06/01/2015 - Cycle Touring New Zealand - Day 5 - Relentless Rocky Roads.

Distance cycled: 29.5km from Lake Tomarata to Mangawhai Heads surf beach, North island, NZ
Average speed: 10.1km/h
Moving Time: 2h55m
Elevation Ascended: 437m
Total Distance on Current trip: 190km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 8,217km
Money spent: $33.50

My God! Gravel roads here in New Zealand are just the worst, at no point can you ride fast as they use golf ball sized rocks with soft sand to make up the road = an average speed of a dismal 10km/h. Yes, it's fine when you have a tire footprint of more than a plank of wood but anything less you left dodging the loose rocks and the sandy pits where the middle ground is far far from pleasant.
Anyway after getting a little lost, stumbling onto a festival ground being fixed up for the events next month and twenty kilometers of the aforementioned terrain our backsides thanked us for finally reaching the smooth asphalt.
We shopped for groceries and pigged out on a few of life's delicacies which were well deserved like ice cream, chips, a caramel slice and a delicious meat pie.
At a small op shop I found some tent poles to replace the well abused ones I have had for well over a year and using blunt tools was able to fix up my tent to make it look as good as new.
With more hills to climb we eventually made it to a beach that at first looked like it was impossible to camp for free but as the late afternoon settled in the mass of people began to leave opening up many opportunities and locations amongst the grass for us to pitch my now sturdier tent.
This surf beach was incredibly picturesque with a lengthy sand dune that disappeared into the distance, steep cliff faces and an offshore island that was easily reachable by swimming. There were some great vantage points to see the sunset, sandy dunes, the town of Mangawhai Heads, cliffs and the waves barreling into land - there was a lot going on in this vista.

Mangawhai Heads

05/01/2015 - Cycle Touring New Zealand - Day 4 - New Zealand's gravel roads...

Distance cycled: 38km from Pakiri beach holiday camp to Tomarata Lake
Average speed: 12.9km/h
Moving Time: 2h58m
Elevation Ascended: 393m
Total Distance on Current trip: 151km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 8,246km
Money spent: $7

Waking up in a caravan park with hyperactive kids running about screaming isn't ideal but this morning was especially bad as Marlieke spent the entire evening coughing her lungs up resulting in me getting woken up more often than I would have liked (to put it nicely).
The dampness of the morning dew entering through the walls of the tent didn't help either but whatever the case we were not going to spend another night at his hell hole albeit the showers were amazing.We slowly but gradually packed our stuff up and we eventually left at around midday.
It wasn't all that interesting of a day cycling but this was great for Marlieke as she only had a few hills to climb and at no point during the day did she shed a tear. Things are looking up for her but I know there was hope.. Why else did I encourage her to come with me on this bicycle adventure.
When the rain fell it didn't bother Marlieke however this is something I despise, thumbs up to her for keeping a positive spirit.
Unfortunately many of the roads here in New Zealand are gravel, and not of the nice kind either, it's washboard gravel, the type of road that would kill cars let alone fully loaded bicycles. It's an excruciating experience having climbed to the top of a hill only to constantly embrace the brakes on the down hill trying to avoid both the large rocks and bumpy surface. There is no reward in that!
We found a great place to camp for the night, right beside a lake and although there were plenty of signs displaying the 'no camping' sign we did so anyway.

04/01/2015 - Cycle Touring New Zealand - Day 3 - She is getting the hang of it.

Distance cycled: 40km
Average speed: 12.6km/h
Moving Time: 3h09m
Elevation Ascended: 686m
Total Distance on Current trip: 113km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 8,284km
Money spent: $39

I am truly proud of her, Marlieke endured a hell of a lot today with all the hills, the weekend traffic and the heat I know it was difficult and understandably, especially harboring a cold she nearly broke down. With sweat and tears running down her face she wanted to give up, and the now lightened bicycle (after a spring clean yesterday) wasn't enough, it was still a huge burden on her.
The really steep climbs I walked beside my bike towing hers behind mine with a shoelace I found on the side of the road yesterday pushing the weight of two bicycles and all our gear whilst frantically looking for grip under my skate shoes; it was an experience and not one I want to repeat on a regular basis.
Not all climbs to the top of a mountain pass offer spectacular views but for Marlieke who put forward all this tremendous effort of cycling and walking her bike I wanted to show her that her efforts were worthwhile and that they were. The view of our surroundings were breathtaking, if this is what New Zealand has to offer already then we are in for a treat, and by "we" I do hope that Marlieke pushes through the initial pain and discomfort of cycling long distances and we continue this trip around the country albeit I am hoping for a little more distance than just 40km but having said that these dirt roads that we experienced today would slow me down greatly anyway. With a lengthier day to cycle and sun forecast for the next 2 weeks we have nothing to worry about.

Goat island was a strenuous detour but worthwhile, the shallow Aqua waters harbored plenty marine life and the visitors from all over piling their cars in the parking lot it was a much visited beach/summer time location. We spent a couple of hours here relaxing and making fun of people (a good past time with Marlieke).

We ended the day at Pakiri Beach holiday Camp which is a place you wouldn't normally find me but Marlieke is aching and she deserves a day of rest but more importantly, a shower, we both needed that. At first we were quoted $80 (!) for the two of us but the woman working the office helped us out and have it to us for $30; it's money that is not necessary as we have all we need for camping with the exception of a shower.
Many of the people at this place which is overrun with screaming and yelling children are holiday makers from Auckland and this got me thinking, how shitty do their houses have to be to pack up their things and live in a tent for the weekend where there is no privacy and you listen to your neighbor snore all night? Apparently I don't see the appeal especially at $80 for a non-powered site.
Well, I need to sleep with the sounds of our neighbors on the left chit-chatting away with sudden outbursts of laughter and our neighbors on the right happily snoring away.
One upside to coming here was the shower but even then it is limited to 4 minutes and costs money.

 

Goat Island.. but no goats

 

03/01/2015 - Cycle Touring New Zealand - Day 2 - emotional distress, but it's my birthday!

Distance cycled: 28.2km from Hatfields Beach to Warkworth, North island, NZ
Average speed: 13.9km/h
Moving Time: 2h02m
Elevation Ascended: 517m
Total Distance on Current trip: 73km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 8,324km
Money spent: $14

With Marlieke being ill I thought it would be best to take a day off and spend it (my birthday) on the beach but Marlieke wanted to keep moving but like yesterday it was emotional for her, the climbs broke her into tears but she was determined to fight. Honestly, kudos to her as not only was it her second day of cycling with a packed load but also the cold she was nursing that she had picked up yesterday.
I hope for her sake that her cold passes tonight and she will be fit to cycle on the gravel roads we will be encountering tomorrow to get away from the main traffic route of highway 1.
Speaking of which, highway 1 is ridiculously dangerous with parts of it offering nothing more than a slither of shoulder and times where the locals would honk their horns just to frighten you (it seems).
We stopped at a rest stop that also had a small walking trail to check out a waterfall, disappointingly after hiking the 15 minutes to get there the waterfall in question was rather pathetic. 
With only 30km cycled and an upset and exhausted look on Marlieke's face we called it quits at the town of Warkworth where we pitched the tent in a park offering offering locals a short hiking trail.
With a cold beer and a slice of chocolate cake that she had bought me I was happy to enter my 29th year of life.
Marlieke, I know this is difficult but just keep pushing, you will learn to love it, I'm sure  :)

 

Locals collecting and eating sea urchins

02/01/2015 - Cycle Touring New Zealand - Day 1 - Let the adventure begin

Distance cycled: 45.4km from Auckland to Hatfields Beach, North island, NZ.
Average speed: 15.6km/h
Moving Time: 2h55m
Elevation Ascended: 708m
Total Distance on Current trip: 45km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 8,352km
Money spent: $47

Day one of a different bicycle touring trip for me, all of my other trips it had only been me, beginning with me and nearly always ending with me and me alone.
This was good as I was able to keep at my pace and know roughly the distances I would cycle regardless of terrain.
However now I am traveling with another, a different adventure where I get share my experiences with another.

One thing I tell people who begin these long distance bicycle trips is to take it show and steady and even when you're about to give up, keep your chin up and keep at it.
With Marlieke it is no different, she struggled, and cycling out of Auckland was really rough on her; I was able to zoom by whist carrying a substantial amount more gear but I am well trained having cycled as far as I have. It didn't take long before she broke down into emotional tears of utter despair whilst climbing a steep hill but she continued totaling an admirable distance of 50km on her first day on the ups and downs of roads north of Auckland.
Tomorrow, no doubt her joints and muscles will be aching from her efforts today, good on ya babe!

Marlieke needing many more breaks than I would have typically been an issue as we only have the amount of daylight to ride but we are far below the equator and it's the middle of summer meaning long days, where riding till 9pm is more than possible.
We found a great place for Marlieke to experience her first night in my spacious *cough* tent pitching it right in the beach, it was ideal and most importantly it was free.

Leaving Auckland

First night of camping and what a place for it