Nikau Caves Cafe to Port Waikato

Nikau Cave Cafe and cabin/camp is a great wee gem tucked away by itself. On a quiet day you get to know the owners (Philip and Ann) and the hospitality is as if you're friends in they're own home. I opted for the "hut" rather than pitching the tent and made use of the washing machine as you do.  Things were never a problem and I left with a cheese sandwich and some plums from the orchard for the ride. 

There were also a couple of women riders from Wellington at the Camp who are travelling down the Coast. On my ride out to Port Waikato I came across a couple of guys on their E Bikes heading to Waingaro so I was able to tell them about the cafe. What I wasn't able to do for them was get the sandal that had fallenn from their bike to them. I thought if I passed a car travelling in thier direction I would ask them to take it on for them however no vehicles were to pass me before I got to Port Waikatio,

I have encountered my first rain while riding today and as I have time to spare I thought I would have a very very short day of only 27 km and again take the cabin option! I think I must be beginning to soften with age! Still it is quite nice being able to stand up and look out at the rain through the cabin door as opposed to peer out through the tent flap at it.

I am also putting in to practice a tip I picked up from a couple of all out Bike Packers, In summer up here he does not carry a raincoat/jacket. If it rains you're going to get wet with or without a jacket, so accept that and when you arrive at your destination you have your dry clothes to put on and your wet ones to dry (or not). If the rain continues the riding clothes are not going to get dry so you start with them wet. If the rain clears they dry en route, if the rain continues you ride on in the wet clothes which whould have been wet even if you had started out that day dry. Makes sense.

A bit like the All Blacks who will play a test in any weather and they don't rush out as soon as it rains with raincoats to play in. Mind you they're only out there for 80 minutes not eight hours,

Was great scenery today as I rode through limestone country and it was pleaseing to see that the farmers had not adopted the scorched earth policy of getting rid of all the trees and there were nice pockets of native bush scattered about.