Day 13: Journey's End

Raglan

Today is the last day of my "Girl's Own Adventure". I'm not really ready to go home yet, but my body could do with a rest right about now. It is a beautiful fine sunny day at last! So I decided to have a nice chilled-out last day, starting off by wandering around Raglan and then watching some surfing at Whale Bay. I will save the body-boarding for another summer weekend. This is a cool place to get away from it all.

Whale Bay - there were two surfers

Harbour View Hotel - bar and accommodation.
Might go up-market and stay here next time.



Nice landscaping throughout the town.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Bridal Veil Falls

A 30 minute drive and I arrived at the Wairēinga/Bridal Veil Falls. I was debating whether to bother, but I'm very glad I decided to have a look. It is spectacular! And just a 10 minute walk from the road. At 55m high I was feeling the vertigo coming on me as I looked down from the top.

Stop at the carpark

Down the easy access path

From the top down to the bottom viewing platform - vertigo!

Boom! There she is! What a beauty!

261 steps down to the bottom viewing platform

Leg says NO!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waingaro Hot Springs

I was lamenting the fact that there were no hot pools to soak in over this way, as that would be the perfect way to end this journey. I was looking at the map, deciding which route to take home, when I spied an oasis in the middle of nowhere, only 30 minutes away! Yahooooooo! Waingaro Hot Springs! Who knew? Thank you to my angels watching over me, and pointing it out :) So off I went. It really is in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by bush. As it was a week day and not the school holidays it was nice and peaceful with only a few people there. Music played as my tired muscles soaked it all up and I reflected on my incredible journey.

 

This looks pretty good

Can't wait to get in!



Still in one piece - just!
Well, time for a well earned soak in the pool now.
Next stop - Home.
Thanks for coming on my mountain biking journey with me!
Lot's of love, Roxy :)
xxxx

Day 12: Caves on the way to Raglan

Nikau Walk and Kaniwhaniwha Caves

On the way to Raglan there is a walking/cycling trail that leads to the Kaniwhaniwha Caves. The Nikau Walk is really nice to bike, and takes you to some really narrow caves that you have to squeeze to get in to. I was glad I kept my bike helment on and had my head light. I didn't go too far in because I thought I might get stuck and never be found! You would have to get the Sensing Murder team onto it.

 

At the carpark

Going into the bush part

Very nice

Some bridges

Cave entrance

Down in the dark



Some torch light required

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Raglan

And now it's time to slow down a bit and give my leg a rest. I've never been to Raglan before. It's a really nice little place, kind of trendy and villagey. The camp I'm staying at is on the other side of an inlet and there is a nice foot bridge to bike over to get to the town centre.

My little cabin

All the mod cons

Off to explore the town by bike

A very pretty foot bridge over the inlet

 

Day 11: Waikato River Trail - Stage 1

The storm seemed to have blown itself out overnight, so it was time for the Stage 1 part of the Waikato River Trail. Again, the book says Grade Easy and talks of riding on a flat section alongside the river and some wetlands over boardwalks. Well do you think I could find that part of the trail? No way. The trail I followed was Grade Intermediate, lots of uphill, but again, I was lured by the promise of another very long swing bridge. I'm such a sucker!

Go down here they said...

...it'll be flat they said... no pics after this - too tired!

After much huffing and puffing, I made it to Arapuni Dam

The Arapuni swingbridge lures me on

Made it! 152m long.

Stopped in the middle - it's a bit freaky here, swaying around

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pouakani Totara Tree

Later in the day after I had recovered sufficiently, I went for a bush walk to see the largest Totara Tree in New Zeland. It really is a spectacular "Old Man of the Forest". It's not often you get to see such large trees in New Zealand. This one is said to be between 1750 and 1850 years old! 42.7m high, 12.2m girth, 3m diameter.

Start of the walk - a very overgrown bush track

It's very nice natural bush in here

I love moss on the trees

And there he is in a fenced off area! Amazing!

Some stats which are wrong apparently

Trying to get a decent shot into the canopy

Mossy southern side of the base

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 10: Waikato River Trail - Stage 4

I booked in to the Managkino Lakeside Inn due to the wild weather. I had intended to stay in my tent down by the lake, but that wasn't a good idea. The Inn is the old Maternity Hospital and I was the only one there. So I made myself at home, nice big TV so I can see what's going on in the world.

William wastes no time settling in

It's all very cozy and warm while the storm blows

After I settled in I decided to head out on Stage 4 of the Waikato River Trail. My book says Grade Easy, nice and flat. But when I got to the sign post it said Grade Intermediate. The sign was right! Lots of uphill. It starts out easy but not for long. My target was the 70m Mangakino Swing Bridge and after slogging it out in the drizzle I made it! I went a bit further but decided to head back when I got to the next hill.

 

Start of Stage 4

Looks harmless enough

Still good. It was hell after this part.



Target eventually secured!



Mangakino swingbridge 70m long

 

 

 

Day 9: Riding the Dragon's Tail

Last full day in Rotorua! I'm going to miss the smell of sulphur! Another fine day so I set off to see the Blue and Green Lakes. They are still as beautiful as ever.
 

Viewing platform between Blue and Green Lakes

 

Blue Lake

 
 



Green Lake



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After that I was determined to ride the bumpy old Dragon's Tail at Redwoods, another must-do Intermediate trail. There are so many trails here and I have only been halfway up the mountain. It takes me half an hour just to ride up to the mid-way tracks. There is a shuttle bus that takes riders and bikes right up to the top on the weekends. I will have to do them another time. A pretty decent effort though - 4 out of 5 days riding - one day rained out. I am officially awesome!

 

Start of Dragon's Tail

 

This is the best video clip I could find of the trail. It really is like a dragon's tail, lots of sharp bumps, roots to get over and winding all around. It was pretty hard going on a hardtail (only front suspension). I have to stand up and use my legs as suspension over all the bumps. And my jumps are limited. It's fairly hard on my unbroken leg - it gets a bit sore. Thank goodness for the hot pools :) I'm going to have to upgrade to full suspension soon!

 

 

So then it was back to the hot pool for a recovery session. Fantastic!

 

 

True confession time.

I had a crash.

On my first day at Redwoods.

Straight over the handlebars.

Flat on my face.

I'm fine.

It looks worse than it is.

Only a cut and a bump on my nose.

And one on my forehead.

Oh and these big bruises on my thighs.

My nose didn't bleed.

I haven't got a black eye.

It will all be healed by the time I get home.

So all good.

I'm done with the Redwoods now.

Didn't want to worry you...

 

Day 8: Whitewater Kayaking

The weather is improving! I headed off to Okere Falls north of Lake Rotorua to watch the whitewater kayakers paddle down the Kaituna River.

 

The top 400m section of the river has a slalom course, followed by a set of rapids of various heights, ending in a seven metre waterfall. I hiked my way around to try and get a decent view. I have done this myself on the Whanganui River a while back. I did enjoy the thrill of it, but I was terrified!

Starts off with the slalom course

Through the rapids!

Another action shot!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I won't be doing anything this energetic on Lake Karipiro when I get back by they way. It will be a nice flat paddle on a still lake to visit the glow worms. Followed by wine and cheese by a campfire :)

 

After this I went back to the log cabin and had a soak in the hot pools again. It is remarkable how they fix up my aches and pains in no time! I don't know if I could keep going at this pace without these thermal pools! I am a bit worried about leaving them behind after this Rotorua leg of the tour. It really makes me wish I had a bath at home.

 

Now I was ready for another ride around the Redwoods. I was lucky that I arrived at 3:30pm, just when the hoards of teenage boys were on their way out! The weekends are a bit packed out there. But once on the trails I had them pretty much to myself.

 

Another little snippet of the Dipper - just the big berms. Awesone riding around these. Lots of table tops close together too for jumping, but can't find a suitable short clip of them. It's one of the last downhill rides on the way back to base. A really great way to finish!