CYCLING TOUR.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4517, 19 January 1923, Page 3

CYCLING TOUR.

A ROUND TRIP. VIA ROAORUA AND TAUPO. Mr A. A, Jenkinson, assistant County Clerk, during the recent holidays accomplished a journey of miles oh a “push bike,” completing a round trip from Paeroa, via Rotorua and Taupo. Asked for an account of his journey this enthusiastic cyclist, said: THE START. Leaving Paeroa on the Saturday before Christmas, with the bike loaded up with luggage and stores weighing 961 b (including the weight of the bike), I travelled through Te Ardaa, Manawayu, Gordon, and on to MaU ' inata The worst part of this road was between Manawaru and Gordon, which was mud about six inches deep, making cycling over this portion impossible. 1 decided to stay the mgto at Matamata, in a boardinghouse, as the stormy weathar was not suitable fpr sleeping in .the tent which I had •with me. I had intended to utilise the tent on all occasions when the weather was not wet. I did not get very far .the next day, Sunday, owing to the weather and the state of the roads. On arriving at Tirau I was informed that the road to Rotorua through the Mamaku Busji (the way I was going), owing to mud and water was impassable, and that the people in two cars had been bogged and had to sleep out all the previous night in the pouring rain, f stopped, therefore, at Tirau till Christmas Day. The weathar was then fine, and I got to within four miles of Rotorua, where I fotmd a good place to camp on a thick mattress of pine needles under some pine trees. The road tbr ° the Mamaku Bush, which included an /uphill stretch of about eleven miles, ‘was very swampy in some places, am I found, some difficulty in picking out 1 a track. The distance between Tirau and Rotorua is 35 miles, andlB miles of. that I had to walk and push the bike owing to the hills and-niud. ARRIVAL AT ROTORUA. The next day (Tuesday). I arrived in Rotorua, staying there till the day after, and then pressing on to Wawtapu over some better, though rough, iroads. On the Way to Waiotapu I went to see the Waimungu Geyser, which lies some four miles off the main road. I returned to the main road again by the track which winds around the Rainbow Mountain. Leaving Waiotapu on Thursday, I proceeded on to Waiyakei, arriving there just in time to boil the billy and catch the guide, at 2.30 p.m. to go up the Geyser’ Valley, where the most wonderful sights imaginable are to be seen. Some parts of the roa,d between Waiotapu and Wairakei (30 miles) ware very good, and the scenery 'here was superb. For a streten of some fifteen miles along this road, between the Waikato bridge and Wairakei. I found it impossible to procure a drop of water, and the journey became somewhat strenuous, as this stretch contained some very heavy sand, over which T was compelled.to walk for about four miles.

beautiful, sight. From Wairakei there were many beautiful 'sights t 0 vis ' !t ’ including th<s Geyser Valley, the Blowhole, the Arratiatia Rapids, and ’the Thuka Falls. No one, in fact, should pass through. Wairakei without seeing them. Until I had reached Wairakei’ I had been alone, but on tihe Friday morning, just as I was breaking up camp at Wairakei, man came along, also on a push bike, and informed me (after I had told him the way I was going) that he was going .the same way for some d'stance, and so we arranged to go along together. WAIRAKEI TO TAUPO. The next stage, from Wairakei to Taupo and around Lake Taupo :o Tokaanu (42% miles), was the best of the whole trip as far as scenery was concerned. The road, which was fairly good after going over a steep (hill, skirts along the lake for about 20 miles, and then ascends a cliff with an almost sheer drop of some 80 to 100 ft into the lake. The water in the lake is as clear as crystal. I ■ was very much surprised that theie were not more campers along the shore, as it is an ideal spot for u camp. I suppose, however, the recent severe earthquakes > around those parts, of which I felt two between Taupo and Tokaanu, have “put the wind up” them. 1 My companion and I camped on the shore of the lake for two nights, andon the Sunday morning we left Tokaanu and Lake Taupo behind and tpade for Raurimu, ! which was 52 miles away. This road w.as very sandy, while quite 20 miles of it was Uphill. About 14 miles from Raurimu the road got very bad for about two miles, but after that it was all metal to Waimarino. From Wiama- . rino the road descends 714 feet in seven miles, down the Spiral to Raurimu. This road is quite impassable for motors at any time of the year, as .the watcrj has washed deep ditches

across it, and one bridge has to bs negotiated on the beams. The road from Tokaanu to Raurimu . .passes along at' the foot of l the three mountains, Ruapehu, Ngaruahoe, and Tongariro, and a very fine view was obtained of them. ( THE KING COUNTRY. On New Year’s Day, after campin? a.t Rauiriniu the previous night, I was left on my own again, my companion proceeding in the opposition direction. After travelling on good roads for 27 miles through some beautiful bush, and. mostly down hill, I arrived at Taumaruhui, where I intended staying for a few days. On Thursday, January 4, I left Taumarunui and made for Te Kuiti, but only proceeded as far as Waimiha (where I camped for the night) owing to the bad state of the roads. 'More than once I was. compelled to take to the railway line, owing to the mqd, and once, on account of the road disappearing about four miles from Waimiha. To get to Te Kuiti, 37 miles by road from Waimiha, I had to go 11 more miles than the distance oy rail, but tlhe Toads were fairly good, .though heavy in scpme parts. Eventually I

got there after having the exciting experience of, being chased by a wild pig on tiie way. CLAY ROADS. From Te Kuiti to Kihi Ki’hi (two miles from Te Awamutu) the distance is 32 miles, and is a splendid, smooth, metalled road except for a stretch of about five miles of clay, which was very wet when I passed over it. After leaving Te Kuiti I got into very interesting country near the Waikato district. Leaving Kihi Kihi on the Sunday, and passing through Te Awaniutu.. I was pleased to find that, the good roads continued. The country was getting more interesting and prettier all the time as I was nearing Hamilton, and many a. good view was obtained from a rise in the road, the landscape now being dotted with farms, green pastures, and miniature lakes. I arrived at Hamilton on the Sunday afternoon, and cycled on by the main road to Matangi, where I camped the night. THE HOMEWARD STRETCH. The next day (Monday) I was on the homeward stretch, and between Tamilton and Mcirrinsville I was surprised to find a stretch of the allasphalt, road for about.five miles. The road between Hamilton and Tauwhare is metalled, and on to Mo.rrinsville is mostly pumice,, .though, vejry good .for riding. After leaving Morrinsville and riding another 26 miles I came to Te Aroha in nice time to boU the billy for lunch on the banks of the Waihou River. /Feeling 1 muc'h better for the refreshment, I pushed on, and 13% miles more brought me back to Paeroa. The only stretch of road I went, oveg twice was between Paeroa and Te Aroha, having made the round trip and .travelling 456% miles without a puncture or anything going amiss with the bicycle, which was a military B.S.A. machine.