Featured Nz Scenic Route

When posting my rides, most people enjoy the coastal scenery, so I have created a thread of my trip to Whitianga this week.
We have started summer, but some fronts are coming through from the North, making the weather very humid (opposite to northern hemisphere) and roads wet.
I managed to get through dry and safe

Kopu Bridge Guardians are Maori kaitiaki carvings

 

The ranges are steep and winding, perfect for biking (elevation 852m / 2,795feet)

 

Once through the ranges, the coast run is flatter, but still winds around the water.


Single lane Bridge (1 of many)

Tairua (good public toilets)

Passing bay

Pacific Highway

 

Then its a small set of hills to Whitianga



No time to stop at the Coroglen Tavern

Buffalo beach - Whitianga (full tide)

 

Not too many potholes @DCS900 for the volume of trucks that cross it, but the geography and rain make slips a major hazard. You can see a stretch towards the peak where they water-blast the tar build up (from the heat) to give grip back (the new quick fix to avoid resealing)

 

The Kopu Bridge have taniwha gracing the support pillars of the bridge and pouwhenua (carved posts) at the approaches. I love the little guys @darkman and so intentionally showed the departing shot showing their butts



The first thing you notice are the Pou standing guard, it almost makes driving over the bridge quite eerie and spiritual.
The amazing cultural design features of this bridge include 10 Pou, waka etching, water etching and design on handrails and concrete barriers, Patiki etching and Ureia (Taniwha) bridge Pepeha.

According to Maori folklore, Ureia was the taniwha who lived in Tīkapa (the Firth of Thames). Accounts differ as to the form Ureia took, some say he was a fish, others say a school of fish. Either way, Ureia was a powerful symbol of the fertility and mana of the Hauraki region. Ureia was killed at Pūponga, by the Manukau Harbour. There is a carving of him located inside the Hotunui meeting house, which once stood at Thames and is now inside the Auckland Museum, if you wish to see it.

 

It takes a little while to watch the whole video @Sandi T, snapshot pictures of interest ( including some with traffic ) and then create a documentary in a word document.
I then pick the ones I want to post and save as pictures to upload.
NZ is very green, and being made up of long islands, allows for great coastlines
Tourism was a major earner before COVID with many interesting spots to visit

 

I would highly recommend touring the South Island @Bikerman and rental bikes are available. Summer is nice, but the Autumn colours are spectacular

 

I particularly left most of the skies in the pix as they were so changeable @Mrs Visor. This route is not bad at the moment, as it is the gateway to many city dwellers summer holidays over Christmas.
I travel a route north of Auckland that is littered with pot holes and repair ramps, that make you leave your seat and can be quite dangerous for novice riders
https://at.govt.nz/projects-roadworks/road-works-disruptions/#currentroadworks