Time: 8:16 Distance: 123.3 km Ave: 14.9 kph Max: 57.1 kph Altitude Gain: 1000 m

Yesterday's windy wet weather began to clear by late afternoon, and this morning dawned clear, cold and calm. I had decided that given favourable conditions I would try to make up for lost time by combining two sections, making one long 120 kilometre run to Fox Glacier. The café did not open until 8:30, but there was no choice but to wait, as there are no services along the way and I wasn't going to ride 120 kilometres on a bowl of oats. Eventually I was able to set out, with a full tummy and supplies for the day on board.

Heading north from Haast, the road was flat, and with a gentle but cool breeze on my back I made excellent time through coastal woodlands to Knights Point, where the road climbed over three steep rocky headlands. I stopped briefly for morning tea at the lookout, then continued on to Lake Paringa, the site where I had previously intended to overnight. Here I had another brief stop for a sandwich, but with 70 kilometres still to go, I didn't linger - besides the sandflies made stopping hell, even though I had worn leg and arm warmers against the cool air.

A little further on, I came to an unexpected café at Paringa River. There is a salmon farm here and the café sells all kinds of salmon products. I was surprised to find several bus loads of tourists already there, but stopped anyway for a second lunch. The coffee was excellent.

It was getting late and I still had far to travel. Shortly after leaving Paringa River I met a young woman, German I think heading south, and stopped briefly to exchange hellos. I had been riding strongly after an enforced lay day, but now was beginning to tire.

At Bruce Beach the beach was littered with debris, probably from the previous days wild weather. It has become de rigeur for tourists to build a little cairn along the beach front, however the seas had been breaking across the road and had knocked many down. I didn't bother to add to those still standing.

Soon after the road began to rise towards Fox Glacier, and the ride became a real slog. The last 20 kilometers seemed to take forever, and as the light waned the temperature dropped, and rain started to fall, very lightly at first, but steadily getting heavier. Finally arriving at almost 7 pm, wet, chilled and exhausted, I went to the first backpacker I saw and took a room. After a warming shower I headed off to the pub for a steak and beer, and shortly after returning to my room collapsed in to bed and fell into a deep sleep.

The mountains above Haast Village have a fresh dusting of snow after yesterday's wild weather...

Haast Bridge is 800 metres long...

Knights Point - next landfall Australia...

Bruce Beach is littered with storm debris...