Thu May 9, 2019 @ 08:25

We left Wairoa after watching Chris’ team Spurs stroll into the final of the Champions League curtesy of pay TV in our motel. We were headed inland into the wild and rugged Lake Waikaremoana where we planned to do a days hiking before continuing up to Rotorua. Our map showed about 40ks of gravel but in fact it turns out there is about 120ks of it. After 40ks of following a river up a narrowing valley we hit the gravel which was loose and corrugated. With panniers it made it almost impossible and after a few near falls we made an executive decision to retreat back to Wairoa.