March 8: Down (under) on the farm

Our goal today is the Peddler's Rest, a farmstay near Ward, 37 miles south on Rte. 1, the only major east coast road. But this Marlborough region, with its gorgeous Awatere Valley, might as well have been Walla Walla, Washington, for the vineyards and wineries spread right on up to the brown, grassy hills that rolled to meet ultra-blue skies. This is the world famous wine producing region, with grand, multinational establishments like Wither Hills, Saint Clair Estate, and Lion's Back, and the bane of the existence of the "mom and pops" wineries, like the one we visited near Napier. Politics and rivalries aside, the sight of rows and rows of grapevines, full bearing, bright green and espalied, was overwelming. And not a drop to drink (til tonite).

Peddler's Rest is run by Denise and Jim, longtime sheep farmers turned deer farmers (yes Jon, you'd love the sight of 400 deer grazing in front of you!) We are staying in the Bunkhouse, a farm workers quarters turned into cyclists quarters. In chatting with Denise (long chats are part of the thing in New Zealand), we hear the story of Denise being on the 5th floor of the Christchurch Hospital on Feb. 22nd, and being on a toilet at 12:51pm when the recent earthquake struck!! Lights went out as the quake occurred, and she crawled along a wall, feeling her way with her daughter, (after pulling up her trousers), til she saw others fleeing desperately down stairs and outside. She was one of the fortunate, and joined the mass of shocked humanity in the square. She talked of scenes she will never forget. ChCh update: everyone is still told to boil their water, these many days after the quake, there are still many aftershocks, some in the 4.'s, and there's often gridllock on the westerly roads, since the easterly ones and those in the city center are out of commission. The estimates are now that it may take 30 billion NZ $ to rebuild, and that 10,000 homes will need to be demolished.

Ellen gets to meet the local puppies, Quake and Pearl, sheep dogs in training, and spends most of evening at their pen. Farm raised mutton, potatoes, tomatoes and local wine for dinner. Need to make a fire in the woodstove, a bit nippy this eve. Sheep graze on the grass all around us.
37 miles today.