Free camp, 2 Germans, 4 Lakes. Dickey Flats, Tauranga, Rotorua
From staying at the Tairua free camp I next choose my route to the D.O.C campground at Dickey Flats. This would be the completion of the Coromandel Peninsula ride as Dickey Flats is next to Karangahake Gorge. It was a brutal day of hills, par for the course really in New Zealand so far and a few rain showers but the day was brightened by a message from my old work colleague Charlotte. I thanked her for it and messaged back that it’s good to get contact as it can be lonely some days on the road. Dickey Flats is a campground with only a toilet, no showers but it’s next to a fantastic river so it was time for a bit of strategic skinny washing. I pretended to take my cooking gear to wash and worked my way to the river bank. Before anyone could scream “look a Wolverhampton white snake” I was in, washed, out, dried and dressed.
The night was a mixed bag. It rained heavy but I quite like the soothing sound of the rain on the tent. It gets quite hypnotic. I didn’t enjoy the fellow campers swimming at 1.30am though.
I had a Warmshower host for two nights in my next town of Tauranga. I would be staying with Helen, Phillip and their two teenager children along with 2 other cyclists Timo and Anna from Germany.
The road to Tauranga was really uneventful and extremely busy. Around mid day I took my first Hot Spring Bath. There was a hot spring and a very hot spring. After almost 90 minutes of bliss I was back on the road dodging timber wagons.
Helen made a huge dinner for us all and Phillip did fat sausages and ribs on his BBQ. It turned out that Timo and Anna were both vegetarians but no one had asked so with a huge smile I kindly accepted the extra portions that were offered.
While in Tauranga on my rest day I did anything but. I rode 16km, walked up a mountain and went for a swim in the bay.
My next destination would be Rotoura, a town with four massive lakes around it. I camped for two nights at the house of Warmshower hosts Simon and Lucy, their two young children and dog Tua. Once again I had a day of exploring and cycled to the lakes and took a hike through the Redwood forest. The main town had the sulpher lakes in the centre so the whole place smelt just a little bit strange. I’m really enjoying the pace of this part of my trip. I’m keeping to a good budget while still managing to do more than just ride in and then out the main towns.
