After a shortish ride to Taumaranui and a Big Breakfast we started a long climb up to Whakahoro in showers and patchy rain.
At Whakahoro the Blue Duck Cafe provided cold drinks and a big Lasagne which we hoovered up. It was also the last bit of civilisation till Pipiriki
We had booked the 8am Jet boat so we had to push on even though it was already after 4pm. The next 4 hours were intense with difficult single track meaning a lot of pushing the bike, followed by 4wd tracks made of papa mud that encased the tires.
Taking a risk we kept going at the second to last campsite so we could be as close to the boat as possible. Under lights we arrived at our campsite in the dark.
We setup camp knowing that we had made our goal and I slept soundly. First actual night in the tent.
