Otago Central Rail Trail

Mountain bikers may want to check out the Otago Central Rail Trail. It's a 150km gravel surface multiuse trail (bikes, trampers) that can be ridden (either direction) from Clyde to Middlemarch. With town names like these, you feel you're in a C19th English novel.

It's a commercial partnership between the Department of Conservation, DOC and the Otago Central Rail Trail Trust, with souvenirs to match: T-shirts, baseball hats, etc.

I would think it's a boring walk, being flat. However, it might be great for gentle mountain biking, especially with the "steamers in the handlebar" set.

I've already seen one snarky newspaper editorial (forget which paper, but I think on the North Island) in which the writer states he will puke if he reads another "it changed my life" testimonial from some baby boomer on a bike who rode it. I presume that this toad, then, is:
1. Not a baby boomer
2. Thinks he's a gonzo cyclist, but probably isn't.
3. Has issues with aging

I'm not going to bother googling to find this lightweight vitriol. There's already too much of it available on the Internet.

It's a sign of something successful when people are spiteful. As a 50+ solo female traveler, I've had more than a few distasteful experiences so far in NZ with other people (DOC, bus, accomodation) assuming that I am not doing anything more challenging that sewing a quilt patch and having a sip of tea and a bikkie with my age-appropriate gal pals.

There's a great aphorism out there that goes: old age and treachery trumps youth and beauty.

I'm not planning to ride the rail trail. But don't criticize those who do. It's a cheap way to get a laugh.