40.7 miles, 3461’ climbing
Lodging: Whakahoro camp site
Weather: Cool and rainy
When we ventured out for breakfast and groceries, it started raining with more predicted from afternoon until 1am. We booked a boat ride for tomorrow, and based on being sure to meet the jet boat at 3:30pm, it seemed like a good day for shorter miles. We pedaled over pavement and gravel past farms, covering three quarters of our planned distance before the rain came down. It started pouring as we reached Whakahoro. The cafe was closed so we sat on the porch trying to get our bearings during the deluge. When there was a break, we went over to the camp site across the street. Three or four parties of canoe travelers as well as four other Tour Aotearoa riders were there, too, and we all hoped to stay in the bunkhouse since it’s so wet. Ultimately we put up our tent during a break in the rain, and we were cozy and dry during the showers that continued most of the night.
The river is a popular canoe route. Some of the canoe travelers told us that probably half of the canoes on the river will capsize in the last rapids before Piripriki, the place our jet boat will take us tomorrow. It’s a 2-3 day paddle before they get there.
Two women, Clair and Sally, have been on the Tour Aotearoa. We chatted about places they’ve traveled such as the Indian Himalayas and Bhutan. They’ve also cycled thru Panama, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua.
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