Omapere to Dargaville

A shorter day in km's but the more stops you have to longer the day becomes! This just confirms the wise words of Richard Smith - take care with your coffee stops - don't sit there longer than the coffee. Not that we did today however it is suprising how much the coffee stops, the picture stops, the top of hill stops, the breather and re-group stops all chew in to the total taken between when you leave one place and arrive at your destination.

The road is remarkably quiet (as in no foreign tourists in campers) Yay! Riding through the Waipoua Kauri Forest was great and of course me made a visit to Tane Mahuta who was very pleased to see us.

Again there was a reasonable distance of gravel road and again nice and quiet. The only problem with gravel roads is the engineers design the bends with a camber on them that is best trvelled at about 30 kph - that's great if you're in a car with four wheels travelling at a reasonable speed - however for those of us on two wheels and travelling a lot slower the camber on the left hand side of the road can at tmes be completely out of the question to ride and so you find yourself on the wrong side of the road however always with an escape plan in mind.

There was a very nice couple of local lads about 7 km out of Dargaville who had set up a cold water stand along with water melon! I had water but would never say no to water melon so I stopped and enjoyed some of the locally grown melon.

It wasn't too much longer before I  was at the Subway shop ordering my lunch before taking it and myself on to our motel for the night.

Ahipara to Omapere

 It was back along the same road I'd ridden just a few days before through to Broadwood then we turned up in to the hills before doing down to Kohukohu and the ferry across the Hokianga Harbour.

Great country to ride through although much of the hill country has clearly been sold for Carbon Credit forestry and before to long will be covered in Pines! With no intention to harvest. 

The camp ground at Opononi is no more I found out however I've been offered the use of Bill and Kathy's motorhome which of course I have not refused.

I have also run out of time...

Cape Reinga to Ahipara

 Day one and the 3,000 km TA has begun,

The 6km ride with 200 meter climb that I had planned to ride up from the campsite to the start of the TA I found I did not need to do as Ruth's  Sister in law Clare and her sister Kathy are also doing the TA and they have their husbands travelling along in their motorhomes so I was fortunate to be offered a lift up the hill and as keen as I am on ridinng my bike I'm never going to look a gift horse like that in the mouth,

It was a 4:30 AM start this morning to allow time to pack up my tent and get myself organised for the ride. I'm aways keen to have time on my side and I guess that's why I'm never late!

A casual walk out to the lighthouse and the obligatory pics before back to the carpark and final preparations before Shane gave a briefing and at 7:59, a minute ahead of the scheduled start we were underway. Even though we were starting at 200 metres elevation and 85 km's of the ride was on the flat beach we still climbed over 500 meters.

We rode the 15 km's to the turnoff to the Sand Dunes (that people surfboard on) this took us on to a 3 km downhil gravel road before the 2 km ride down the sandy stream to the beach proper. Once we got there we turned left and the next navigation waypoint was 81 km further South.

The riding on the hard sand was fantastic and never before have I ridden for so long without a change in riding surface, cadence, speed and gradient. You simple lock in your spinning and carry on. There was a slight headwind that wasn't too bad and it wasn't too hot which was just as well. We made it to the "Bluffs" the only change in the beach and coastline in the whole 81 km beach ride. We had a quick bite to eat there before pushing on - always mindfull that  if you dilly dally too long on the beach you end up running out of "road" and there's the stories of people who simply can't make the end of the beach before high tide pushes them up  to the soft unrideable sand! Fortunately that was not the case today although for the last 10 km's the headwind got up and brought the speed down,

Tonight I'm in a cabin at the Ahipara Camp and Shane from Maprogress had laid out a good bike washing station which is really important because after 85 km's  riding on a sandy beach meant that sand was ineviably through the drive train. After the bike wash I removed the chain and gave it a good lube before putting it on the bike. This is only the fourth time I have lubed the chain in close to 2,400 km's. I was introduced to "Chain-L" lube by Chris Brand my South African European riding buddy and I think I have finally nailed it. The result being that I am very impressed with Chain-L as a lube.

Looking forward to a shorter easy  day tomorrow.

Ps. 9:30 PM and it is persisting down outside! Quite pleased to be in a cabin and bit the tent. 

Ahipara to Cable Bay

 I rode in to Ahipara with Jeremy and Scott and took a pic of them as they headed off for their 80km ride up 90 mile beach. They are lon term riding buddies and are forever getting at each other through friendly banter - once one realises they actually are mates and the rest of the stuff that goes on is the borax that mates throw at each other and it's reciprocal you can understand why it is they enjoy riding with each other. I tagged along added my pennyworth when called upon or not and our three day tour of Northland was a lot of fun - They seemed to discuss a woman called Jacinda quite frequently and over a few beers at the end of a hot 100 km  ride the startegic planniing suggestions were not short on being offerred. If only more politicians got oout and rode bikes how much better this country and world would be! The Boy's turned left and I took the road in to Kaitaia where I stoppped for breakfast before heading out of town on the back road across to Cable Bay where I lucky to have friends to be stopping with for a couple of nights. The weather is clear, calm and HOT!

There was very little traffic on the back road and I made good time across from the Tasman to the Pacific once again (the thrid time I have gone from one coast to the other on this ride).

Again I rode past a small country church that was of chocolate box or jig saw potential (every bit as attractive architecturally) as many of the European Cathedrals in their own unique way.  So I stopped for a closer look and a pic. I also took a moment or two to read some of the headstones.  One very new one (2018) in two tiny little words summed up a life (and death) - pic below.

Time now here at Cable Bay for a couple of days "chilling" and I'm likely to accept Norm and Avis's offer of a ride to the Cape on Friday.

Discovered I have left my Jandals back at the Ahipara accommodation when I went to put them on before! Bugger. But not a problem as I'm back in Ahipara on Saturday night and they are going to be left at the Motor Camp for me. Yay.

Now all I have left to do is to return the key for the Kaikohe Backpackers that I found in my pocket!

Kaikohe to Ahipara

 A good ride all on sealed roads and not the route that I had tucked away in my mind! Clearly  it pays to look more thoroughly at the route when one downloads it to ones Garmin navigation device! I my mind I had us travelling further West before riding up to Ahipara. It was not at all a problem and the end result of course turned out the same.

In new territory like this you are never sure of what lies ahead as far as refreshment stops are concerned and so at our breakfast stop about 15 km in to the journey I bought a muffin and a slice of ruhbarb, stawberry apple crumble for my lunch later. The crumble I had gald wrapped and put in a cardboard takeaway box then promply stuffed both in my front box and the lid closed! Pleased to see that at my lunch stop on the side of the road where for the first time I "boiled" the billy and had a cuppa with my Muffin. The crumble I saved till I was at our accommodation and can report that it too travelled really well and was exceptionally nice with my cuppa out under the shade of the grapevine over the pergola.

We had a stretch on S H Way One and it was noticable how much less traffic there is on it the further North you go.

Waipu Cove to Kaikohe

133 km's with 1545 meters of climbing represents the second biggest day of my ridech(Whakatane to Matawai was130 km's with about 2100 meters of climb with a lot more gravel road). We were away by 7:00 AM which was the plan (not a problem for the team when there's myself and Scott and Jeremy who has been an airline Captain). Our challenge was aiming NOT to arrive in Waipu town before 7:30 AM when the bakery (breakfast) opens. We timed it perfectly and a curry lamb pie for breakfast was a first for me, As we didn't think our chances of another bakery were great we stocked up on food for lunch as well,

The country was new to us all and made for great riding and scenery. So far we have not had any trouble with other road users and just about all those that pass us slow down, pull in behind and then pass when it is safe to do so. Having a rear facing radar that lets me know a vehicle is approaching that also triggers my bright rear light to change its strobe effect is a big help as is my rear  vision mirror that lets me confirm what's happening behind. A friendly wave of the arm and a thumbs up never goes amiss and most of the truckies I do that to will always toot or flash their lights in recognition once safely past.

We had a 42 km stretch on the road in to Kaikohe that was not too busy at all.

The day got hotter and our all water supplies began running low. As we were travelling through a rather impoverished area at the time we were dubious about approaching some locals for "fresh" water (long drop tolets were obvious and the rain water supplies were probably questionable. However I did see a farmer along the road about to enter a paddock so I asked him if he could help us. He was more than obliging and told us to up the drive past the shed to the woolshed and use the tap inside (not outside). We deviated off our course to do so however could only get a dribble out of the tap! Good intentions all the same.

We were all relieved when with 18 km still to go and now no water we came across a "Dairy". Well that's what the sign said, Fortunately they had drink available and for me it was a cold one litre of apple juice that lasted me in to our old bank building backpakers in Kaikohe.

With the semi tropical lush vegetation, the impoverished community at times the area has me feeling I could well be in the Islands and the "Dairy" would not be out of place in Rarotonga or Fiji.

The last 7 km of our ride was on an old railway with a gentle uphill virtually all the way in to Kaikohe.

A good feeling to have this ride out of the way.

Puhoi to Waipu Cove

 After an enjoyable stay at Jeremy and Kate's and Kate's "Full English" breakfast we loaded the bikes on to the back of Kates car for the re-locate to Puhoi where we met Scott who is joining Jeremy and myself for our three day ride up to Ahipara before I turn off to visit friends and they carry and up 90 Mile Beach.

We aimed to be on the road at 9:00 AM and it was just a tad after when we left. For me this is another piece of the Country I am not at all familiar with abd it made for great riding. I had a slight navigational issue as I had downloaded the wrong route to Waipu Cove and after about 20 km my route had me turning left however I watched as the other two lads carried straight on down a hill. I hesitated at that point coz I'm never a fan of heading down a hill unless I'm sure it won't have me coming back up it, I rechecked my route and double checked with the map before putting in a phone call to Jeremy - but no answer. I decided to ignore where my route had me going and follow the trail to the others. I eventually caught up with them at Matakana where it was time for a cuppa as it turned out.

Interestigly today we rode through four areas where a short time before there had been a reasonable shower of rain as there were still puddles on the road - yet for our entire ride we didn't experience any rain at all. Lucky!

We stuck together after that and made our way out to Manawhai on what turned out to be the busiest of roads I have ridden so far - the traffic was a lot less from Mangawahi on and I guess as it was sunday and a good day many Aucklanders had heade for the beach.

I've got the luxury of a Cabin and proper bed this evening and we had an enjoyable pizza at the Cafe opposite the camp. That was after our swim that we had once we got here - the water  was noticably warmer than down South and naturally this was to be expected.

Both Jeremy and Scott make great cycling buddies and they are never short of a word to say or quip at the othe other's expense.I'm beginning to come up with some appropriate (or inappropriate) quips of my own and matched them drink for drink at the end of the day - the only difference being it was four cups of tea for me a four glasses of beer for them.

Auckland

 Holiday time! Well a time to visit good friends in Auckland and I enjoyed Monday and Tuesday with Shelley and Paul. Rather than a couple of days off the bike it was a good opportunity to get out on our bikes and I was taken on a personal tour of the city and we also had a walk around Ponsonby - All very informative for a Christchurch boy who has very poor knowledge of our largest City.

On Wednesday before leaving Paul and Shelley it was my turn to take Paul on a ride. I'd designed a route using my favourite navigation tool "cycle.travel" and it was my turn to take Paul on bike trails he'd never ridden on but I'm sure he will going forward. Paul had the benefit of an E Bike and at one point after he took off up the road I was much slower getting up the hill. I must have looked down and then when I looked up again he was nowhere to be seen! I carried on straight up the hill but un beknown to me Paul had taken a left turn! All was solved with a phone call - Paul had stopped waiting for me and I'd carried on! We kept better tabs on each other after that...