Journal Entries

So, new plans. We’re catching a bus this morning down to Napier which is about 120ks. From there we’ll cycle up to lake Taupo and back to Rotorua which should take 3-4 days. That is assuming the bus driver lets us put our bikes on his bus. Luckily, as the booking attendant checked the roster, the angry bus driver was not doing today’s run, so our chances are greatly improved.

Tolaga Bay May have the longest wharf in New Zealand but Wairoa has the only inland lighthouse situated on the Main Street. It was a marketing stroke of genius when the local mayor relocated the decommissioned lighthouse into the town hoping the tourists would flock in by their thousands. Whilst that didn’t happen, a positive unintended consequence was no reported shipwrecks in the town since it was installed

Chris ran over a duck, so took it into a tiny pub we rode past, and ended up with a prize!

A big hill on the ride was ‘Gentle Annie’. Not so gentle as it turns out!

Perfect ride on Wednesday with clear skies and back roads from Gisborne to Wairoa

More serenity. We’re heading up into the hills for the next few days so probably no internet.

Stopped at the top of a hill and there was someone there to snap a photo of Chris and I, in all our sweaty glory. You can just see Gisborne in the background.

As you all would know Tolaga Bay is famous in New Zealand for having the longest wharf at 600 metres. Less impressive is the Tolaga Bakery which had no cakes or pastries, only dodgy looking pies! Not what you need at 10am. This was the only town with food today, which gives you an idea how sparse the population is on the East Cape.

We were headed forGisborne today, 95k’s away and a well deserved rest day. It was a bit cooler today but clear and crisp which was good because the climb out of Tokamura Bay was really steep. The publican at the Tavern last night offered to drive us to the top, but that would be cheating!

And the end to another great day on the bike. We’re staying at the Tokomaru tavern tonight and have just inhaled the seafood chowder and fish of the day. I’m going to sleep well tonight!