Nice day for a ride

February 18, 2023

Tim and I rode the winery route through the Gimblett Gravels today for him to see it and to see if they suffered much damage. Luckily this area is in pretty good shape except for the lack of electricity. Today is lovely day in 20s with sun and light winds so ideal cycling weather. I have included some photos of the devastation that is all around us so we are very lucky. We are off to Taupo on Monday and have to take the 5+ hour route rather than either of the other much shorter routes because the roads and bridges are out. One of them may be open for our return but not the shortest route, it will be weeks if not months.

North of Napier in Hawkes Bay there is almost total devastation

This creek is flowing rapidly and spilling its banks near us

Downstream of the creek this house was flooded

One of the main bridges between us and Napier

The damage on Hwy 5 the route from Napier to Taupo is even worse

This substation in Taradale a suburb of Napier was flooded and is still out of action a week later.

We were supposed to play this fantastic golf course/bird sanctuary but that is not going to happen. Two other courses in the area are almost completely destroyed by flooding

On our ride today we came across on area where there had been a slip, now the mud is almost dry

Grapes almost ready for harvest. Some areas have been wiped out but these survived.

Today's ride: 40 km (25 miles)
Total: 263 km (163 miles)

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