The snow was going to be crap this day – windy as hell and overcast meant that the overnight freeze would hang around all day. So after some luging (care of AJ) we thought we’d head out to Skippers Canyon.
The road up there is one of only 2 roads in New Zealand where you rental car insurance is null and void. This is because it is one car wide but has traffic in both directions, it gobbles up at least 3 or 4 cars a year, the road is prone to slips (2 months ago 75m of the road just disappeared). The scenery is epic though!!!
This part of the road here is called the Blue Slip – every year come Spring they have to redo this part of the road because it doesn’t survive winter. Because this part of the road is prone to giving way its best if any passengers walk this section.
Out at the end of the road is a really kewl 120yo+ bridge. Matt wanted to film it while sitting on the car (which is now dinted). The video didn’t come out but Little Jimmy took these pics.
After that effort it was time for a refuel.
At the end of the road is a cemetery. We had a couple of laughs – the first one was when Matt thought he’d take some money from a Chinamans grave. He was only joking but the idea of the karma got to him so he put $2 in. I reckon that karma is going to come back to him…. my money is on a long line of asian girlfriends for Matt over the coming years.
The 2nd laugh we got was from this plaque explaining how some of the people in the cemetery died.
Time to head home. We thought we’d drop in to the old pub for a drink on the way out – unfortunately it has been closed for 60 years… on the positive side, they now accept BYO.
From here the road heads up nearly to Concrete Peak ski area – Little Jimmy decided to film the road to try and give an impression of what it is like. Remember this is a 2 lane road. The download is 54meg and to download ‘right click’ on the link and then ‘Save Target As’.