Matamata to Mangakino

A later start this morning as Rob and Ruth were coming from Ruth's brother's home in Morrinsville. Our route shortly after starting took us past the turn off to "Hobbiton", this time it was 5 km off our trail (that's 10 km and half a day of time we did not have). It would probably pay for me to have watched the films before a visit to the Hobbiton farm perhaps. Maybe next time.

Soon after that we got on to the road from Tauranga through to S H Way One. Not fun after the roads we've ridden so far especially on a Saturday (Day Trippers and horse floats). If we thought that was bad we had a kilometer to do on S H Way One, While there was a reaonable shoulder to the road the constant din and fumes of the traffic simply makes it unpleasant to say the least and so I simply dig in and try to get off the road as quickly as can be.

Once we crossed the Waikato River we pulled in to Rob an Ruth's friends driveway who were waiting there with Muffins (still warm from the oven)!!! There is a name for these types of people here on the TA - "Trail Angels'" is what they are called. Those muffins certainly hit the spot. Thanks Julie. Scott tried to claim credit for the muffins however we dismissed that as "make believe" - However Scott was more than happy to give us a roadside tutorial on how to tune ones gears. I do hope I remember this time.

After an extended stop there which also included a catch up with another couple of Rob and Ruth's friends (Greg and Marie). It was on to the Waikato River Trail and the ride along through the Little Waipa Campsite I stopped at on the way up to the Cape.

We dropped down to the outflow from the Arapuni Powerstation and across a swingbridge built in 1925 to let the workers get across to the construction site for the Powerstation. Then it was  up in to the village and the Ruhbarb Cafe for an early lunch where we met up with Rob and Ruth's friends over a meal.

It was down to the River Trail some more before we got back on the seal on the West side of the river. There was a short 6 km section of gravel before the run in to Mangakino all of this was through lovely undulating counrtyside. Julie our new riding buddy kind of got separated from us at the confluence of the River Trail and the alternative sealed ride in to Mangakino. She is such a biker that she chose to ride the trail instead of the road - this meant the rest of us arrived ahead of her at the bach. We took up "Dot Watching" (looking at where she was up to on Maprogress and for a while there was no movement! Fortunatley an hour or so after she arrived a the bach all smiling as she enjoyed the trail so much. Note to self - ride the trail next time.

I'm back at Jim and Gay's bach (more friends of Rob and Ruths) here in Mangakino where I camped on their lawn on the way up. It was here I met Bruce and Jan, Rob's brother and wife who had driven out from Hamilton to cheer them on.

Rob and Ruth assure us there are no more friend's or relatives left in the North Island who we have yet to encounter (somehow though I don't buy in to that). It was just as well today was only 89 km and we had the time to socialise (soedays there is no time for such things).

There are no shops/cafe's on our route tomorrow so we have thought ahead and have a loaf of bread, cheese, bacon and onion on hand to make ourselves some cheese toasties for the ride through to Camp Epic.