Tag Archives: HBBP

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HBOP 2 – Waihi Rd to Whirinaki via Moerangi Track

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A brisk morning greeted us, thankfully there were some rollers to warm us up a tad before dropping down to cross the Waikaretakehe and head towards the lake. Clouding over as we reached Piripaua power station – the lower of three in the scheme. Surprised again to show Pete a new road, we got off the main road and climbed gravel up to the quaint dam town of Tuai.

Across Lake Whakamarino to the Tuai power station.

Remembering my first ride through here, I was sure we could avoid the sealed section of Lake Rd and ascend beside the penstocks.

Over twenty percent, it wasn’t the easy option – but it was quiet.

It flattened out ever so slightly.

Finding the upper power station, Kaitawa, I figured we’d done enough pushing – heading for the main road it was for the last climbing up to Lake Waikaremoana. The precipitation ranged from mist to mizzle to drizzle, we arrived at the average store well in time for mid-morning pies – even if we had to microwave them ourselves. Still a little surprised to be riding mid Hawke’s Bay summer in rain and 10ºC, we were making good time and should make it to cafe at Ruatahuna before the two o’clock closure.

The moisture did at least damp the dust on the long stretch of gravel – and keep the traffic volumes low. It really was quite pleasant, even if we didn’t see quite as much as usual – the sights were different.

Across Whanganui Inlet

Leaving the lake and heading north.

I wouldn’t have been too surprised if that sign proved correct.

A longer climb took us up to the watershed and deposited us in the other Bay – the Bay of my childhood, Bay of Plenty. As we hoped, dropping quickly we soon left the clouds behind and found some warmth – and an open cafe. The menu was a bit restricted due to illness, but the frybread fish burger went down very easily – along with a pot of tea.

Is that the fish or the frybread?

Heading for the Moerangi Track and perhaps a night in a backcountry hut, we stocked up a little at the store before a pleasant stretch alongside the upper Whakatane River. I do so enjoy riding this area and each time piecing a little bit more of the geography together in my mind. Disavowing some poor lost young fullas that they were on the way to Whakatane, they soon turned and passed us again. Another climb and descent over, we headed up Okahu Rd towards the trailhead. The sudden increase in gradient at the end of the road was not as long as I remembered and by three-thirty we were heading into thirty-five kilometres of Grade 4 singletrack. I was hopeful we’d get out by dark, but a lot would depend on trail condition.

Ever so slightly more rugged gravel road riding.

Not quite looking up in time…

At the top of the first climb, back in Hawke’s Bay and admiring the ferns.

A nice section led us over ever-skinnier bridges, some rideable, some not, and down to Skips Hut.

Where it promptly began to rain again.

Up and over another couple of ridges, it was nice to be out in the late afternoon sun at Roger’s Hut.

Pete emerging from the mature native forest.

The next section to Moerangi Hut climbed steadily, a bit more technical, most was rideable but at times it made more sense to push one’s bike a little. Another break in the sun, snacking, at the hut was called for before the concerted spin and push to the high point of the track. Enjoyable as the long, bumpy descent is – maybe one day I’ll do it on an unloaded full-suspension bike. Occasional breaks in the forest cover gave glimpses of more bush and forest stretching to distant landmarks as the light faded. Just lovely.

At the far trail end by eight o’clock, three and a half hours of riding time with a loaded bike seemed quite reasonable. I was hoping whoever was at the Recreation Camp ten kilometres down a gravel road would take kindly to two smelly bikepackers invading and requesting a small patch of the giant lawn to camp on. The group of five families were lovely and plied us with tea, marshmallows to toast on the fire and a gazebo to sleep in – all we had to offer were, astonishing to them, tales of our day’s ride.

What a day it was too – not an easy day by any stretch (there were a few hills), but with plenty to see and some good breaks in the weather most enjoyable to be out exploring.

around home, bikepacking, bikes, GPS, NZ

HBOP 1 – After work Friday to Waihi Rd shack

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Having driven little-known forestry roads to get to the fabulous Moerangi Track last winter, on the return home I couldn’t get the idea of an ambitious weekend bikepacking loop out of my mind. With minimal driving after work on a Friday, many Hawke’s Bay and some Bay of Plenty backroads could be explored. That night, HBOP was compiled; it only took until mid-summer to find a free weekend to ride it (worth noting that the winter weather was warmer than much of the weekend we just had!). Pete, with similar inclinations to explore new backroads (although I’m surprised there’s much of the North Island he’s not ridden) and much more time than me for such trips, was keen to join in – didn’t get any other takers, can’t imagine why.

So with a cool, cloudy and damp weekend forecast we drove the road north from work and started riding at half-four. The thirty kilometres of highway was lumpy and quiet enough – bringing back memories of HBAT. The south-easterly, while cooling, was also at our backs and continued to help as we turned inland and climbed Putere Road. Past the Cricklewood turn-off, we dropped suddenly to Putere and Pete was on new roads. The Panekiri Range (that which is far more imposing from the far side of Lake Waikaremoana) was startlingly close, but shrouded in cloud.

Seems there are quite a few farms up here; we were on to Waireka Rd, leaving three others to return to and explore completely in the future.

I stopped and snapped a photo of Lake Rotonuiaha for, quite randomly, a fishing app that I was contacted out of the blue about.

The descent to the Waiau River was steep gravel, it would have been much faster but due to the grade was some of the most corrugated gravel I’ve ridden in a long time. No wonder steep rural roads around these parts are often sealed in part.

A pause over the Waiau. Now I was on new roads, huzzah!

Heading upstream, things were momentarily flat; over a cattle stop and we turned away from the river and begun to climb. As Pete remarked, you know it’s remote when the pasture is not fenced from the road. We startled a herd of cattle, I don’t think they see many bikes, and they ran off ahead of us. Thankfully they were not corralled on the road and didn’t get too scary. A bit more climbing and a couple of switchbacks later we found them again.

Looking south over the Waiau, that prow in the background demands closer investigation; March: hopefully I can get back up here.

Surrounded by hills, everything was new – climbing four hundred metres steadily, I enjoyed trying to pick out the road across the valley in the gathering gloom. The folds in the hills as things darkened were fascinating, I certainly was looking forward to returning in some light.

Pleasingly, the drop to the Mangaone Stream didn’t steal all our hard-gained altitude. Nine o’clock by now, I was starting to fade and look for suitable shelter while Pete edged further ahead of me. We regained all the height we’d just lost before spying a tumbledown old building. We never worked out what it once was (unusual shearers’ quarters, perhaps), but it had a roof, walls and most of a floor. Luxury – who needs doors and windows anyway? I thought it might be exposed to the southerly, but it wasn’t too bad – we settled in for a decent night’s sleep. Assuredly a most excellent finish to the week – five hours of riding, plenty of climbing through some stunning hills, little traffic, good company and charming shelter to boot.

Huddled together in a corner for fear of falling.

Saturday morning view.

A palace to us.

around home, bikepacking, bikes, friends, GPS, NZ

Post-work Friday Waipatiki Overnighter

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The midday switch to a cooling sea breeze was not to last. Leaving work just before five, the raging norwester was back dragging the mercury up to thirty degrees. Steve and I made slow progress along the flat highway, into the wind funnelled down the valley, before finally turning north and meeting Marek at the start of the climb. Waipunga Rd is one of my favourite local gravel roads and I’m pleased that it’s back in far better condition than for HBAT. It may have been the heat, the wind or just end-of-week tiredness – but my, all that food I packed instead of changes of clothes sure was dense. I was slow.

Up the sealed climb at the start of Waipunga Rd – photo from Marek.

Having discussed it over the lunch table, I’d finally figured out which house, most of the way up the road, was Jess’s. Kennels of dogs barking enthusiastically welcomed us, as did the favourite running free – we happily accepted filled water bottles and a huge bowl of fresh guacamole, such a hardship helping to deal to a glut of avocados. Chatting too long, I was reminded that we’d better get going as the sun dropped – we didn’t have many lights between us.

The end of the road had us turning east and the wind at our backs. Five clicks of seal descended to the highway, which we crossed to join the gravelled upper part of Tangoio Settlement Rd. Following the ridge, the pines up here are generally young and allow views both sides of the road. The haze from the bushfires in Australia continues to linger, the approaching sunset looked likely to be a good’un.

Easy riding down to the highway.

Arriving at the junction with Waipatiki Rd, we had enough daylight yet to pause and watch the sun sink. It was worth it.

Thanks again to Marek for the photo.

Still plenty warm, it was just as well as the last two hundred metres are lost rapidly through a short series of switchbacks.

Waipatiki Beach, another of Marek’s photos.

I didn’t remember the turn-off to the campground, but I certainly remembered the decaying machinery from my previous trip here. Checking in, we managed to get our tents up before the dusk faded into night. Quite a luxury having a camp kitchen to cook in, I set about preparing and consuming (in part, Steve helped) the mass of food I’d hauled in – well worth it. Also odd to have a camp lounge to gather in, it was far later than is normal for me on such rides before we retired to our respective tents.

Gusts really got up in the early hours of the morning, giving a couple of hours of sleeplessness as my tent thrashed around. By dawn the wind abated; we rose, ate and packed before crossing the stream to check out the beach a little.

All calm, and hazy, again.

This relic served a purpose, anchoring one side of this:

An unusual water crossing by bike – definitely better than wet feet and wheels being swallowed by unseen holes. Another of Marek’s pictures.

Water still pretty chilly, I wasn’t staying wet for too long. Marek’s again.

Beach rest for the bikes.

Half-eight by the time we set off, all were keen to take a vaguely described paper road to not reverse the big sealed descent of the previous night. A tiny amount of hike-a-bike landed us, with dry feet, on an old forest road heading north and up to Aropaonui Road. It was barely overgrown, well benched and gained us a hundred and fifty metres pretty easily. Reaching the gravel, we climbed further heading away from the Pacific – occasionally getting sideswiped by the norwester. I adopted my trying-not-to-get-blown-off-my-bike stance, and was unusually successful.

The only mud we had to negotiate during the trip.

Missing the concerted effort of Saturday morning Park Run, I pushed a little harder than normal to round out the hour of climbing to the highway. Finding a suitably shady spot, there was some serious snacking to be done to ensure we didn’t carry too much food home. The gravelled top section of Tangoio Settlement Road was repeated, and was just as good as the previous night (save the spectacular sunset) and we were soon bombing down to sea level for the last few kilometres back to work.

Can’t quite see my house.

Even stopping at work to pick up some gear, then at Bay View for boysenberry and feijoa ice cream and fresh strawberries, it was before noon when we arrived in town for quality burgers that I’m still thinking of.

What a great little overnight trip (barely managed a hundred kilometres and eighteen hours) with good friends and plenty of food to round out my Hawke’s Bay bikepacking for the year. It’s been such fun, and I’ve seen so much of this little province – finding plenty of hills, views and food along the way.

around home, bikepacking, bikes, friends, GPS, NZ

Mangatu(times)tu Four

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Having had to cancel last year’s annual overnighter to Mangatutu Hot Springs, I was excited to get back out there for the fourth time. Previously it’s been an quick easy trip to kick-off the bikepacking season – but not this year, as it seems I’ve hardly stopped riding over the winter. Also, I was looking forward to sharing this little ride with half a dozen others from the fledging Hawke’s Bay Bikepacking community. Only posted at the start of the week, it required far less organisation and I was looking forward to meeting a few I’d not ridden with before.

Two of the group had set off earlier in the day to make the most of some cooler hours. Four of us left the Taradale clock tower for a pleasant half hour of easy riding and chatting on cycle trail to Puketapu.

Where we promptly stopped at the pub for lunch – would have been wasteful not to make use of the last services.

Kiwi burgers all round, Steve arrived and promptly ordered another. Before noon, we’d managed to avoid the crowds at this spot popular with those on all manner of bikes. Steve was excused for being late as after six months away, he’d had to find his bike buried in the garage and, not having ridden it since I last dragged him bikepacking over three years before, replace a tube and pack it with what gear and food he had. Enthusiasm for adventure does go much further than waiting until you have all the gear and everything just so.

Instead of just heading straight up the sealed Puketitiri Rd as previously, I’d opted for the longer route that would give us more gravel. The river flats lasted until twenty kilometres in and crossing the lower Mangaone River. It was warm, but not hot and for a change the wind was at my back heading out here. I found this route far better than Puketitiri Rd – there was next to no traffic, it climbed steadily (instead of steeply climbing in and out of valleys) and there was some very nice gravel.

Nearing the end of Dartmoor Rd.

Alan peeled off for said sealed route, so Chris, Brent, Steve and I moseyed on at a reasonable and constant pace admiring the views over the Tutaekuri to the Ruahines and Kawekas. Strangely, for what has been a very mild spring for allergies, both Steve and I started to suffer from hayfever – the standard sneezing, runny nose, irritated eyes. Not much for it but to keep on riding and admire the views. Only later did I realise that the source of the allergic reaction was the liberal dose of bushfire smoke that had drifted over the Tasman.

Chris heading up Waihau Rd.

Steve sporting the latest in summer bikepacking bags, as the day starts to get a little hazy from the smoke; the haze would worsen over the weekend.

The afternoon warmed, at Waihau itself there was a big rest in the shade of large trees – dreaming of ice creams that were not to materialise from anywhere. Reaching Puketitiri Rd, we were close to 600 metres high – we wouldn’t get much higher that this all day, but we would drop down plenty of times to return to a similar elevation. Brent well knew this and just how steep the end of the day got – with little loaded riding in his recent past, that was the last we saw of him as he opted for a different route.

To my surprise the golf clubrooms were actually open – I still haven’t seen anyone, sheep excluded, on the fairways. We topped up our bottles, ate and rested a bit. The local search and rescue group were out this way training, hence the open doors. Past Balls Clearing the gravel starts again and far fewer people ride bikes (a road ride to this point is a local roadies’ favourite, I understand). There’s one big plunge before the real work begins to earn the reward of a hot spring soak.

The drop towards the Mohaka River – a repeat of a photo I’ve taken a few times now.

Eleven kilometres of Makahu Rd leads to the campground at its end; it starts immediately with a climb so steep that it’s sealed. We sweated our way up there in the late afternoon heat, it’s mercifully only a kilometre long. Dropping down to the Makahu River, the ford was just low enough to get through with dry feet. The second climb is longer, and only a little less steep. Mostly shaded, it was sheltered enough from the breeze to be stifling.

Nearing the highest point of the day, the farm gate here is a natural resting and regrouping spot, with a peak of the Kawekas over yonder.

Contemplating one more hill.

Down again to one last stream crossing and to tackle the third in the series of greater-than-ten-percent climbs. This one you can see ahead as you cross the bridge – I’m unsure if that’s better or worse. It looks steep, but you can at least see the end point – although that knowledge may not have been common to all.

Farms and plantation forest left behind, the last descent has one surrounded by native bush.

I rolled into camp, nabbed my usual spot and was pleased to find Jan and Andrew had arrived considerably earlier. Shortly after, Steve, Chris and Alan arrived. With plenty of daylight left it was a relaxed evening of cooking, eating, chat, soaking in the ever-so-hot pools and consuming the vast amount of sweeter food that had been hauled in – special mention to Steve who’d lugged half a Christmas cake in. That cake sure was dense, in wonderful flavour too – not just mass per volume. There were some tired souls around, after all it does get a little hilly at the end – so pleasing to see people having ridden more than they thought themselves capable of and comfortable with. Hopefully the route choice doesn’t repel too many…

The upper Mohaka from the campground.

A leisurely start to Sunday morning, we gradually left at various intervals. The climb from camp was a good one to get the legs and blood moving. To mix up the out and back nature a bit, I opted to turn left at the start of Makahu Road to see what was at the end of Pakaututu Rd. Steve is unable to turn down opportunity for more discovery and exercise so he joined me. Over the Mohaka we found another steep climb, it would turn out to be the largest of the weekend and was fantastic as the mid-morning sun beat down on us. The views of the Kawekas from the north were easily the best we had all weekend, and there were hills, ridges and valleys all around. My mind boggled trying to comprehend just where we were with respect to places so close that I’ve ridden or driven – the bush clad contours just beyond the farmland were so numerous I was a little disoriented.

Crossing the Mohaka – much closer to the headwaters than the crossing six weeks beforehand.

As I neared the ridgeline, I came across a local farmer out moving stock. Correctly presuming he was the father-in-law of a colleague I chatted for some time. Amongst talk of the terrain, farming history and bikepacking, the biggest nugget was learning of the old coach road to Taupo – that begs to be followed up. Taking it easy for the mellow gradient along the ridge, admiring the views, I happened upon Steve waiting for me in some shade. We rode the last kilometre to the road end, me well pleased to finally see what was there.

Yes, there’s a woolshed and some stock at the end of the road. Hardly a shocking discovery.

This little lamb looked almost as pleased as I felt on such a glorious morning.

We turned and headed for home.

Not rubbish riding.

Over the river again, the biggest climb remaining took us back to Balls Clearing where we found the Search and Rescuers sitting some sort of a test at picnic tables – at least, I hope they were under test conditions as, besides colleague Mark who gave us a wave, they were decidedly reserved and stand-offish. Snacking and topping up with water, the Puketapu Pub beckoned for a late lunch.

Back onto the gravel off Puketitiri Rd, this time I didn’t see Steve waiting again in the shade; I blithely carried on assuming he was well ahead of me by now, as he’d been most morning. So we spent the next hour chasing, at a rather sedate pace, each other down all the while battling into a southerly. Unfortunately we were too late to lunch with the others at the pub and were running quite low on snacks. Stopping near the fields, that the previous day were raked and baled, to clear my ever-running nose, I was quite surprised when Steve cruised in after me – rather spent. The last of the chocolate supplies got us to Puketapu and a huge bowl of nachos – which seemed to have an entire tub of sour cream plonked on top.

A most excellent overnighter – so nice to share that ride with more people, not have my knee ache and discover what’s at the end of another road (there are still plenty more we passed that I’m yet to see) and learn of potential new adventures. The alternate route was a huge improvement, I wouldn’t be surprised if this becomes more regular than an annual ride.