More biking

No, not another motorbike. Today I went and mountain biked down into Skippers Canyon, which is just outside Queenstown. The road down into the canyon is one of the most notoriously dodgy in NZ, so off road biking is probably the safest option if you want to see it anyway.
Despite heavy rain last night and this morning, by the time I set off, the sun was shining and it was beautifully warm. The biking was good, since if you are reasonably competent the guides just tell you where to stop and wait for everyone else to catch up and give you advice regarding any approaching opportunities for leaping off a precipice. For the bikies, the track we rode down was nice winding single track with a few drop offs thrown in for those who chose to do them - almost all downhill. In fact it was an old pack horse track from the days of the gold rush. The Shotover river which runs through the canyon is the second richest gold river in the world. The only trouble was that I could have carried on with the biking for far longer.
To top it off, I got helicoptered out along the canyon, which was just fantastic. The biking guide told the pilot that it was the first time I had been in a helicopter, because he said that we would get a more fun ride like that. I don't know what it would have been like otherwise, but it was certainly good fun, with the pilot making sure that I was aware of exactly what a good pilot can achieve in a helicopter! All in all, a pretty good day.
I have also blagged a lift to Wanaka from some Kiwi's I met in a pub last night, so I'll be relocating my tent tomorrow and looking for new things to do.
Take care everyone, I'll be back before too long.