Day off in Gisborne NZ

I arrived here last night and set up camp right on the beach in a nice campground. The ride from Opotiki was through a gorge with high hills on either side and a river rushing at the bottom of the gorge. The road slowly climbs up to about 700 meters or about 2100 feet then it is a glide down to the coast. There is a lot of wild country along the road and in some places a few sheep farms or cattle and dairy places. In general it is a good ride not too difficult with the slow grade. The worst thing is the narrow shoulder which disappears when you really need it on the blind curves. If you listen for the big logging trucks and stay out of their way you will be fine.

Here in town I made some food then just went to bed after doing some wifi. In the morning I did a tour riding all over town and talking to people and checking into the tourist information kiosk to see what I should see here. I enjoyed the day. Tonight I am having dinner at a fishing club that invited me to their club after taking to them for a while. All the campers in camp are friendly and entertaining. There is a surf and lifesaving competition here in Gisborne this weekend and it has filled the entire town's hotels and campgrounds. I have to leave tomorrow because I can not find a place to pitch a tent or a room. My plan is to ride fifty clicks down the road to a hot springs and stay there until the big storm approaching blows over. I am not planning on riding in the rain any more. I only took a few pics but here they are, the statue is Cap'n Cook's cabin boy discovering New Zealand or so the legend says...