What a difference a day makes...**

Arapuni to Mangakino
54.7km
The sign could have said North. Cross the swing bridge and turn right to rejoin the Waikato River Trails NORTH. If they really want to be kind, they could even say turn right for North and turn left for South.
Which is why we did a 2.8km loop around Arapuni before finally picking up the WRT in the right direction. We'd set off wearing our warm tops because the day had dawned bright and clear and chilly. By the time we'd wound our way through the single-track toward the dam, at the top of the final climb we had to stop and strip off. On over the dam, uphill the other side and on out into the farmland. Sudden stop by Marg. 'I don't have my gloves'. My offer to return the 3+km to where we'd disrobed was (thankfully) refused, and we continued, in discussion about where another pair of gloves could be sourced. While stopped I also posted on the TA FB page where we thought they were lost and where we are staying tonight. I was also hopeful that Tony and Wendy, who we'd left breakfasting at the backpackers, were still behind us, would find them, and realise they were ours.
For a km or so we were riding along slowly, deep in conversation with two walkers (more accurately, Marg and one walker were deep in conversation, his companion striding along behind engrossed in his phone). Rob and Carl are backpacking their own version of Te Araroa... They may be seen house-guesting with us at some indeterminate future date! We parted when we reached our 15km stop, and just as we were about to move on, Tony rolls down the hill and produces Marg's gloves from his bar bag. While we waited for Wendy to catch up (and the ensuing chitchat) I decided to pause the Relive recording. Which is why you'll find a bizarre 'crow's flight' interval in the video, because I forgot to press 'Resume' when we set off again. We played cat and mouse with T&W all the way along the gravel section of Hurimu Road, gaining on the uphills and falling back on the descents, until we finally passed them on the turn into Waipapa Road, and the sweeping descent to the high-level bridge over the Mangawhai Stream gorge. We stayed ahead on the climb out, and down to the Waipapa dam.
One of unplanned bonuses of our schedule is that we did this section on a Sunday, when the weekday closure of the WRT would not be in force. We were perusing the 'Track Closed' notice for confirmation that it was indeed open when a couple of day-bikers who had just come off the trail told us it would be impassable on our laden bikes, as there was a lot of logging debris on the track which they had had to lift their bikes over. So, after a break for lunch on the dam, we took to Waipapa Road again for the ride to Maraetai dam. This was no major hardship, with light traffic and considerate drivers. And some alternately grinding and exhilarating hills.
From the Maraetai dam entrance we were back on the winding, undulating, occasionally switch backing, single-track through the pine plantation, almost all the way to Mangakino. The Maraetai Lodge is pretty much the first building you come to... After we dumped our bags, showered and started up a load of laundry, it was time to repair to the Mangakino RSA, by way of FourSquare for a few days' provisions. The delightful Emma at the lodge had told us, accurately, that it was the only place in town to get a feed and a beer.
** Yes, I know I've used it before...
https://www.relive.cc/view/vxOQjjGVj26

Comments

  1. JeannieFebruary 5, 2024 at 6:18 AM

    Fortuitous meeting of the day bikers . The logging area is in the second half of the ride from the dam so that would have been a bummer to have Devon’s to make at that point.

    ReplyDelete
  2. MargFebruary 5, 2024 at 7:06 AM

    Yes, we could have been on the track for the first couple of km but looking down onto the area that the track then disappeared into with all the slash made us very grateful to be on the vary scenic road detour.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The Palmers Go KiwiFebruary 6, 2024 at 6:48 PM

    Did the ostrich come to say hello on the climb up after Arapuni swing bridge??!

    ReplyDelete

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