07/01/2015 - Cycle Touring New Zealand - Day 6 - That's the Spirit Marlieke.

 

Distance cycled: 68.2km from Mangawhai Heads to Whangarei, North island, New Zealand.
Average speed: 12.8km/h
Moving Time: 5h18m
Elevation Ascended: 885m
Total Distance on Current trip: 258km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 8,149km
Money spent: $120

Rejoining the main highway after some beautiful roads from Mangawhai to Waipu was irritating but we managed, having to cycle the narrow shoulders and for safety sake wait at the bridges for no traffic to be approaching for a frantic dash across the bridge to avoid serious injury or possible death.
The day was enjoyable because the sun was out and it just was a lovely flatter road for both Marlieke and I to embrace the fantastic scenery of New Zealand.
One downside for me personally was the onset of an upcoming illness that I caught from Marlieke, hopefully I can fight it and it won't last the 4 days that Marlieke was feeling sick.
We cycled a whole-heartedly 65km today and Marlieke was loving it, except for the scary moments when lorry's would pass by and not give the mandatory 1.5m berth that cyclist need. Given that it was only her 6th day and she was loving the bicycle touring experience despite the pain of her joints, muscles and sunburn and is no longer sobbing over the sight of a hill things are looking great for this trip.
We made it into Whangarei and popped into an information office to figure out a place to sleep, a place where I could recover from this cold and a place to rest Marlieke's tiresome body, preferably with wifi for two nights. Hostels were out of the question being fully booked and all that was left was a camp ground around the corner; it was cheap enough and offered better facilities that the last camp ground we stayed at with a bonus of being able to pitch our tent under the shade of a (although sapping) willow tree.
A very chewy steak dinner was feasted upon (cheap meat from the supermarket) before we crashed out for the night.

Marlieke getting attacked by a small mammal.