Day 5 – Friday 18 November

Easy riding day today, 850 meters climbing with 670 down, and only 85 km in total.

Rotorua to Taupo ride

When we left it was sunny. The first 23 km was on bike trails. I made a wrong turn and ended up on a mountain bike track – steep, rocks, wet. Thankfully I managed to get off it and back to the main bike trail.

Track out of Rotorua

Lunch stop

Lunch stop: Michele and Tony and other riders

We stopped at Waimangu Volcanic Center, New Zealand’s newest geothermal area. We had coffee and a look around but did not have time to go on the tour, but I will certainly come back.

Just down the road we turned to look at a mud pool at Wai-o-Tapu. They get pretty cold – 60 to 100 C 😀

Mud pools

Mud pool

Mud pool info

We managed to stay off the main road for most of the day and came into Taupo following Broadlands Rd which is the road that the riders go on doing the Taupo Ironman ride. We were riding into a head wind most of the way.

We stayed at a nice little camp called the All Season Kiwi Park. It said it had a hot pool but in reality it was a hot box, and both times I looked it was full with a family.

Camp: my tent by the hedge

Saw this sign at the camp, was a bit worried until I read it all

We went down in to Taupo to the Torpedo 7 store, I wanted some legs warmers and Michelle and Tony got tops and socks. Then off to the lakefront for a relaxing cold beer.

Good use for old bikes as a fence at Lake Taupo

We got back to camp in time for riders meeting – just – then dinner. Dinner was Spanish lamb stew which was really nice, with minted peas and plus salad, with green leaves, feta and pear.

It was very cold tonight, hard to believe it is less than two weeks to summer. Tomorrow we have a big day, 145 km plus lots of climbing and the weather forecast is not great, so I have rung ahead to the Top Ten we are staying in at Ohakune and booked a cabin.

TDA provide wine and beer for $4 a can or glass. So far I have not been tempted by the wine . . .

I have had the odd beer though. A number of the riders are really enjoying L&P.