TJs recovery ride – I’m off again!

Seeing as my last epic went down so well here I am again.

This evening I get on a plane for New Zealand for a nice long bike tour.  ( and yes I am aware of the hypocrisy)  As ever plans are a bit vague. 🙂  I get to Auckland in 30 hours or so from now.  Presumably shattered.  Probably going to spend 8 weeks there.   I have a bike to collect in Auckland as I decided the logistics of taking my own would be too much and its only a cheapy so that I can dump it if needed.  I have 3 nights booked in Auckland in a hotel to get my shite together ( ha!)

Route?  Well its all a bit vague surprise surprise.  I am not going to go up to the North for the main Tour Aotearoa route as I really want to get down to the south and I want to pootle and meander around and at my pace I fear I don’t really have enouygh time to do the whole thing.   From Auckland I am heading south east for the first few days.  The only real fly in the ointment is the first days ride on the Hunua Trail by the recommended routs is 3000+ ft of climbing.  I have hardly been on a bike for months.  Thats going to hurt.  Then on to the Hauraki Rail Trail down to Lake Tuopo.  Maybe.  I might go to Rotarua instead.  We shall see.  After that who knows – it will depend on weather and how I feel.

NZ seems to be well provided with long distance bikepacking routes but you are very much advised to avoid a lot of the roads.  I think the bikepacking routes vary from back lanes and dirt roads to tricky singletrack – I’ll sus it out as I go along

I will be camping of course but I don’t think in NZ you get fresh croissants delivered to your campsite in the morning and I have no idea about beer on campsites.

After 8 weeks in NZ I am going to Australia for another 11 weeks for a road trip.  No Plans at all for that yet apart from I have asked a slightly eccentric mate of mine to sort me out a car.  Gawd knows what I shall end up with.  I might well vary these timings a bit – who knows thats months away

I feel woefully under prepared and am totally shitting myself

Amazing, looking forward to the updates and photos.

Love it.

Sounds brilliant- have a great time

Have fun

We cycled the length of the South Island in the 1990s. There are so few people that traffic wasn’t an issue

The best thing about the campsites is the kitchens. Warm, dry and sociable

Sounds a great plan. Enjoy

Sounds an amazing plan, v jealous. Have a great time, looking forward to the piccies.

Fantastic!

Enjoy. Sounds fun!

I have asked a slightly eccentric mate of mine to sort me out a car.  Gawd knows what I shall end up with.

Please let it be Inbetweeners style:

I’m just a little bit envious!!

NZ in January is just the best, wishing you a fantastic trip!!

edit, don’t worry about croissants, bacon and egg pies were my staple for breakfast.

I feel woefully under prepared

You may feel under prepared for New Zealand, but I have to wonder if New Zealand is prepared for TJ?

Have an epic trip – looking forward to the updates!

but I have to wonder if New Zealand is prepared for TJ?

They have compulsory helmets even off road – the buggers knew I was coming

Sounds fantastic, can’t wait for updates!

Jealous. Very jealous.

I have real friends and family, not just ‘internet friends’ in Auckland, Queenstown, Coromandel and Taupo, as well as all around Melbourne. Shout if you need a shower, tools, a meal or more….

Enjoy, if nothing else surely it will be drier and warmer!

Also, if you fancy an MTB ride in Queenstown, eldest seems to have become the one towing all the newbies* into Dream Line and fixing everyone’s bikes for beer tokens..
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*he was newbie a few weeks ago.

Dream Line:
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/video-the-worlds-biggest-public-jumps-dreamline-mtb-track-new-zealand.html

The Department of Conservation campsites were great when I was last there. (A long time ago) Very low on facilities but in great spots ….looks them up I would guess online these days. Commercial Campsites have kitchens and are usually excellent.

Still gutted I missed out on meeting up with you on the last one, but this is a bit far away!

Have an amazing time and overload the forum with pictures please!

Have Fun!

Sounds amazing. Looking forward to the pictures!

They have compulsory helmets even off road – the buggers knew I was coming

If you go for the Kiwi-approved ‘Hair Helmet’, it will still feel like you’re not wearing one.

Brilliant!! What tyres for the other side of the world…can’t wait for episode 1 😉        Have a great time!

I much preferred Taupo to Rotorua if that helps with your decision making. The Queen Charlotte Trail on the top of the south island is great – and you start it with a trip on a speedboat across the sound!

Bon Voyage! Pics please.

Sounds fun. Here a YT link to a chap in NZ who rides loads of MB trails https://youtube.com/@bestdayevermtb2?si=Vb8Ay7ZRhNKDALpt

If link doesn’t work search ‘Best Day Ever MTB’. Good luck!

That sounds brilliant.
Looking forward to the updates.

Enjoy your trip, TJ.

Can’t believe im the first to ask – What bike?

And have a great time obvs.

Some giant mtb cheapo thing.  Secondhand.   Its got a nice low first gear which is the main thing.  Ill have to get a pannier rack for it.  Gonna be a bummer not riding my nice bike

All checked in.  Only two and a half hours untill take off to sit about in the airport.

Panic?  Me ?

Most of New Zealand is reminiscent of Scotland 40 years ago. If you’ve ever spent a lot of time in Fife, you’ll be absolutely fine. Definitely agree with Taupo over Rotorua. Especially if you’re camping. Any length of time on Rotovegas and everything you own will stink of rotten eggs for the rest of the trip. Cormandel looks amazing. We never made it there on our honeymoon road trip. Stock up well provision wise. Even driving, there was often long distances between towns.

Jammy bastard. Sounds amazing!

As above, NZ feels like a time warp – in a nice way. Coromandel Peninsula for whales but it was surprisingly hilly… I found the Kiwis friendly and mostly safe in a slightly chaotic way. Get the boat over from Wellington to Picton and then do a bit South through wine country. Fantastic cycling. Oz is also good cycling but a bit more confrontational. The drivers (generally) often share the Anglo Saxon attitude of ‘screw cyclists’… We survived tho and enjoyed the riding.

Bon courage/voyage.

Enjoy- one to put in the retirement thread!

Have fun!

Sounds ace.

Sounds great.

I will be camping of course but I don’t think in NZ you get fresh croissants delivered to your campsite in the morning and I have no idea about beer on campsites.

One of my memories of New Zealand was that every village has a bakery with a few seats inside or out. Order a filter coffee and get endless top ups whilst you eat bacon and eggs or pastries.

Enjoy the trip.

Two apps that I recommend are Campermate and Rankers. Great for finding what you need. Maps.me is a great navigational app. All free.

If you get to Whakatane, there’s floor space n a shower for you.

Awesome, you’ll have an amazing time.

I lived in Tasmania for 2 years, make the effort to include a few weeks there, gorgeous forests, pristine beaches and the most amazing wildlife, and not stupidly hot.

We only did a few weeks in NZ and in a van, and managed a few highlights, walking the Tongariro Crossing, kayaking with fur seal pups in Abel Tasman NP, wine, penguins, whales and that’s before you hit the mountains in the south. It’s really stunning. As said just make sure you are well stocked up at each town and have a plan B. Enjoy, very jealous.

If I knew where Wakatane was……..

Most of New Zealand is reminiscent of Scotland 40 years ago. If you’ve ever spent a lot of time in Fife, you’ll be absolutely fine

To be fair, if you make it out of fife there aren’t many places you won’t be fine*.

*I am allowed to say this, almost born, fully raised.

Fantastic. Have a brilliant trip. Looking forward to the trip report and photos. Take care and enjoy yourself.