Feb 04, 2020

 

Today was a day of sweeping corners, tight corners and all sorts of ups and downs with spectacular views of white sand beaches, our first for the trip rather than grey or black and a variety of farmland, lush tropical ferns and dense forests and dark canopies arching over the road, oh and did I mention the spectacular views out over the ocean. Just beautiful. We came the long way today having ridden up the gorge the last trip so 397kms instead of around 182kms and worth every jaw dropping vista we encountered. Not a lot of stopping for photos but Norm’s snapping from the bike gives a taste of what we saw.

 

Kaitij Hill Lookout at Gisborne as we head off for the day. Great views all round and some fun chats with some locals who walk and exercise up the hill.

 

Logs to China from the Gisborne port. Trucks were lined up at the Napier port yesterday and couldn’t unload so they must have sorted out their import difficulties with the Coronavirus after all. Was looking very scary for the locals here to have their exports shutdown.

 

And a view over the town and marina where we had dinner last night (opposite our motel).

 

 First white sand beach for the trip.

 

A crop duster we think and in rugged hilly terrain, he swooped one way then the other then up over the road to drop down on the other side and … we think landed.

 

Quirky little shed.

 

Tolaga Bay Wharf, the longest wharf in the southern hemisphere according to locals. Was rebuilt through charitable donations some years ago for around 5.5million dollars.

 

The quirky geography continues.

 

Bit of a roadblock for a while.

 

Our lunch spot at Taketa.

 

Lots of roadwork signs but little which impacted us until we came to this, yuk. I came close to coming unstuck as the stones got huge and loose and nearly got bogged in the stones and had to stop and start again. Was relieved I stayed upright and the others following me managed to get into the other wheel track and stay safe as well.

 

Opotiki Memorial. Not far to go now.

 

Ohope Beach,

 

And our hotel for the night, the White Island Rendezvous and no it's not on White Island but in Whakatane.