Granny's Got a Bike: Another sunny day

Sunshine is always welcome, even if it takes time in gathering any warmth. We quickly loaded up and headed out of Dicksons Holiday Park, happily leaving it behind.

We found the foreshore path that ran all along the edge of the Firth, so dodging all the shops and traffic of Thames and soon had arrived at the bridge over the Waihou River at Kopu and turned our wheels to the west.

Unfortunately, the Hauraki Trail is closed between Pipiroa and Waitakaruru, which I knew so the next 5km was along a busy highway, with almost constant traffic and only a narrow shoulder.

I 'd read about the Ngatea Wetlands, so turned left onto Bush Road and headed south. As soon as one is off a major road ,the peace and quiet descends rapidly and we purled along through the ususal dairy farmlands. But the cattle weren't used to seeing a cyclist, so their curiosity led them to gallop along the fenceline, laughing at such a strange sight! So cute!

We arrived into Nagtea, where I grabbed a coffee and a snack at the bakery and we rode off to their Wetlands, hoping to find a bench to sit on and gaze out over the wetlands. Unfortunately, no bikes allowed and it was surrounded by a high fence and and entry fee to enter. Oh well, we turned around and went back to the sporting ground park and had a nice fika there.

Another 10km of sharing the road with too many cars before we turned back to Waitakaruru, to join up with the trail again. I had a chat with a young French guy that had take 2 months off work to cycle around New Zealand, having only left Auckland the day before. He hadn't heard about the Hauraki rail trail, so I gave him my booklet though I suspect he will be sticking to the roads. He was the first tourer I had seen, other cyclists usually just out for a day trip. He was a bit disappointed that free camping wasn't available in NZ and I said also not in Australia. But am sure he will have a fabulous time.

The northerly wind had strengthened a little, so our last section of today's ride was riding right into it, but it wasn't too long before we arrived at the Pukorokoro Shorebird Centre and was allocated a wonderful self contained unit - so much space and luxury!

After a shower, I rode back to the Hides to look for the godwits that this area is famous for. The tide was coming in and the shorebirds come into a mudflat to roost until the tide goes out again. There were huge flocks of godwits whirling in to settlefor the night, but my camera lens is not strong enough to capture them. One must use ones imagination. There were also black swans that have naturlised themselves here from Australia. and heaps of other sorts of birds too, so maybe before I head off in the morning, I'll zink back there - its only 2.5km from here just in case I can get a better look during the morning high-tide.

So ends another day in New Zealand. Almost 60km due to our detours and tomorrow only about 10km left of the trail to ride. Then Hennie and me will be at the mercy of the traffic and the hills on our way to Orere Pt and then the following day, back to Auckland. Why do holidays go so fast!