11th Dec 2010 - Squillions of Mosquitos and and Even More Wobbly Back Wheel
From Ahipura YHA motor campground through to Waitiki Landing, about 70 miles or a tiny bit over a hundred kms. We set off at about 11am after considering the options for camping tonight. Basically it looks like Waitiki Landing because nowhere else seems to have food and be a neat short-ish distance from Cape Reinga. Plowing out to Kaitia I thought that the whole area looked pretty poor. Kaitia just doesn't look prosperous, just dowdy and as if no-one cared. There was a distinct headwind - a WNW - which slowed us down, gusting occasionally to a good force 4. Then on past the turning (SH10) to the east coast, and on past the pleasant looking Hohoura Heads where there's evidently lots of fishing. Then on to Te Kao but before we get there two more spokes broke in my rear wheel. The buckle increased a fair bit I managed to replace the broken spoke that wasn't on the sprocket side of the wheel (I've no way of removing the sprocket). Te Kao had no campsite but it did have a decent basic shop. So we ate ice-cream and stocked up on pasta and sauce because it seems evident that everything will be closed when we arrive at Waitiki Landing. At Te Kao we also passed the Ratana Church - an unusual Maori church with, I think, a belief that the Maoris and the Japanese are lost tribes of Israel. Well, you can see how that would symbolically make sense, I'm sure. After another hour and a half's cycling we got to Waitiki Landing where we have paid $12 each to pitch tent. Unfortunately at about 9pm the electric failed and didn't come back on until after 11pm. So no tea.....There are mosquitos by the million in this area. We have no repellent - though my bicycle oil smeared legs seem to be left alone so I think there's a partial answer there (the showers went by the board when the electricity went off).The tent seems ok as a mosquito refuge - it's a great little tent so far with excellent bell end on each side which are ideal for the panniers. (a Saunders spacepacker plus). And nicely sized for two people, with a weight of 2.3kgs or so ideal for carriage by bike. It has just been relocated to the shade since we are staying here two nights and are about to go to Cape Reinga when the campsite's wobbly washing machine has done its best...
From Ahipura YHA motor campground through to Waitiki Landing, about 70 miles or a tiny bit over a hundred kms. We set off at about 11am after considering the options for camping tonight. Basically it looks like Waitiki Landing because nowhere else seems to have food and be a neat short-ish distance from Cape Reinga. Plowing out to Kaitia I thought that the whole area looked pretty poor. Kaitia just doesn't look prosperous, just dowdy and as if no-one cared. There was a distinct headwind - a WNW - which slowed us down, gusting occasionally to a good force 4. Then on past the turning (SH10) to the east coast, and on past the pleasant looking Hohoura Heads where there's evidently lots of fishing. Then on to Te Kao but before we get there two more spokes broke in my rear wheel. The buckle increased a fair bit I managed to replace the broken spoke that wasn't on the sprocket side of the wheel (I've no way of removing the sprocket). Te Kao had no campsite but it did have a decent basic shop. So we ate ice-cream and stocked up on pasta and sauce because it seems evident that everything will be closed when we arrive at Waitiki Landing. At Te Kao we also passed the Ratana Church - an unusual Maori church with, I think, a belief that the Maoris and the Japanese are lost tribes of Israel. Well, you can see how that would symbolically make sense, I'm sure. After another hour and a half's cycling we got to Waitiki Landing where we have paid $12 each to pitch tent. Unfortunately at about 9pm the electric failed and didn't come back on until after 11pm. So no tea.....There are mosquitos by the million in this area. We have no repellent - though my bicycle oil smeared legs seem to be left alone so I think there's a partial answer there (the showers went by the board when the electricity went off).The tent seems ok as a mosquito refuge - it's a great little tent so far with excellent bell end on each side which are ideal for the panniers. (a Saunders spacepacker plus). And nicely sized for two people, with a weight of 2.3kgs or so ideal for carriage by bike. It has just been relocated to the shade since we are staying here two nights and are about to go to Cape Reinga when the campsite's wobbly washing machine has done its best...