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Who's idea was the nth island in 9 days.. must have been mine 😆Not the best way to start the trip. Remember always check your bike, just do it further out than when you are loading the thing up and find that you need a WOF...So 8am Saturday morning here I am at the vehicle testing station sorting out that small bump and really seeing how heavy the bike is with our camping gear, tent, and of course the two of us. And of all things our solar powered charger arrived in time as well, must be clean and green where we can.That done we made our way up the Kapiti coast and onto Wanganui that town without the 'H' at the moment before we headed off to New Plymouth and the first real issue. The cable from Greta's heated gloves heading for their own trip. Which meant that the heated grips go alot of use.After bedding into our two tent sites, ok we are a bit greedy, but hey we had a great view.
After a re-pack of our gear the next morning we set out on what we thought was going to be a short day along the Forgotten World Highway. It didn't end up being that way, however the road was great and the view was what we had come for. Yet we were able to make it though in good time to Waitomo for a visit to the caves.
Great camp site at the Top 10 just 500m down from the caves, along with great facilities at the camping ground. Easy access for the bike with no worries about us riding over anything to get to the site, as you can see above.From there it was a long day on the bike from Waitomo, making our way up through Patea, through Auckland and of course missing the turn for the Nthwestern motorway... so over the habour bridge we went and quick nav check at a local mobil station and there we were back on the road. Easy riding right the way up through Dargaville and into the Kauri forests, stoping at Trounson Kauri Park Top 10, might be a theme going here. Time to have a relax, dry the tent out a bit and look for the day ahead... the push nth.
The day ahead was to be a short day.. and for once it was. We headed nth, stopping to see Tana Mahuta, streching the legs then getting onto Rawene and the ferry across to Rangiora. The 15min ride was worth the short wait and cuppa that we had.
The road was good right the way through to Kaitaia via the coastal road. Quick lunch and then over to Whatuwhiwhi for two nights... oh the time to relax.A slow start the next morning, and off to the Cape with delusions of another bit of tripping around.. leaving the tent and most of the gear behind the 250k round trip was on. Finding our way and some good local toilets along the way we made our way on a windy day.Once I was able to relax a bit on the gravel..(no way a gravel man, and not 2 up) still there was a whole lot less.. 25k's, more like 8k's with the rest sealed or on the way to be there.
A great windy day to be had at the cape itself, yet cold. We did the quick tourist thing and then back to the park and a good nights sleep before the ride through to just short of Thames.Normal story.. no probs with the roads, even the toll road was great!! A lucky fuel stop at Orewa and then off to Marinda and a relaxing night.A quiet day through to Blue Lakes, Rotorua.. and damn it all, into the drizzle, the sort that just ain't heavy enough to clear the visor. Blue lakes top 10 and having a night in luxury. Cabins can be good. Just one thing puzzled me, why do the ladies showers have heated floors when the mens just has a draft to hurry you up??
I'm sure we are near the end... oh thats right, the road that I was not that keen of going over, from Rotorua to Wairoa via Lake Waikaremoana.Once through and onto the gravel and mud, along with the odd horse ... Greta says the views were great.. I guess I'll get a better look at it next time. They have sealed a bit more of the road so I guess it's maybe only 70 odd k's of gravel.
Our last night was spent in Napier before meeting up with the club ride at lake ferry.A great nine days away and can't wait for the next time..Almost forgot, that was about 3,200k's
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