I spied the Macraes to Ocean ride some months before I was due to finish working in Napier on the pulpmill’s Cyclone Gabrielle rebuild. Conveniently timed the week after my last day, it was a good incentive to not prolong the journey home too much. In an area I became familiar with when I returned from living abroad nine years ago (parents had moved nearby; also I was getting into bikepacking and riding in more remote areas), this fundraising ride would show me some new places as it involved access to two large farms. That the ride was fundraising for a cycle crossing of the lower Waikouaiti River (would be most welcome, the highway bridge is nasty on a bike) sealed it.

Grateful to Adele for a drop-off in Macraes village we were not sure what to expect; we arrived to scores of bikers milling around. Having been home just a day, my only serviceable bike was my gravel bike – I thought I, and it, would cope on farm tracks, gravel roads and then be glad for it on the last fifteen kilometres of sealed road. To our surprise, there were about 150 people ready to ride on a fresh, clear morning. Ninety-nine percent on mountain bikes, I’d say about half were on e-bikes – which was great to see as it opened up what would be an adventure for far more people. We were pleased to see some unexpected Naseby faces to chat with.

Happy, as usual, to linger at the back the crowd set off, stretching out along a straight, gently climbing gravel road. A new place, there was a new part of the landscape puzzle of the local area to fit in one’s mind. Rocks aplenty in the fields.

Off the road and onto farm tracks, a short downhill was fun to blast down before a longer climb led to an hour or so on fairly flat terrain with expansive views west to the Rock and Pillar Range. It was so vast, there was little point in trying to capture much on my phone – so I enjoyed the views and chatting with obvious-bikepackers, we seemed to gravitate towards each other. A fast section through fields of turnips soon gave way to a steep descent – much fun bumping and barrelling down it and past plenty of people. A short climb brought us to the feed station – very well put on as another fundraiser, this time by a local junior rugby club. Community events are great.

This was a good time to pause, chat and admire the landscape. I was pleased to discover we were very close to one of my favourite gravel roads – Ramrock Rd (not just because of the name), one I’d enjoyed riding bits or all of years ago.

Our track continuing across the hill behind the hut.

Food time.

Back on the bike, it was mostly down and became progressively steeper (this hill we were warned about at the briefing) to the El Dorado farm gate and buildings.

Down to the north branch of the Waikouaiti, and the end of Mt Watkin Rd – no new terrain for me from there. Mt Trotter in background, the road of the same name didn’t quite take me to its upper slopes a couple of years back.

A twenty-five minute grovel up from the end of the road showed up my lack of fitness, I was pleased to have plenty of gears and easy-rolling tyres. The highpoint being going past Mt Watkin, amusingly the only time I wished for a mountain bike over a gravel bike was on the next section of gravel road! A long fast, extremely corrugated descent shook me up far more than any of the farm tracks.

Down to the Waikouaiti outlet at Karitane, left of shot.

Across the highway, soon through Karitane on Coast Road the steep climb at Puketeraki the last remaining challenge before the gentle ten kilometres to finish at ARC Brewery with a few dozen riders – most others opted for the shorter option, ending the ride at Waikouaiti.

Always worth stopping at the turnout at the top of that climb.

A fun outing around lots of people, it was good to chat a bit more in the warm sun. I was surprised when Tom came up and said hi, I’d not ridden with him since meeting him a couple of years ago as I joined a group of people I didn’t really know to ride the Lake Dunstan Trail for the first time.

With casual remote working for the rebuild project ending last week (officially unemployed again, huzzah!), here’s hoping I can return to writing a little of recent modest outings, get some condition back and go on some bigger trips.