Motu / Waioeka Gorge Ride.Hi All,I intended to do this ride on Saturday but as I’m on holiday and the weather looked much better for Friday I decided to go a day earlier. This unfortunately meant that Allen from the Mount who was the only other person keen to join me was unable to attend due to work commitments. Bugger!The day dawned a beauty and I left the Mount at 7.15am and b-lined it on SH2 then SH30 through Te Puke, Whakatane,  Ohope Beach and then a stop for fuel and to lose a couple of layers of clothing at Opotiki at 9.00am then was on to the mighty Motu.My route was the Motu Rd > Whakarau Rd >SH2 > Rakauroa Tahora Rd > Te Wera Rd > Waioeka Gorge (SH2) > Opotiki > back to the Mount. A round trip of 470ks.I last travelled the Motu in 2009 and at the time the road was in quite good condition. This time however the road was a little worse off. There is water erosion, slip repairs, old concrete culverts that have collapsed with re-bar exposed, fresh metal laid and a few ruts and because I was riding alone a cautious approach was called for but the weather had been warm and sunny in the days leading up to the ride so the surface was pretty much dry so I had a smile on my face and I enjoyed the challenge of this section. The Motu has a “big country” fell about it and is as remote as you are likely to get in the North Is. There are big views and although I’m not the type of person to stop and take photos all the time I did make the effort to snap a few.Another hard day at the office.Big viewsI forgot my passport!Fresh metalOnce I made it to Motu settlement it was on to Whakarau Rd and more gravel fun. The road conditions where variable with some hard and fast, some freshly graded, some with new metal laid and half a dozen small fords to negotiate so caution was the order once more. You do get a sense that you are in the back of beyond on this road and there are several steepish climbs and descents to be negotiated as well as stock that are grazing the “long paddock”. Nice country that I highly recommend.After an hour or so I reach SH2 and turn north-west and enjoy the twisted seal till I reach the turn off onto Rakauroa Tahora Rd. More gravel and the same variable surface conditions. It seams that the local council have been hard at work in recent times with their road maintenance. More great hinterland scenery with some big views across the valley. View looking north across the valley from Rakauroa Tahora Rd.I turn onto Te Wera Rd which has about 5ks of hard and fast gravel which ends all too quickly and becomes tarsal and I cruise my way back to SH2 north of Matawai and the beginning of the Wiaoeka Gorge section of the ride. I have ridden this fine section of highway several times and I never cease to enjoy the views of the lovely Waioeka river and it’s gorge and the twisty and flowing bends of the road. This is a fine piece of good ol’ NZ. But all too soon I’m back at Opotiki feeling satisfied with my days activity and I head back to the Mount with a sense that we are lucky to have such diversity of riding at our doorsteps.I get back to the Mount at 4.00pm feeling comfortably tired.Keep it upright.Gr82briding.