Opononi > Dargaville

This morning for the first time, my tent is dry. Wow, very important news I know, but everyday I pack my tent wet and it’s getting smelly. I need to clean it. Anyway I’m having breakfast while Karl is already set, it’s 8am. He is going to Dargaville today and I think I will do the same so we will meet in the next camp :-).

Just before leaving, let’s do a rapid tour of the camp: that’s the door of the entrance office of the camp. I like the contrast between the bright red door’s color and the vegetation.

I’ve already packed my tent but here was my private garden for the night :-).

Opononi is a really beautiful place. I could take many MANY pictures but I need to paddle forward. Most of the houses here enjoy this wonderful sea view with the beach, the sand dune and… Ok, stop :-).

Few! This first slope was really steep but the view remains breath taking.

Ah ah! It seems that it is the time for mini cows to have lunch break:-) Maybe I should do the same but it’s only 10am.

I’m really surprised about this road because I thought it was steep and very hard but after a look to my GPS I noticed that I’m riding towards the top using the longest way.

Welcome to Waipoua forest :-).

Finally on the top! There is a place to visit: a Kauri tree named Tane Mahuta (wiki) which means God of the forest. It’s the same kind of tree I’ve seen in Puketi forest with Peter but with a different story…

Tane Mahuta is the tallest Kauri tree in the world and it is 1200 years old! Wouahou! That’s impressive! One detail, I’m on the picture somewhere 🙂

The green way 🙂

Four sisters. I guess, 4 big Kauris?

Ah yes it’s four Kauris on the same place, giant!

The vegetation is growing directly on the tree!

Oooh! The second largest Kauri! I want to see that. Te Matua Ngahere means Forest’s father.

The suspense is long…

… and green…

Noooope… it’s not this one 🙂

Ouch! This Kauri is more than 2000 years and it’s the oldest tree in the world after the sequoias of the west coast of America.

Te Matua Ngahere “Father of the forest”

• Girth 16.41m
• Trunk volume 208.1m3
• Total height 29.9m
• Trunk height 10.41m

The feeding roots of kauri trees are shallow and delicate. Walking off the formed, protected paths and boardwalk can kill these giant trees. Toitu te whenua, Leave the land undisturbed.

To have an idea, the little black stain almost centered on the trunk might be the size of my hand.

On the way back to my bike.

I was on the top at 380m but after 25min of descent I reached 60m. That was 320m of wonderful winding road!

I cycled out of the forest but it’s still a hilly valley.

Aaah! cool I like that. Ok go, speedy position and fiiiidzzziiiii! And? New speed record! 72.2km/h hahaaa!

Few! After 86km and 5 hours of cycling, I finally reached my goal!

I think I will come here tomorrow because it’s day off 🙂

It’s 4pm but all shops are already closed… Ah! Yes, I forgot, it’s Sunday… I’m lost…
At the end of this street there is somebody I know… Peter! We were on the same road today and we didn’t see each other. He was front of me somewhere (like always :-). Tonight he will sleep in a “backpacker’s” and me in the camp so we will meet later. That’s fun to meet regularly in different places :-).

The camp shouldn’t be so far now. I can smell it.

Note : I didn’t take anymore pictures today but I’ve met Karl 🙂 as well in the camp. There is too much riders in this city haha! This time Karl was in a tent because his friend came back home. Tomorrow we will have a day off :-).