Kerikeri to hukerenui 72 km

Kerikeri to hukerenui   72 km

After staying at the lodge for the past 3 nights it's time keep heading south. Taking my time to climb the hills out of kerikeri I turn on to S.H.10 enjoying the riding soon I'm at the turn off for bay of Islands (S.H.11) the road is some what busy. At the harura falls I stop for a bit before it's time to head over a few short but steep hills - heading up one of the hills I see the two people on touring bikes ahead of me. Near the top of the hill I chach up with then before I head down the hill and up the next hill  the down hills are short but fun . Coming into paihia I stop at the supermarket for a ice cream - it's a hot day out on the bike today back on the bike riding past the turn off for waitangi ( not going there this time as I been there before on other rides up this way  : )  going along the beach I spot the two riders on touring bikes so stop to chat for a bit - telling then about the new cycle trail from opua to near Kawkawa  along the old rail line .

Getting on the road I stop to cheek if the cycle trail is open - yes it is - well most of it any way ... Climbing over more short but steep climbs on busy road I get to the turn off for opua ( where the car ferry to Russell leaves from. ) heading down the hill to the sea I see there's a large sailing ship just tying? up - as I get closer I see it's the sprit of New Zealand ship - a ship I was able to do a day sail on around Auckland about 13-15 years ago as part of a school trip ( one of the day sail for disable kids I think it was ) 

After doing some asking around I find the start of the rail trail cycle way - this rail line was one of the first ( if not the first ) rail line in the north island . The trail runs beside the sea passing over a few (new) bridges in places I can see the rails still in place - it looks like the rails was lift in place and sand/ dirt ? was put on top to make the trail? - up to maybe 10-15 years ago the rail line was still in use until some big storms cause dames to some bridges and a large slip at one end of the tunnel on the line - the train still runs from Kawkawa to maybe 5 km away ( about where a long bridge is ( what is the closed part of the trail - I was able to bay pass this bridge - until this bridge is fixed or replaced the trail dead ends at the bridge )  riding the trail is a nice change from riding on the busy hilly roads  - once I'm back on the road there's a few more hills to climb over before I get into Kawkawa and back onto S.H.1  

Back on the main road there's a long climb up a hill - it's a hill I got up to around 60 km/h going down as I was heading north this way - at the top I stop for some food before I get back to riding - there's a shop a few km away hum I wonder if it's still open - yep I just make it before they close for the day getting a ice cream as it's still hot out there riding 

Riding along the road I start to work out how far it's to my friends place where I'm  heading for the night  getting to the turn off I head up the gravel side road climbing up the last hill of the day before I get to my friends place where I set up my tent for the night : ) 

  Sprit of New Zealand ship

Start of the rail trail