An easy day for today after yesterday's leg breaker. I had a restless night with aches and pains all over, but surprisingly the legs felt ok in the morning. It was very frosty again, but with only a short day planned I lingered in bed until the sun rose high enough to warm things up.

Eventually I packed up and headed off. It was mostly downhill for the first hour, then after Duntroon a tailwind pushed me all the way Kurow where I arrived mid-afternoon. The cafe fed me a huge burger and cappuccino, and recommended which of the two hotels was best to stay at.

There was a group cycling the A2O route having lunch at the cafe, and when they saw my bike they had many questions. What was I doing? Where was I going? Where did I start from? Why was I going in the wrong direction?  When I explained that I was planning to cross the Hakataramea Pass their guide was adamant the the A2O route beside Lake Aviemore was much more scenic. The way my legs are feeling, I may take her advice. I've crossed the Hakataramea before, and although the way is through a pretty valley, it is not at all spectacular.

My room at the recommended hotel turned out to be one of the nicest I've had at a country pub, and the meal I was served at dinner defeated even my hungry cyclist's appetite. After a pint of the local beer to wash it down I retired to my room to ponder a route change.