Our Summer Jaunt - Advice requested

[Paul in NZ]

Well its not long until the Triumph Owners MCC annual get together … Its should be a great rally (it usually is) and it’s the same weekend as Paeroa. This is both good and bad. Good because I’ve never been to the Paeroa races and entry is included in the rally cost. Bad because I don’t think I will enjoy the traffic or riding around the Coromandel that weekend… One assumes more than usual bike activity there that weekend..

Any who – that aside, it does give Vicki and I a chance to travel some roads that are unfamiliar to us. So we will travel up and back via the east / west capes, timing and direction depending upon where the good weather is. I thought about the forgotten highway and staying at the Whangamomona Hotel but fully laden on the ST might not be fun there… Also I have never been north of New Plymouth/Waitara on HW3. If we stayed at Mokau we could flick over through Raglan for lunch… Basically because I am gluten free I need a half decent place to eat. That’s non negotiable because accidental gluten intake pretty well incapacitates me… And also being type 1 diabetic I do actually need to eat… (lets not talk about the cystitis as well as that’s just depressing)

But a couple of questions

Is there any dining at Mokau? Like a half decent café?

Is it worth dropping out to Kawhia instead of Raglan? I don’t want to go Kawhai to Raglan as from memory its all gravel and the ST is like a hippo on roller-skates on gravel – fun for a few km’s but bloody tiring for any time)

Any other suggestion, great places to stay or eat gratefully received..

The East capes not so tricky. Probably stop at Ohope on Sunday night, Mahia (or someplace nice) Monday and home on Tuesday... Not sure, depends on weather and body condition...

[haydes55]

Raglan has more dining options than Kawhia, Kawhia is a better ride IMO though. But Kawhia lacks a bit in the dining department.

You don't want to take the 20 odd km of gravel between the 2 (or the even longer gravel nearer the coast).

[Hitcher]

There is indeed a half-decent cafe at Mokau. Next to the loos, opposite the butchers. Their whitebait fritters are unrivalled.

[Paul in NZ]

Raglan has more dining options than Kawhia, Kawhia is a better ride IMO though. But Kawhia lacks a bit in the dining department.

You don't want to take the 20 odd km of gravel between the 2 (or the even longer gravel nearer the coast).

Thanks......

[Paul in NZ]

There is indeed a half-decent cafe at Mokau. Next to the loos, opposite the butchers. Their whitebait fritters are unrivalled.

Noted - is that open in the evening or just daytime?

[Maha]

Raglan has more dining options than Kawhia, Kawhia is a better ride IMO though. But Kawhia lacks a bit in the dining department.

You don't want to take the 20 odd km of gravel between the 2 (or the even longer gravel nearer the coast).

That Pub put on a pretty mean trough for us on that Kawhia over night trip, doubtful on the absolute gluten free bit though. And what a beautiful vista from those cabins.

Pity it wasn't during March Paul, we will be living in Mangakino and you could have supplied us with a menu and we'd get it done, the plus side of that is, there are some awesome roads all around the area.

[Hitcher]

Noted - is that open in the evening or just daytime?

Definitely daytime. I'm not sure about evenings. Other than takeaways, your best bet for dinner may be at the Awakino pub.

[R650R]

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.

[pritch]

The River Run Cafe in Mokau is my favourite in the area and I have on occasion done a quick run up there after work for a whitebait fix. It needed to be a bit quick because they close at 7.00PM.

Not sure if they cater to Gluten free? You could ring them. The Mokau Motel is right across the road.

The other cafe in Mokau serves their whitebait fritters deep fried although I'm told that if you order a whitebait omlette you get around that abomination. Heading North this one is on the right, drive past that and you'll see the River Run on your left.

SH3 north of New Plymouth will hold your interest until after Te Kuiti, but if you were heading to Raglan most of that will be good motorcycling road too.

[Motu]

Awakino Pub, and there is a restaurant of sorts on the next road behind the pub. Poipoi, Waitomo....and what a ride to get to Kawhia from Waitomo.

[BMWST?]

forgotten highway only has one gravel section,T&^%HGG gorge.(no idea how to spell it).The sealed highway is a bit dilapidated,and last tim ei went throught there were recent small rockfalls on the road,all completely harmless if the speed is appropriate.Great service at teh whanga hotel

[admenk]

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

[merv]

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.

[rustyrobot]

My wife is also gluten free - ... Urenui ... Urenui ... Urenui ... Urenui

Tehehe - you said Urenui.

I agree about Mokau, stopped there passing through with my wife who is also g-free and it was fairly sparse fare (she's veggie too so probably didn't help). Raglan would be the best location in the region to cater for that by far (every cafe would have something)- but as others have said the ride isn't quite as great and the kawhia - raglan roads are less than ideal (especially the coast "road"). The road from Raglan (Te Uku) to Port Waikato (SH22) is great though, and although there's nothing at P.W. it's nice to look at.

Forgotten Highway would be fine for you I'm sure, although that tunnel was a bit odd - something about the close walls and no lighting, really skewed my balance. Be tough finding decent gluten free food I suspect, and don't know about Whangamomona pub.

[pritch]

that tunnel was a bit odd - something about the close walls and no lighting, really skewed my balance.

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.