Biking and tramping trip blogs: Cape Palliser to Cape Reinga

Mangapurua Track

At the start of 2015 I took a bit of a trip up the South Island on the bike so this year it seemed appropriate to finish the job with a similar trip through the North. The same philosophy applied, i.e. carry enough to be self-sufficient on the road but ok for pick-up and return to points where accommodation is available.

This time it would be South to North again for no better reason than the support crew could kick around home for a few days before setting off in pursuit. The Tour Aotearoa brevet covering the length of both islands was tempting but I wouldn’t be fit enough and timing was not the best. However, the Tour provided a good starting point for a route with some variations: most notably starting at Cape Palliser (southern-most part of the North Island), including the lower part of the Manawatu Gorges-to-Sea cycle route instead of touring the hills north of Ashhurst, and crossing Waiheke Island instead of traversing the whole of Auckland.

A map of my route is here. But in summary:

Start: Cape Palliser to White Rock then inland to Carterton, join the Tour route at Masterton and follow it through Wairarapa back roads and over the Pahiatua track to Palmerston North. Depart from the Tour route to join the Gorges to Sea Cycleway near Tangimoana to just North of Marton, then back country roads re-joining the Tour route through to Whanganui, up the river to Pipiriki, jet boat to the Bridge to Nowhere track and on to the Kaiwhakauka track to Whakahoro then back roads to Owhango. More back roads through Tauramanui to Ongarue and join the Timber Trail. Forestry and rural roads to the Waikato River Trail through to Lake Karapiro than across the plains to join the Hauraki Rail Trail to Thames. Another departure from the Tour route at this point to head to Coromandel and catch a ferry to Waiheke. Cross Waiheke and another ferry to Auckland to do battle with the cycleways and emerge in Helensville to catch another boat across the Kaipara Harbour to the northern heads at Poutu Point. Back roads to Dargaville and beyond to the Waipoua Forest through to Hokianga Harbour and the ferry at Rawene. Back roads to Ahipara then up 90 Mile Beach to follow SH1 for the final leg up to Cape Reinga.

A few numbers ...

• 12 days cycling
• 1 rest day
• 5 boats
• 1,423 km (not including boats)
• 2 bikes
• 1 puncture

With basically no cycling since January, fitness was a bit lacking but I figured on starting gently to get back into the swing of it. The bike was the next thing, I had a cyclo-cross bike on order from Torpedo7 but as the start date drew near there was no news and they didn’t seem keen on answering e-mails. So plan B; the mechanic checks over the old MTB but doesn’t have the parts to deal with the forks (still dodgy from last trip). They would have to do with a bit of judicious pumping and hopefully the new bike will arrive before the support crew sets off.

Link to day one: Cape Palliser to Carterton

Table of contents

Day one Cape Palliser to Carterton

Day two Carterton to Palmerston North

Day three Palmerston North to Koriniti

Day four Koriniti to Whakahoro

Day five Whakahoro to Owhango and a day off

Day six Owhango to Piropiro

Day seven Piropiro to Waipapa

Day eight Waipapa to Paeroa

Day nine Paeroa to Ostend

Day ten Ostend to Dargaville