Thanks to Nathan for slapping together some fresh altitude graphs. In order to do these, he reversed the course direction (which is, of course, clockwise) so that it looked like this:
http://maps.google.co.nz/maps/ms?msid=210164429420192130959.0004b1851e8718f8ab7f4&msa=0
Looking at this in Map View reminds me of what I love about cycle touring in New Zealand - the variety of landscapes is amazing! There are few places in the world where you can take in the following variety in a week on the bike:
Vineyards outside of Blenheim
Wide open, hill country farmland
Small-town farm country
Oxford Forest (Beech forest)
Korowai Tussockland Park
Craigieburn Forest Park
Arthurs Pass National Park (Alpine scenery)
West Coast farmland and small towns
Victoria Forest Park (dense broadleaf forest and mining relics)
Nelson Lakes National Park
Tasman towns and Nelson city
Richmond Forest Park
Marlborough Sounds
Take a camera and keep it handy!
