Another day in NZ

Yesterday I decided to take a ride on the Gondola, then return to the base of the hill on a mountain bike. The day was quite windy and started out mostly cloudy, but cleared up throughout the day. The top of the Gondola is situated 1500 feet above sea level on the rim of an extinct volcano. From this location one can see the peaks of the Southern Alps, the Canterbury Plains and Lyttelton Harbor. Unfortunately, because of the cloud cover I could not see the Alps. After I completed my walkabout on the crater rim, it was time to meet up with my mountain bike. I decided to take the more scenic route which lead me to Sumner, a coastal town outside of Christchurch. After a short uphill battle, it was all downhill from there. My bike had some gear issues, but I made it work. On my way down I happened to pass a couple of men gutting a cow. I noticed the back of a pickup truck was filled to the brim with innards. It was certainly a graphic scene I had not anticipated. Anyway, after almost being knocked off my bike by the wind, I slowly and carefully made my way down the mountain lest I fall down the edge on my left hand side. There were beautiful views of the beach from the road. Finally, I made it to Sumner and grabbed a small lunch. Afterward I carried on , passing a bay area that seemed to be popular for windsurfers and such. Back at the base of the mountain I met the shuttle that would take me back to Christchurch. Another beautiful day in NZ!