Kaiaua loop

Day 36, Tuesday 26 September 2017

The Kaiaua loop is a road well-known to Auckland motorcyclists. It loops around the Hunua Ranges, with the segment between Kaiaua and Kawakawa Bay the main attraction. It offers sea views, rolling countryside, and tight twisty roads. At Kaiaua is a pub, a good fish and chip shop, and a quirky cafe called “The Pink Shop”, so it’s a good place to stop for lunch. At Kawakawa Bay there’s a dairy which is a good place to stop for ice-cream. From central Auckland, riding the loop takes about two and a half hours.

There were major floods in the area in March-April this year, and the road at Waharau just north of Kaiaua was closed due to slips. The damage was extensive, and when I last rode it in May, the road had only one lane open and was covered with clay. I took a group of Ulyssians through it today to see how repairs were progressing.

The road is still only one lane, and we had to wait for several minutes while a large digger scooped clay off the road. Once we were allowed to proceed, we found the road surface was reasonable, although the road showed signs of trauma for a couple of kilometres. Further north, the winding parts which often have some slippery surfaces were in good repair.

Photo taken at 517 Findlay Rd, Miranda

Distance travelled: 199 km. Total distance so far: 4993 km