Day 4 - Unexpected action and adversity
A is for unexpected Action and Adversity!
Today's journey took us from Tiniroto to Lake Waikaremoana, covering a distance of 96 km with 1,800 meters of climbing. However, as it often happens on adventurous trips, things don’t always go to plan. At around 21 km into the ride, I received a text from one of our ever-watchful friends following us on MapMyProgress. They asked if everything was ok because we hadn’t moved in a while. Meg then asked, “Where’s your tracker?” and unfortunately, it had fallen off! So I biked back 8 km to try and find it. I searched everywhere with no luck, and then returned back to Linda. As we were catching up to the group, Meg and Eugene (the support vehicle) arrived, and I explained what had happened. They drove back and Eugene amazingly found the tracker under the bridge near the water.
Despite the initial stress, we rallied together and pressed on, tackling two hefty climbs from around 100 meters to a whopping 450 meters.
Today's journey really did feel like life on the farm, with us playing the role of diligent sheepdogs herding sheep and cattle along the way! We passed by some notable landmarks, including the majestic Te Reinga Falls, Doughboy Bridge (where our tracker decided to play hide and seek), and Ruakituri School. As the road transformed into gravel on our approach to Tuahu Lodge, we faced some challenging ascents, including the Kokotea summit and Trig Hill.
We passed through a number of Stations today. A station or run is a large farm dedicated to the grazing of sheep and cattle. The use of the word for the farm or farm buildings dates back to the mid-nineteenth century. The owner of a station is called a runholder.
Pushing forward, we reached a T-junction and veered towards Waikaremoana, eventually pausing for a well-deserved break at the Piripaua Power Station. The final leg of our journey took us over a bridge and onto Rotten Row, leading us into the quaint village of Tuai.
But our adventure didn't end there! From Tuai, we set our sights on Lake Waikaremoana, embarking on the final, grueling climb from 250 meters to 650 meters. However, the payoff awaited us at the summit, with breathtaking views of Lake Waikaremoana (at sunset) stretching out before us.
We capped off the day by turning into Waikaremoana Holiday Park, logging 122 km and climbing 2,700 meters. And it’s taken a toll. I was nearly in tears on the final push. depleted, gutted, and in a lot of pain!
At dinner that night, Chef Vince, yes, a former chef, made a wonderful chicken dish with kumara, broccoli, and beans. We all chatted about how difficult our ride was today, everyone that is… except for Meg.
But do stay tuned as we haven’t quite slipped off the grid yet!
