Auckland Cycle Touring Association
Cambridge
16 - 17 May, 2009
We like to get away to Cambridge once or twice a year.
The weather
forecast for this weekend was not the greatest,
but it turned out good, except for the last 6km on the Sunday
afternoon when it bucketed down.
Perhaps we should have had a shorter coffee break!!
Nahh. The Olde Creamery was far too nice to rush away from.
John G takes a
moment out from giving us our briefing before setting out from Leamington
on Saturday morning.
We're away at last. 23 riders (or 22, depending on who was counting).
ACTA takes over the Karapiro Dam.
Heading to the hills on Buckland Road (see the elevation graph a bit later).
Ray and Jean
Kitchener, ACTA members from way back, made us very welcome at their
home in Matamata. Jean provided gallons (litres, maybe) of tea and coffee for us.
Here Garth, to say
"Thank You", is leading us in singing the Yorkshire Anthem, "On Ilkley Moor
Baht 'at."
(Ray and Jean hailed from Yorkshire.).
Heading up Peria Road away from Matamata.
Watch out girls, there's a bunch of blokes coming up fast.
The HIGH light of the ride,
after Garth successfully hijacked it - and lead a mutiny, was
reaching the summit of Maungakawa (Sanitorium Hill) on the outskirts of Cambridge.
Unfortunately it was a very hazy day. This is looking west from the entrance to Gudex Memorial Park.
And this is looking
south from the summit. On a clear day - a VERY clear day - from here
Taupiri Mountain, Mt Te Aroha, Mt Ruapehu and Mt Taranaki can all be seen.
As the crow flies, Ruapehu is 160 km away, and Taranaki is just over 200km.
Today's elevation graph.
We had our reward at
the Prince Albert pub in Cambridge.
We had a room to ourselves
This rowdy bunch was Table 2.
Only kidding - they weren't really rowdy.
And these genteel folk were Table 1.
Photo by Stu
It was no wonder there
was a mutiny on the Saturday - we went past at least 3 coffee
shops without stopping. Well, we did have a long way to go, and we did not want
to
be caught out after sunset.
So, on the Sunday our
leaders made amends by taking us to The Olde Creamery for coffee
and delicious scones.
I don't think anyone was tempted to ride this beauty away.
Inside some great memorabilia had been collected.
The café knew we were
coming and had lots of iced water waiting for us to drink while
we waited for the yummy food.
You could sit under the verandah....
....or at one of the many tables in the lovely gardens outside.
All too soon it was time to mount up again, and head back to Cambridge.
A great weekend. Thanks to John G and Pete for organising it.
The time in Auckland, New Zealand is
Photos : John McK, except for Stu's one.
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