Day 11- Taumarunui to Ōwhango
We started early this morning with a wake up at 5.00 am to ready ourselves 6.00am drive to the start point of the ride…..or so we thought!
Well the vehicle to pick us up and our bikes turned out to be a small hatchback car which was totally useless for the task. Chris attempted on several occasions to get the driver to pick up a trailer to at least make some headway with the task but to no avail…. So it was now into plan B mode unfortunately.
This required rescheduling several of the routes and accommodation ahead into Wellington which took some time….. so much for the early start!
Finally when all this was sorted out we checked out of the motel! More about that later!
We decided on a shorter route to Owhango which would give us a ride of about 30 kms where we were able to get accommodation.
Finally after an early lunch and stocking up with food for the next day or so we were off at 11.30 am for the ride.
The weather by this time was cool and a little cloudy but as the day wore on the clouds evaporated and developed into a sunny day.
The first few kms of the ride were in gentle rolling hills on a surfaced road . This then gave way to a gravel road with 2 climbs. The first climb was short but the second was about 5 kms with about 450 metres of ascent. I was determined to do the climbing without stopping but unfortunately towards the the top there was a logging operation taking place on the road which necessary stopping. Bugger!
It was good to watch these giant machines doing there thing!
After reaching the top of this climb I waited for Chris and Steve. When they arrived I was met with the news that the motel we stayed at for the last 2 nights was charging us for a broken chair! This is complete rubbish!!!! We agreed to talk to the motel operator later after our ride.
The short ride into Owhango was uneventful and we checked into our new digs for the night. To say these are basic would be an understatement!
The hot water in the shower ran out so I had a cold shower, we do not have blankets on the beds and the house(?) we are staying in is fairly run down. The good news is that we have a bed for the night!
So today can be described as a day of challenges and so far we have made a great fist of it!
The pictures today are
The route taken today
At lunch in Taumarunui ahead of our ride for the day.
A drink break along the way … Chris and Stephen
Logging operation over the road towards the end of the big climb
At the top!
A view of Mt Ruapehu from the road.
Our accommodation for the night
