Jan 31st

Last night we stayed at the admiral B and B Hulmes Court which had a mission statement 'to be the best Bed and Breakfast place in Dunedin'.
We set off at 6.30am but then encountered a problem - how do we continue South avoiding the motorway? We are going to invite the Council member for transport in Dunedin together with his or her officer to get on their bikes and see if they can get out of Dunedin! We must have asked 7 or 8 people at different stages in our adventure. However most such conversations were not brief. Woman driver 'where are you from?' Jeff 'Cambridge'; driver 'oh my son went to Cambridge but he married a Liverpudlian and lives in Liverpool now. I go at least once a year to visit. Do you know Liverpool. It's a fine city' and that was one of the shorter conversations. Another driver 'how did you avoid the motorway when you came into Dunedin; don't tell me you cycled up the old road over Mt Cargill?' Eventually 10 miles, numerous hills and 90 minutes later we escaped Dunedin!
Did we say the 'bonk' had gone? Unfortunately it returned to us both with a vengeance today; we were well and truly knackered. Every hill a trial - however we were fortified on our way by each town's sayings or mission statements. 'Clutha country where everyone says hello',, or at Milton ' a town of opportunities, and finally Balclutha, our destination today with its ringing phrase Balclutha 'the big river town'. However the notice just before entering Waihola defies being pigeon-holed   NO DOCTOR
                                                                                                                                    NO HOSPITAL
                                                                                                                                    ONE CEMETERY
By the time we crossed the truly magnificent Clutha river and over the wonderful Forth Road-like bridge into Balclutha we were on our knees. We did, in fact spot another touring cyclist today but we were both crossing a river bridge where there was no cycle path or hard-shoulder and lorry drivers particularly those with a trailer don't take prisoners so we were unable to  stop for a chat.
Correction from yesterday's blog - the bike mechanic said 'she is a tired old girl' and he certaily got the tired bit right today!