North Island New Zealand

A trip with mates sampling some good riding roads of the North Island of New Zealand Read more

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Day 3
Saturday, November 19, 2022 at 7:41 PM
☀️ 19 °C
Altitude: 10 m
New Zealand Turanganui River -38.670105, 178.01498438°40’12” S 178°0’54” E
Whispering sands beachfront motel
November 19, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
Our home for the third night. A bit squishy in our apartment with the fold out couch and a portable bed pressed into service. It’s right on the beach though with lovely views.Today was a fabulous day for riding - just a sprinkling of rain in the morning but warm and fine for the rest of the day. (The road after lunch had a fair amount of roadwork due to land slippages- one section must have taken out more than 150 Mtrs of road completely and recently roughly rebuilt enough for some traffic. )Read more
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Day 3
Saturday, November 19, 2022 at 8:53 PM
🌙 17 °C
Altitude: 9 m
New Zealand Turanganui River -38.666813, 178.02548238°40’1” S 178°1’32” E
China Palace Restaurant
November 19, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 17 °C
Dinner tonight is Chinese. The food was delicious and service great. We ended up here because it seems that the kitchens in the pubs closed at 7:30 (on a Saturday!!?) BTW it seems that GISBORNE (or Gizzy to the locals) grows the sweetest oranges in NZ. We saw “Gizzy” Oranges for sale on the side of the road when coming out of Auckland.Read more
TravelerOmgosh I know this type of orange! Also…woohhh that’s so early! But that place looks and sounds yum and now I’m craving Chinese for dinner.
11/22/22Reply
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Day 4
Sunday, November 20, 2022 at 8:58 AM
☀️ 19 °C
Altitude: 9 m
New Zealand Turanganui River -38.670471, 178.01509138°40’14” S 178°0’54” E
Gisborne
November 20, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
A sunny Sunday morning in Gisborne. This was the first place in NZ that captain Cook landed in 1769. He left empty handed and called it ‘poverty bay’. The Cook connection seems to have produced a friendship between NZ and Canada. One thing we have seen is multiple names for the same place - at least in English and Māori languages.Read more
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Day 4
Sunday, November 20, 2022 at 11:24 AM
⛅ 22 °C
Altitude: 57 m
New Zealand Te Reinga Falls -38.82954, 177.51792938°49’46” S 177°31’5” E
Te Reinga Falls
November 20, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
Falls! Just stacks of water on a wild river. Fortunate that it wasn’t used for a hydroelectric project.
I had a small mishap getting there - stopped my bike on a slope then the bike and I fell over… very embarrassing! No damage apart to my ego.Read more
Travelerglad you're ok dad!! looks amazing!
11/21/22Reply
TravelerSo beautiful- we’ve had a lot of rain here and there are some areas that have unintentionally looked a bit like this but the ugly less architectural version 😂
11/22/22Reply
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Day 4
Sunday, November 20, 2022 at 12:31 PM
⛅ 24 °C
Altitude: 6 m
New Zealand Takitimu Marae -39.02921, 177.41871239°1’45” S 177°25’7” E
Wairoa
November 20, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
Lunch and refuel…. Not very salubrious
TravelerIt’s a 10/10 on the vocab for me here 🔥🔥🔥 looove it
11/22/22Reply
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Day 4
Sunday, November 20, 2022 at 6:02 PM
🌧 15 °C
Altitude: 392 m
New Zealand Rainbow Point -38.715715, 176.09333738°42’57” S 176°5’36” E
Taupo - Great Lakes Stays
November 20, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 15 °C
This Airbnb is home for 2 nights. Five bedrooms and very comfy. Rain (heavy!) for the last 1/2 hr of the ride in.
Dinner was at the Lucky Lizard Bar & Grill…. I had lamb shank - delicious.
Travelerlooks lovely! lots of rain, hail & wind here today so you are not missing better weather!!
11/21/22Reply
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Day 5
Monday, November 21, 2022 at 9:57 AM
🌧 15 °C
Altitude: 330 m
New Zealand Tokoroa -38.218493, 175.87349538°13’7” S 175°52’25” E
South Waikato
November 21, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 15 °C
Quick footprint - photo with Māori carvings
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Day 5
Monday, November 21, 2022 at 10:18 AM
🌧 16 °C
Altitude: 160 m
New Zealand Putaruru -38.048753, 175.78044438°2’56” S 175°46’50” E
Putaruru
November 21, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 16 °C
Anothe quick footprint to mark the route.
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Day 5
Monday, November 21, 2022 at 10:52 AM
🌧 16 °C
Altitude: 173 m
New Zealand Hobbiton Movie Set -37.872266, 175.68329237°52’20” S 175°40’60” E
Hobbiton movie set - tour entry
November 21, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 16 °C
A terrific experience. Well organised, good guide, fun time. See if you can pick the fake tree with plastic leaves.
Travelerwow!
11/21/22Reply
Traveleryou made it!!!
11/21/22Reply
TravelerI’m so excited you got to go!! These photos are awesome!! Wooo! ❤️😍
11/22/22Reply
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Day 5
Monday, November 21, 2022 at 12:59 PM
🌧 17 °C
Altitude: 151 m
New Zealand Matamata -37.873761, 175.66905837°52’26” S 175°40’9” E
Green Dragon inn
November 21, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 17 °C
The Green Dragon inn is the last stop on the tour. A complimentary beverage - I had the ‘Oak Barton’ stout brewed specially for Hobbiton.
TravelerLooks like a full on day. Love the Hobbit town..I think Kim and I visited that park in Rotorua on our honeymoon 😍 😀. You seem to be enjoying the time.
11/21/22Reply
TravelerThis is so cool!! 😍❤️🔥🥰
11/22/22Reply
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Day 5
Monday, November 21, 2022 at 2:47 PM
🌧 16 °C
Altitude: 284 m
New Zealand Kawaha Point -38.111374, 176.23693238°6’41” S 176°14’13” E
Rotorua thermal park - Kuirua park
November 21, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 16 °C
The public park in the centre of Rotorua. Hot pools, boiling mud, lots of steam.
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Day 5
Monday, November 21, 2022 at 3:43 PM
🌧 16 °C
Altitude: 294 m
New Zealand Rotorua -38.149637, 176.23924838°8’59” S 176°14’21” E
Junction cafe - Rotorua
November 21, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 16 °C
Out of the rain!! Sacred grounds coffee made in Taupo. The last coffee of the day…
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Day 5
Monday, November 21, 2022 at 5:18 PM
🌧 15 °C
Altitude: 384 m
New Zealand Huka Falls -38.643061, 176.08629838°38’35” S 176°5’11” E
Huka falls
November 21, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 15 °C
This time just the water was falling or crashing past the rock walls.
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Day 6
Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at 8:53 AM
⛅ 15 °C
Altitude: 428 m
New Zealand Waipahihi Stream -38.683826, 176.10810938°41’2” S 176°6’29” E
Taupo 2 - updated
November 22, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
I have been remiss in not giving some description of Lake Taupo. This lake is the largest freshwater lake in Australasia with a surface area of over 600 square kilometres. (About 6 times the size of western port bay). The water is crystal clear to about 13 metres and is a great wild trout fishery……
Anyway back to the start ……. Looks a fine sunny day but the forecast is less promising. Following our cooked breakfast we are ready to go Around the lake and hopefully get views of volcanoes.Read more
TravelerYuummm trout!
11/22/22Reply
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Day 6
Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at 10:17 AM
⛅ 8 °C
Altitude: 1,614 m
New Zealand Pinnacle Ridge -39.236404, 175.55580239°14’11” S 175°33’21” E
Chatue Tongariro hotel / Whakapapa ski f
November 22, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C
Our first view of snow in NZ on one of the volcanoes in the area - Mt. Ruapehu. Others close by are Mt. Ngauruhoe and Mt. Tongariro.
Whakapapa ski field. Scoria plain leads up to this and the whole mountain has dark scoria coloured rocks. Very little vegetation - a mountain of sharp large and small rubble.Read more
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Day 6
Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at 12:20 PM
⛅ 20 °C
Altitude: 190 m
New Zealand Waiwherowhero Stream -38.892971, 175.33245838°53’35” S 175°19’57” E
Taumarunui
November 22, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
Pop in fuel. Continue towards lunch venue
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Day 6
Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at 2:19 PM
⛅ 21 °C
Altitude: 164 m
New Zealand Chipps Hill -39.144813, 174.73546239°8’41” S 174°44’8” E
Whangamomona republic
November 22, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
Whangamōmona is famous for its rich frontier history. Frustrated with local councils, residents declared it ‘The Republic of Whangamōmona’ in 1989, and held their own presidential elections. I had my passport stamped. Lunch today was a toasted ham cheese and tomato sandwich.Read more
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Day 6
Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at 3:58 PM
🌧 17 °C
Altitude: 224 m
New Zealand Nagaere Stream -39.365692, 174.34487939°21’56” S 174°20’42” E
Stratford
November 22, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 17 °C
Turn here to head for New Plymouth . Those not covered putting on ‘wets’. This marked the end of the “Forgotten World Highway”. An amazing piece of road it had everything - lots of corners, narrow sections, gravel, more roadworks… even a tunnel with dirt floor! The landscape was reminiscent of Jurassic park… palms, ferns, lush lush growth everywhere- there was even a worker mowing the wall of a cutting!! A dinosaur poking it’s head out wouldn’t have been out of place. Challenging riding.Read more
TravelerWow what a day. anyone would think you have been around the world to see such a variety stuff. not missing anything accept rain here. was supposed to go to Baw Baw to do a work day but to much snow ❄️ 😄
11/22/22Reply
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Day 6
Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at 5:13 PM
🌧 17 °C
Altitude: Sea level
New Zealand Sugar Loaf Islands -39.043568, 174.0442539°2’37” S 174°2’39” E
Belt rd seaside holiday park
November 22, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 17 °C
New Plymouth…. Right on the beach… really seaside. Lots of rain so took an Uber into town for dinner at the “crowded house “. Moor hens around look a bit like the purple hens on Phillip Island.
The morning was fine ish but winds were strong.Read more
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Day 7
Wednesday, November 23, 2022 at 12:05 PM
🌧 16 °C
Altitude: 146 m
New Zealand Mokau River -38.466439, 175.01560938°27’59” S 175°0’56” E
Piopoi
November 23, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 16 °C
The fat pigeon cafe for morning tea…..,
A boysenberry danish for Nick!
TravelerNick is wishing he was there!!! looks delish!
11/23/22Reply
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Day 7
Wednesday, November 23, 2022 at 1:28 PM
⛅ 18 °C
Altitude: 60 m
New Zealand Kapongaru -38.260698, 175.111338°15’39” S 175°6’41” E
Waitomo caves
November 23, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
The caves have many glow worms bit there is too much water in the river to run the 45 min tour .. so no go! Looked around the museum instead… lots of interesting information.
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Day 7
Wednesday, November 23, 2022 at 3:54 PM
☀️ 18 °C
Altitude: 12 m
New Zealand Lorenzen Bay -37.805775, 174.87948637°48’21” S 174°52’46” E
Raglan
November 23, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
Fuel up … the price is still at about $2.60 a litre and it eats into the money.
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Day 7
Wednesday, November 23, 2022 at 4:14 PM
☀️ 17 °C
Altitude: 14 m
New Zealand South Head -37.807217, 174.8372737°48’26” S 174°50’14” E
Lookout - Raglan beach
November 23, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
Big wide bay. Raglan is a surf town. The Raglan surf life saving club is on this beach
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Day 7
Wednesday, November 23, 2022 at 10:39 PM
🌙 15 °C
Altitude: 39 m
New Zealand Eden Terrace -36.864296, 174.754736°51’51” S 174°45’17” E
Verandahs - Auckland
November 23, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 15 °C
Back where we started 2000+ kms ago. Staying at Verandahs again. Late to get here today about 7:30pm so straight out to dinner at Dante’s Pizzeria.
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Day 8
Thursday, November 24, 2022 at 8:52 AM
🌧 14 °C
Altitude: 39 m
New Zealand Eden Terrace -36.864296, 174.75470436°51’51” S 174°45’17” E
Auckland - rainy morning
November 24, 2022 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 14 °C
Off we go again… a bit wet but probably fining up later.
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