Remutaka Rail Trail Bike Ride – Sunday 14 March
Three of us set out on this ride from the Kaitoke end of the trail, on a gorgeous day with Goldilocks temps. One participant hadn’t been on her bike for at least 6 months and another was on her first ever off-road experience. The 10km to the top was a gentle climb with lots of walkers and other cyclists to negotiate around. After a brief rest in the sun at the summit (where there used to be a substantial rail settlement and yards), it was lights on to ride through the Summit Tunnel (584m long and built in 1877). One kilometre downhill of rough shingle followed and we were at the new Siberian suspension bridge. There was some discussion about the wisdom of cycling across a 90m swing bridge that spans a gully where the wind can be so strong it used to blow trains off their tracks. If you fix your eyes on the far end and ride fast, it works – we did it there and back, returning to the summit for lunch, and a nice, mostly downhill return to the start of the trail. A 24km ride and a 3-hour outing, including stops.
Cyclists – Chris (trip leader), Denise and Nigina
