Three days into Backroads

Here we go... Off for our Backroads adventure.



- Our group of 21 are from LA, Brooklyn, Philly, Chicago, San Antonio, Claremont and Woodside CA, Shreveport, and of course MI. Very interesting group.
Day one we drive about 2 hours to the Coromandel peninsula. We stopped for a short hike and talk with a Kiwi naturalist who told us about the interesting trees and ferns.





Our accommodations are in tree houses. Lovely dinner but served in "island time.

Day two was a wham of "multisport"!
We first took a ferry to begin our ride.



Which was a 36 k bike ride over Pumpkin hill (7k was up a 7 degree grade). Lunch in a hillside winery. Here are our tour guides and lunch creators.


Next we shuttled to the Pacific ocean and took a 3 hour hike to Cathedral cove where we had a great swim in the surf.








That night we nearly fell into our pua (abalone).
Day three was a transport day. We drove to Rotorua (about 5hours) with a stop for a 3 mile hike at Karanagahake gorge where they mined gold in the late 1800s.





And a swim in the river at lunch.


Now, at a resort on a lake in a volcano caldera. Kayaking tomorrow.

Fabulous weather!