TA Day 19 - Richmond to Lake Rotoroa

 71 miles, 3727’ climbing

Lodging: Gowan Bank Backpackers

After microwaved breakfast pies and instant coffee, we left Richmond on the Great Taste Trails cycling path which we followed to the nearby community of Brightwater and then through some rural areas. Part was paved and part was a gravel track alongside the road but separated. We passed many vineyards and a farm with a field of chickens, many of which headed over to see us when we made clucking noises. We are chicken whisperers! In Wakefield we stopped at the recommended bakery for a coffee and a scone. Two other riders, Keza and Sam, were also stopped there. It was a busy place.

Finally the trail turned away from the roads and was a gravel climb to Spooner Tunnel at a very reasonable grade, super enjoyable to ride. We had put our light mounts on our bikes last night in anticipation of the tunnel which is 1.4km long. We thought we saw a glint of light at the end, but it turned out to be two walkers headed in our direction. The tunnel had red reflectors on one side and white on the other, and it felt otherworldly as they illuminated as we pedaled through. Near the end we passed two cyclists, and then we were back out in the forests on a fun, easy downhill path to Tapewera. At the Tapewera coffee house there were a lot of cyclists, some on different routes, we shared a sandwich and chatted with some of the other riders.

From Tapewera, we had a long climb through a forest, then a downhill descent on a highway with little shoulder, fortunately not too long. At one point it appeared that the pavement had been undercut by the river. Finally we turned off towards Lake Rotoroa, a pleasant series of hills rolling upward thru the forest adjacent to a river. 

Gowan Banks Backpackers is a simple, charming lodging provided by a home owner. Chickens roam around the yard. They sold us pasta packets, milk, and an assortment of fresh garden vegetables plus basil which made a delicious dinner we were able to cook in our room, and we will get breakfast in the morning. Keza is staying somewhere nearby in their cottage.

After dinner we walked to Lake Rotoroa for our checkpoint photos. It’s very beautiful and had half a dozen swans swimming on it. We saw Sam, camped there, who told us that the lake is full of eels, unnerving to see during his swim, and that eels can get to be very old. We didn’t see any eels, but we didn’t linger due to sand flies.