kohukohu to some where 60 km

kohukohu to some where 60 km

after having a bit of a chat with a friend at where I spent the last 2 nights I head back down the road to the ferry to get to the town of rawne? ( $2 per person with no charge for bikes ) after getting off the ferry I get some food before heading south having to climb a few big hills going in and out of opononi/omapere ( the 2 towns are next to each other) after riding though farm land for a few hours I start riding the waipoua forest stoping at on point to go for a 5 min bush walk to see a very large tree once I get back on the road I ride along stoping some times to get some photos then to put the bike lights on as it's starting to get dark theres is a fun down hill on the road thought the bush I keep riding until I find some where to camp for the night.

awanui to kohukohu 85 km

awanui to kohukohu 85 km

getting on the road I head a long S.H.1 until I get in to the town of kaitaia where I stop for a bit to do a few jobs- one of then is to find the bike shop- well after going back and for a few times I find out that the shop is no longer open- one of my other jobs was to pop in to the newspaper to try to get a copy of an story they did on me back in 2008 - well then decide to do a new story on my this time so after a bit of an chat and a photo I ending up as a story in the newspaper a bout a week latter : ) going the back roads to  kohukohu starting with hills until the last 10 km or so passing the odd small town along the way (herekino, broadwood) before riding riding though the town of kohukohu- some where on the days ride I much up my food and water(yep even after 7 years on the road I still some times muck up on things from time to time : ) passing the place where the ferry leaves from I ride the last few km to the treehouse backpacks - a very nice place that I have stayed at a few times over the years) having spent most of the day riding in the rain it was nice to have a hot shower and get into some thing dry

here is a link the the newspaper story

  http://www.northlandage.co.nz/news/inspirational-cyclist-heading-south/1533941/

waitiki landing to awasui 83 km

waitiki landing  to awasui 83 km

after packing up and saying good bye to the people at the camp ground that I had been staying at for the last few days I head south riding along the road I came north on (S.H.1)the weather is over cast so it's not as hot as it was on the way up riding over the hills ( if one wants to the can ride on 90 mile beach so theres not as many hill to climb over- I did that the last 2 times I was up this way -but cheek the tied times and remember to give your bike a good wash in fresh water to wash off the sand and salt of the bike) I find that the hills are a good way to get fit fasts ( though it helps that I have low gears on the bike) working my was from shop to shop as most of the little shops don't have much in the way of food ( that is to say real food and no chips and other junk food is not what I call food as its not good for you) I was going to ride down to  kaitaia but as there don't seem to be any where to camp there I decide to stay that the place that I stayed at on the way north - im doing some washing as I put down what I have been up over the last few days (part of it is to help me remember where I have been and what I have done also so other people can have a read about my some what crazy life and the fun places that I end up at and the fun ( as some say ; ) things I do with my life- some people have said to me that I should do a book - maybe one day I might do a book for now have a read of this blog : )

waitiki landing to cape reinga and back (day ride) 43 km

waitiki landing to cape reinga and back (day ride) 43 km

after spending a day off the bike I pack up a few things on the bike and head the 20 km or so up to cape reinga (leaving the panniers and trailer back at the camp ground (little point in doing a hilly day ride with all the gear still on the bike . the last time I was up this way back in 2008 the last 20 km of the road north was still gravel - its now tar-seal all the way. working my way over the last of the hills I stop some times to get some photos and look at the view . at the end  of S. H .1 there is a round about and 2 car parking lots (no bike parking thought) and a toilet ( there used to be just a small a small car park and thats it ) after walking the bike down the track to the light house  and getting some photos of me at the light house  I get back on the road heading south this time heading back up the hill to the car park ( the first of many hills to come : ) going a lot faster on the way back ( no photo stops and maybe more down hill?) I get back to the camp in an hour 10 min ( about 2 hours going north)