It was almost 70°, I’d been pedaling hard, the service window was open, resistance was futile.
Category: Move
Open Road
It was easy to maintain social distance on our walk this morning. One or both lanes of this road have been made pedestrian-only for several miles.
Bay of Islands, New Zealand
In Paihia, in New Zealand’s Northland, local kids were having a grand time being blasted with pigment. This is a nod to India’s Holi Festival. Just over three weeks ago we flew from New Zealand’s South Island to the north of the North Island. With the subsequent rapid spread of COVID-19, three weeks seems like…… Continue reading Bay of Islands, New Zealand
Hiking Abandoned Roads
Hiked another barricaded, abandoned road in another lovely valley. With the closure of Volcanoes National Park, and state and county parks, we’re improvising with abandoned roads, back-country roads and former sugar cane haulage roads.
Rangitoto Island
A 20-minute ferry ride brought us to uninhabited, volcanic Rangitoto Island. As we walked for miles on trails through this nature reserve, downtown Auckland seemed far away.
Urupukapuka Island
We’re staying next to the Bay of Islands in New Zealand’s Northland. Today we took a ferry to the largest island, Urupukapuka Island, then hiked. Some of the trails were hard going, but we were often rewarded by gorgeous 360 degree views.
Twin Coast Cycle Trail
Rented bicycles, then cycled part of the Twin Coast Cycle Trail. The 54-mile rail trail connects the east and west coasts of New Zealand’s Northland.
On Golden Bay
We drove almost as far as we could to the northwest of New Zealand’s South Island to Golden Bay, named for the gold mining that took place here in the 19th century. Our VRBO (Vacation Rental By Owner) cabin stood on its own, above a beach, at the end of an unpaved road. En route,…… Continue reading On Golden Bay
Heaphy Track
The Heaphy Track in nearby Kahurangi National Park gradually climbed up a mountain, occasionally revealing other mountains through gaps in the trees. We hiked for the day, but found ourselves wishing we could hike the full track, end-to-end, over 4 days.
Farewell Spit
Walked through a monotonous landscape on Farewell Spit, a sandbar near where we’re staying. Unseen by us were big numbers: it’s the longest sandbar on Earth (16 miles); the sea recedes up to 4 miles at low tide; this month, bar-tailed godwits will migrate 7,500 miles to Alaska.