Short trip up North

[wanpo]

Suggestions on a short trip up north (2-3 days for Auckland-Cape Reinga-Russel-Auckland)
Currently I have:
http://g.co/maps/fpu7z
Penciled in. Plan to stay at Kaitaia one night. What roads up that way need to be done?
Good places to stay? Petrol stations frequent enough not to have to plan stops (with ~260km a tank)?

Thanks for the input.

[george formby]

Suggestions on a short trip up north (2-3 days for Auckland-Cape Reinga-Russel-Auckland)
Currently I have:
http://g.co/maps/fpu7z
Penciled in. Plan to stay at Kaitaia one night. What roads up that way need to be done?
Good places to stay? Petrol stations frequent enough not to have to plan stops (with ~260km a tank)?

Thanks for the input.

I can only really add the Matauri Bay loop road which starts/ends at the Whangaroa turn off or turn off for Matauri Bay shortly after Waipapa. The Herekino loop is fun & has very little traffic:devil2:

[Maha]

If you are going anit clockwise, there is a place at Coopers Beach that is perfect and biker friendly.
http://www.sanmarino.co.nz/

130Ks to the Cape from the lodge.

[DODO``]

holy moly It looks so interesting I want to go, I dont know I can handle it in 2 days? maybe in 3 on a bike? i know im a pussy :baby:

[Maha]

Suggestions on a short trip up north (2-3 days for Auckland-Cape Reinga-Russel-Auckland)
Currently I have:
http://g.co/maps/fpu7z
Penciled in. Plan to stay at Kaitaia one night. What roads up that way need to be done?
Good places to stay? Petrol stations frequent enough not to have to plan stops (with ~260km a tank)?

Thanks for the input.

You do that Finlayson Brook/Golden Stairs/Swamp/Codlin and Otuhi roads are fit for Rally cars only?..:confused:
A group of us are taking bikes though there next weekend but using Snookes, which has about 2Ks of metal road but its in good nick.

You would be better off veering left at Brynderwyn and doing all of Paparoa road.
http://maps.google.co.nz/maps?saddr=Brynderwyn,+Northland&daddr=Paparoa,+Northland+to:Snooks+Road,+Maungatap ere,+Northland+to:Maungatapere,+Northland+to:Kaiko he,+Northland&hl=en&sll=-35.953553,174.14978&sspn=0.406871,0.617294&geocode=Fe802f0dD5hlCimr5-5pmpIMbTGwvqJDYe8ABQ%3BFf8u2f0do69iCilzWdEvvmEMbTE A9aJDYe8ABQ%3BFa633f0daM5hCilfGfcEOX8MbTEv0VmC0yAQ hg%3BFRNs3v0dLzNiCikjmU79soALbTHA4qJDYe8ABQ%3BFaa6 4_0dlglcCikT7jdutekLbTHg0KJDYe8ABQ&oq=Kaikohe&mra=ls&t=m&z=10

Here is our intended Route for May 4th --->> http://maps.google.co.nz/maps?saddr=Ruakaka+Motor+Camp,+Ruakaka+Beach+Road, +Ruakaka,+Northland&daddr=-35.8659078,174.2086422+to:Maungakaramea,+Northland +to:-35.8241724,174.2198788+to:-35.778595,174.1800794+to:Dargaville,+Northland+to: Omapere,+Northland+to:Kaikohe,+Northland+to:Ruakak a+Motor+Camp,+Ruakaka+Beach+Road,+Ruakaka,+Northla nd&hl=en&ll=-35.885156,174.212608&spn=0.203612,0.308647&sll=-35.860396,174.146004&sspn=0.203675,0.308647&geocode=FUgf3P0dF_BlCiEqFIX6l2rCnilN_U3eOpsMbTEQCY QGYe8AEw%3BFc263P0dgjZiCikhIZ-0JnwMbTHx-YMGYe8AEw%3BFYMQ3f0dEiViCimFRMh3y34MbTHgu6JDYe8ABQ %3BFdRd3f0dZmJiCikl2o155H4MbTEx5oMGYe8AEw%3BFd0P3v 0d78ZhCim1O1Ssr3gMbTGQ04MGYe8AEw%3BFd-Y2_0dVwhdCik_xmFipHIMbTEgv6JDYe8ABQ%3BFRbH4f0daa9V Ciknt0lAZkUJbTHAtKJDYe8ABQ%3BFaa64_0dlglcCikT7jdut ekLbTHg0KJDYe8ABQ%3BFUgf3P0dF_BlCiEqFIX6l2rCnilN_U 3eOpsMbTEQCYQGYe8AEw&mra=dpe&mrsp=1&sz=12&via=1,3,4&t=m&z=12

[george formby]

You do that Finlayson Brook/Golden Stairs/Swamp/Codlin and Otuhi roads are fit for Rally cars only?..:confused:


And tubby TDM's:devil2:

[wanpo]

You do that Finlayson Brook/Golden Stairs/Swamp/Codlin and Otuhi roads are fit for Rally cars only?..:confused:
A group of us are taking bikes though there next weekend but using Snookes, which has about 2Ks of metal road but its in good nick.

You would be better off veering left at Brynderwyn and doing all of Paparoa road.
http://maps.google.co.nz/maps?saddr=Brynderwyn,+Northland&daddr=Paparoa,+Northland+to:Snooks+Road,+Maungatap ere,+Northland+to:Maungatapere,+Northland+to:Kaiko he,+Northland&hl=en&sll=-35.953553,174.14978&sspn=0.406871,0.617294&geocode=Fe802f0dD5hlCimr5-5pmpIMbTGwvqJDYe8ABQ%3BFf8u2f0do69iCilzWdEvvmEMbTE A9aJDYe8ABQ%3BFa633f0daM5hCilfGfcEOX8MbTEv0VmC0yAQ hg%3BFRNs3v0dLzNiCikjmU79soALbTHA4qJDYe8ABQ%3BFaa6 4_0dlglcCikT7jdutekLbTHg0KJDYe8ABQ&oq=Kaikohe&mra=ls&t=m&z=10

Here is our intended Route for May 4th --->> http://maps.google.co.nz/maps?saddr=Ruakaka+Motor+Camp,+Ruakaka+Beach+Road, +Ruakaka,+Northland&daddr=-35.8659078,174.2086422+to:Maungakaramea,+Northland +to:-35.8241724,174.2198788+to:-35.778595,174.1800794+to:Dargaville,+Northland+to: Omapere,+Northland+to:Kaikohe,+Northland+to:Ruakak a+Motor+Camp,+Ruakaka+Beach+Road,+Ruakaka,+Northla nd&hl=en&ll=-35.885156,174.212608&spn=0.203612,0.308647&sll=-35.860396,174.146004&sspn=0.203675,0.308647&geocode=FUgf3P0dF_BlCiEqFIX6l2rCnilN_U3eOpsMbTEQCY QGYe8AEw%3BFc263P0dgjZiCikhIZ-0JnwMbTHx-YMGYe8AEw%3BFYMQ3f0dEiViCimFRMh3y34MbTHgu6JDYe8ABQ %3BFdRd3f0dZmJiCikl2o155H4MbTEx5oMGYe8AEw%3BFd0P3v 0d78ZhCim1O1Ssr3gMbTGQ04MGYe8AEw%3BFd-Y2_0dVwhdCik_xmFipHIMbTEgv6JDYe8ABQ%3BFRbH4f0daa9V Ciknt0lAZkUJbTHAtKJDYe8ABQ%3BFaa64_0dlglcCikT7jdut ekLbTHg0KJDYe8ABQ%3BFUgf3P0dF_BlCiEqFIX6l2rCnilN_U 3eOpsMbTEQCYQGYe8AEw&mra=dpe&mrsp=1&sz=12&via=1,3,4&t=m&z=12


Ah cool, thanks for that.
I've split it into 3 days, since I may not be as riding-fit as I was after an (enforced) 3-months break from road riding.
http://g.co/maps/4rthb
http://g.co/maps/r9wt4
http://g.co/maps/5gdpy

[george formby]

Be aware that Waikare Rd is gravel for most of it's length. ( Your Russell leg) Not sure what your riding but it would arse puckering on a sprot bike. It's tight, twisty & undulating. Slippy as buggery in the wet too, even on knobblies. Ferry is $6 one way IIR.

[Gremlin]

You're missing out Waipoua Forest unless you've done it before... south of Opononi...

I suggest you simply follow me on a few adventures up that way... :devil2:

[george formby]

You're missing out Waipoua Forest unless you've done it before... south of Opononi...

I suggest you simply follow me on a few adventures up that way... :devil2:

Out of the three main routes (excluding SH1 up to Pakaraka) that is the one I would save for warmer weather. From here on in it will be getting slippy. Nothing focuses the mind better than rotting Punga on an apex. Mind you, the Old Russell road will be getting a bit shaded too at this end.

[wanpo]

Cheers for the input guys.
http://g.co/maps/5ffue was the final route I chose (clockwise) (stayed overnight in Kaitaia)
Cheers for the Matauri Bay tip, George. About 10 minutes in, I thought you were pulling my leg, then the beautiful flowing 35 corners started, then the amazing views did their best to draw attention away from the road ahead.

The coastal road from Russel, however, I think takes the cake. Was well enjoying that. Pics below. Apologies for the pic quality, they were all just quick snaps with the cellphone.
<iframe class="imgur-album" width="100%" height="550" frameborder="0" src="http://imgur.com/a/K9K85/embed"></iframe>

[george formby]

Brill!
I can tell you where most of the pics were taken:woohoo: Nice trip, probably quiet roads too.

[The Pastor]

why dont you try riding down 90 mile beach on the way back? its a load of fun.

go for a swim in taupo bay, thats a nice spot