NZ North Island MTB Tour Nov 2016

Day1

This time we ventured to the North Island of New Zealand on 7 days riding tour with John from Have Fun Mountain Bike Tours. 
We arrive in Auckland with time to put our bikes together in the afternoon sunshine at the back of the Heartland Hotel

Tony is pretty excited about the trip

Day 2

We hit the road early as we have a three hour drive and we want to have time to ride in the afternoon in Rotorua

Quick breaky stop on the way

We check into our accommodation at the Rotorua Thermal Holiday Park

Rotorua Thermal Holiday Park is an easy ride from the trail head. We spend a good 4hrs in Redwoods riding trails including Tokorangi, G-Rock, Tickler, Bunny Jugs, Billy-T, Challenge Climb, Roller-coaster, Be Rude Not To, Mad if you Don't and Dipper to name a few. Redwoods has well marked and graded trails with something for everyone from smooth and flowy to tight and technical.

Into the woods we go

They knew these boys were coming, they don't seem to be paying any attention to the sign though!

Just a bit excited to be riding in Redwoods

Andy pretty excited about riding Redwoods too!

Nothing but smiles after Billy-T and G-Rock

Some gap jump practice

Time for a well deserved drink

Day 3

Today we loaded up the trailer and headed to Skyline Rotorua for some bike park action. A bit different to the other gondolas I have ridden as this one you wheel your bike into the gondola with you!?! Skyline Rotorua has a small but good selection of tracks and for $55 you get 15 uplifts

We arrived smack on 9am to purchase tickets, with no rest breaks Andrew and just got through our 15 uplifts before 1pm. Mr Black was a favorite with the boys, I particularly enjoyed Sprint Warrior, Moss Piglet and Tweedle Dumb.

Gondolas were comfy with two, ok with three and a little on the crowded side with four.

                                        

Andy enjoying some of the jumps and obstacles at Skyline

Rainbow Mountain

The afternoon was spent riding/pushing our bikes up Rainbow Mountain so we could enjoy some sweet downhill followed by a soak in Kerosene Creek 

Nice views on the way up

Very short attention span apparently, by the time I turned around to take a selfie they had been distracted!

View from Rainbow Mountain Lookout

We had a lovely chat to the Fire Watchman on duty.

A group picture for the Rainbowmountain Lookout Facebook page

Models doing their best pose for the camera!!

Down we go

Time for a little rest in the bush!

A well deserved soak in Kerosene Creek

 

The day started out rainy but we didn't let that dampen our spirits and were in the carpark at 9.30 am to catch the 1st shuttle up the hill. Todays ride in Redwoods takes in the likes of Corners, Underbilly, Time Warp, Split Enz 2.0, Pondys New, Old Chevy, Eagle vs Shark and Dragons Tail

                                                                  

                                     

Day 5

We pack our bags and load up the bus again for the short drive to Taupo and a tasty breakfast at the hub near the Craters of the Moon Mountain Bike Park. Today we ride K2K (19km) and W2K (21km) which are scenic single track rides that take you along the edge of Lake Taupo. The track threads it's way through lush forest and over headlands providing spectacular views of the lake

A quick side trip up a creek

Andy thought he was stepping onto dry sand - turned out to be a very thick crust of floating pumice stone

Quick morning tea stop in Kinlock and then it's onto W2K

Lookout onthe Headland Loop

Always seems to have energy left over for play time

Day 6

Last night we found out first hand why they call it the 'Shaky Isles', with a number of us being woken just after midnight by an earthquake. The quake was mild in Taupo, gently rolling us in all directions with no sound bar the swinging of doors on their hinges and the creaking of the building for what seemed like a very long time. The quake down south was severe  unfortunately causing fatalities and considerable destruction.

Despite a disturbed nights sleep we rode out to the craters of the moon bike park to see what Taupo had to offer, we were not disappointed, enjoying the likes of Junk and Disorderly, Scraggs, Mr and Mrs, Outback, Steamfields and Walters Wiggles

A little pump track action on the ride out to the park

Bungee anyone?

Huka Falls

Even the track to and from the bike park are scenic and fun

Day 7

Rainy and cold! Not ideal conditions for a 45km mountain bike ride on single track through the ancient forests of the Timber Trail but we didn't let this discourage us and we set off with high spirits and a sense of adventure. Even in the rain the Timber Trail was a spectacular ride through a wonderland of moss, lichen, ferns and trees covered with all of the above.

Andy reliving a childhood love of tractors

Off the Timber Trail near the halfway mark and making our way to our accommodation at Black Fern Lodge

Watch Out! Richard has the hose and it seems to have a mind of it's own. Easier to just hose off the mud from people as well as bikes

Black Fern Lodge has plenty of character and plenty of characters!

Kitchen facilities where David and Co. cooked up a scrumptious Spag Bol, best dinner of the trip!

Day 8

With some very heavy downpours in the early morning the majority of the group decided to skip the second half of the Timber Trail with only four of us doing the final 50km. Out on the track we got the lot - rain, sun, hot, cold, wind and overcast stillness

Tuk Tuk ride to the top of the hill

Another suspension bridge in the wind and rain

Not as scary in fine weather

The boys showing me their models pose!

Waving goodbye before we ride across a 141m suspension bridge

One of many cuttings on the Tramway section of the Timber Trail

Made it out the other side of the very dark tunnel that is part of the spiral.

Done and Dirty! Time to head back to Auckland

After a morning of washing and packing bikes we had a bit of spare time to check out One Tree Hill, before it was time to board a plane back to every day life.