Our Summer Jaunt - Advice requested

[insomnia01]

If attending the Paeroa races insure you take plenty of sun screen & a hat as the weather is always HOT almost unbearable, there's not much in the way of shade around the circuit & the best spots get snapped up quickly SH22 through Mercer/Pukekawa turning off @ Ohautira Road is a pleasure to ride if heading to Raglan just keep a eye on the road if its a day & if your bones are hurting or you just want to freshen up Waingaro hot pools is a great spot to stop & is also on SH22, plenty of great loops to be had in the Sth Waikato/King country area.......

[Paul in NZ]

Both times I've been through forgotten highway its been better than many sealed roads or roadworks on the 'gravel' sections. There's so much tourist traffic its packed down hard like concrete.
Doable on any bike easily. Lots of paces to stop and break it up if corners too much effort for you.

Yup - thanks, its on the list... I have yet to do that bit of SHW 3 as well so spoilt for choice really...

[Paul in NZ]

If attending the Paeroa races insure you take plenty of sun screen & a hat as the weather is always HOT almost unbearable, there's not much in the way of shade around the circuit & the best spots get snapped up quickly SH22 through Mercer/Pukekawa turning off @ Ohautira Road is a pleasure to ride if heading to Raglan just keep a eye on the road if its a day & if your bones are hurting or you just want to freshen up Waingaro hot pools is a great spot to stop & is also on SH22, plenty of great loops to be had in the Sth Waikato/King country area.......

Hot pools - sweet thanks for that... Vicki LOVES hot pools (until she gets in them and then says 'oooohhh its Hot'.... and goes all hot n floppy - sigh)

[Paul in NZ]

Here's a couple of photos from the Forgotten World Highway. Nice sign, and the East entrance to the tunnel - it looks very similar going in the other direction too.

Darn - I will need to be extra careful then as the ST's pillion seat is VERY high and high motorbikes crash often it seems

[Paul in NZ]

If attending the Paeroa races insure you take plenty of sun screen & a hat as the weather is always HOT almost unbearable, there's not much in the way of shade around the circuit & the best spots get snapped up quickly SH22 through Mercer/Pukekawa turning off @ Ohautira Road is a pleasure to ride if heading to Raglan just keep a eye on the road if its a day & if your bones are hurting or you just want to freshen up Waingaro hot pools is a great spot to stop & is also on SH22, plenty of great loops to be had in the Sth Waikato/King country area.......

Yup - I have to admit marginal interest so we may just press onwards to some place of interest...

[Paul in NZ]

My wife is also gluten free - I think both cafes in Mokau are pies / fritters / coffee etc, so would doubt much of a gluten free option. Mud Bay café in Urenui offers GF snacks as does café at Waiiti (about 5 mins off SH3, just north of Urenui, there's a flag on the SH3 turnoff). Mike's Mild Ales brewery, just north of Urenui also has a café, as well as beer! not sure about GF there though. The Fat Pidgeon in Piopio does do GFas well and is always popular.

Failing that, we are near Urenui, so send me a PM, and depending on your dates, we can always offer a bed for the night and a my wife can knock up a GF meal

Golly that's very kind of you... I have made a booking at the motel already but anythings possible at this point ;-)

[insomnia01]

I went through the FWH in Nov 14' the gravel section I think, must have been redone a month prior as it was a little rough but still ride able ( I was on a Honda Blackbird with luggage ) so should be good to go now just watch the road from the Ohura Rd turnoff (North to Taumarunui ) as that bleeds like HELL over summer

[Mom]

Failing that, we are near Urenui, so send me a PM, and depending on your dates, we can always offer a bed for the night and a my wife can knock up a GF meal

Do you not think you should warn him about that lion then?

[Paul in NZ]

Do you not think you should warn him about that lion then?

Well I couldn't eat a whole lion....

[scumdog]

The tunnel slopes so if you are looking straight ahead you are looking at darkness, either the roof or the floor, depending which direction you are going. We rely on the horizon as part of our sense if balance and in that tunnel you need to look somewhat up or down to see the exit and get some sort of horizon. People have fallen off in there. If you're wearing a dark visor it's a good idea to flick that up before entering the tunnel too.

Yeah, it was a bit of "what the''" when I first entered the tunnell in the F100 - but the road itself was good enough to take a Harley through...

[admenk]

Do you not think you should warn him about that lion then?

It's ok, it only eats people called Paul.....

[admenk]

Tehehe - you said Urenui.

it's only in my own imagination

[Paul in NZ]

It's ok, it only eats people called Paul.....

Hmmm - That tuna smelling aftershave you sent wasn't connected to this was it???....

[F5 Dave]

We went to Kawhia after Raglan and found it to be a tiny backwater with none of the Auckland tourist cafes etc Raglan had. We booked another night in the ramshackle cabin we were staying at and have been back since. Just clicked as a slow holiday place.
Went kayaking with a picnic, they have hot water beach area and we rode a quad around with a spade to dig in. Great times.
Raglan you can piss on.
G/f might be bring your own though.