Smoko in Whakamaru, Sunday 15 March

[Old Steve]

Planning my ride tomorrow. Think I'll leave Tauranga early, head over the Kaimais, cut across to Putaruru and down SH1 to Tokoroa, cut out west across to the road down through the forest and have smoko in Whakamaru. Then come home along Ongaroto Rd and SH30 to Rotorua and home over the Pyes Pa Rd. Should be home in time for lunch.

So what are you planning tomorrow?

[Old Steve]

What a day! I'm sure others out there had a fantastic day's riding too.

I started early, or earlier than normal, 8 o'clock saw me on the toll road out of Tauranga (bikes ride free, that makes it a good exit to the city if you're headed south or south-east. Over the Kaimais my shadow moved left to right ahead of me as I took the curves up the hill, hardly any traffic, just one sports car with it's roof down. I waved as I passed on a passing lane. Over the summit I got behind a slower car and the sports car caught up, he waved back to me as I slowed at the bottom of the Kaimais to turn left towards Putaruru and he went straight ahead towards Matamata - like minds out for a day's driving, one on four wheels and one on two. Stopped at Tokoroa to use the hole-in-the-wall, just over an hour.

At the southern end of Tokoroa I turned right to take the road through the forest to Whakamaru. Lovely road, sweeper curves and some nice little straights. Cruised at a comfortable speed, slowed a little when the road went down through the curves dropping down to the Waikato River valley where the road looked dark in the shade - the road wa just coloured dark with remaining dew but better safe than sorry. Did flex the right wrist a little down one straight just to see how she rode, but backed off at the mid nineties - would have loved an extra four or five hundred metres before the next bend (refer to nickname, Old Steve thinks in imperial units).

Had a coffee and blueberry muffin at the Dam Cafe in Whakamaru, sat in the sun and read the complimentary paper. Chatted to another biker who turned up, then on with the helmet and gloves again and headed home. I love the road along the north of the Waikato River from Whakamaru back to SH1, glimpses of the lake through the trees, lovely sweeping curves, some nice long straights. Just had to watch some of the corners which have ripples on the inside line. Then across from SH1 to Rotorua, another lovely road to ride. More sweepers where you dion't have to back off the throttle. Slowly through Rotorua, then home over the familiar Pyes Pa Rd. Back in town just on 12.00.

As I said, what a lovely day. Hope you all had as much fun as I did.

[Maha]

That road from Tok to Whakamaru is a real pleasure, sounds like a nice day out there Steve? which makes the ride even better.
Nice little Cafe' in Whakamaru also..

[Bassmatt]

I would have passed you going the other way on Pyes Pa rd by the sounds of things. Did you wave?

[Old Steve]

I would have passed you going the other way on Pyes Pa rd by the sounds of things. Did you wave?

If I didn't wave I'd have nodded upward. See avatar, you'd have recognised Angie the red head and I wear a fluoro yellow hi-viz. Great day wasn't it.

[JustNick]

Yeah there are some really nice roads out the back of Whakamaru and it was a perfect day for riding. I spent my day at a confident rider course here at the Taupo track otherwise I would have been off on a tiki tour as well.