Day 10 of TA - Goodbye Hauraki Rail Trail
Distance: 79 km
Elevation gain: 455 metres
From the town of Te Aroha to the town of Arapuni
About 4.5hrs riding time, and 6hrs elapsed from 7:00am to 1:00pm
I said my goodbyes to the nuns and was on the Hauraki Rail Trail early, heading towards Matamata. For the last time I'll mention that the Hauraki Rail Trail is awesome. It's flat (although getting a bit hilly now), and off the road away from cars. Today's trail to Matamata was mostly bitumen and fast flowing. There was lovely green farmland, with the imposing Kaimai Ranges on my left as I cycled south. I was glad not to be cycling over those mountains.
The first leg today was 38km to Matamata, home of the hobbits! Photo control point 7 was at Hobbiton HQ at Matamata i-SITE tourist centre in the centre of Matamata. I went to Hobbiton last time I was in the NZ and enjoyed a beer at The Green Dragon Inn, and then a second breakfast at The Millhouse. That was a good feed! Today, for my second breakfast, I settled for a coffee and cream bun at a local bakery.
Then there was a 28km linking leg, to get from Matamata to the start of the Waikato River Trail. This started with 13km of backroads, which is fine. But I didn't read the trail notes thoroughly enough last night, and was caught out when I had to ride about 10km on busy Highway 29 towards Cambridge, and then a kilometre on Highway 1 before getting onto backroads again. This was a real jolt to the system after spending the last 2 days on a rail trail. Even the trucks going in the opposite direction rattled me when they raced past, and then you have cars and trucks travelling in the same direction also blowing me about. Yuk!!
Finally I made it to the final 13km leg, and the start of the Waikato River Trail. This was an excellent trail along the mighty Waikato, sometimes a bit too close to the river. Lots of up and down and great mountain biking. So good! Today I rode the first leg of the Waikato River Trail, called the Karapiro Trail, from Pokaiwhenua bridge to Arapuni township. Home of the famous Arapuni Swing Bridge - one of the longest suspension bridges in NZ with a span of over 150 metres, and 54 metres above the river. Pretty cool.
Today's theme song is by James Reyne - One More River
One more river, one more river, but I've still got a long way
After 10 days riding, I've seen many rivers, cycled over 780km and climbed over 8,000 metres. I've still got a long, long way to go.
Elevation gain: 455 metres
From the town of Te Aroha to the town of Arapuni
About 4.5hrs riding time, and 6hrs elapsed from 7:00am to 1:00pm
I said my goodbyes to the nuns and was on the Hauraki Rail Trail early, heading towards Matamata. For the last time I'll mention that the Hauraki Rail Trail is awesome. It's flat (although getting a bit hilly now), and off the road away from cars. Today's trail to Matamata was mostly bitumen and fast flowing. There was lovely green farmland, with the imposing Kaimai Ranges on my left as I cycled south. I was glad not to be cycling over those mountains.
The first leg today was 38km to Matamata, home of the hobbits! Photo control point 7 was at Hobbiton HQ at Matamata i-SITE tourist centre in the centre of Matamata. I went to Hobbiton last time I was in the NZ and enjoyed a beer at The Green Dragon Inn, and then a second breakfast at The Millhouse. That was a good feed! Today, for my second breakfast, I settled for a coffee and cream bun at a local bakery.
Then there was a 28km linking leg, to get from Matamata to the start of the Waikato River Trail. This started with 13km of backroads, which is fine. But I didn't read the trail notes thoroughly enough last night, and was caught out when I had to ride about 10km on busy Highway 29 towards Cambridge, and then a kilometre on Highway 1 before getting onto backroads again. This was a real jolt to the system after spending the last 2 days on a rail trail. Even the trucks going in the opposite direction rattled me when they raced past, and then you have cars and trucks travelling in the same direction also blowing me about. Yuk!!
Finally I made it to the final 13km leg, and the start of the Waikato River Trail. This was an excellent trail along the mighty Waikato, sometimes a bit too close to the river. Lots of up and down and great mountain biking. So good! Today I rode the first leg of the Waikato River Trail, called the Karapiro Trail, from Pokaiwhenua bridge to Arapuni township. Home of the famous Arapuni Swing Bridge - one of the longest suspension bridges in NZ with a span of over 150 metres, and 54 metres above the river. Pretty cool.
Today's theme song is by James Reyne - One More River
One more river, one more river, but I've still got a long way
After 10 days riding, I've seen many rivers, cycled over 780km and climbed over 8,000 metres. I've still got a long, long way to go.
7am departure from the Nunnery this morning.
The Hauraki Rail Trail, heading towards Matamata. Very scenic. I love the mountains trailing off in the distance, parallel to my journey south.
Photo control point 7 -Hobbiton HQ at Matamata i-SITE tourist centre
Highway 29 meets Highway 1. Not a place for a bicycle.
Hope you squeezed in Elevensies after the second breakfast.
ReplyDeleteFantastic you got second breakfast!
ReplyDeleteLet there be less SH1 travel in your future!
Away from cows to more ups and downs and twists and turns as U venture into the centre of the N.I. I hope the winds are with U as you venture into more wild country over the coming days and the sun continues to shower U with soft rays rather Han the alternative.
ReplyDelete