After four weekends unable to do any route scouting, due to an unusual run of trips away (all of which were excellent), I was well excited to make two trips north of Napier. The idea was to suss out three potential connectors across farms that would cut a fair bit of annoying highway out of the route. Around all the other weekend goings-on, more driving than I like to do had me out in the countryside in warm, still and sunny weather.
As a route-connecting exercise, it wasn’t entirely successful; also, I didn’t really ride that far – less than a hundred kilometres. But my, what fun, what hills, what views and what discovery of new (to me) places.
Heading out to the first possible connector – the one that had the potential to avoid the most highway.
Alas, it wasn’t long before I reached a narrow gorge. Even in good weather and low water levels, it was too deep for me to consider fording. Too bad – but definitely not a good idea to route across there considering how the water may rise quickly with just a little rain falling on the nearby hills.
Nor were there any obvious tracks either side.
I turned and headed back to the car to drive a little north, thoroughly enjoying the leisurely ride back.
I tried not to spook the stock, but I don’t think they see cyclists very often – they were easily startled.
The Waikare River, just before I got back to Putorino.
Car loaded and off up the highway, I took more notice of the shoulder – trying to imagine how awful, or not, riding this stretch would be. Finding the side road I was looking for, I parked and set off up a stiff, but beautiful, climb. The potential connector is only a kilometre or two long, but would cut out far more highway than that. Unfortunately, asking permission isn’t always best – at the farmhouse they were unaware of the legal road bisecting the property and what that meant. Not wanting to annoy stock or farmers, I put the connector aside for a while and just went to see the end of the formed road. Disappointing, but hardly the end of the world.
Especially when the Tiwhanui trig cut-through delivered big time on Sunday morning. Leaving Tutira around nine, three kilometres deposited me at the start of a lot of gravel climbing. Absolutely no traffic was about and I climbed and climbed. With an unloaded bike, it wasn’t that bad and every corner opened up a new, often expansive, view.
I was heading down and over the right end of this ridge, and eventually turning north and heading towards that glimpse of ocean.
Up on the ridge, looking back to the high point from which I rode.
Twenty kilometres in, I reached the end of the formed road after riding a little through some pines chasing smelly wild goats along. Ignoring the illegally locked gate, I continued along a grassy farm track. Well, I ignored the intention of the gate, I still had to lift and climb over it so couldn’t completely ignore it.
Hard-packed, the track was pretty good – a little bumpy in places – and traversed along the ridge towards the trig. Different views appeared, I was most struck by the Pacific appearing in front of me. But turning to look over my left shoulder emphasised the ruggedness of the terrain I’d traversed.
The descent was fast, but measured as I kept looking at the view.
That was a good fun drop down closer to sea level.
Just like that, I was back on gravel and heading for Putorino and the quiet route back to Tutira. Finishing up by lunch time, a steak and mushroom pie and an overflowing milkshake gave plenty of time to reflect on a fantastic morning. I’m beginning to wonder just when I’ll run out of such great riding to discover so close to home.