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Hanmer Springs & return Via Springs Junction, Reefton, towards Murchison then back to Springs Junction 4,880 kms

Feb 16, 2019

Heavy rain overnight and again this morning. I had already decided to have a chill day today, but Norm wanted to check out an alternate route to yesterday’s ride so planned to leave around 7 …which ended up being around 9.30 which was some time before the rain stopped and brilliant sunshine followed ever so briefly. I wandered around the little village between misty showers and found the village is totally unpretentious and delightful and then had a massage in the afternoon, as I do when I can. I am on holidays after all. Norm on the other hand encountered more sunshine and texted me 2 photos only … both of his bike of course. He redeemed himself by also taking a couple of others as well

 

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A misty morning in Hanmer Springs …. and for most of the day.

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Some of the remains of the Queen Mary Hospital 1916 – 2003 which treated soldiers post WW I and WW II as well as acting as a sanitorium and covering several other health areas over the years. The buildings are now deserted but the community has preserved the site. I hope they can find long term use for them, so they don’t deteriorate any further. Reminded me of my early days in nursing forever ago.

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And the spa, on the same site as the original hospital where one used ‘to take to the waters’ and still do both locals and tourists alike.

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Just lounging about here, but also lots of space for those who want to relax more enthusiastically with slides and much squealing.

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Maruia Falls, very nice.

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A sample of lots of the greenery we rode through yesterday and he again today.

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And of course, the bike early in the day (the first one I got).

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And we should have had a panorama shot. The bridge and part of the valley outside Hanmer Springs.

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And then the second shot of the bike not long before he got back with the huge valley behind around 500 - 600m across he estimates.



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