Leaving in the early morning for coffee at ?Bhagga Café
Similar to the UK, this old rail track has been converted into a long gravel bike trail.
Heading east initially with breathtaking early morning light.
Skirting wetlands and cattle grazing.
Puncture from sharp gravel on Mark’s front tyre.
Then rear tyre!
The shellbanks of Miranda host thousands of migratory birds from the Southpole.
Coromandel in the distance.
As we travelled south the land opened up to agriculture, cattle, sheep and the odd goat.
Oh, not Bhagga Café
Are these pied stilts?
Carolyn cheering us on...
...representing the historic Kōpū Bridge society.
A much smaller bridge on the trail, one of many!
Wild turkeys voting with their feet.
One of many historic wooden houses.
The road Paeroa (home of L&P) was long...
Sir Edmund Hilary haled from this area.
The Refinery Café was brilliantly shabby-chic...
...with a large collection of vinyl.
And a fine vegan bowl.
Meanwhile, tourist info offered some basic bike stuff and free L&P for riders.
Then on to Matamata, I sprung a leak again in my rear tyre. Pressure, wait, hold nascent sealant damming the puncture at lowest point of wheel...
...cows appreciating my wish that the tyre will stop squirting sealant everywhere.
New front wheel holds out very well.
Rear tyre has leaked four times today already ( see undercarriage of seat post bag splashed with sealant).
I limp on into Matamata, desperately hoping not to have a flat.
We arrive safely and have a beer and snacks.
For the non-New Zealanders, what’s this?
Obviously a bottle opener under a sandal.
Snacks back in room.
Gavin kindly did a laundry run for all!
No comments:
Post a Comment