After our rest day in Coromondal Town we decide to chance the weather and head up the big hill, Whangapoua Hill. The climb is very tough, sections pushing the bike up, mine with 50lbs weight. It starts spitting more steadily as we climb and by the time we get to the top, you can't see the views, so we don our rainjackets and carefully coast down.
By the time we level out my feet feel like they are in their own pools (my shoes). We carry on and with the rolling hills dry out a bit riding. Near the top of another climb, we chat with an American couple that have been cycling for 1.5 years and intend to cycle for 3 in total to go round the world and fulfill a dream "Pedalling for Pencils".
Around 4PM we stop at a beach, the sun is shining. At the Info Centre (Whitianga) we chat with Daniel (Brazilian cyclist) we had met at our last motorcamp. As it is spitting again we opt to stay in a cabin $60/night. We meet up with the German family we had met at the Butterfly Garden, as they had problems with their camper van and were delayed.
As it is raining hard the next morning before checkout, we stay put another day, chat with a fellow at the hardware store that was to Calgary in '88 to see Olympics and visit an uncle.
Next day, beautiful & sunny but a bit breezy. We catch the passenger ferry for the little hop across the bay. The Ferry Captain and a passenger help with our bikes as it is a step up and down onto the ferry.
At Hahei Beach we watch a water skiier and carry on to Hot Water Beach. It is lovely white sand, with surfers and an area where you dig a hole in the sand and sit in a thermal pool. After lunch, we walk over to the thermal pools...it appears to be hard work to dig the wet sand and then people are only sitting with their butts in the pools but the water is quite hot.
From Hot Water Beach it is only 8KM but with a cross wind it is not an easy 8km. The motorcamp at Whangamata used to be an old dairy farm that is now converted to the Backpackers kitchen, dining room, bathroom and showers, TV room. Quite a few people staying this weekend. We stay up late watching a comedy "Without a Paddle".
Just after we packed up our tent the next morning it start raining, so we wait it out. Two big climbs today, fortunately not as steep, so I can actually ride up, albeit 4-5KM/hour instead of pushing it.
At a gas station before climbing Oputere Saddle, we have lunch and chat with an Aussie that works there, he tells Peter, all people do here is "fishing & pigging".
It is raining when we get to Whangamata so we sleep inside. While watching the news we chat with an Aussie couple who moved here to live & work.
PS: Wh is prounounced like a "F"
Day 6 cycling - 46KM
Day 7 cycling - 35KM
Day 8 cycling - 54KM
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