to the end of the track and back onto the gravel road at the Severn Sleepout was a little disappointing – it had been a hoot to hop and skip along the trail , rather than bludgeon my way through on the GS .
GLAMPING NOT CAMPING Getting to Lake Tennyson I found it blowing a gale , so had to weigh up sitting in my little tent with my warm can of beer listening to the tent flap all night with heading into Hanmer Springs to stay at the Top10 campsite and have dinner and a beer or two . Sitting there eating a steak , with a cold beer in my hand , I knew I ’ d made the right decision . Next morning , with a slightly foggy head , I realised that beer must have been off . Weird how that happens . After a full breakfast ( another benefit of coming into town ), I topped up the tank with the fuel bladder gas I ’ d not needed with my stop in Hanmer , and headed north again . Instead of heading straight up the Rainbow , I took the GasGas up through Mailing Pass and down into the St James Valley . This track is something I ’ d ride on the GS , but it would have been tricky in places . The ES700 was a breeze , literally hopping over rocks and skipping down the trail – even with the camping gear ( tent , sleeping bag , chair , cooker , clothes etc ) strapped to the back . The St James is a place I ’ d not been to before and it ’ s certainly worth a side trip – it ’ s stunningly beautiful , just a shame you can ’ t go all that far as DOC has made it cycling and walking only once you get to the river . Would be a great spot to camp though .
KIWI RIDER 49