The Northern Capes

Friday, December 29

What with all the excitement of yesterday’s main events I really wanted a quiet extra lie-in bed this morning. But I was woken-up by the familiar sound of a local refuse lorry’s diesel engine and powerful whining rear hydraulic crusher gobbling-up some of its merchandise for the day; totally recognisable noises that we can all relate to, I’m sure.

And as it’s such a bright morning, I decided to abandon the lazy start to the day and get up then anyway; pack away my belongings onto the bike; settle my account with Rose or Dave – GREAT hosts BTW – and grab some brekkie from one of the cafés down the road.

Just over a couple of hours later, I'm tucking into some more DECENT BLEEDIN' GRUB!
- al fresco style

The Northern Capes are just over a 100km (62 miles) away - no more than a two hour leisurely ride, at most - and as I'm this far north I decide that it would be a shame not to visit them again

Predictably after some deliberate, near text book perfect riding style and manners, the first of the three big capes comes into view; (a) North Cape (Otoa), which is technically the northern most point of New Zealand.

Then I remember! from last January’s visit, just what will be in store for me shortly after I reach the next tiny hamlet of 'Waitiki Landing', which is now just up the road from here … as from that point on I’ll encounter 21 km (13 miles) of my favourite riding surface … the [formerly] DREADED GRAVEL, which will run right through to Capes (b) Maria van Dieman; and finally (c) Reinga (Te Rerengawairua)

Here we go then, my first BIG unsealed road test on the Trannie. I think over what I’ve read lately:

– Shift my weight lower, and therefore our combined CoG, by standing on the pegs in difficult situations

– Always seek the line of path that puts the tyres on the best surface

– Mainly use the rear brake

– Use the front brake rarely

– Use liberal throttle to assist steering; thereby powering out of any essential tricky manoeuvring and tough corners.

‘Course, what the experts don’t tell you is that, in dry conditions, there’s gonna be a ton of dust thrown into your face - and nice clean jacket too! - by oncoming and overtaking traffic ...

Here's a couple of more pics from last January, taken from the inside of Mark's cage, as further evidence. As you can see, it's an almost total 'white-out' on occassions



... but I make it through, to literally, the end of the line. Here's Cape Maria van Diemen ... a fabulous view by any standard

... and Cape Reinga, with it's famous lighthouse to my right, guarding and guiding safe passage to the many ships and boats, which must sail by here during the night time, against this notoriously treacherous stretch of coastline where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean.

I look out towards the horizon, where lies the far distant Equator and the Northern Hemisphere beyond, and think to myself: ‘ … this is the closest you’re gonna get to home, matey-boy, in your beloved County of Cornwall, before next April the 8th, 2007 ..’

Now then, just a casual 295 km (183 mile) ride back to Ruakaka; the first 21 km’s of which will be on that good ol' nice-and-dusty gravel stuff ... again!