Bicycle trip on West Coast

Press, 18 February 1983, Page 16

Bicycle trip on West Coast

Sir,—Re Mr Derrick Rooney’s bicycle trip on the West Coast: I am very sorry the rain was so bad between Otira and Greymoutb that it affected Mr Rooney’s sight as well as his memory. There are no wild sheep between Otira and Jacksons. The black and the white goats at Aickens are a child's pets. If I had not seen Mr Rooney and his son I would assume they were very old and not very fit. The children at Jackson’s take less time on

older bikes to bike uphill to Otira than it took him to go downhill to Jacksons. We know he did not spend time sightseeing or he would have noticed all the land in this district that has been cultivated. The three houses in the Jacksons area do have flower gardens, as do many further on.—Yours, etc.; L. JACKSON, Jacksons. February 14, 1983.

Derrick Rooney comments: (1) I can tell the difference (though not necessarily on the West Coast) between livestock which is running wild and stock which is handled regularly and well tended. Yes. I saw pet goats, too. (2) The children of Jacksons must have extraordinary stamina. And in that climate! I salute them. (3) I did not say there weren't any gardens between Otira and Kumara, only that we didn’t see any. (4) Mr Jackson has missed the point of my articles, which is to stimulate, entertain, or amuse readers.