Dec 4 day 95 freedom camp on Lake Pukaki to Twizel 7:00-12:30 29 km

There are mornings when I just want to stay zipped up in the sleeping bag. This morning the wind had stopped, the sun was bright, but the temperatures were still cold. After 40 km yesterday, I just wanted to stay in the tent, but Twizel beckoned, so I was up and out for another day walking gravel roads, today’s difference emerged when I rounded the corner of the lake and could look back at Mount Cook and the Nun’s Veil completely covered in snow. It was jaw dropping. The trail was soon following the alps to ocean bike path, through a camping area where I sat down at a picnic table, got out the Jetboil, made coffee and just stared at Mount Cook. The path later crossed the dam at the end of the lake where I could look down at the milky deep blue water, a color beyond description. Then it led through a young pine forest and finally across a dry bit of desert, not far from the set for the Lord of the Rings Plains of Rohan sequences, then into Twizel, a town that serves as staging area for various outdoor adventures. Picked up more supplies as the trip to Wanaka will take about five days. Warm sleepy afternoon, feet propped up and a Stoke IPA.