It is faster to go south to Thames, but we wanted a new route and opted for the much longer way thru Kuaotunu. There is little traffic and we were only held up a few times by a slow moving logging truck or people pulling boats.

Screen Shot 2018-02-20 at 15.25.43 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

FILE1908 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

Most of the route the limit is 100 and we could really fly. It was still a long way to go from Coroglen to get to Papamoa on time and we were of course late again. Here we had been invited to the home go Ruth and Roger who have traveled all over by bike. Roger is a friend of our friend Julio in Guatemala. Julio helped him out a lot when he was in hospital 6 weeks after being rear ended on his bike and having surgery.

We were warmly welcomed to their home on the beach and met their good friends and riders John and Susan. While we were chatting a killer whale was surfacing in the waves 10 m off shore! They had a comfy room for us, had moved a car from the garage for the bikes, put the laundry in right away, and served us up a feast for dinner! Got to love riders!!

__________________
Sara

Those who say something is impossible should not hinder those who are achieving it!





www.worldwideride.ca

HU RR Finding Freedom...World Wide Ride

We had only planned to stay 1 night as we did not want to impose, but they made us feel so at home and comfy we stayed a second! This meant we had a day off here to get some things done. They had an appointment this morning and dropped us in Mount Maunganui.. Here we walked the 45 min around the mount and along the beach.

IMG_1854 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

North Island NZ 1-65 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

When they got back we had lunch at their favorite spot and then did the 1 hour hike to the summit. Not difficult, but very hot.

IMG_1862 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr



North Island NZ 1-66 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

Roger was kind enough to drive us all over town and to 3 motorbike shops, 2 bike shops, Revco, and warehouse so we could get new gloves for Sara, a rear tube for the 800, chain lube, patch kits, and a tire gauge! PHEW. Then back “home” to wash the very dirty bikes, do the laundry from today, and have a watching the waves. Again we are sad to leave our new friends, but there is a lot to see here.

__________________
Sara

Those who say something is impossible should not hinder those who are achieving it!





www.worldwideride.ca

HU RR Finding Freedom...World Wide Ride

The plan today is to get around the east cape.

Screen Shot 2018-01-14 at 20.45.27 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flick

First we headed south on the Highway 2 and made for Opotiki (A-poe-te-key) to stop “at the good cafe’. It was packed and had amazing coffee and baked goods. It is a biker stop and we met Richard and Robert who like many have advised us to go to the Burt Monroe rally in Invercargall Feb 8-11.

IMG_1877 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

We then rode the coast road, which is very windy and slow going despite the complete lack of cars. We passed maybe 10 all day.

FILE1959 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

FILE1964 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr



FILE2009 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

FILE2014 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

__________________
Sara

Those who say something is impossible should not hinder those who are achieving it!





www.worldwideride.ca

HU RR Finding Freedom...World Wide Ride

We had been advised not to stop or stay between Ruatoria and Tokomaru as “it is rough and we may not be treated well by the locals”. Not sure what people meant it looks the same as everywhere else. It was a very long day for us since we wanted to camp on the beach and this meant getting to Tamarau near Gisborne after 441 km.

We popped into town for groceries and then backtracked 10 km to the Tatapouri Motor Camp. We set up shop with a view of the sea, the stars, and the first light of the east cape at sunrise.



FullSizeRender by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

North Island NZ 1-67 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

__________________
Sara

Those who say something is impossible should not hinder those who are achieving it!





www.worldwideride.ca

HU RR Finding Freedom...World Wide Ride

Today the forecast is supposed to be good and we planned the cross road route back north west to Rotorua past Lake Waikaremoana on as the sign warns “Caution 105 km of curvy un-surfaced road”. You never know though as the weather changes here every few hours and the forecast is very unreliable.


Screen Shot 2018-01-16 at 10.01.24 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

FILE2024 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

FILE2028 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

The sky began to look ominous as we made our way south to Wairoa, but we only had a few sprinkles. Stopping here for a coffee the sun was actually out.

FILE2039 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

__________________
Sara

Those who say something is impossible should not hinder those who are achieving it!





www.worldwideride.ca

HU RR Finding Freedom...World Wide Ride

We rode north west “to the lake”. There is little traffic, but on the first 70 km off road the curves are tight and the route is very narrow. This means despite the good surface it was hard to get up any speed for fear of meeting a local coming at you at 80 km/h and likely towing a boat. The road hangs on the cliff above the lake and then drops down and widens after Ruatahuna. There are just a few scattered homes on this route and no services.






FILE2094 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

North Island NZ 1-71 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

__________________
Sara

Those who say something is impossible should not hinder those who are achieving it!





www.worldwideride.ca

HU RR Finding Freedom...World Wide Ride

Just 7 km before we made the sealed road Dan had a rear flat. This would not have been so bad as we did get a new tube this week, but then it started to pour.

IMG_1882 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

IMG_1883 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

We had the wheel off and the bead broken when the rain started in earnest. We got the gear hidden under a tree and we hid under the tarp. The rain settled a bit and we got back to work. We found the nail hole in the tube, but could not see a hole in the tire. It must have been an in and out and the hole was small enough to take a while to flatten. After the problem we had in Iceland and Greece with the metal shards buried in the rubber we were worried. Interesting none of the 10 or so cars that drove by slowed or stoped to offer help. We got the tire inflated and it was holding air.

We had just packed up the tarp when it started bucketing. Getting our suits and rain gear on was a comedy as was finishing up the mounting of the wheel. We set off for the last few km of gravel that was now muddy puddles and by the time we made it to the pavement it was only showers. Murupara is 20 km on the paved road and by then it was sunny, our rain gear was dry and we disrobed to air dry the suits.

FILE2152 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

FILE2174 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

IMG_1884 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr

We also managed to get cell coverage finally to message Ash in Lake Okareka 70 km away that we were intact finally coming. He was kind enough to message us off HU and offer us a place to stay. He has motorbiked and biked all over the world. We enjoyed a nice hot dinner and some wine as well as lots of travel stories.

The weather forecast really sucks for the Rotarua area and all points south and west! This messes with our plans, but we are used to change. So we will stay here another night and then head south and east to Napier where the sun is supposed to be shining.

__________________
Sara

Those who say something is impossible should not hinder those who are achieving it!





www.worldwideride.ca

HU RR Finding Freedom...World Wide Ride