Kaiteriteri - The Great Tasman Taste Trail - CycleBlaze

October 20, 2020

Kaiteriteri

In paradise

it was a perfect day for riding - sunshine, no wind and a temperature of around 19 degrees.

Breakfast then onto the track to take us around the estuary to Ruby Bay glorious views all the way. The track is not paved and although loose gravel it is not too bad but it means that progress is not fast. Anyway you wouldn’t want to travel fast as it is lovely looking over the sandy beach to the asure blue water beyond. It was then up over a significant hill and down into the little town of Tasman.  This is a centre of apple growing and as well as orchards and packing sheds there are artisan potters, glass blowers etc all who will be doing a freeze without overseas tourists

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Ken has to photograph old tractors
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Now came a really long hill, never too steep (particularly for me with an electric bike) but with great views over the whole district.  Down then on the road leading to Motueka and I felt a bit as if I was in that area where you leave the Danube to head to Munich.  There were hops in all directions.  At this time of the year they had barely sprouted and only a few were tentatively beginning to climb the waiting strings.  It was then my finest moment because I spotted a small sign pointing to Tractor World - an open tractor museum. Ken  was delighted and I sat and enjoyed the sun while he explored 

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Waiting for the hops to grow up
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Ken loved the museum
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We had been told of a great cafe, Toad Hall, just out of Motueka. I had the most delicious chicken and leek pie while Ken chose a mushroom and blue cheese one.  From there once more we followed the coast, past the place where we will turn off on our ride back and went through extensive apple orchards. It was then time for us to go up the hill and over to Kaiteriteri. This was the part I had worried about as we came to a Mountain Bike Park and were meant to go through it on the tracks - it said on our instructions that this was extremely challenging and that the road alternative not very safe.  Well a mountain bike track might be fun if you are 20 and have a mountain bike with knobbly tires.  At 81 with dodgy walking and on a regular ebike with fairly smooth tires I didn’t fancy it so I rang the company we had booked through and arranged for them to pick me up and drive me  this last 4km.  Ken thought me rather a wimp!  He would do it.  However when he emerged he said I had made the best decision and there was no way he was gong to ride it on the way back!!

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If you ever come this way eat here
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Vivid instructions at the side. You have to check in using the Covid tracing ap
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Kaiteriteri is on Tasman Bay and at the entrance to the Able Tasman National Park - a magnet for trampers and kayakers .  The sand is golden and the sea a darker blue than the sky - really it is a near to paradise that you can get

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Paradise
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Today's ride: 45 km (28 miles)
Total: 80 km (50 miles)

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Steve Miller/GrampiesSo enjoying being able to follow you. Only thing, it is really disconcerting to have the seasons completely backwards. Here we are just finishing getting the gardens put to bed for the winter while you are enjoying the start of the growing time. Dodie
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3 years ago
Tricia GrahamTo Steve Miller/GrampiesWe have been enjoying the spring so much as we have missed it for so many years. This about the time we usually get back from Europe so now we have caught up. Tricia
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3 years ago
Kathleen JonesTractor heaven! Yay!
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3 years ago
Tricia GrahamAs you can imagine I couldn’t get him past it
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3 years ago