Thursday December 26, 2013

This would have been a perfect route today (if we had been going the other way).  The wind would have been at our back as it was it was a headwind, side wind but definitely not a behind wind (tail wind).  The first 30 kms was relatively flat and through a mix of agricultural lands (wineries, fruit orchards, cattle and sheep farms.  Not sure why they needed to put a giant wire sheep on top of a hill.  The next 30 kms was rolling hills and not a car to be seen.  I think we saw maybe a dozen cars on this road, it was a perfect route.

It was so perfect for cyclists that we saw over 100 cyclists, honest I am not exaggerating.  The first 2 came by us and we waved then we turned the corner and the first peloton came by with about 25 riders, then a couple of stragglers, then the next big peloton with another 30-40 riders and then the dribs and drabs following a couple here, a couple there, another smaller group of 15-20 riders and then the last few stragglers.  How I would have hated to be in that last few.

I think there must have been a couple of cycle groups joined together for a large team Boxing Day Ride.  Ralf and I looked on enviously as they had the wind behind them and were on skinny tires, and very light bikes and were moving fast.

The last few kilometres we were on State Highway 2, it is a very busy road, but it still had a good shoulder.  At one point coming into Waipukurau the road narrowed and had no shoulder but the municipality very kindly built a 2km concrete cycle path for us.  Thank you New Zealand.

Tonight we are staying in a lovely little camp site.  It has great kitchen facilities, all equipment provided and lovely hot showers.  It is also the cheapest place we have stayed at $30.00.

Wednesday December 25, 2013

Once again Merry Christmas to everyone.  Today we had a nice relaxing morning.  At about 2 o’clock we decided to ride into Napier (about 8.6 kms if you take the direct route!) and have a look at all the Art Deco buildings.

I had washed all my cycle clothes so cycled for the first time in a skirt, very interesting.  The other very strange thing is riding a bike without panniers.  We have got used to having weight on the bike, that when it is not there the front of the bike seems to have a mind of its own for a couple of blocks.

It was the perfect time to wander around downtown Napier, as most other people are at home having Christmas Dinner.  Ralf got some really good photos.  We spent about 2 hours wandering around the area and then cycled back to the hotel.  Napier had a massive earthquake in 1931 and rebuilt all of its downtown buildings in Art Deco Style.  It has retained the style to this day, but I do wish they had a better Sign By-law, some of the signs on the awnings really should be in-keeping with the Art Deco Style.  Jim, I think it needs a Community Improvement Plan and grant.

Today is Christmas Day.  It will be a relaxing day.  We had a cooked breakfast, and have done some washing and tidied our bags.  I will give my bicycle a little clean later – I am having a problem with my lower gears.  A good clean should do it.

We will have Christmas dinner in our hotel room – with a nice bottle of New Zealand wine to go with it.

This evening we will hopefully be able to contact family and wish everyone a Merry Christmas, even though ours will almost be over.

Merry Christmas Everyone

Tuesday December 24, 2013

Today we woke up early as we knew we had a couple of big hills to climb.  It was cold and very windy when we got up.  We even struggled to get the tent down, without it blowing away!

We started at 7:15.  Our first major climb was at 10 kms and yes I had to walk part of it.  The second major climb was at 22 kms and I was really struggling when our first “road angel” showed up.  I was walking once again, Ralf was ahead and still cycling.  A farmer called Joe stopped in front of me and asked if I needed a ride to the top.  I didn’t hesitate.  He put my bike in his trailer and off we went as we came up behind Ralf he joked and said “He seems to be doing o.k. shall we wave”  As we passed I stuck my head out the window and asked if he needed a lift.  It threw of his whole momentum so we stopped and put his bike on the trailer as well and off we went to the top of this hill.  I can drop you of at Taraweka Road if you like, that is where I am turning of to pick up some piglets.  I know we should have let him let us off at the top of the hill, but we didn’t, we carried on to Taraweka Road cutting out another couple of hills and about 17 kms.  Then it literally was downhill all the way to Napier.

We stopped at a small café with a South African theme for lunch.  We were given advice on the best route to take into Napier.  A 10.5 km cycle path along the beach all the way into Napier.

When we go to Napier we had to find our hotel.  We had booked into the Best Western for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but it wasn’t in Napier it was in a suburb of Napier called Taradale 10 ks outside of Napier.  It is a nice hotel and it will be nice to have a couple of days to regroup.  We will call home for Christmas and then we will start again on Boxing Day.

We are now heading to Wellington, should be there in about 5 or 6 days.  We met a really nice couple (Emily and James) yesterday who live in Wellington (originally from Canada) and have offered us a place to stay when we get to Wellington.  How nice is that.

Monday December 23, 2013

This morning it was cool.  We had to put our windbreakers on.  About 15 kms into the ride I had to stop and put my socks on, my feet were so cold.  Today\’s ride consisted of 5 kms of a 200 metre climb, followed by about 15 kms of relatively flat, then 40 kms of undulating hills.  As the route became hillier, it became more scenic.  Although seeing some of the clear cutting of the hills, it does make you wonder what is happening to this land.

We knew we weren’t going to make it all the way to Napier in one day (142Kms and hills) so we had to find a campsite half-way between the 2 Cities.

The route was along State Highway 5 (a two-lane road with a posted speed limit of 100kph) again the cars and trucks travel at high speed and today have not given us much room.  This waterfall was up a 400 metre paved road from a scenic look-out.  You couldn’t see it from the road.

When we got to Tarawera we were told about some hot springs.  An older couple said it would be good for the muscles and a younger couple told us how to find them.  They were going to them.  Once we had set up camp and had lunch we decided to follow their advice and walk to the hot springs.  The first gate we went through said that the hot springs were closed and not to be used.  We carried on following the route that the younger couple had taken.  About 5 mins from the hot springs we met up with the couple they were just coming back.  “Be careful on the path, it’s a bit narrow and you could plunge to your death, but you look as though you are sensible enough.  The pool is about 3 more minutes”.  We carried on and there it was a concrete tub with a rubber hose bringing hot water into it.  It was hot, it took me a few minutes to become accustomed to it but it was lovely a real natural hot spring.

Ralf and I laughed about how we follow perfect strangers instructions and go off into wilderness to find a natural hot spring without a care in the world.  What a difference already.

This is our first taste of freedom camping.  We said we weren’t going to do any but there was nothing between Taupo and Napier apart from this ‘site’.  There wasn’t any organized camp-sites so we are staying by the side of a café with public toilets.  It’s free!!  New Zealand generally does not approve of wild camping.  However, they do allow self-contained campers to park up and stay overnight.  However tents are only allowed if there is a public toilet available.

I think there is a difference between freedom camping which is semi-organized and wild camping which means you find a spot in a wood or field and set up your tent.

Sunday December 22, 2013

We left Rotorua at 7:45.  The first 15 kms from Rotorua had a concrete cycle lane paralleling Hwy 5.  It was very nice.  The next 15 kms we were on Highway 5 but once again there was a wide shoulder.  We took an easier route along Broadlands Road.

At 40 kms we stopped for a snack at a little grocery store in Reporoa.  As we were eating an Elder Maori came to talk to us.  What a lovely gentleman.  We chatted about the culture and the fact that Maori’s are now living longer because they are beginning to trust the modern medicines.  It will be interesting to meet more Maori and talk to them about their culture and history.

Ralf also spotted a Lawn Bowling Club.  He decided that Lawn Bowling was far more civilized than curling, as it is played in warmer weather and you get cold curling.

The remaining 50 kms were pretty straight and the only interesting thing we saw were a few cows going for milking.  Picture the bucolic scene of a herd of cows in the English countryside slowly meandering up to the barn to be milked.  Then picture a few hundred cows being “driven” by quad bikes to be milked not quite the same vision.

The worst part of today was that we had a head-wind for the whole 80kms.  My wonderful hubby stayed in front all the way.

What Touring Cyclists Do.

Wake up with the birds (4:30 a.m.) go back to sleep for another hour, decide to get up at 6:00,

• pack up inside of tent,
• have breakfast,
• pack tent,
• cycle, stop to view the scenery and talk to almost everyone who has stopped at the same viewpoint (pull-out),
• eat,
• cycle,
• smell the roses,
• find a camp-site and set up tent,
• shower,
• visit the town that we are staying in,
• shop for groceries,
• eat,
• sleep,
• repeat.

December 20, 2013

After a wonderful breakfast where I made a perfect omellete with camembert cheese almost gourmet!  We decided to have a walk around Rotorua.  The first part of the walk had us walking past numerous hot pools, geysers and hot mud pools very interesting and a little scary to be so close to a natural phenomenon.

Note: Added this video to new website – 2025!

After passing this natural area we went to the Government Gardens.  Absolutely beautiful.  The history in this area is great.

We decided to check up on a couple of camping stores and bought Ralf some new Keen sandals and a few extra bits and bobs to make life a little easier.  We met a really nice sales person called Emma, she asked how long we were going to be in Rotorua and wanted to take us around on Sunday. We will be gone by Sunday, she then proceeded to give us her email address as she will be back in Dunedin in February and will show us around there if we are in that area at the same time.

Tomorrow we are going to take a second rest day.  So that I can finalize the blogs and Ralf can sort his photos.  His photos are much better than mine.

Thursday 19 December, 2013

Our longest distance to date.  I must admit I was a little concerned about the distance, knowing that we would be hitting hills in the second half of the ride.  However, we had little choice.  It was either 74 to Rotorua or 63 to Ngongotaha.

We started early at 7:15. We had stayed in a pub/inn (Horse and Jockey) last night and were able to get up early and leave as soon as we had breakfast. I thought it might take us a while to do this ride and wanted to be on the road early.  It was a great ride.  We took Highway 27 through horse country it was a fairly quiet road.  Although the speed limit on these roads is 100kph!! The road for the most part had a good shoulder and we were able to go quite quickly until our half-way point at Fitzgeralds Glade.  We stopped there for ‘lunch’ at 10:30.  Ralf had a salmon phyllo and kurmara pie (New Zealand sweet potato), I had a big savoury muffin, that kept us going until Rotorua.  The Fitzgerald Café was in the middle of nowhere, but exactly half-way between Matamata and Rotorua, perfect.

The best part of cycling instead of being in a car is when you see something of interest you can stop and take photos or find out more about the area.

The hills were not too bad steepest grade was 9%.  My legs have finally remembered what they are supposed to be doing on hills.  They also remembered they do not like hills!  Just as an aside since cycling into Devonport from Chris’s place I have not been in my big gear once !!

We took State highway 5 into Rotorua which has a wide shoulder, although the traffic was fast we were safe on the shoulder.  We arrived in Rotorua found the iSite and a campground and we are taking a rest day tomorrow.  We were going to take in the Maori Cultural show tonight, but at $110 per person decided against it.  No doubt we will meet lots of Maori on this trip and we can talk to them one-on-one.

On our walk to the grocery store we came across the Night Market and Eat Streat.  A little market and food stalls.  We decided not to cook for ourselves tonight and partake of some street food.  Lovely falafel, tabouleh, couscous and hummus and tzatziki and a salad.

I also found a newly published Pedallers Paradise book.  These books give you loads of info on routes, terrain, bike shops, accommodation/campsites and services for the North and South Island.

I am writing this blog swigging wine from the bottle, because the kitchen does not have any glasses and Ralf is having a beer while reading the Pedallars Paradise book.  Life is good.

Tonight as we walked back from the supermarket Ralf said, “I don’t think I have ever been more relaxed and calm”.  This is what it is all about.  The only thing we worry about is which way to pitch our tent.

This will be our first night sleeping in the tent when it is raining.

Wednesday 18 December, 2013

A short ride today, to get us to Matamata so that we could visit the Hobbiton Movie set.

The bicycle ride was through a valley on quiet roads.  We had a bit of a head wind, but it was a lovely ride.  Very similar to the Derbyshire Dales, my Mum would have loved New Zealand.

As soon as we got into Matamata we found the iSite, which was actually a Hobbit house and found a place to stay and reserved for the 11:45 Tour to Hobbiton.  We caught the bus and then were introduced to Hobbiton.  It was absolutely awesome.  All of the tours have to be with an organized group, it costs $75.00 per person regardless if you get the bus from Matamata or if you drive out to the site.  The guide was very good he gave us all the relevant information on the making of the movie and allowed us plenty of time to take photographs and we took lots.  The tree above Bilbo Baggins house is the only fake tree in the ‘shire” and cost over one million dollars to make. It was only in the first movie for about 15 seconds.  The site itself has been reconstructed really well, with lots of attention to detail, including washing on the lines, little ladders leaning against the fruit trees, English flowers and herbs, a great vegetable garden, there was even smoke coming out of the chimney of Bilbo Baggins’ house.  At the end of the tour, we had a beer (included in the tour price) in the Green Dragon pub.

Hobbiton was much better than I thought it was going to be.  I thought it was going to be really small, but it wasn’t, the whole village was reconstructed with over 50 hobbit holes, ranging from just a small door and a window in the hill-side to bigger ones with larger doors, bigger windows, gardens, and tables and tools.  We were allowed to enter a couple of them, but not Bilbo Baggins house.  The Green Dragon pub was really authentic to the movies.  We loved it.  Thanks Jim for treating us to this great afternoon.