March 3, 2023

Since we’ve been in the car a fair amount, today we aimed for something active. We found a bike rental nearby, Gentle Cycling Co., and the woman gave us a map with lots of options. We opted for a ride that began with a stop at Pic’s Peanut Butter factory.

Pic’s peanut butter is made of only peanuts and salt, and it’s all made in this single plant, we learned on the free tour. Josh picked up a jar, and we rode onward to Eddyline Pizzaria and Brewpub for a pint and pizza. Then we took one of the many bike trails along the bay, and rode up to a produce market.

The produce market was fantastic. Probably about six different shops, each specializing in either fruits and vegetables, dairy, nuts, spices, etc. Shoppers bright milk jars and collected fresh milk from a dispenser in the store. 

Josh and I bought some green powders for smoothies, and Theresa and I got strawberries and two types of cheese to eat during our wine tasting across the street. We rode over to Te Mania winery and tried about 6 of their wines. None of them were good, but our cheese and strawberries were delightful.

From there we rode all the way back to the Gentle Cycling Company and returned the bikes. We rode close to 30 km today which felt great.

After showing, we took our leftover Thai food and went back down to Trafalgar Street. We enjoyed eating dinner among others, only stopping when rain started. We dropped a few things in the car before walking more of the downtown area. It was about 7pm on Friday night and nothing but restaurants and bars were open. I think it was even more crowded last night. Nelson is a sleepy town. We found a grocery store and picked up some food for breakfast and lunch. 

Last night’s sunset looked amazing while we were driving, so tonight we sought it out. Despite the light rain, we drove down to Tahunanui Beach. The rain stopped and we watched the sunset set while a full rainbow painted the sky opposite. Great ending to a great day.