Clive to Hastings

Spring has sprung - finally. Today we decided to try the new track from the outskirts of Clive heading towards Hastings, to see if it was finished - it's not. But still, it was a lovely WARM day and there's really only a short bit from the end of the showgrounds to the Information centre at the old Hastings railway station that, as far as we could see, is yet to be completed.
With the warm came the scents of spring as well as quite a few other fragrances that were not so sweet. Most of the track travels through industrial land, behind factories and beside the rail track. We were sure we could smell onions as well as wafts of baking coconut cake.
The big thrill was a new bridge to go over - have I mentioned I love bridges. It has a netting on the surface which makes a rather satisfying buzzing noise when you ride over it.
Most of the track is in good condition, firm limestone and concrete, but it does have a rather odd starting point that has no available parking. We decided to start down by the river which although was turgid from all the recent rain, was calm and sparkling and full of water birds frolicking in the sunshine.
We wended our way through the back streets of Clive to avoid the main road which when we did finally strike it, wasn't so bad, after all.

We followed the river for a short stretch, through a little park and onto the road in Whaktu. Not quite sure where to go here but just as I was about to consult the map, Rich spots the track. We have no idea where we are but eventually recoginize the polo grounds and then the back of the showgrounds. We stop at the end of this part, mainly because the off road track ends here.

It wasn't a long ride, 15.52 km according to my phone, but we can see the potential of making it part of a longer loop, which will make it altogether more interesting and satisfying.

Another New Favourite Ride

We have a new favourite ride! At the moment it's a little unknown treasure and we only discovered it by chance. Biking back from Clifton the other day, innocently meandering along, we turned a corner and were confronted by a large group of hoons, bellowing and carousing on their poncy hire bikes. I just about had a nasty accident and veered off to the side. The hoons stopped too. Turns out they were half expecting to see us as they knew we frequented this ride. My cousins and their offspring were up in Napier to celebrate Jaimie's 21st and had hired bikes in Clive and were heading to Clearview for lunch. The bike hire lady had recommended several rides, one which they were doing and another which would have taken them through the back of the vineyard. Naturally we pricked up our ears and took note.

Reid whanau

The following week after a little research the team meet at Black Bridge and took the track on the opposite side of the river to the one we normally take. We had never done it before as it was only a short ride beside the river, ending at Moore Rd which meets up with the Tukituki Valley Rd and we knew that was awfully hilly.

We shouldn't have been so soft. The track follows the Tukituki River for about 5 kms and it really is quite a  delightful ride, in complete contrast to it's brother on the opposite side. We've taken to avoiding most of that track now, taking the roads and only popping back on the track in order to visit the coffee cart that is nestled in Katriona and Tiki Mara's vineyard.

The limestone  ends at Moore Rd which is a short and deceptively nasty little road. You can hardly tell by looking at it but it is ALL hill. Quite a workout! We take a moment to catch our breath and looking around our breath is taken away again. Out gaze is drawn up the valley  to Te Mata peak looming over the country side. It's a view of the peak we've never seen before.

Deceptive gradient

That last bit is a killer.

The sleeping giant from the side.

While the next part of the ride is on road, it is, nevertheless, very picturesque, with lots of tall English trees dressed in their autumn garments; and it's downhill!

We turn onto Raymond Road which does have a 'little rise' in it near Haumoana School. Again we stop to catch our breath and our gaze sweeps out over golden glowing vineyards and out to the dramatic cliffs of Cape Kidnappers. So very beautiful.

The back of Elephant Hill Winery. Picture taken at a later date. (No golden leaves)

Weeeeeeeee!

We free wheel down to the end of the road and stop at the back entrance to Clearview vineyard where we stop and dither for a moment or two as the sign very definitely says we can't drive in. We ask a passing horse rider who has two Japanese tourists in tow. He assures us we are at the right place and Rose offers to give some riding advice  that is brusquely declined.

It's a short trip through the vineyard and we stop for coffee to ease our consciences. Then it's back onto the Haumoana/Te Awanga limestone track and only a short trip to the car.

Yet again we count our blessings and feel sorry for anyone who isn't us as we eat our picnic lunch on yet another glorious Hawkes Bay autumn day.

River mouth

The Gissy Gambol

Osler Pies

Lunch by the Wairoa river.

A piper pipes us off.

An invitation to a cousin's birthday, inspires us to head to Gisbourne for the weekend. Do we, don't we, take our bikes? Oh what the heck, we'll throw them in.
The road from Napier to Gisbourne is rather challenging if you haven't done it for a while - which we haven't - and has had a rough time recently with many washouts and slips from recent storms. There are few places to stop for a pitstop, so it was with some relief we pulled up in Wairoa on a glorious autumn day. We have our sandwiches and thermos packed but as we were parked directly across the road from the nationally famous Osler Bakery we thought it would be plain silly not to indulge in one of their delicious, hot pies (so we did!)
Replete and rested, the driver was able to face the next 100 or so kilometres to complete the journey.
We arrive in Gisbourne in time for a cup of tea and a reccy of the town. Our motel is only 1 km from the party venue and very clean and tidy. We have to laugh at the sign on the lawn which proclaims it is "Modern, comfy and affordable." Well, two of the boxes are ticked and it does have a flatscreen TV. (Highway Motel - and I do recommend it)

The city is perched on the most fabulous beach

Looking towards the port.

Out for the night at the RSA to meet up with a couple who came to Melbourne with us for radiation treatment, Albie and Cam (it was Cam who had the treatment) We meet up with 'Oncle' Api (who is Albie's boss and one of the local chiefs for Ngati Pouro) and nearly meet their popular mayor, Meng Foon, one of the very few mayors in New Zealand of Chinese descent, who is also fluent in Te Reo.
I am very tempted to write to him to extol the virtues of a good bike/walking track ( like our Napier/ Hastings one), because we honestly feel that Gisbourne would benefit from it enormously.

The next morning we hop on our bikes and set off to visit the coussies, whose house is actually remarkably close by. We brave the main highway but it was the side roads that gave us the worst thrills with huge trucks thundering past us. Unfortunately the cousins weren't home so we headed back to our motel and loaded our bikes into the car and headed into town(where we incidentally did meet up). I had found a map on my phone which illustrated a ride along the beach front then up the river.
http://www.bikeys.net/images/stories/three%20rivers%20cycleway.jpg

Hurumph! It was a great start but then the path kept disappearing on us, forcing us to head back towards town battling the traffic and roundabouts before heading back to the start of the next path. Only a couple of hundred metres separated these separate paths and they could so easily be joined to make one lovely ride. Money has already been spent in putting in pedestrian bridges - why don't they finish it?
Still it was lovely cycling beside Waikanae Beach and along the river. Although we passed quite a few walkers I don't think we saw another biker at all. The biking culture has not yet developed in Gisbourne.

A womens waka passing yet another statue of Captain Cook

Dear little rotunda

Nicki in the Naki

Slight diversion first.

Another ride around our new favourite track, but with the added bonus of a few new faces in the team. Rose's friends, the Webbs, and our Rail Trail buddy Steve joined us. There was a bit of a palaver, when Steve discovered his tyres were flat and our pumps had the wrong fittings, so while he and Rich set off to the petrol station we set off in the opposite direction to the one we normally go in.

 Yay! The track had finally been completed so no scrambling over locked gates and juddering along rocky paths. We set a good pace, but even so we only had to wait a couple of minutes outside the church, to meet up with Rich and Steve coming from the other direction. Rich said Steve had set a cracking pace, so he was panting a bit. We persuaded them to carry on the way we had just come so they could enjoy the new bits, and we all met up at the end of the ride at the same time without further incident.

On the way home we called into the Havelock North bike shop to do some research on carriers and saddlebags (I covet the one Rose has).  My eye fell on this bike and it took me a couple of minutes to work out what it was - an electric one! (Or 'battery assisted', as the man explained.) Well the man insisted (insisted, I tell you) that I gave it a try. As I knew my cousin was wanting one of these, I thought it was my duty to give it a go. With a wee squeal, (the man said everyone does that) I shot out the shop door like a greased pig. What fun!!! It really was. Apparently they can go for about 60 kms on one charge and can handle the hills around Napier. The only draw-back was the price tag - two and a half grand. Well if I had that money to spare, I'd be sorely tempted.

Right - to the Naki
We met up with a group of people whom we met in Melbourne,3 years ago, while we were all having radiation treatment and who have become a good bunch of friends. We have met up once a year since and have spent some wonderful times together, despite the fact we are all different ages (I'm the baby -ha ha) and we are all different types of characters.
This year we were spoilt by one of the couples who manage a lodge on the western side of Mt Taranaki, up in the bush. What a glorious setting. As we were only half an hour away from New Plymouth, we decided to go into town on the Saturday and a small group of us hired bikes and set off to explore the beautiful new pathway (which I have since discovered was designed by an old school friend, Richard Bain). Our aim was to reach the Rewa Rewa bridge which we had heard so much about from our friend Anton, who is inordinately proud of it, him being New Plymouth's chief engineer.
Well, he has every right to be proud. It is a masterpiece and quite amazing on so many different levels.

The brave Trish, who hasn't been on bike for some years.

John, who together with his wife, Diana (below), have come biking with us before.

Lewis is an old biking hand.

Taking a breather

Our first glimpse of the bridge.

Thousands of seagals and seaguys.

The bridge was designed and built by a consortium led by local company Whitaker Civil Engineering Limited and included Novare Design, CPG and Fitzroy Engineering, but the ribs ( like the ribs of a whale) were sent to Korea to be bent and shipped back. As we rode across it we realised it wasn't a whale, but a wave. I had an actual physical sensation of riding a tube (is that a surfing term?) which was awesome enough, but when we stopped and looked back, there was the mountain (without his cap on) framed in the spokes. Photos, unfortunately do it no justice whatsoever.

Diana hanging 10

Made it!

We met our hosts, Dawn and George on the other side then meandered our way back to the bike shop. As there were so many people and little darting kids and little darting dogs on the track (there was a women's surfing competition at the Fitzroy Surf Club), we decided  to travel some of the way back on the road. Bit of a challenge as there was a very steep hill. Still we made it safely.
The biking/walking track starts at the port and apparently continues up to Waitara. I'm not sure how long it is in total - yes I am, just googled it - 11km. Here's a link to check out:
http://www.newplymouthnz.com/OurDistrict/Attractions/CoastalWalkway.htm
We would have loved to do some more exploring as it was a truly lovely track, but among other things it was lunch time so we headed off to another local icon, The Bach for lunch.

Great spot for lunch

Diana improvises a sunshade to protect her pretty nose

Kind waitress takes pity and brings out a brolly.

If you ever go to New Plymouth, this is a must do experience. We parked at the Wind Wand, went across the road to the information centre/museum (will do the museum next time - looked great on the outside), then a short walk to Upper Devon St, to a bike shop where we hired bikes for $10 for 3 hours - I think that was the best deal in town. The Bach for lunch is another must do - I had something like beetroot and tofu fritters - sounds disgusting - tastes divine. We stayed at Putahu Lodge:
http://www.patuhalodge.co.nz/
Check it out. It's very nice but reasonable and if you are brave follow the signs to Pukeiti Gardens - close by and a very interesting drive.
Thanks Taranaki for a wonderful weekend.

Biking Boars

Whoops - 3 rides later! Haven't been keeping up at all! I'll put up the photos (because that's what this is all about really) and try to comment on them.
Around the  airport:
 The track was much better but still reasonabley demanding. The track itself had firmed up considerably since we last did it, and yet it's still challenging. It was interesting to ride with people who knew about the geography - prior 1931 we would have been riding in the water! We skirted the "islands" and the track was very 'shelly'. I thought they may have used the shells for a base - but no - it's part of the  geological structure. After all , it was once the floor of a lagoon.
Other than a slight mishap when one of the party parted company with his steed, it was a great ride - yet again.

Part of the new bit for us - the other side of the islands.

It's much easier when you are fully 'pumped'.

ahh - familiar territory.

                                         











Clive to Clifton (that's our real favourite ride) 11/3/12

A bit of a bonus this time, the wool museum happened to be open. The bloke who owns it is a mate of Rose's so she managed to wangle us all in there for free. We had contributed a "Mt Vernon" wool stencil some years before , so I didn't feel too guilty.

Hmm - you'd have to be pretty desperate.

A rather large, but friendly, Captain Cooker.

Come on Boris - where are your lycra biking pants.