Meet Caroline and Jenny Whittaker. This mother and daughter pair biked from Christchurch to Picton back in February, along a route that included the Rainbow Road, and the coast road from Blenheim to Picton.

For Caroline, experiencing the rugged, isolated terrain of the Rainbow Road was one of the highlights of the trip. Running from Hanmer Springs to St Arnaud, this 112 kilometre route serves up an impressive backdrop of forest, high mountains, tussock and scree. Various huts and camping areas are available along the way – Caroline and Jenny stayed at the Sedgemere Sleepout.

Caroline hired one of our Specialized CrossTrails for this trip. Her verdict? “Knobbly enough tyres for the tracks, but quick enough for roads.” Jenny brought her own bike from the UK.

Back home, Caroline generally rides about twice a week with friends. Although she’s completed many day rides, this was her first multi-day trip – and she says she would have loved to have done more. In fact, she’s hoping to come back for a six week trip once she’s retired!

Thanks for sharing your experiences, Caroline and Jenny. If you’d like to cycle the Rainbow Road, check out the Rainbow Station website for seasonal restrictions and toll details.

Have a good week,
Steve

All Images: Caroline and Jenny Whittaker