rotorua to taupo around 80 km

rotorua to taupo around 80 km 

after packing up I head into the city center to do a bit of shopping before heading out of town heading for taupo -as I’m leaving town I spot one of the new NZ cycle trails -it's a path footpath looking track running beside the road so I decide to take it for a change (also to get off the busy road for a bit as there is a lot of trucks and camper vans on the road) on the trail a street swapper? passers by giving a the trail a clean  there a few km latter I get a flat on the front wheel - as I'm change the tube I decide to swap the tire to one of the other tires that i have in the trailer as its looks like it's wearing out. the trail runs for a round 10 km until it gets to highlands loop rd (the road sign says “highlands loop road- no exit” - yep one of the many odd roads signs that I have past riding around nz) where the trail sees to stop for a bit before restarting down the road a bit - back on the trail I keep riding at one point it leaves the road and becomes gravel as it runs beside paddocks  after about a km of this I decide to have a look on the iphone to see where the trail ends up so after a look at the website I decide to back track to the road where I head along the road towards taupo stopping a few times to play with the trailer frame as its still dragging on the ground some times.

 riding down hill past rainbow Mt  a few km latter i head down settlers rd to take the back roads to taupo though reporoa and broadlands where the road flatting out . heading slowly into a strong head/side wind I keep riding until around 15-20 km out of taupo when I hear the trailer frame start dragging on the road all the time so I stop to have a look only to find that the tailer frame has large creaks in it where its been hitting the road some times so after a bit of an think as its going to be dark soon I give a friend a call and they come and take me to a horse place (its some where that I have spent time at before when helping at horse shows there)

the next day as im thinking what to do about the bike trailer I decide to have a look at the headset as it had came lose the day before only to find it needs replacing also I look at the front wheel to work out what the rubbing sound was - well I found what was making the sound - theres a small spit in the rim -the rims do ware down with a lot of use ( I think that this front rim has done some where around 25,000 km- its the 2 rim for the front wheel - im on the 4 rim on the back wheel) so as well as working out what to do about the trailer  I need to find a new head set (I did find one and its now on the bike : ) as well as getting a new front wheel made up ( getting made up by cyclepro bike shop in hamilton - its should be here some time this week if all goes to plan : ) so im stuck here in taupo until the parts i need get here

 about a week ago my mum brought down my mt bike so I would have a bike to ride until I can the Mtbike friday back on the road (the Mt bike is my spear bike(its spends most of its time at my mums place in te kuiti) that I got a month or so before I got the bike friday in the mail (the bike friday is hand made in the usa) the Mt bike only has done about 1500-2000 km over the same time I done some where around 35,000-40,000 km on the bike friday 

McLaren Falls Park to Rotorua 75 km

McLaren Falls Park to Rotorua 75 km a wet and windy day - it's raining as I pack up. the rain stops just as I start heading back to the main road there are doing a lot of road works on the road to the falls back up to the main road so a slow ride up the hill then it's a fun down hill for many of the km back to town (Tauranga) . after stoping for some subway I head into gate pa to met up with a friend for a few hours before doing a few other jobs in town then its time to get on the road to Rotorua  going the shorter but more hilly way - parts of the road have changed from the last time I was on it- it times I had to read the road signs to make sure I was still on the right road. crazy weather on todays ride strong winds and heavy showers also had very cold hale at times so not great weather to be riding in but if I only biked on days weather it might be a long time between rides : ) any way it gives me a good work out when riding in the wind and rain - its tends to help if you have good rain gear- im still working out a better wet weather set up when on the bike the road slowly climbs up to a high point then drops into a gorge with the road making a few sharp turns before climbing up the other side going though a few more tight bends . after the gorge the road pass’s by mostly farm land with the odd bit of bush going mostly down hill passing though a few small towns as it winds it’s way around the lake (lake rotorua) then its mets up with a busier road at a round about - for the last 4-6 km into town there is a walk/cycle path on one side of the road. after I get into town I head to the place that I tend to stay at when I end up in rotorua  (a nice place called Kiwi paka ) riding in the back way as there are road works so I get um a bit lost- well I knew where I was and where the place that I was heading for was I just was unsure which road I needer to go down to get there. after checking in I set up camp then went off for a shower and a swim in the hot pool to warm up as it was very cold riding on the bike at times today

Just an update on number of km done so far

Have done around 750 km on the bike from the time I was up at cape reinga until now ( around 15 days ago or so- with 3 days off the bike in that time) only 2000+ km still to go over the next 4-6 weeks : ) have done some where around 4700 km on the bike from the start of this year until today 

waihi to McLaren Falls Park park 80 km

waihi to McLaren Falls Park park 80 kma late start as I got lost in a good book then had to play trailer frame so it wont drag on the ground as much. most of the ride today had a nice tail wind as i ride down the coast/  over rolling hills passing though a few small towns and the odd larger one alone the way getting into tauranga around 4 pm I decide to head out to McLaren Falls Park to camp for 2 nights -15 km out of town towards hamilton up hill -I some how forgot the up hill part ) after putting on the bike lights I head to the park only to find out that the gate are closed at 5:30 pm dratt - not to worry as I unhook the trailer and take the bike though the gate then I take the trailer thought the gate  (see photo)then set up camp for the night.

just a note on the rest of my posts that i still need to type up

hi there I wil try to get the rest to my blog post when I can - my lap top is just about to go flat on me so  it will have to wait until next time I have some where to charge it up ok

some where to waihi 50 km

some where to waihi 50 km

after packing  camp I head down the rail trail towards paeroa. near hikutain the trail leaves the old rail line leading to some more head scratching as I try to navigate the trail - back on the rail bed I keep riding until I get to paeroa where I stop at the info center to find out more about the rail trail though the gorge to waiking? once im back on the trail (yep I got some what lost leaving town - the signs on the trail need more work( bigger and have more info on then ) its winds its way into the gorge across the river from the busy road as I ride along the trail I see around 10-20 people using it - a nice change from the far north cycleway where I saw no one on that trail) in the gorge the trail crosses over the river and busy road on a 2 level bridge (with the road under and the old rail line- now rail trail on top) before heading into a 1600m long rail tunnel (there are lights in the tunnel) before coming out under the busy road the  end of the tunnel then back across the river on a old rail bridge. I keep riding until I get to waikino where there is whats remans of the old gold battle that I stop at to have a good look around (see photos ) before I head over the river on one last old rail bridge to the end of the trail(for now) then im back to riding on the road riding until I get to the town of waihi where after a stop it the info center I head around the (4 km? )rim walk/bike trail the winds its way around the large open pit gold mine in the middle of town -at places along the trail there are info signs about the gold mine also a bike dump truck (see photo) the tires on the truck cost around $20.000 each (and you thought your car or bike tires cost a lot : ) as I ride along the trail part of the bike trailer drags on the grounds in places  wearing a hole in the trailer frame -opps. I decide to stay in a motor camp for a change (yep I do stay in places like motor came some times just not much : ) just as Im setting up the tent its starts to rain - heaver rain with strong winds .

some where to some where 55 km

some where to some where 55 km

leaving the pub I head down S.H.2 until I get to the turn off to thames (S.H.25)after a few rolling hill the land scape starts flatting out as the road runs across the plans. getting into thames about 10:30 am I do some washing then heading to the libley for an few hours to take a break from riding and charge up the laptop and phone after that I head to the start of the rail trail - its a little hard to find the start of the trail ( the signs need to be bigger and have more info)once on the trail Its easy going with a nice tail wind as I get to kopu the trail cross the busy road by going under an under pass- there is a bit of head scratching  as I rote find my way back on the trail - once I get back on the trail the trail pass’s over some bridges and though many cattle stops and the odd ant-motorbike gate (see photo)as its starts to get dark I start looking for some where to camp for the night. I find some where to sent up the tent head to bed for the night.

some where in Auckland to a pub some where-55 km

some where in Auckland to a pub some where-55 km

after getting camp packed away I head a long some roads passing a shoping center where Iget some food as I come out of the store I note the one of the soles of me she is 90% come off with just the clet holding it on so I just put a cable tie on it (until I can can do a better repeare or get some new bike shoes) once on the road I keep riding until I find a cycleway to ride along beside the sea? and over a bridge ( over the rail line) then is time to do some more map work to find out where to go to get a train out of the city (many of the roads seem to want to take me to the motorway) after stoping at a super size shopping mall for an hour or more i find my way to the train standing where after dealing with getting the bike up then down the 2 small lifts (one up then one down )to get to where the train leaves from (well it was fun in an odd kind of way: ) once I get on the train with the bike (what was fun as the bike tried to fold on me opps I forgot its not a good idea to try to lift the bike that way when its got gear still on it : ) after getting to pukekohe I head in to town to the info center to find out how the best way to head east is - what the did not say any thing about was the road works leaving town -hum no shoulder(because of the road works )busy road with lots of cars and trucks passing very close and the bike trailer still not working to well -so not a happy bike rider. after finding my way to bombay I head down the hill to the turn of to S.H.2 there its rolling hills with more crazy trucks to deal with . as its starting to get dark by now I start asking people if they know some that I might be able to set up a tent for the night - on the 4 try asking at an pub the said that I could camp behind the pub so after spending a few hour chatting to the odd person I head off to bed for the night