Rimutaka Cycle trail part 2

It has been sometime since I last posted.  The primary reason is that I obtained a contract with WorkSafe New Zealand.  It was a relief to get some long term work I have to say.  However, this post is about the Rimutaka Cycle trail and the second part of the trail which we had not done. 

Featberston Station - ready to roll

B and I had planned to do the second part of the trail from Featherston to end and then add a bit more by riding to either Days Bay or to Petone Station.  I had estimated that it would be about 80 kilometres and that we would get home by about 5pm.  Events proved me wrong.

We did the trip during the Christmas break; 5 January 2016 to be exact.  Remarkably I had planned it to be that day or close to it.  The weather was to be just right - clear blue skies, little wind and a mild temperature and it was. 

We met the 8:30am train to Featherston at the right time and got our bikes loaded in the luggage car.  Both of us were ready for the first coffee of the day but the guard said that we could be going any minute and that the coffee cart was very slow.  So we waited patiently for the train to go - along with a number of other riders.  Eventually they found an engine, hitched it up and half an hour or more later we headed for the Featherston.  It is a very nice train ride.

When we got off the train at Featherston a man asked us how to get to the trail.  And we said to follow us but that we were going to stop for a coffee and he was welcome to join us.  It turned out he was from Hamilton and was doing the incline while his wife was at some archery event.  He rode with us to the Cross Creek turn-off.  The day was perfect,

Lake Wairarapa behind

warm, with light winds.  It was an easy ride to Ocean Beach, apart from a rather steep hill which had me getting off the bike as I had got my gearing wrong.  Eventually I managed to get going again and it the little hilly bit was not half as bad as it seemed. 

Bachs on Ocean Beach

The ride along Ocean Beach was lovely.  There are a number of traditional bachs which are clearly not attached to running water and electricity.  Some have used modern technology to get the latter.  It is a rather wild and untamed area which gives a beauty in its own right. 

We stopped at the end of the beach to have some of our rather nice lunch.  It was nice to rest the bum and get ready for what proved to be a rather challenging ride.   After Ocean Beach the track became much more challenging.  The distance we had to cover was 16 kilometres and even on a rougher
surface than tarmac we would probably do this in around an hour.  Not this stretch.  The track initially climbed a firm sandhill that required the use of our lowest gears.  The next few kilometres followed that pattern and then all of a sudden we hit a long stretch of terrain which was quite sandy which required us to push the bikes very frequently.  Even a mountain bike would have had problems.  It felt really hard on the legs; more so than the riding

Sand and more sand - looks firmer than it is

.  Finally we emerged from that to then be confronted by couple of shingle fans,  The track was not well formed and it was a case of picking the route and keeping balance while being in very low gears.  At one point B managed to topple of her almost stationary bike and fortunately she only managed a bit of scratch.

Shingle fan - a challenge for some

A couple of kilometres later we emerged from the fans to firmer and flatter land with a well formed but very bumpy track.  It is at those times one is very grateful that the bike has suspension.  At around 5pm we reached the end of the actual cycle trail at the Orongorongo River.  From there we joined the Wainuiomata Road
for about four kilometres.  I knew that there was a track that would take us over the coastal hill to the coastal track that takes one past Pencarrow Head.  What I did not realise once we started up the hill how steep it was.  I only got a few metres before I ran of gears and energy.  B eventually gave up too.  However the walk up was not too arduous but coming down the other side required a tender piece of riding as there was thick gravel and in parts it was very steep.  Five minutes after leaving the top we were on the flat area.  Fortuitously there was a nice a little southerly blowing which made riding very quick.  My legs were very tired and I thought
that rather go to Petone it would be good if Eastbourne Ferry was going at the time we would arrive. 

The end point of the Rimutaka Cycle trail but not for us

After rounding Pencarrow Head it was a straight ride to Days Bay, except that it was about 12 kilometres away.  We rode at speed along the path aided by the tail wind.  Then I spied the ferry leaving from Seatoun and thought there might be another one from Days Bay soon after we got there.  Then I realised it was heading for Days Bay.  We were doing about 30 kph along the path and I said to Bev we have to keep this speed up for another six or so kilometres if we are to catch the boat.  It was in my sight for a long way but I felt that we were keeping pace with it.  Then we rode through Eastbourne and I lost sight of it.  I spurred B along and went as fast my very tired legs would go and once we rounded the bend I saw that the ferry was just docking.  We reached the wharf just as they were preparing to leave and fortunately they spotted me speeding along the wharf.  I dismounted and asked if they took bikes; yes they did.  Phew!! They helped us put them up top and we went down to get a drink.  The beer we had was pure nectar.  We were knackered!!

We were too tired to go our usual route home and instead opted for the cable car.  The final tally of kilometres for the day was 90.  It was with that news I happily sat down after a shower and celebrated with B our mad endeavours.  It was a day to savour long after it had been finished.  Would I do it again? Yes but we did say give us year or so.  It is a wonderful ride!