Lower North Island roads

[duckonin]

Yeah, right before I got a scholarship to reform school...

So u would know all the Church clan then??

[Pussy]

So u would know all the Church clan then??

Yep, I lived just a few kilometres away from them. Didn't know the sons very well, but had quite a bit to do with their dad, Merv. Top people!
Oh, I went to school with Evelyn, Merv's sister, she was about 3 years ahead of me

[KoroJ]

Shafty ,is the road mentioned sealed as planning a trip to Castlepoint.also do you know if the Pongaroa -Alfredon road is sealed

Yep. The road all the way from Masterton to Waipuk' is sealed as are the roads out to Riversdale and Castlepoint. If you go out there, you can cut accross through Tinui from one to the other for a bit of variation on the way back.

Masterton to Waipuk' is just on 200Kms so if you top-up in Masterton you shouldn't have to stop along the way.

Wellington to Rotorua is really just a day ride, but options worth looking at are:

1, East Coast: Wgtn - Featherston - Martinborough - Gladston - Water Towers Loop (Tupurupuru Te Wharau Rd / Westmere Rd / Mstn Stronvar Rd) - Te Ore Ore - Alfredton - Pongaroa - Porongahau - Waipuk' - Napier - Gisborne - East Cape - Whakatane - Rotorua

2. Central: Wgtn - Eketahuna - Mangamaire - Aokautere - Ashhurst - Pohangina Valley East Rd - Apiti - Kimbolton - Cheltenham - Vinegar Hill - Hunterville - Fordell - Wanganui - Raetihi - Taumaranui or Turangi - and too many options.

3. Mix 'n Match: Over two days you could have fun up the centre then throw in a Napier - Taupo and do the East Cape or Waioeka Gorge.

4, West: As for Central but from Taumaranui do Forgotten Highway to Stratford - Inglewood - Waitara - Awakino Gorge - Te Kuiti - Kihikihi - Putaruru - SH5 to Rotorua.

All these options have a mix of good riding roads.

[Dino]

Yep. The road all the way from Masterton to Waipuk' is sealed as are the roads out to Riversdale and Castlepoint. If you go out there, you can cut accross through Tinui from one to the other for a bit of variation on the way back.

I Did the road back road from Tinui to Alfredton a couple of months ago, there is a lot of logging going on so the gravel is pretty rough and cut up in places.


Some great suggestions and some great roads to ride, hope the weather is good, have fun.

.

[Radar]

I would head over the Rimutakas, and just before you go into Featherston take a right hand turn and follow the road down past Lake Wairarapa, it is quite nice, then into Martinborough and then up the back roads through Gladstone to Masterton, then inland again (up SH52 I think) to Dannevirke, then up SH50 to Hastings/Napier.
Over SH5 to Taupo and then Broadlands road to Rotorua

Glad that Zukin and others say to go over the Rimatukas and into the Wairarapa. Many people just head straight up SH1 from Wellington. Not only does the Wairarapa have some really good back roads for you to ride on, but if you head to the fine city of Napier you will get all the benefits of being in the Hawkes Bay. When in the Wairarapa, the mandatory stops are at the Martinborough Hotel and especially the Gladstone Pub.

Let me know when you will be in the Wairarapa and I may join you part way.