Eastcaped

The bus driver to Opotiki was an acquaintance of Tama Iti, he couldn’t work out what all the fuss over the raids on the “terrorist camp” was about, “everyone has guns around here”. The teenagers in hoodies and sun glasses hang around on horses in these here parts. The ride went well, westerly winds were a bit annoying at times. Thank you farmer Hari for filling my bottle from your hose. Fish and Chips and a beer was a great end to the day watching the sunset in Te Kaha until I learned the Backpacker was another 20kms down the road. Arrived down a long steep rocky road in the pitch black, no lights on. Some guess showed me my bed and I was quickly making zzds.

Waihau Bay which was full of kiwi blokes in their stubbies and jandals launching boats from their 4WD’s to catch the prize winner in a national fishing competition. Figured the carbon footprint per fish was huge. Breakfast at the pub came in all sorts of packaging leaving a huge mound at the end. Felt pretty stink after having made a submission for the Auckland Council Waste Minimisation and Management plan. Felt for the 1st huge marlin being hung up to weigh. As I will be putting my bike on the plane next week, I thought about asking if they could weigh it. With the queue of eager fisherman was growing, didn’t think it would go down too well. It was a hot day but back winds were a blessing and after a midday nap in front of the Hicks Bay general store I arrived in Te Araroa around 2:30pm. The host of the Backpacker is a flax weaver with a beautiful collection of work in her gallery. The police begin their annual helicopter hunt for Marijuana plantations next week. The ingenuity of the planters was being discussed at every table over dinner at the Hunting and Fishing club.

Day 3 began with a chat over breakfast with some middle aged pakeha hunters who were checking the area out for a 4WD tour. The last one involved about 200 vehicles roaring up and down tracks through the local farms, hmmmm, can’t have heard about peak oil. The ride started with 3 very steep long hills in the first 10kms, then a head wind got up. The wind and hills continued all day. Was passed by lots of motorbikes, from muscled bro’s on their Harleys in singlet’s to sedate groups of middle aged bikers puttering by with polite beeps. I was very pleased to arrive in Tokomaru Bay where I was greeted at the backpacker with good coffee and half a fresh smoked fish.

Breakfast was shared with a retired couple from Devon. He was ex RAF who flew Lightning interceptor jets in the cold war. He would scramble when the “Bears” arrived to test Britain’s air defences. After the requisite formal supersonic argie bargie he would fly home for a cup of tea and Boris for a vodka both satisfied they had staved off the nuclear holocaust for another day. The ride began with a big hill, but then refreshing light rain and tail winds made for a pleasant days cycling with the 90kms to Gisborne completed by 2:30pm. The logging truck divers were most courteous. The trick to making more space is to strike a line as far out in the road as one dares and for as long as possible as the truck bears down on you, then duck to the shoulder (warning, this should only be undertaken with adult supervision). Looking forward to the Walking and Cycling conference in Hastings.

The cycleways from Napier to Hastings are a dream, just like Holland.