Popping down to the dairy, need some directions...

[buggsubique]

Next Friday I will be rolling out of Palmy North on the Africa with a tank full of gas and heading to Waihi Beach for a week. Wife will come up on Sunday, so my plan is to take my time getting there.

So I'm gonna throw this one to the crowd...pick me a route, I'm indecisive. I will have a mid arvo departure from Palmy and will ride all night if I have to. Will power nap too with bag and tent as backup, but not desirable.

General options I've considered:

1. Beeline it for sunrise at Cape Reinga, sleep, head south via 90 Mile Beach then across to Waihi beach for tea, whiskey & bed.
[Enduro value and top of the NI]

2. Head east to Napier and follow the coast through Gisbourne (sleep till dawn), Tolaga Bay, Te Kaha, Opotiki, follow the coast the rest of the way up by day.
[Visit my late grandfather in Opotiki]

3. Veer west to pick up the Forgotten Highway, up to Link Rd for a night crossing of the Pureoras (mega challenge), back to Kakaho Rd then up to Tokoroa...possibly sleep at Lake Whakamaru. Either North over the Kaimais, or eastish thru Rotorua and Pyes Pa.
[The 'spiritual route': grew up at Tihoi, traditional route 'home' for me is western bays, pyes pa, kaimai etc, just never by bike before].

Lending towards route 1 or 3 at the moment.

[CrazyFrog]

Not much gravel on them roads cuz, you turning into a tar baby?

I'd go for the Forgotten highway, thru the back of Taumarunui, Ongarue, Waimiha, Bennydale, Pureora back to Whakamaru etc, simply for twisty road grin factor. Or Taumarunui, Waitui saddle, Western access, Tihoi then Link Rd, can't see you getting lost in Pureora, only 20 odd km to get thru there.
Make sure you gas up good though, not much petrol around those parts in the dark.

[Eddieb]

I'll be zipping up and around Coromandel that weekend with the Auckland Gravel Riders club, We're staying in Whitianga Saturday night and further down that side Sunday I think. Keep an eye out for us if you are out and about.
I'll then be working in Hamilton for the next week and coming back down Labour Day Monday.

If you go option 1 there's also East beach on the opposite side and a bit lower than 90 mile, it's only a 10km diversion off the main road. You can only get onto it 1-2 hours each side of low tide though as it requires an estuary crossing.

If you go option 3 Waihou Thumper can give you a forestry road from Putaruru that comes out near-ish to Rotorua, or I have details and possibly a gps track of it also. Whakamaru to Putaruru are good roads to pick that up on the way through.

[buggsubique]

Cheers eddie, will see when i come back down but may gveyou a buzz if its that monday and you lookin for a riding buddy.

[thepom]

Don,t know the routes but I,m for option 1.............

[Madness]

Napier - Gizzy - The Gorge - Rotovegas - Pyes Pa - Kaimais - Karangahape - Waihi

There's a couple of Dairys along that route.

[Night Falcon]

The only way to get to Opotiki is the gravel route via lake waikarimoana but as I've never bin on the forgottem hyw if it was me, i'd be heading that way...is there any gravel on it?

[nooles]

The only way to get to Opotiki is the gravel route via lake waikarimoana but as I've never bin on the forgottem hyw if it was me, i'd be heading that way...is there any gravel on it?

In the Tangarakau Gorge there isThat is a beautiful piece of gravel, awesome surface and very flowing

[Waihou Thumper]

Come out of Barryville (Pureora) hang a right, then head to Ringinui Rd. Great gravel, long road and scenic. Join the main drag and head across to Lake Karapiro, back roads, joins up to Hobbiton, then head across back roads to Kaimais. Old Kaimai Rd as a side trip, then head to Waihi in a round about fashion...

[bart]

Why not just make it up as you go along. Head in some sort of northerly direction and 'try' to get lost. That's way more fun.

[buggsubique]

So I declare the grand plan to wife at which point the guilt trip conversation begins. F-en bullshit right there. Three weeks apart and me attending drinks with her next sat night is apparently a big deal...

So now I'll be riding up Sunday 16th...while she drives with sproglet.

And she needs to be dropped at the airport on labour day...so I need to be back the day before...

And that, gentlemen, is how you shorten a holiday.

On the upside, I'm gonna take some advice here and go Waikaremoana on the way up and pureora & forgotten highway on the way back. Atleast I'll get a couple of good days in the saddle.