Let it Roll: The Obelisk

Welcome to my blog about biking in New Zealand! Note that it's written in Swedish AND English, with the Swedish version first, followed by the English version in italic font. Enjoy your reading!

ANTLIGEN fick jag komma upp pa Old Man's range och Obelisk igen! Som jag vantat och tittat upp pa toppen. Jag cyklade sjalv upp forra aret (kolla in posten i min gamla blogg, har), men da det ar ganska langt fran allt, och mycket kan handa dar ute sa har jag vantat for att fa nagon med mig. Det ar inte latt, manga ar radda for den ganska stora uppforsbacken som leder upp till Obelisk. Men sa antligen lyckades jag overtala en cykelpolare fran Christchurch, Blair, att komma med mig (han var inte speciellt svar att overtala). Han var i krokarna och ar inte speciellt radd for en uppforsbacke (han visste nog inte heller vad han gav sig in pa).

Det ar hart arbete att cykla upp, vi fick stanna nagra ganger for att vila benen, och de ganger man far hoppa av cykeln for att oppna grindar ar mycket valkomna. Val pa toppen har man en fantastisk utsikt over Otago, over Alexandra, Clyde, Dunstan range, Mt Pisa, Old woman range... man kanner sig pytteliten dar uppe och bergen som jag annars cyklar och som ger mig mjolksyra ser ut som sma knolar.

Obelisk ligger pa nastan 1700 m over havet och tack och lov ar det grusvag de 12 kilometrarna och 1300 m stigning upp. Den 20 km langa nedforsbacken som leder tillbaka till Clyde och Alexandra ar en traktorvag, rolig och precis lagom teknisk och med helt fantastiska vyer over Centrala Otago.

Vi parkerade en bil vid Synes Rd (vid foten av berget) och en vid bron i Alexandra for att slippa cykla stora vagen till starten av berget. Hela rundan tog ungefar fyra timmar med stopp. Vilken fantastisk start pa det nya aret! Blair har fangat allt pa sin Strava, kolla garna in lanken:

https://www.strava.com/activities/461002406

Jag ar nastan alltid sugen pa en cykeltur upp pa Old Man's range, sa hojta till om du vill ha sallskap!

FINALLY I had the opportunity to bike up to Old Man's range and the Obelisk again! I have waited and waited and looked up towards the top. I biked it last year (check out the post in my old blog, here, sorry it's written in Swedish only), alone, but since it is quite remote and lots can happen out there I wanted to have someone with me on the ride. It's not easy, many people are a bit scared of the big uphill that leads to the Obelisk. But finally I managed to convince a biking buddy from Christchurch, Blair, to come with me (he wasn't very difficult to convince). He was around and he's not afraid of an uphill. He might not have known what he was about to face either, but he also said after that he'd do it again, so it can't have been too bad!

It's bloody hard work to bike up, we had to stop a few times to give the legs some mercy, and the gates that we had to get off the bikes to open were most welcome. The climb is so well worth it though, the view over Otago, Alexandra, Clyde, Dunstan range, Mt Pisa, Old Woman range and so on is fantastic and you feel so small up there. The hills I sometimes bike and that gives me lactic acid looks like small bumps down there.

Obelisk stands almost 1700 m above the ocean and luckily the 12 km and 1300 m climb up to the top is gravel road (even though pretty steep in places). The 20 km downhill leading back to Clyde and Alexandra is a 4WD, heaps of fun, not too easy, not too tricky and with an amazing view over Central Otago.

We parked one car on Synes Rd (at the foot of the mountain) and one by the bridge in Alexandra, to avoid biking on the big road. The ride took us about four hours with stops. What a great start of the new year! Blair caught everything on Strava, check out the link:

https://www.strava.com/activities/461002406

I'm almost always up for a ride on the Old Man's range, so give me a shout if you are keen!