Kaiapoi to Rangiora via Passchendaele Memorial Path

Time:  2.5 hours (includes coffee) (cycling one hour each way)
Distance: 9.4 km
Start: Tom Ayers Reserve, Charles Street, Kaiapoi
Finish:  Same place - it's there and back
Date: Friday 22nd March

We pfaffed around loading the bikes, doubling checking that everything was tied down securely, then drove to Kaiapoi and parked near the replica paddle steamer "Kaiapoi River Queen" on the northern bank. We pfaffed around unloading the bikes and got directly onto the river path at Raven Quay. 

The Kaiapoi River is pretty, with willows draping into the water and ducks bobbing along. There are a couple of footbridges to bypass, the first, Mandeville Bridge, and a second one (unnamed) near the corner of Smith's Street and Raven's Street North where the Passchendaele Memorial Path offically starts. The 8 km path linking Kaiapoi and Rangiora, was officially opened in 2018 and is one of the Waimakariri connector pathways. The name Passchendaele is because [and I find this somewhat obscure] the Waimakariri region's twin is Zonnebeke, Belgium where the Battle of Passchendaele occurred in 1917, claiming many New Zealand lives. 

We cycled next to the river, along a stop bank, under the motorway bridge, then, after a bit of a dog-leg via Skewbank Lane, we came to the main trunk railway line that runs from Christchurch to Picton. The cycle path turned at this point and from here, ran parallel to the railway line and the aptly named Lineside Road. Lineside Road is pretty busy - but we were away from the main traffic and so it was fairly pleasant, with wheat fields on one side and the Canterbury foothills in the distance. Pukeko were comically milling about and we paused to say hi to a couple of scrawny chickens and eat some haws (a.k.a cheese breads) off the hawthorn trees which line the path. 

The Passchendaele Memorial Path officially stops at the corner of Southbrook and Todds Road - fairly close to the golden arches of McDonalds. Here the cycle path petered out altogether and we were left to run (or bike) the gauntlet of the busy busy main road.  Yikes. But we were determined to get to Rangiora town center and get a coffee - preferable not from a McCafe. 

We nearly missed the large "Town Center" sign and the turn-off to Percival Street - but luckily we paused to check the map in the nick of time and saved ourselves a circumnavigation of Rangiora suburbia. We parked and locked the bikes at the library and Kim directed us on foot to Fresca Cafe where they have a fabulous Italian delicatessen and the most amazing Portuguese tarts. The hardship of cycling the main road was worth it just for those tarts alone. 

Back at the library, we checked out "Abstract Horizons Glass and Oil" by Jackie Hancock and Sarah Beal at the Chamber Gallery Rangiora. We unlocked the bikes and headed back to Kaiapoi. Despite a brisk easterly, somehow the return always seems quicker.  It was good to get off the main road and back on the bike paths though.

We pfaffed around loading the bikes back onto the car but it was a quick trip home and when I dropped Kim off, she supplied me with clusters of chardonnay grapes from her garden. I'm munching on them right now, sweet and piquant all at the same time, and I reckon they would make a fine wine.