Waikato rides

**Moi** · 7th January 2016, 12:41

Those photos bring back happy memories... used to stay with family friends at Karapiro and a day's outing was to drive the road that almost parallels the river and stop at the hydros...

In those days there was a pride in what the Electricity Department had done along the Waikato - it was for the good of the country...

**awa355** · 7th January 2016, 13:33

Originally Posted by MarkH

This all looks so familiar, on Monday & Tuesday I was out that way!
I went for a ride to visit the geographical centre of the North Island and I spent the night in the Pureora forest.

Only 300m, figured it was worth a short walk to see the survey marker:

My bed for the night (Piropiro Campsite):

My DR650 camping vehicle in front of my bed for the night:

I got a lot of gravel riding done, lots of fun.

Thank God someone else has added their story to this thread. That hammock set up looks as complicated as setting up a tent. One advantage would be not having to find a flat floor space.

I have been meaning to ride in from the Bennydale end and come out at Tihoi. Years ago the Tokoroa YMCA held childrens camps at a camp at Pureora. My son and I tagged along once.

**MarkH** · 7th January 2016, 16:15

Originally Posted by awa355

That hammock set up looks as complicated as setting up a tent. One advantage would be not having to find a flat floor space.

Well, I never thought tents were particularly complicated so I don't have a problem with the setup of a hammock.
I've found several advantages and yes, not needing flat clean ground is a big one - uneven ground, rocks, vegetation, etc is not a big problem.
I've never had a good restful sleep on an inflatable pad in a tent, but I have managed that in a hammock, to me the comfort is the biggest advantage.

I slept in a hammock at the Cold Kiwi last year, I was warm and toasty! The frost on the tent only meant it was cold outside of my hammock!

That was a more complicated setup because the hammock was suspended from a hammock stand inside my very large tent (Redverz Expedition II with bedroom unclipped & removed).
Trees the right distance apart and using a tarp makes things much easier, the tarp is way smaller & lighter than my Redverz tent too.

**awa355** · 13th January 2016, 13:30

I was just about to delete my surplus photos from this ride. There are a few more that I'll post here.

Mangakino Lake.

Just as the first of the sun strikes the hills surrounding the village of Whakamaru.

The campground at the Whakamaru reserve, and the view across the lake.

Pohaturoa, Half a million years ago it was estimated as being twice as wide as it is today. It was formed before Lake Taupo but over time, erosion, the Waikato river and the Ministry of Works have eaten away at it.
There are whare sites, gardens, storage pits on the summit. History is fairly vague as to who the original inhabitants were.

For those interested, this is an article from the NZ Herald.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...bjectid=168220

**awa355** · 28th January 2016, 16:06

I had to get out of the house this morning while my wife got some sleep so decided to meander through some of the Sth Waikato roads. Cruising through Pukeatua I spied this Palamino horse standing by the rail fence in front of the Agapantha bushes. They are a nice looking animal and not too many around, so I snapped this shot.

Once over the dam I turned onto Darby, then Lake road. I dont think I cracked the 100kph mark anywhere. It was one of those lazy ride days. Right into Waotu sth road and climbed slowly up through some of the most scenic dairy country in the Waikato. Lots of pockets of native forest scattered across the rolling hills and gullys. I have posted photos of this district before and as the day was cloudy, I just kept cruising.

Back on Wilstdown road I pulled up to fit some ear plugs and thought this old whare has seen better days.

Another right turn and I was on Stringers road. This is a no exit road but has some lovely outlooks. I remember riding out to here on the pushbike as a kid. My mate and I were knackered by this time so we let a tyre down on the bike and phoned the old man from a farm house to come and get us.

, A view of the farmland from Stringers road.

I followed Wilstdown road out to Litchfield and just before the drop down to the Ngutuwera bridge there is a pull off on the left. Two memories spring to mind concerning this rest area.

One was of a night back in about 1971 when 4 of us young idiots were parked here in my old L15 Citroen drinking up large. There was a local hot chick in with us and Ronnie was doing his best to get her outside on the grass for a bang. Us others thought our Christmases were all coming at once.

No more bullshit talk, this was the real thing. We were all looking for our second bonk (having given up waiting for our first). Unfortunately she didn't comply, however two days later she asked me if I'd like to take her out the following weekend. "Yea man!!" it was all on. Then later that week a mate told me that if Ronnie found out, he would kill me. Being a wimp, I backed out of the chance of a certainty (maybe).

Behind all the trees and rubbish at the far end of the photo used to be a quarry. It was still operating in the 1960's. It quarried the same type of stone as at the Hinuera Quarry. This was started because it was along side the railway line and when it started, (late 1870's) Litchfield was a thriving town with 16 residences, a hotel and a school with 5 pupils. The Rotorua rail line was going to branch off here, Putaruru only had two houses then. My father always said that the base blocks for the Dunedin railway station were quarried here. I'm not too sure if that is correct but the stone building known as the 'Bank' in Litchfield was build from stone from this quarry, as was much of the Palace for the Roman Catholic Bishop in Ponsonby built around 1891.

There are still two houses in Putaruru built of stone from this quarry.
All that is left is the mess of blackberry and trees where the quarry operated. After a stop in Putaruru I wound my way though the back roads to the Maungatautari road. Halfway between the Maungatautari school and the Karapiro complex there is a new lakeside reserve open which gives access to the lake.

A view from the lookout above the parking and picnic area.

It was a good run but I should have taken my lightweight gloves. The photos are not very sharp. I used a 2nd hand P&S camera that has manual settings which I am learning to use. The image quality is not as good as my regular camera.

**Moi** · 28th January 2016, 16:15

Good way to spend a morning...

**philmc** · 28th January 2016, 16:36

oh. reminiscing,if only we were young again.

**FLUB** · 28th January 2016, 19:35

Originally Posted by philmc

oh. reminiscing,if only we were young again.

With you there Phil.

**awa355** · 7th February 2016, 19:50

Phil and I left town about 9:30am. We turned off SH3 at the Te Kawa crossroads and rolled along until turning left at the Oto-Kawhia junction. Right onto Waitomo Valley rd. No traffic to speak of, just a few unforgiving corners if you are day dreaming.

It was onto Fullerton road and apart from loose limestone chips on some corners this was a pleasant cruise with some nice views over the farmland.

Troopers road was next on the agenda and more of the same

Back out on SH3 we rolled into PioPio hoping to find a park and get a coffee. Silly us, we had forgotten it was a holiday weekend!.

The PioPio CBD was chocka, Both tables were in use, the place was really humming.

We did manage to collar a table eventually, and over a coffee discussed where to from here. We wanted to ride some secondary roads that were new to us so chose to take the Aria road then hang a left onto Kahuwera road and meander cross country to meet up with SH4 somewhere below the eight mile junction. I took the lead and turned left onto the Aria road. Phil with his GPS on the bike (admittedly turned off) promptly headed for New Plymouth. After some time he did show up and we were back on track. Kahuwera road is sealed and rolls through some nice country. Turned onto Tikitiki road and this ran along a wide flat basin for some distance. The surface was in good condition and we rolled along at a good clip.

Tikitiki road.

The native reserve soon closed up to the road then back into farmland.

Soon we hit SH4 and cruised along into Te Kuiti. We found our way through the streets and started up Walker road. This must be about 5 or more kilometers of steady uphill into the country between Te Kuiti and the Rangitoto hills. This is a beautiful piece of road. At the end we turned left onto Ngapeke road. Six kilometers of gravel then Tahia road. Unmarked but plenty of tight cambered corners until Otewa road. From there we took the highway back home.

I didn't bother stopping and taking photos. It was just too hot. I will include a short clip of Tikitiki road.

and because it is Sunday evening and there's nothing on tv worth watching, here's something else, also not worth watching.

the climb up Walker road from Te Kuiti.

**eldog** · 7th February 2016, 20:31

Awa, hope you are writing a book on your travels for others to enjoy.

Opurare Rd next? I might be keen for that one.

**oldiebutagoody** · 7th February 2016, 20:42

I thought I recognized that bike of yours as I passed the two of you going opposite direction today. Somewhere around Te Kuiti.......

I wondered if I would be world famous on Utube tonight. Alas not, as it must have been a boring road I was on.

Stunning ride up through from Wanganui to Auckland today, and Horopito/National Park/Taumaranui/Te Kuiti was just perfect in every way for riding today.

If you missed me, I was on the red one...........

**awa355** · 7th February 2016, 20:45

Originally Posted by oldiebutagoody

I thought I recognized that bike of yours as I passed the two of you going opposite direction today. Somewhere around Te Kuiti.......

I wondered if I would be world famous on Utube tonight. Alas not, as it must have been a boring road I was on.

If you missed me, I was on the red one...........

Which road, I video'd the whole ride from Fullerton road, (2hrs worth). Ya could be famous.

**oldiebutagoody** · 7th February 2016, 20:59

I cannot recall exactly,.........its a bit of a blur.

It was definitely you on that distinctive 250 cruiser, with a riding partner. "somewhere around Te Kuiti"-ish

Main highway SH4 only today for me.

**awa355** · 7th February 2016, 21:15

Originally Posted by oldiebutagoody

I cannot recall exactly,.........its a bit of a blur.

It was definitely you on that distinctive 250 cruiser, with a riding partner. "somewhere around Te Kuiti"-ish

Main highway SH4 only today for me.

This chap was doing atleast 170k, Ya wouldn't know him would you?

I was returning to see what had happened to Phil. He was having visor troubles.