With lockdown impending, but not yet announced, painting the entrance to my house could well wait until a day I couldn’t get out and enjoy some favourite local gravel roads. Riding solo and with no time constraints, I could take my time enjoying things that I might not see again for some time. Over two-thirds of a mild, autumnal day was on gravel and there were plenty of hills to spin or charge up – as the mood took me.

The mast year seems to have also manifested itself in a proliferation of roadside blackberries, as has become normal for the last two months I had to ensure I didn’t spend too long feasting on the sweet, juicy delights – I may not have made it back to my car, or I may have made myself ill, possibly both.

Starting to look like the season is changing on Waipunga Rd, looking west to the Maungaharuru Range and the saddle we rode over the previous weekend.

Down Darky’s Spur; twenty kilometres of gravel about to end, no vehicles to be seen on those.

At my favourite local country store, more favourites were consumed for the upcoming climbs – steak pie, chocolate milkshake and salt and vinegar crisps. The highway had a little traffic, the northerly I’d been riding into all morning was still gentle enough.

Off the main road and the seal for another twenty kilometres, the climbing to my favourite views of Hawke Bay commenced with, again, no traffic and the breeze helping me a little.

The northern reaches of the bay, around to Mahia Peninsula. Pleased to have such clear views.

Across to Napier and around to Cape Kidnappers, not quite as clear.

Approaching the high point of the road, the wind really started to get up and kindly pushed me up some steeper gradients. The formed road ended, twenty minutes of unformed road took me to the trig and my turning point.

East, to South America somewhere out there.

Across the Waikare and Mohaka River mouths north.

As good a place as any to turn and head to ride the same hills in the reverse direction, and more resupply at Tutira.

I certainly knew all about that wind riding into it, but it was there to be enjoyed and appreciated – and really not all that bad.

Part-way up the only more-concerted climb to get back to the highway.

Back to the store for the last time in a while, nothing else for it but to buy another pie, milkshake and ice cream. They were the appetiser for even more blackberries through Waikoau and up the Spur. The heavy corrugations were more apparent on the long downhill run of Waipunga, all part of the fun and to be attacked with still no traffic around.

More signs of autumn across the Esk Valley; funnily enough, the dry conditions haven’t been in the news as much recently.

Returning to find my little car, what a great day’s outing not thinking of all that’s going on and instead enjoying a perfect day savouring hills, quiet roads, open spaces, food, and the sun and wind on my face – with plenty of pauses to take it all in. As always, looking forward to getting back out there and piecing more of the Hawke’s Bay jigsaw of hills, waterways and various land uses together.

Bonus sunset to top the day off.