Distance cycled: 143km from Taipa to Cape Reinga, Northern most point of New Zealand.
Average speed: 17.6km/h
Moving Time: 8h07m
Elevation Ascended: 2184m
Total Distance on Current trip: 606km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 7,801km
Money spent: $22
Today was a new experience for me because today I got to cycle on the beach, 90 mile beach as it is known and is in fact 55 miles (90km).
I entered the beach front through the sand dunes knowing that I could be at risk of the tide rolling in and I would be stuck on the soft sand unable to peddle any further. But for the experience of cycling on sand had me sold, I just had to do it.
Disappointingly the novelty wore off quickly, the view became repetitive and the build up of sand in my bicycles components were creating unpleasant crunching noises. I did however have the wind (somewhat) on my back but the benefit of this soon became useless when the sand quickly absorbed the small but fast paced tidal wave making my wheel sink and abruptly halting my motion.
After pitching my tent for some shelter from the sun I took an hour nap before realizing there was a sandy exit from the beach, it was a mission and a half to lift my bike over the sand dunes and eventually finding a logging road that took me back to the main highway but this was better than waiting for the tide to go down.
There are very few places to find a bite to eat along this skinny stretch of the North so when I found this one small place I gouged on junk food and ice-cream but I was lucky to meet an Israeli couple who offered to carry my belongings to the end of the northern road. Adi and Lilac shoved my bags into the back of their car and set off, I suppose I put a lot of trust in them in the hopes that they would return my things but my gut feeling was good about these two.
The next 40 km to the cape were fast paced but because I didn't have my bags planting me to the road I experienced a crazy amount of speed wobbles especially on the downhill descents when the sever cross wind would push me into the other oncoming lane.
It was a damn frightening experience and even slowing down made the speed wobbles worse. The only way around the issue and not loose control and crash off the road was to cycle faster, not good when the road surface is unbelievably bumpy.
Still, I made it with perfect timing to see the sunset and I arrived just as the Israeli couple came having pitched their tent at a camping site.
I did not want to stay at a camping spot because the road down there was steep and loose, besides I wanted to take many photos of the area at night - a worthwhile activity. So, I brought my bike down to the iconic lighthouse and pitched my tent beside it, it was terribly windy and I was afraid my tent would soon collapse and so I packed it away and slept freestyle.
Apparently this area is sacred to the natives and the consumption of food is forbidden and I am sure camping is prohibited also but as it was pitch black with only the stars out (there were many) it was safer for me to stay put.
A staircase made from a Kauri Tree
Cycling… and err, resting on 90- mile beach
On the way to Cape Reinga
Dawn to Night
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