East Cape Circuit******

**Bloody Mad Woman (BMW)** · 31st December 2005, 21:37

The whole journey was totally orgasmic (well as close as you can get!!). I had to do this trip on the cheap – normally I stay in motels! Flatmate lent me a tent – big mistake, she has ducks disease – short as – more on that later. Took 2 panniers, these housed the sleeping bag, bedroll, leather jacket, ONE pair of sandals (I am Imelda Marcus the 2nd) first time I have ever travelled with at least one pair of high heels!! Didn’t even take a hairdryer!! Only the bare essentials. Had planned on leaving at 9, 2 hours later I was finally on the road. Got an email from a friend saying he was in Gisborne and would wait until I got there – so in the end had a riding buddy to Opotiki. He kept up most of the time, had to stop and wait for him a couple of times. Don’t remember much of the scenery through the gorge as I was having a blast practising my cornering at high speeds – what a buzz when ya have the lines just right and you can turn on the power coming out of the corner. Arrived at Opape Camp – highly recommend it – quiet and right on the beach. Set up my tent – no problems. It is an old tent high at front and low at the bottom. An early nite was definitely in order, sat down at opening of tent and my head hits the roof of it. Being of the taller species – it was an art in itself finally getting in sleeping bag and sliding in on my back. This thing resembled a coffin – had to sleep with the tent flap open – needed the extra length. The Hilton it aint.
Got up at 6am – felt I’d been steamrollered. Packed up. Dying for coffee – guess what I forgot to pack! Thank God for friendly campers! Stinkin hot weather. Started down the coast – this part of the journey was done somewhat leisurely, the coastline is amazing with lots of good cornering – I remember one long sequence of 35, 45 and 55 kms bends (yeah right, like that was adhered to!) I was really in sync and it all flowed so beautifully. Got to Tolaga Bay, looked at the full motorcamp, and really couldn’t cope with another nite on the hard unforgiving ground, thank god for backpackers – a real matrass!
Started out at 10 this morning. Now the road from Te Arara through to Wairoa is atrocious. Lots of road missing, deep dips, heaps of road works, when it says 30 – do it – I ignored the first 2 signs – one moment it is tarseal then gravel, or half the road missing! I left the seat on several occasions!
Only encountered one idiot. On my way back I was laying it low around a lefthander, staring ahead at my line, just about ready to bring her up and I lifted my eyes and this fwit with a boat trailer was on my side of the road and I could see the indicators on the trailer – if I had lifted my head – or hadn’t stayed low – I wouldn’t be writing this right now. Really did not want to return home, just wanted to keep riding. All in all I did 920km. I totally recommend this ride.

**froggyfrenchman** · 31st December 2005, 21:46

Sounds like alot of fun. That Te Arara Wairoa rd is terrible, the road from Wairoa to Gizzy through Tinaroto is even worse.

**pritch** · 1st January 2006, 07:47

The East Cape / Gorge ride is on my "ter do" list (again).

I did it in a car maybe eighteen months ago, down the gorge and up the coast. Gisborne locals told me that it's better done the other way round so I have to get back and do that thing but on the bike this time.