Carole, my office buddy just got back from the Great New Zealand Bike Ride (on the south island). It rained nearly the whole time, they had to camp on flooded ground, all their clothes and tents and belongings were covered in mud and many people pulled out because of hypothermia!

They rode the final two stages in one day, so they could spend the last night in a B&B, washing their dirty clothes and sleeping in a dry bed One day they rode more than 100km to Fox Glacier as they had booked a helicopter ride to the top, but 10 minutes after being prepared to go, a cloud came in and the trip was cancelled. It sounded like they had a dreadful time.