Moana to Motueka ... Animals, Insects, Observations

It all starts with a name. New Zealand is known as the land of the long white cloud. There were 70 million sheep here just a few years ago. But these days there are 30 million less sheep, and they are exporting the same amount of meat. Better husbandry I'm told. Now what husbandry has to do with shearing and slaughtering ... well, that's another story.

What's important about all those sheep is their weight. It's necessary to keep this island from floating into the heavens, into the land of the long white cloud. So what gives? Well, all those sheep didn't want this lovely island to float away, and they missed home. So they reincarnated. As busses. There are now 30 million busses running around the south island, going hither and yon filled with tourists. A few Americans and Europeans, and mostly Japanese. I think every one has passed me ... twice.

And what of all those sheepherders you query? Bus drivers, of course.

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It all starts with the olympics. My helmet was cracked upon arrival, so a new one procured. This new helmet is more hole than helmet. And for some reason it's a bumble bee magnet. I think I would win the gold in the helmet removal event in the olympics. My practice runs have delighted a number of drivers to date.

NZ has no mammals, no snakes, nothing to poison or tear one limb from limb. It's a wonderful mystery. Yet it's possible, nay, inevitable to get eaten alive down here. Sandflies the culprit. Their nasty bites itch powerfully for weeks.

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And it starts with the green, in a hundred shades. Dripping green, so moist, so tall, thick on both sides of the road. Threatening to devour me and the road. What delight to pedal through these west coast roads. This rain forest is lush, so prehistoric. Were a brachiosaur to cross the road in front of me I'd scarcely be surprised.

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Today, an 85-miler from Murchison to Motueka presented me with the following to observe and enjoy. Palm trees, magnolias, mimosas in bloom, firs, pines, cedars, and a hundred other types of tree ... ripe fruit ... blueberries, plums, cherries, apples, pears, kiwifruit, raspberries. Lush ferns. Fields of corn and hops. Vineyards. Stunning valley views, mountain vistas, ranges of hills. Beaches. Too many streams to remember. A magnificent river valley. This was one memorable day to ride my bike in New Zealand.