Thanks to DTY for leading this ride. It's amazing to watch him through that R75/6 around the corners. Just before Waipu we caught up with the “narrow band of rain” that was covering the Whangarei area. S we cut our losses and pulled into the Pizza barn. No sooner had we entered the place filled up rapidly. The pizzas were good and it was nice to be out of the rain.Dave enjoying his seafood chowder.while some of us were still waiting for the food.After the meal it still rained. Gerda, Haggis and I decided to take the gravel roads back. Sure enough, the minute we pulled off the main road we hit dry gravel, so much for a dustless ride.Haggis showing Gerda how to "flat-foot" a GS. We went through the Waipu Gorge and the turned into Doctor Hill road followed by Mountain road you end up meeting Hw1 just north of Kaiwaka. Haggis then to the quick way home, while Gerda and I went to Helensville, via some more gravel and had another cup of coffee.It turned out to be a pretty good ride. Just not to Whangarei...