Last NZ bike trip

Our tent at the rally site

The last bike trip we made in New Zealand was to the 38th annual Brass Monkey Rally held on June 1st to 3rd near Oturehua (argueably the coldest place in New Zealand. The rally is held at the Idaburn Dam, where, when the weather is cold enough and the ice freezes enough for people to walk on it safely, the locals hold a Bonspiel.

A bonspiel is a curling tournament, consisting of several games, often held on a weekend. Until the 20th century most bonspiels were held outdoors, on a frozen freshwater loch. Today almost all bonspiels are held indoors on specially prepared artificial ice.

 On the Friday night temperatures at the rally site were reportedly down to 14 degrees below zero celcius.
The hoar frosts made all the trees in the area very picturesque however it also made it very cold to ride the bike. Ice building up on the helmet's visor made it difficult to see the road ahead.

Even the fences were crystalised

The picturesque Idaburn Dam

The Idaburn dam

Note the icicles on Vicki's bike.

Frozen Grover.