Day 16 of TA - The hard way
Saturday 18th October
Distance: 63 km
Elevation gain: 1211 metres
From the Whakahoro campsite to the town of Raetihi
About 5hrs riding time, and 6:30hrs elapsed from 8am to 2:30pm
Today was another one of those days where I needed to take a detour because during winter the regular TA route is closed. Once again this involves taking the long (hard) way. The summer TA route for today would involve a 40km cycle up and down a mountain and then a 32km ride in a speedboat down the Whanganui River.
But I'm not here in summer, it's winter and I needed to take the winter bypass route which does not have a speedboat and is 70km longer cycling. What is not mentioned in the guidebook is the additional climbing that is included in the 70km bypass. Brutal.
The first leg today is common to both summer and winter routes and involves a 17km cycle on the Kaiwhakauka track. This was the biggest climb I've ever done (according to Strava) and involved cycling up a hiking (tramping) track. Single file, narrow and cut into the side of the mountain. Don't slip off or it's a lounge way down. There was barely a break from the climbing - and it's not on a smooth surface. You had to work the whole time.
From the top of the Kaiwhakauka track at the mountain summit, the winter bypass turns left and heads to Raetihi and then to Pipiriki. I had planned to ride all 70km of the bypass to Pipriki, but Orla the lovely lady from the Timber Trail Lodge lives in Raetihi and has offered to put me up for the night, and to meet her husband Jonathan and two young children Max and Taylor. I couldn't knock back such a generous offer!
Jonathan prepared a fantastic dinner of roast venison with local vegetables. It was sooo good.
Today's theme song is by The Hilltop Hoods - The Hard Road
Going down the hard road / don't know where I've been.
Yep it was a hard road today - not the biggest distance, but monster elevation on a rough surface.
Distance: 63 km
Elevation gain: 1211 metres
From the Whakahoro campsite to the town of Raetihi
About 5hrs riding time, and 6:30hrs elapsed from 8am to 2:30pm
Today was another one of those days where I needed to take a detour because during winter the regular TA route is closed. Once again this involves taking the long (hard) way. The summer TA route for today would involve a 40km cycle up and down a mountain and then a 32km ride in a speedboat down the Whanganui River.
But I'm not here in summer, it's winter and I needed to take the winter bypass route which does not have a speedboat and is 70km longer cycling. What is not mentioned in the guidebook is the additional climbing that is included in the 70km bypass. Brutal.
The first leg today is common to both summer and winter routes and involves a 17km cycle on the Kaiwhakauka track. This was the biggest climb I've ever done (according to Strava) and involved cycling up a hiking (tramping) track. Single file, narrow and cut into the side of the mountain. Don't slip off or it's a lounge way down. There was barely a break from the climbing - and it's not on a smooth surface. You had to work the whole time.
From the top of the Kaiwhakauka track at the mountain summit, the winter bypass turns left and heads to Raetihi and then to Pipiriki. I had planned to ride all 70km of the bypass to Pipriki, but Orla the lovely lady from the Timber Trail Lodge lives in Raetihi and has offered to put me up for the night, and to meet her husband Jonathan and two young children Max and Taylor. I couldn't knock back such a generous offer!
Jonathan prepared a fantastic dinner of roast venison with local vegetables. It was sooo good.
Today's theme song is by The Hilltop Hoods - The Hard Road
Going down the hard road / don't know where I've been.
Yep it was a hard road today - not the biggest distance, but monster elevation on a rough surface.
Starting out today - unaware of the challenges ahead
A rough map on the Summer / Winter route. I started at Whakahoro today.
Top of the Kaiwhakauka track, where it meets the Mangaparua Track. The carved tÅtara pou stands at the track junction to symbolise the ngahere (forest) and provide spiritual and cultural safety for visitors.
First significant breakage of the trip. A bottle cage couldn't take the rough gravel roads any more and gave out.
Amazing views of Mount Ruapehu today on my journey.
Wow mate brutal day of climbing again hope you get a good nights rest. Missing you on the boat trip. Hope the weather and conditions improve soon.
ReplyDeleteWow, you are having to work your passage in this part of the route. May Sunday give you a better ride.
ReplyDeleteTA starting to show its underbelly. Sounds like you're meeting amazing people though and adding some awesome experiences.
ReplyDeleteNZ sure is not an easy place to ride! You are certainly getting a great taste of our wilderness areas! How lovely that Orla invited you to stay and provided such a tasty dinner! You are having some amazing experiences and certainly many challenges along the way. Well done you, coping with it all! All the best for the next stages!
ReplyDelete