Bent On New Zealand: November 2016

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Day14 Tue 29/11 - Waiouru Sport Club camp to Rangatikei River Camp on SH54

Today Distance : 78.4 km Total: 555.5 km

Today weather : 14 - 19c Cloudy partly sunshine

Time on Bike : 5 hr 09 min

Ave speed : 15.2 kmh Max :71.0 kmh

Ave Climb : 4% Max :15%

Trip Altitude : 593 m Max : 1074 m

Today spend : 24.8 nzd Total : 167.4 nzd

Today started rather early waking up at 5.30 am and was ready to roll by 7.30am,the morning weather did look a bit groomy and a little shower,but soon the sky open up with some welcoming sunshine,the terrain was mostly downhill as i recorded 71kmh and quickly i arrived in Taihape at 9 am, went to the New World Supermarket shopping and later spent another 3 hr in the library to recharge all my gadgets, bought an extra usb charger for 15nzd so that i can charge 2 gadgets at one go to reduce waiting time,while waiting,i consumed my pack lunch. There is a railway line running parallel to the road,nevertheless there were 3 tough climbs to struggle while the train went thru' the tunnels. My targeted campsite was at the Rangatikei River,just turning off to SH54 before Hunterville. This campsite technically not free as there is a sigh of 6nzd for adults,only facility is a clean toilet but no one is coming for the fee.

Waiouru National Museum that refused to let me camp

Morning on the road

Taihape Library where i spent 3 hr to recharge my gadgets

Mangaweka

Mangaweka domestic airport

Water Force sprinkle machine to water the grass

Bridge across the Rangatikei river

Rangatikei river

Bridge across the Rangatikei river

Arrived at today's campsite

100m trail to the campsite

Riverside campsite

Awarded myself with a chicken sup

Rangatikei river too cold for a swim

Monday, November 28, 2016

Day13 Mon 28/11 - Tokaanu Camp to Waiouru Sport Club camp

Today Distance : 74.5 km Total: 477.1 km

Today weather : 13 - 18c Cloudy

Time on Bike : 7 hr 20 min

Ave speed : 10.2 kmh Max :52.9 kmh

Ave Climb : 3% Max :15%

Trip Altitude : 765 m Max : 1074 m

Today spend : 0.8 nzd Total : 142.6 nzd

Today is the toughest of my NZ ride so far.I really don't know whether it was a good idea (or chicken out) to ride the Tongariro national park via SH47 as recommended by Arnold,my NZ friend who rode the Beijing to Paris with us in year 2007, or to take on the SH1,but it was neither easy on this main road where traffic is heavy speedy trucks. When I arrived at the junction still undecided , I met a couple of local cyclist and they told me that it is very steep with very gusty cross wind on this SH47 ,so i took their advice and rode back to Turangi instead ,and take on the SH1 then, as the name suggest "Desert Road",there were really nothing scenic ,no towns in between until Waiouru.When i finally arrived Waiouru,feeling really exhausted,and to make thing worse was that,the National Museum where i targetted to camp,the security big guy told me "you cannot camp here", but he was good enough to recommend the sport club about 200m away. The club was closed but i managed to convince the guard to allow me to put up a night under their roof. Tough ride but yet another happy ending day for me.

Chicken out on riding to this National Park

Decided to go back on SH1 riding to Waiouru

Haven't got the chance to try eating the Trout yet

Tongariro National Park with snow capped peaks

Desert Road on SH1 on the way to Waiouru

Tongariro National Park

Desert Road on SH1 on the way to Waiouru

Entrance for hikers to the snow mountain

Side track for something

Desert Road on SH1 on the way to Waiouru

Rest stop on the desert road

Finally made it to Waiouru and survived the Desert Road

National Army Museum was not allow me to set up tent

Sport Club camp in Waiouru

Day12 Sun 27/11 - Lake Taupo to Turangi Camp in Tokaanu

Today Distance : 73.6 km Total: 402.6 km

Today weather : 13 -20c Cloudy

Time on Bike : 6 hr 05 min

Ave speed : 12.1 kmh Max :57.1 kmh

Ave Climb : 3% Max :14%

Trip Altitude : 765 m Max : 319 m

Today spend : 15.6 nzd Total : 141.8 nzd

Another rainy day riding along the eastern side of Lake Taupo,the traffic is heavy for those cyclists on their way home,but happy that all the trucks were using the Taupo bypass road. The morning weather was ok with thick cloud,and the rain only started at noon. There is strong fierce wind blowing from the lake to my right hand side and this put me into high alert especially at downhill on wet road.Met a couple of Austrian Tourer but they are not into camping and only stay in motel,so we did not ride together but they are fast riders. Arriving in Turanga a bit early,a very small town,so i proceed further to Tokaanu for a free campsite near the end of the lake with some camper-vans already there.It's still raining when i pitch my tent and another cold night is expected.