Some people seemed eager to get on the trail, so campsite noise began early. Apparently the wind had really got up in the night, but I’d missed that – so my night maybe wasn’t as sleepless as I’d thought. Breaking camp it was down to the store to find breakfast – hot meat pies are fine for breakfast, right? Retracing our path a little along the highway we were soon climbing up in front of the cliff faces to the valley that Herepuru Road lies in.
Gaining that little bit of elevation quickly confirmed that it was another glorious day in the Bay. That’s White Island puffing away on the horizon – I really should visit one day.
While the more magnificient Tarawera Falls were near to our route, this would be the largest waterfall we saw on our trip.
Gaining four hundred metres in altitude was a little bit of a shock first thing in the morning, but it was a lovely climb up through quiet farmland and then onto another stretch of the gravel Manawahe Rd. A fast, loose and thrilling ride ensued on the gravel as we quickly returned to the plains, which were basically at sea level.
Looking toward Kawerau and Mt Edgecumbe partway down the descent back to the plains.
We made good time against a slight wind on the highway before turning south at Te Teko – our last place for getting water and buying supplies for sixty kilometres. Buying more pies, we rolled out under the watchful eye of a local Mob emissary – much speculation was had as to whether he was checking out the patch of the Coastal Crew (a group from Kapiti with their own printed riding gear) or just generally impressed by the large twenty-nine inch wheels.
For the next seventy kilometres we followed quiet backroads through an awful lot of forest, much of it unsealed. I was surprised to see a rail line through here – I’d no idea, apparently it brings logs from Murupara to the mills at Kawerau. It was not unpleasant climbing up to five hundred metres, even if all the pine trees were somewhat similar. We found a trail angel just past the halfway point of the day and gladly accepted oat cookies and were happy to stop and chat for a while. Eventually things flattened out and the hills became undulating; it was time for lunch in the sun on a big grassy patch, and another pie. Stopping briefly in the shade at Rerewhakaaitu School to refill bottles, I looked across the road and saw the hall that we stayed in twenty years ago on aforementioned cycle tours. Those were the days where you could walk or ride up & down Tarawera for the princely sum of two dollars. Always so much fun running down into the crater and then blasting down the 4WD road off the mountain.
Here’s a view of what I consider the back of Mt Tarawera, and what is definitely Steve’s back.
Having skirted around Lake Rerewhakaaitu and passing the roads used to access the northern part of the lake, I recalled numerous days and nights camping beside the lake and finally learning to deep-water start on a single waterski. Gosh, it’s been years since I’ve been waterskiing. There’s a nice bit of new singletrack around the edge of Rainbow Mountain that gets bikes & riders off the highway for a bit. We took that before stocking up for the next day’s breakfast & lunch at Benny Bee cafe – and feeding ourselves for the present as well, naturally.
From there all that was left of the day’s riding was to ride the notorious Waikite Hill – albeit in reverse, we went down the near-twenty percent gradient hill before arriving at the campground. Well, Steve had somehow managed to lose his debit card on the way down – so he got to climb the hill properly; pleasingly, he did manage to find the lost card. The best thing about the campground was that admission to the site also included the adjacent hot pools. Pre- and post-dinner soaks in the pools? Don’t mind if I do. A close second to the pools was the huge plate of beef nachos I devoured. I could get used to bikepacking for the day and finishing at four-thirty – most excellent, especially with hot pools, large dinners & beer.
Waiting for the off; once again Steve, as the accomplished & strong triathlete, had the pleasure of carrying our tent. I travelled lighter than in 
For an event called the Geyserland Gravel Grind, appropriately our first bit of off-road trail was through thermal flats beside the lake. One of my favourite smells, the rotten-eggs of hydrogen sulphide, hung heavy in the air – we must be in Rotovegas!
I stopped to snap a different perspective of Mt Tarawera.
Said perspective, looking across Okareka.
A nice smooth section of trail.
That done, we were on the shore of yet another lake – Rotoiti.
It turns out that the turn was marked, somewhat; although the trail is not immediately apparent.
The buildings were about the only things watching us up here.
Looking west towards childhood homes – if you squint I’m sure you can see Te Puke there somewhere.
We fair took over three or so sites (this being about half of our tents) – the campsite was busy with the long-weekend and the popularity of the spot.
Back on a Bay of Plenty beach with proper sand & all! There’s even Whale Island over there too.
Plenty of people out enjoying the late-afternoon sun and fishing.
We stopped en route at about midnight to sight the church where the service would be in a week’s time. It was already frosty, much colder for winter than I’ve grown accustomed to; naturally we skated around on the lawn.
We spent the weekend staying at a house that was stuck in the ’70s, it was brilliant inside & out – the views of The Remarkables & Coronet Peak weren’t too shabby either.
The days were cold and still – we spotted a few hot-air balloons floating around early morning.
Craig turned up with a wood-fired hot-tub he had made on a trailer – brilliant! We quickly got to work thawing the garden hose, filling the tub and heating it up. The tub got a fair bit of use over the week – they’re incredible, 
We drove most of the way up the Coronet Peak access road, for a reason I could not discern. The view was adequate compensation.
As the light faded, we headed up the gondola for a bit of luging (little carts on a concrete track, not the Olympic type of luging.)
Sunday morning’s activity, which ended up being in the afternoon, was skydiving for the stag & a few of us. It was a glorious day for it &, I’m told, the experience was quite amazing.
A very pleasant drive through Central Otago looking at the recent snow contrasting with the dry pasture soon had me at Mum & Dad’s, where Adele had also arrived from Westport.
But as this photo has been shared publicly (if you know where to look), I’ll put it here just to show I’m not making this all up – there was in fact a wedding.
Token new bike picture – I have a fun bike again.
Chasing horses down the east end of Moki Road – we were heading for the valley in the distance to the right.
But first a stretch through farmland where Moki Road becomes unformed – but thankfully dry – as the sheep run away. We passed a couple of ruined old houses, still standing – just.
The valley closes in, as does the native bush.
There were five wire swing bridges over the bigger chasms – at least these ones had decks. They were considerably easier than the 
At least here, the trail is well defined. With a GPS trail and the orange markers to follow, only a few times did we lose the trail temporarily as it faded into nothing.
This bridge was intact and rideable!
Steve trying to work out how much of that slippery approach to another stream crossing is worth attempting to ride as the drop to his right becomes apparent. At least, I assume that’s what he’s thinking as that’s what I thought riding down there.
There were frequent stops for track maintenance – we cleared numerous branches and trees from the trail, mostly led by Steve, ever the font of energy.
Finally, we crossed the fifth swing bridge and emerged into the farmland again. Over two hours for less than ten kilometres – that’s 
The view was certainly more expansive out of the trees – Steve taking it in.
The little tunnel of the ride – the stock were slow to relinquish their positions as Roger approached.
We crossed to the right side of the Waitara as the farm track improved to was-once-a-gravel-road and things got a bit faster.
Really nice gravel road riding – and about the highest we got all day at a whopping 350-odd metres above sea level.
With a steep blast back to the valley floor, we found the start of the Rerekapa Track and a suitable lunch stop – suitable except for the young hunting dog that tried to steal most of our food.
There was no way we were clearing the trail of this tree, and a fair few others – the muscling of bikes around obstacles became more commonplace.
Thankfully, Steve had hauled my bike off me and I was standing again before a decent photo was taken. My, that trail looks simple – I assure you that there were more slippery rocks there that I misjudged.
The trail disappeared into the grass before heading for the trees again.
Roger emerging from some taller ferns.
