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Feb 9, 2017, Dunedin, New Zealand
Hello everyone! I have been resting for a few days in Dunedin, the Edinburgh of New Zealand. It is an interesting town. The streets remind me of San Francisco. I’ve had a chance to give a couple of lectures here, and I am glad that I came. In a couple of hours, I am going to be taking a bus to Christchurch, to meet up with my friends John and Adrienne.
I left Omaru the morning of 2/4, with the goal of an easy ride to the town of Waikouaiti. The ride along the east coast was excellent! Ocean views nearly the entire way.
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Great view of the ocean on the east coast of the south island
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This was also a rare day without wind!
I got a later start than I had planned, and I really wanted to stop and see the boulders of Moeraki. As such, I decided to stay at a campsite near Moeraki beach. The rocks themselves were impressive–their location, even more so. Why are these here?
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Boulders of Moeraki
The campground was full, but there is always room for another tent. I pitched my tent near a loud family and a pair of fishermen. I wish Big Agnes could figure out how to make their tents sound-proof. I have long since taken to sleeping with ear-buds and a white noise generator.
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My Big Agnes tent. I guess I have spent about 150 nights in this tent!
That evening, I saw a perfect 1/2 moon just as the sun set. This is a rare occurrence. I use this concept in my lecture when talking about how Aristarchus estimated the relative distance to the sun using a 1/2 moon.
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Half-moon
I got an early start the next morning (2/5) heading for Dunedin. A short conversation with a local cyclist and warm showers host convinced me that I should follow the main highway for as long as possible. I’m glad I did that. The scenic cycle route seemed to have as much traffic as the highway, but without shoulders, and was steeper to boot.
I got some really nice views of the ocean along the way. I am going to miss this!
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More costal views
Eventually, I turned inland and I approached the climb through the mountains on the way to Dunedin. Farm and range lands reappeared; beautiful as always.
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Farm lands and hills reappear
The final push to Dunedin required two climbs–a small one and then a steep push uphill for 10 km. It was not nearly as difficult as I expected it to be. I got some wonderful views of the city, or its suburbs, as I reached the summit.
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The view from the summit riding into Dunedin
The ride through Dunedin to my hosts, Paul and Oana, entailed an unplanned 700-foot climb, which was probably closer to 1000 feet because I chose the route poorly. When I arrived, Paul took my photo. I was pretty exhausted! Later, I will post about the lectures I gave here in Dunedin, a Super Bowl party and a ride up Baldwin Street.
It’s so beautiful there! Enjoy it to the last minute😊.
Love you!
Kathy