Scouting the last hundred-odd kilometres of the route was planned to be a big day-trip of driving to Wairoa and riding the 200+ kilometres to the end of Mahia Peninsula and back. But while talking Friday to a colleague familiar with the area, there seemed many more possibilities for exploring than I’d realised. Thoroughly excited by the prospect, I couldn’t turn down the very generous offer of basing myself at his holiday home for the weekend. It was a little wasteful having to return from work and hurriedly pack before driving back past work – but that’s last minute trips for you. Unfortunately that meant I got stuck in an hour-long tailback on the highway; not that it really mattered, I still got to Mahia in time and hit the hay looking forward to two days of exploration.
It rained heavily much of the night, but serendipitously ceased as I set off riding just before sunrise.
A brief visit to the beach of Mahia Beach as Saturday dawned.
The sixteen kilometres back to the highway had a little climbing in it. Wairoa is further west, around the coast some more.
Blessedly, the highway was very much deserted on a gloomy Saturday morning. Riding into the norwester was not unpleasant, and it certainly wasn’t cold. Fifty kilometres flew by as I enjoyed new sights and the coastal rural scenes. Second breakfast was naturally at Osler’s Bakery – although I’ve since been told of the Eastend Cafe, I’ll have to check that out next time.
Wairoa River.
Finally I learned why there is a lighthouse inland – it was originally on Portland Island (the island off the end of the peninsula), and moved to and restored in Wairoa after it was decommissioned.
That commute, as it were, done I could get on with the route-scouting. A few kilometres north of town I turned off another highway and immediately felt and heard the gravel under my tyres.
I never worked out where these two were walking to – it was ages to anywhere.
The first half of Mangapoike Rd stuck to the valley floor, before finding some hills to climb as the country became more rugged. Mostly sheep and beef country, there was some forestry and bush around.
The road kept continued towards the river of the same name; I very much wanted to keep going to the end, but I had to leave something to explore another time. Hereheretau Road follows the Makaretu Stream – for a stream it sure did have a high volume of water flowing down it.
I left my bike by the road to clamber down to the “stream”, and stood listening to these small falls for some time.
Things flattened out a bit as I passed plenty of farm buildings and a Simmental stud before climbing out of the valley and heading for the coast.
Back on the same highway again, there was lunch to be had at the general store in Nuhaka. Alas, it was too hot for a pie (in August?!); over my chocolate milk and ice cream (that’s lunch, hey?) I chatted to the storekeeper about my route. At least a third-generation local, he recommended I not go directly back to Mahia – instead I should continue on the highway eight kilometres (he assured me it was OK for cycling) to Morere (hot springs!) and climb up Tunanui Road for an outstanding view of the ocean, bay and peninsula.
I had at least three hours of daylight in reserve, so I happily set off through Nuhaka to see why he could hardly mask his enthusiasm for this road. I struggled to get out of town, distracted by the old utilitarian buildings many years into slow decay.
My attention was diverted again by a sign for caves. Caves! Only six kilometres up a side road that went goodness-knows were. Straight up a hill for six kilometres it turns out. A pleasant enough climb through three hundred metres, the place was deserted. Apart from goats, I’d seen so many I was beginning to wonder if people were actually farming them. They were everywhere. Just over the brow of the road, I found the scenic reserve. Hauling my bike further up a hillside, I stashed it in a handy patch of concealing blackberry before clambering higher following the poled route.
There’s the road down there, I’m about halfway up by this stage. I see now that the end of Mangaone Rd gets pretty close to where I was but two hours before.
The terrain flattened a bit and I found myself running across paddocks, somewhat excited to be discovering something that previously wasn’t on my radar at all. Although, it is possible my legs were so relieved to not be pushing pedals around that they couldn’t help but run. Perhaps I really was missing Park Run that Saturday?
Suddenly, a gate into a patch of bush materialised.
I soon found myself in a narrow long cave looking up at the stalactites. A cool little find, although I probably won’t send the route up all the way up here.
Pinning it back downhill, I did manage to pause briefly and spy Mahia Beach and the Peninsula behind it.
The highway was gentle; I wasn’t sufficiently enticed to check out the hot springs – but the tearooms were open… Off the main road, the climbing began again. As earlier in the day, the gravel hadn’t dried out yet from the overnight rain – so was a little slower than normal. The conservation area on the right hand side of the road is extensive – I was surprised it just kept going and going, a bit like the climb really. The nikau palms that had been mentioned by others were finally found. The forest gave way to pasture as there was a little ridge-riding.
Even in the fading light as more clouds rolled in, the view opened up to that promised and took my breath away – as did the quick roll back down to sea-level. I’m definitely sending the route up here, it was exceptional – as promised.
The last bit of gravel for the day took me around the estuary and back to the house right on sunset – every minute of sun-up that day contributing to an excellent outing.