Cape Reinga

MikeO

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Dereham, Norfolk, today...
28th March 2017

I wake after a good night's sleep to the sound of the subdued hiss of tyres on wet tarmac. I look out of the window and see thick fog and wet roads, although no-one is using their wipers - which a take as a good sign. So much for the daylong sunfest the forecaster predicted yesterday evening...
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I turn over and go back to sleep for an hour. When I wake, the sun is out and the fog lifted - it has clearly rained overnight, but there is little cloud about now. I check the forecast and it says there will be some showers in the afternoon on my route, but I should be dry otherwise.

I quickly pack the bike up and get on the road heading north...

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Whangarei is right on the coast, and I can see the sea mist is still hanging on over the harbour...

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Initially, though, there's no problem with my route. I am booked into a motel in Kaitaia this evening, but if the weather looks favourable, I'm going to go up to Cape Reinga - the northernmost tip of New Zealand - and then return to the hotel. I stay on Highway 1 to begin with, as I did the loop through Tutukaka yesterday. I'm also keen to do some miles, as this is going to be a fairly long day, distance wise...

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As expected, I run into the occasional troughs of mist lying in the valleys. These will burn off as soon as the temperature gets high enough (although a check reveals it's already 78°F) - in the meantime they are nothing more than a minor nuisance, as the mist is not thick enough to need a reduction in speed...

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There doesn't seem to be much traffic heading north, so I can easily keep up 100-108kph...

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Hey-ho...

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The sun has dried the road - and it's a great road-surface - I encounter several sets of roadworks where the teams are putting in passing lanes and straightening roads, rather than the repairs I've encountered thus far...

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At the unfortunately named Whakapara, I turn onto the "Two Coast Highway" and head towards the Bay of Islands...

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A beautiful spot...

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Sort of makes you hungry, doesn't it?

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Well it did me. So I stop at the Al Fresco Café for a spot of breakfast.

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Whilst waiting for my order to appear, my attention is drawn to two young bikini-clad ladies trying to get a surf canoe off the roof of their people carrier, with much running about and jumping. It occurred to me to go and offer to help, as I was much taller than them, but I decided against it for two reasons: firstly, they might take offence at me offering to help them with a job they'd rather do themselves and secondly, because I was pretty sure that every man in the café would have given me a good kicking...

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Well, how about that? Hotcakes (small but perfectly formed), Mascarpone, banana, rhubarb coulis, bacon and - a balsamic dressing(!). I start eating - might as well, they'd got the canoe down...
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It was great
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The Café owner arrived as I was paying my bill...

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Onward!

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It's 80°F and very humid - it feels like there is a storm in the air, and I keep a reasonable speed up just to stay cool (I have all the vents in my jacket open)...

There's a huge cruise ship on the horizon and I can see a multi-coloured dot near it as someone is parascending...

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The road takes me back inland for a while...

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...along some long sweeping bends that are a lot of fun, even if you're restricted to 100kph...

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On a couple of occasions I get a smattering of rain from the edge of a shower, but I manage to bypass most of it...

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I decide to take the risk and ride up to Cape Reinga - if it's raining tomorrow morning, or foggy, then I will never get a chance to see it...

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So, I'll fuel up at the next station, do a quick run up there and back - should be at the hotel by about 1530...

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Hmmm - that's a lot of cloud...

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...and there's that shark to consider...

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The road takes me along the shore again...

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I fuel up. I've noticed that there is a special catch that you have to release to remove the diesel dispenser form the pump...

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Apparently it's to give people an extra warning in case they are about to put diesel in a petrol vehicle...

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I head up Highway 1, towards Cape Reigna, some 95km distant...

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This very smart memorial at the roadside commemorates all that served at Waipapakauri airfield - sounds like a pretty remote posting...

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That's not very subtle, is it?
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I turn down a road to "90 Mile Beach", as there is an unmade road marked on my map. It turns out to be - the beach. Not on this bike and solo, thanks...
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Back on Highway 1, it keeps clouding up and clearing, clouding up again - I convince myself I'm in for a soaking...

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...in fact I can see storm cells dumping heavy rain on the countryside north of me...

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...but someone up there is looking after me - I only get a few spots from the edge of showers and never enough to consider getting kitted up...

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One advantage to this weather system is that - so long as you're not getting rained on - visibility is terrific, because the rain has taken all the pollen and crap to the ground with it...

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Nearly there...

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The Adv is burbling away happily, the road surface is great and there's no traffic...

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A little low cloud is blowing through as I look to my left...

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We're very nearly at the Cape...

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In fact, here we are...

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There's a footpath that takes you to the lighthouse and the end of the headland...

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...but I'm not walking there in this heat and humidity - and in bike kit...

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I'm really glad I opted to come here this afternoon - I wouldn't have wanted to miss this...

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After taking a couple of dozen pictures, I turn the bike around and start heading south...

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As I ride a feeling of slight melancholy slowly overtakes me...

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I now exactly what is causing it...

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Every mile I have ridden so far has been a mile away from my 'normal' life and from my comfort zone...

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I'm now heading back towards it...

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It's time to go, without a doubt - I'm tired and ready to go back. Plus I have a great route tomorrow, weather permitting...

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Anyway - I'd better get back to the hotel before that big bruiser decides to drop his rain...

I arrive at the hotel at 1530 - start uploading 200pics on their wheezing Broadband connection and have a shower...

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Great day...

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Loving the photos - you can see why I left the UK.

Sorry I re-joined the site after you'd been through Dunedin otherwise I'd have shouted you a breakfast - you seem partial to them!
 
You could do these ride reports on a professional level - great stuff yet again...
 
You could do these ride reports on a professional level - great stuff yet again...

I want to go.....! Contact the NZ tourist board, I'm sure they will be happy to pay you a commission... :D, Its sure made me want to go. Roll on 2018/19 winter.
 
Every mile I have ridden so far has been a mile away from my 'normal' life and from my comfort zone...

I'm now heading back towards it...

Mike, I was thinking of organising a whip-around on the site to keep you out there as I'll miss your posts.
What would it cost us per week to keep you reporting ? :D

Did a couple of stints in a former life in Kerikeri picking & pruning kiwi fruits. Great times.
I really must get to NZ with a bike....
 
Mike, I was thinking of organising a whip-around on the site to keep you out there as I'll miss your posts.
What would it cost us per week to keep you reporting ? :D

Did a couple of stints in a former life in Kerikeri picking & pruning kiwi fruits. Great times.
I really must get to NZ with a bike....

crowdfunding...I am with you here Jockser!
 
Mike, I was thinking of organising a whip-around on the site to keep you out there as I'll miss your posts.
What would it cost us per week to keep you reporting ? :D

Did a couple of stints in a former life in Kerikeri picking & pruning kiwi fruits. Great times.
I really must get to NZ with a bike....

They have these to do that now
http://www.roboticsplus.co.nz/multipurpose-orchard-robotics
And after spending 14 hours under the kiwifruit vines filming one I can see why.
Being 6' 5" in an environment where the vines are at 5' 8" is not comfortable.

Adrian
 
Mike, I was thinking of organising a whip-around on the site to keep you out there as I'll miss your posts.
What would it cost us per week to keep you reporting ? :D

I'd chip in ... the days won't be the same without my morning 'fix" :thumb

:beerjug:
 


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