Category Archives: around home

around home, bikepacking, bikes, GPS, NZ

Biking to Glenfalls Campground

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Having heard about my attempt to string a big gravel loop together last year and failing to get through to Patoka, Shaun came up with a route on paper roads (legally roads, just not formed as roads – they exist only on maps as roads) to get from the Napier-Taupo highway through to Patoka. The first day of this long-awaited weekend adventure was pretty much the same as the route Steve & I took at the start of last year. The only difference being that instead of the long, beautiful climb up Waipunga, along the ridge before plunging down from Darkys Spur (all on formed public roads – tarseal & gravel), this year’s route would keep us lower down and use more paper roads.

Similar to last year’s ride, we would camp the Saturday night beside the Mohaka River. As I was the only one set up for bikepacking, we arranged the luxury of having all our camping gear and food driven into the campsite by another workmate, Simon, who would go hunting nearby after dropping our kit off. On a fine, warm Saturday morning Shaun, Mark & I assembled at Simon’s house and loaded his car with our overnight stuff.

With bikes lightly loaded, for an overnight trip, we set off just before ten. Over Hill Road to the Taupo road we were shortly ever so slightly climbing up Ellis Wallace Rd – enjoying the warmth and the lack of traffic. As the railway has been closed for a few years, we made a brief foray from the road and rode over the Esk River on the railway bridge, because we could. Due to re-open this year, if just this one bridge is anything to go by – there is a lot of work to return it to a suitable state of repair.

It was bumpy. Only a few sleepers were missing.

With more gradual climbing on the road, we reached a level crossing and turned right. Big wheels bumping over the sleepers, we followed the rails to the first paper road. And then went past it to check out the first of a series of tunnels on this section of rail.

There may have been a bit of drop beside the entrance to the tunnel.

We walked the length of the curved tunnel, not stumbling over any dead goats in the complete darkness.

Retracing our paths ever so slightly, we turned from the railway up a steep grassy hill as the paper road began. For about half of the ten kilometres of this connection, we climbed gently through open farmland on grass tracks. It was very pleasant riding out in the sun, not too hot; we didn’t encounter any stock or a peeved farmer, so that was good. The second half of was through pine forest on a more formed surface. Still gradually climbing, it was nice to be in the shade of the canopy as the day warmed.

Rejoining the road, and last year’s route, it was great to have been somewhere new. A quick ride down to the highway covered another ten kilometres. Turning left we were shortly at the Tutira Store – where the ownership must have changed (it was for sale last year) as the guy behind the counter seemed to know about actual customer service. We had a fair go at emptying the pie-warmer, eating a large lunch in the shade of a silver birch tree. Shaun somehow managed to hole his hydration bladder, but nothing a bit of tape couldn’t fix.

Shortly after two o’clock we set off on the prolonged climb towards Bell Rock. By now, it was definitely warmer than the forecast low-twenties. Mark kept us honest as we climbed and climbed. Without the big mob of sheep to wait for, I didn’t really take many photos – see last year’s post if you’re curious. Gaining about six hundred meteres of altitude, it’s a steady climb and never gets too steep. We started to feel the sun as there was little shade.

Nearing the top, we stopped at this gateway. Since seeing this picture, I’m disturbed by how skinny my calves look. I’m sure there is some muscle there somewhere.

We finally got to the top of the climb and looked out north in front of us towards Waikaremoana. It was late enough in the day that the side trip to Bell Rock was not feasible. Instead we saw a trig just above the road so clambered up there.

Looking out towards the Pacific.

Well, I clambered – Mark and Shaun took their bikes up too.

After being loudly encouraged to get back on the road by a local, we did just that and sped down the gravel road from the saddle. With recent logging still readily apparent, the hills in the distance were more captivating. Back on slightly flatter road, we turned left onto Waitara Rd and the last fifteen kilometres to camp.

First up was a very steep, long, gravel downhill which we sped down – Shaun nudging eighty kilometres an hour! I was glad I still had some energy in reserve as I remembered this stretch of road being a series of steep uphills followed by steep downhills. Exhausting. I had not misremembered this – it was tiring as the legs had to keep on working and the day did not get cooler just yet. Eventually we hit the sealed road again and had a nice little descent to the river to arrive at Glenfalls Campground – conveniently just before our support crew turned up with tents, food & beer.

Pleased to have finished a great day’s ride. Especially as this was the longest ride on a MTB for both Shaun (left) and Mark (right) – well done guys.

A few of our little group went off hunting; I was more intent on making camp, eating copious amounts of carbonara, wandering down to the river, and getting an early night after a great day.

around home, city, history, NZ, vehicles

Art Deco Weekend 2017

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Having missed out on Napier’s renowned Art Deco Festival last year, being off riding the length of New Zealand for a couple of weeks, I was not going to let the same thing occur two years on the trot. So I bought a secondhand three-piece suit, pulled my fedora out from the wardrobe, snapped on some braces and rustled up a stripy bow-tie and prepared to check it all out.

Now in its twenty-ninth year, the festival celebrates Napier’s Art Deco heritage (much of the city was rebuilt in the style after a devastating earthquake, and fire, in 1931) with what seems to be a five-day long dress-up party – the twenties and thirties being the theme. Downtown is crowded with people in all sorts of elaborate outfits, there are vintage cars everywhere, and pages & pages worth of events & parties and more besides.

Thankfully for Hawke’s Bay’s countryside, the drought that was setting in broke heavily with over a hundred millimetres of rain in three days. This did however coincide with the height of the celebrations – most unfortunate. Countless events were moved inside and many cancelled – including the most renowned: all three vintage plane flight shows were done for as the planes couldn’t make it here. But the show did go on, and on it went in spectacular (if a little soggy) style.

Most of the public events centre around Marine Parade and the sound shell – opposite the wonderful Masonic, where many gathered.

Cars weren’t the only historic vehicles out and about.

Saturday afternoon’s vintage car parade was well attended by umbrellas. The Bentley club was in town from all over, impressive.

Beautiful cars, and many of them – those in open-topped ones looked decidedly damp.

There was plenty of opportunity to admire the vehicles afterwards.

This number plate caught my eye.

A few of the cars were originally from Napier.

Bikes even got a look in.

More Bentleys.

Apart from looking at cars, there were plenty of other interesting street scenes.

OK, there may have been more looking at cars.

I bumped into many people from work over the weekend – this time an American visitor, Jody, who I managed to get this photo (and the better ones in this post) from.

Sunday morning was finally dry and the Soap Box Derby went ahead. A pretty tame course down Tennyson St, the pushers had five metres to get their racers up to speed before letting gravity and momentum do the rest. Most of the soap boxes were elaborate and some made multiple appearances as different siblings from the same family raced in various age categories.

Yes, more cars – particularly struck by the body work on this one.

This was probably the oldest car around.

Sunday continued to warm, and was very humid. After a brief walk showing Jody some of the sights around Napier Hill and some lunch, it was time to get the town bike out for a little pootle. I’d foregone the organised bike ride Saturday morning on account of the persistent rain.

I did manage to get another photo of myself from an obliging passerby.

The Gatsby Picnic got moved off the soggy lawn it is always on, most picnicers went down the main street of town – this couple set up near Tom Parker Fountain and seemed to spend more time posing for photos than eating.

A most excellent weekend of fun and history – even if it was somewhat curtailed by the weather. I’m really looking forward participating more in next year’s celebrations.

around home, Aus, bikepacking, bikes, family, friends, MTB, national park

The Christmas Letter 2016

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Once again, I try to look back on the year. 2016 has definitely been momentous in many ways and on the whole, another excellent year. I’m still loving life in Napier, my work is great overall, having my own house is fantastic and I’m riding bikes plenty (with twelve days to go, I’m rapidly closing in on 10,000 km for the year – easily my biggest year ever; half of that is commuting to work).

The year started off with a couple of overnight bikepacking trips as some form of light training. This one riding the gravel road from Wairoa past Lake Waikaremoana towards Rotorua.

I also persuaded Steve to join me on a great local ride to Everett’s Campsite for another overnighter. The hills back there are well worth seeing and riding.

That and commuting to work was basically my preparation for my Tour Aotearoa attempt. Mum & Dad came up to Napier and dropped me off at Cape Reinga – the goal being to ride 3000 km to Bluff self-supported on a new route that was a mixture of as many cycle trails and backroads as possible (two-hundred odd others were also doing this). It was a grand adventure and I was thrilled with all I saw, the experiences I had and how I rode – finishing two days sooner than I needed to, in sixteen days, overcoming some horrendous weather and slight illness to do so.

Crossing the Hokianga to Rawene – I was feeling far less than brilliant and rested/was sick for a couple of hours in the heat. I got better.

The Timber Trail in the Central North Island was a highlight, even in the early morning mist. I must return.

Much to my surprise, my favourite day was through northern Manawatu. So close to where I went to university – yet I’d never been there, the rural landscape was sensational. The hilly gravel roads were excellent too.

Another highlight was staying overnight in the remote old gold mining area of Big River; even better because best-sister Adele joined me for a couple of days.

The West Coast Wilderness Trail is also on the must-return-to list, as it’s supposed to be beautiful – but it sparked the start of about four-hundred kilometres of rain for me, so I didn’t see much.

After freezing riding up the Cardrona Valley, being blown by a storm to Mossburn and then battling the same storm (reduced to pushing my bike alongside a flat highway into 120 km/hr winds) I was well pleased and satisfied to finish in 16.1 days.

It took quite some time to recover from that; I kept riding to work, but I was eating five meals a day for weeks afterwards – on the ride, I lost about four kilograms that I didn’t really have spare!

My winter break was a week down in Central Otago for Adele & James’s wedding. A fantastic time of family, friends, celebration, beautiful scenery and good food. I loved it.

Perhaps my only bikepacking event for this season, was a very enjoyable four days on backroads around Rotorua. It was fascinating returning to an area near where I grew up and seeing it from the different perspectives that a bike and being older give.

Still recovering from 550 km of riding in four days, came the sudden (but ultimately unsurprising) news of the passing of my grandfather (the last of my grandparents to go). Thus set in motion a whirlwind November. One weekend I was in Sydney for the funeral (it went as well as could be expected), then back to work for a blur of a week, before being back in Australia the next weekend for a long planned trip seeing best-friends from Canada (who were back for a family wedding). A month after all that, it still looms large.

We stayed at Arapiles, where Adele joined me for the renowned rock-climbing (it was quite a family & friends month). I almost popped my other shoulder and swore off rock-climbing forever. I didn’t sleep much camping in the west-Victorian weather, but it was a great trip.

I did, of course, take a bike and managed a great day’s gravel riding in Grampians National Park.

Later this week I head south for two weeks with my family – I’m really looking forward to it. While generally quiet, which is how I tend to like it, 2016 has proved to have its share of momentous occasions and has been one of the best yet. I’m eagerly looking forward to next year and seeing what it holds. There are no fixed plans, but it promises to be another great year in Hawke’s Bay, exploring a little further afield, work will be busy and challenging, and I sure hope for plenty of riding, in different places, with whoever will come along for it.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year – do come and visit Napier if you’re so inclined.

around home, bikepacking, bikes, GPS, NZ

Mangatutu Two Hot Springs S24O

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In what may become a December tradition, I was keen to repeat my Mangatutu Hot Springs overnight ride of last year. With all that’s been going on and an upcoming week on call for work & then Christmas – last weekend was the only one left. The forecast looked fair (just a few showers later afternoon Saturday) and I managed to get all packed in an hour, with some encouragement, in the morning. However I got a bit sidetracked(ed) early afternoon, which was OK as it was so hot, and didn’t leave until after two o’clock.

I rode the same route as last year, so will try not to repeat myself too much. As I knew how long it should take me, I figured I had plenty of time; I was also in a photo-taking mood. The northerly was strong and very warm.

Looking north-east as I climb before reaching Glengarry Road.

Shortly after, looking towards the Kawekas and bit of cloud.

There seem to be a few stud farms up near Rissington – these Charolais.

Climbing more, it’s proper humid – this looking south.

Looking back east, back down the road I’m following – the hills are getting bigger. Much climbing, slightly less descent.

Nearing Patoka, the light rain I’d been enjoying got heavier. I sheltered in a small bus shelter trying to work out if it would pass. It didn’t. Putting on my rain gear I carried on.

Through Puketitiri the rain eased & then stopped. I was only half-heartedly pursued by the same fox terrier that harassed me with such speed last year. I was rewarded with a glorious rainbow.

More glorious green hills – it really is wonderful up there.

Passing Ball’s Clearing, the gravel finally started. I was starting to get concerned that the sky was darkening and I’d spent so long taking photos, that I might be a bit later than intended. Thankfully I’d stashed a bacon and egg pie in my frame bag on my way through Napier. I had that for first dinner, needing the energy – but not feeling that hungry. I was sitting around 600 m of elevation, climbing in general, when the rain came back as a light mist. It set in, so all the rain gear went back on. It was still rather hot as I was riding straight into the northerly.

The views were a bit different to last year – but I was still in high spirits, if not thoroughly wet – not for the first time that day.

I reached the top of a large descent that took me into another valley before turning off to Makahu Rd and the hot springs.

There’s only eleven kilometres left to ride, out of seventy-nine, but three significant hills to climb. The first is so steep the gravel has been sealed.

I paused near the first crest to see how all the livestock were coping – completely unperturbed would be the answer.

The rain continued as I plunged down to the only ford that must be negotiated – I got wetter feet, but at least the river was warm. Next was the longest steep climb of the day – now in dusk, it was so hot I rode up there (it goes on & on) without my helmet or hood on. A couple of cars heading for the pools passed me. Through the private farmland down to the last bridge and there stood another steep climb. That surpassed it was downhill to the campsite at around sunset.

I quickly put my tent up and somehow managed to light my small meths burner in the rain and cook dinner. I crawled into my tent, trying to keep all my dry things as dry as possible and ate dinner there. Now dry, the thought of going out in the rain to the hot springs didn’t appeal – so I listened to wonderful podcasts and was pleased at how this little adventure turned out. I remembered the delight my grandfather took in, as explained in his short autobiography, overcoming the elements when on a bike. This was hardly English cold or rain – but it felt good all the same. The rain continued to fall as I drifted to sleep.

After one of the better night’s sleep I’d had recently, I was up and about early enough under a clear blue sky. Having not been able to finish dinner the previous night, I had the strange taste of freeze-dried chicken curry for breakfast (not for the first time I must admit – Kiwi Brevet Day Two comes to mind). I had the hot springs to myself as I soaked aching muscles and cares away.

A peak of the Mohaka River from the pools – it’s not a bad spot, at all.

I faffed around a bit waiting for the sun to dry out some of my soaked gear – that worked a bit, but eventually I admitted defeat and packed away a lot of wet gear. Setting off before nine o’clock, it was straight into the steep climbs on the gravel.

Looking back towards the northern end of the Kawekas.

Back onto the main road, I went back up yesterday’s plunge – a little bit of a contrast to five photos above.

It’s shearing time, I watched for some time the ebbs and flows of this mob of sheep being herded. It was a strangely relaxing sight as the dogs and shepherds worked away. Sheep in yards and the buzz of shears were a regular occurrence for the rest of the ride back to town.

The setting may have helped some.

Back through Puketitiri, I stopped at the local Par 3 golf course for water and was a little sad about declining rural communities.

I was eager to get home and somehow managed the return trip on half of last night’s dinner and few handfuls of scroggin/trail mix. The sou-wester was even stronger than the northerly of the day before, but my legs were up to it – even if my poor stomach had no idea what it was feeling. Home easily in less than twenty-four hours, I was thankful for the escape of micro-adventures as I set about washing and drying everything. An excellent little trip – I think making that a regular December trip is a good idea; although perhaps I should check the Kaweka forecast more carefully in the future.