Sat-Feb-24
The weather leading-up to the weekend has been growing more and more unsettled as a trough of low pressure moves up northwards from the South Island. I was extremely lucky to catch a window of fair weather to see the new dawn yesterday morning, Friday 23.
In fact, the overnight rain woke me up at 3:00am this morning as it beat down on my chalet/cabin's thin rooftop.
Nevertheless, after a hearty Gisborne breakfast and some essential Internet-based jobs, e.g transferring money, settling credit card bills, some Skypeing and other local telephone calls, I'm on my way again by lunchtime. Today's destination is Lake Waikaremoana, way up in the hills of the Te Urewera National Park; almost 80 km (50 miles) due west, as the crow flies, from Gisborne.
But as opposed to travelling down the conventional route of SH2 to Wairo (97 km (61 miles) then turning northwest for a further 64 km (40 miles) to Waikaremoana, I decide to travel along the much twistier, quieter and slightly longer (by 5 km) inland Tiniroto Road to Frasertown, just north of Wairo, before making that right-hand turn up into the Te Urewera hills and valleys. The NW road up to Waikaremoana was a mix of first-class tar sealed surface, inter-spaced here and there by some very soft and awkward claggy gravel. Clearly there had been much rain in this area earlier during the day. In fact, I almost came a cropper on one particular occasion when changing from one surface type to the other, as there were few, if any, road signs beforehand warning that gravel was imminent.
The Waikaremoana Motor Camp cabin that I had pre-booked back in Gisborne did the job .. but only just! Anyway, what the hell .. you can't expect the Ritz at just 30 bucks (£10.80) per night !!
Sun-Feb-25 Woke-up to a clear crisp blue sky. The lake just behind my cabin is still veiled in mist here and there. 'It won't take the rising sun long to burn that off' I think to myself.
Back down the way I came up. This is a pic of the Motorcamp from the gravel road above
Lake Waikaremoana from the southern shore, and a little further to the west; a spot of gravel road overlooking, 'Rosie's Bay'
But onwards past Frasertown to Wairoa and SH2, where I turn right for Napier. Dang! .. this road looks familiar. Here's the very same spot that Ellen and I stopped at on Saturday, Jan 6th .. at Lake Tutira ...
.. but the very same family of Black Swan signets that we saw back then are now almost fully fledged.
Fifteen minutes later I'm back riding along south down the Hawkes Bay seaboard, meeting the coastline at Tangoio Bluff. In the distance I can just identify the City of Napier.
Through Napier I deliberately turn off SH2 and head into and through the township of Havelock North; still keen to stay off-the-beaten-track.So I head off down the 'Middle Road' [Yes, that's what it's called], between the Raukawa and Silver Mountain ranges. Kiwi Rider magazine columnist describes this little used road and surrounds as providing the best motorcycling in New Zealand. This is indeed an over-exaggeration, IMHO. I think what he meant was that the road is open and uncluttered. The surrounding countryside and noticeable lack of traffic gives a motorcycle rider the impression of endless freedom. It's fast, if you want to take it that way; but I'm in no hurry and keep (more or less .. :o) - eh-hem - to the national speed limit of 100 km/h .. ;o)
Toward the end of this wonderful day's riding I take a wrong turning and end up pondering my location at a crossroads. A friendly and helpful local Kiwi stops his SUV and asks, "Ya lost mate?"We soon agree my position, when I point to the overhead signpost indicating 'KAIRAKAU BEACH - 11 km'
"Any good there?" I ask, knowing that it's way off my tonight's destination of Waipukurau Township.
"Bloody fabulous mate .. jist come from there m'self"
So off I head for Kairakau Beach, with not a real care in the world .. as I say, 'what's the hurry'
Eventually, at around 5:30pm, I check into my next motel studio room at Waipukurau, alongside SH2.
'Tis been another marvellous day - Down Under .. :o)
