RobiNZ Personal Blog

Te Awa River Ride | Hamilton to Cambridge | Time Out 2021-22

A new section of the Te Awa River Ride (Waikato River) recently opened; from Hamilton Gardens to Tamahere. It links the Ngaruawahia-Hamilton and Tamahere-Karāpiro sections I've previously ridden so I shot down to Hamilton for the day to complete the set. This ride concentrates on the new part as already covered the Hamilton CDB and Cambridge path in those earlier posts. Ann St Park I threw my Tern BYB folding bike into AHBART (Abarth 500 Esseesse) and headed back to Ann St Park, Beerescourt, Hamilton, near the CBD. Found it when I rode the Ngaruawahia-Hamilton section and was a good... Read more →

Commuting on my new 'free' Tern folding bike

A new job in the central city meant having to think about commuting. Bit of a novelty after ten months of choosing when I travelled! Driving and Parkable Parkable Shared Parking Application I drove for a couple of weeks, while settling in, and used a Kiwi parking share app to avoid making the likes of Wilsons Parking richer. Driving takes about 50-60 minutes and my route, following GPS traffic suggestions, does not use the motorway. Parkable makes parking easy and (more) affordable. While you can book long term, week or more, parking on Parkable I just used the daily casual... Read more →

The wrap up: 10 Months Cycling New Zealand | Time Out 2021-22

So, it ends: 10 months, 2 weeks (317 days) cycling or drive/cycling across most of New Zealand. Highlights? So many... there are 95+ blog posts... but a few highlights: Expected, but unexpected In many cases I knew what I was getting into, but sometimes it was the unexpected which added delight: Farewell Spit: I'd long wanted to visit but the combination of a small group, fantastic guide, and unusually calm, for the West Coast, weather made for an exceptional day in an incredibly special place. Loved my Takaka Rocks home too. Lake Dunstan: A fantastic trail, keep an eye on... Read more →

Waikato River Trail | Mangakino to Waipapa | Final Time Out 2021-22 Ride | Waikato

I've been cycling, or road trip cycling, since 25th September 2021 but seems all good things must end. It's a good end, as start new job in a couple of days, but makes this my last 'official' ride of the Time Out NZ 2021 - 2022! Decided to pop down for the day to finish the Waikato River Trails, the Mangakino to Waipapa section that was closed when last in the area (May 2022). Part of the trail passes through a commercial forest area, currently closed weekdays but open weekends. That's how I came to be on the misty shores... Read more →

New Lynn to Avondale Pathway St Jude Street crossing death trap

Rode the new’ish New Lynn to Avondale Pathway today and saw how an inadequate road crossing is going to injure/kill people. It was this “crossing” (red on map) at St Jude Street, close to a road intersection and near to the rail crossing. St Jude Street is the connector between Great North Rd and New North Road with additional traffic from Blockhouse Bay Rd. All of these are major urban corridors and can be very busy. If not the nature of the road leads to reasonable speeds as people ‘race the railway crossing’. The crossing was slightly changed, for the... Read more →

New Lynn City Commuter Path | Time Out 2021-22

Set out for the Waitakere Ranges but looked like rain up there so tried the new New Lynn Avondale Path and SH16 path to the city. The new path has its issues, some ugly junctions and road crossings, but cycling to the CDB on path or quiet suburban roads from home is good is great. From town went along the waterfront then up through Parnell to the Auckland Domain and home. A nice day for a ride, left the rain in the hills, sun on the Lightpath shared path Home to City in about an hour Took the new the... Read more →

Avondale - New Lynn Path First Ride | Time Out 2021-22

Time to try another new cycle path which opened recently. The $45 million Avondale - New Lynn Shared Path connects the Waterview Shared Path to New Lynn. Prior to this there was no safe off-road cycle route to New Lynn or beyond. Another wonderful day, will this weather end? Towards Waterview on SH16 North-Western Cyclepath. Waterview reflections from SH16 North-Western Cyclepath. Taking a new turn on the Waterview Shared Path. Often used the ramp on the right (to go along SH20 towards Onehunga) but there was little reason to take this short path to Blockhouse Bay Road before. The new... Read more →

Winter seasonal change and 7,000km+ Ride | Time Out 2021-22

Two rides to mark a seasonal change and milestone (kilometre stone?) of Time Out NZ 2021 - 2022. Last autumn ride Last day of Autumn, sun shining, time for a ride! Hobsonville Point boardwalk. Herald Island, nicer when the tide is in. Lincoln Rd Cycleway Design Disaster The SH16 North-western Cyclepath is great, but cheapskate decisions mean several road crossings along it are terrible. Among the worst is this four-crossing mess at Lincoln Road, when poor signal design allows uncontrolled backed up traffic to legally drive over the 'Green Crossing'. When the path crossing turns green there is no sign... Read more →

Ti Ara Ki Uta Ki Tai Orakei Cycle Path First Ride | Time Out 2021-22

The Ti Ara Ki Uta Ki Tai Cycle Path (TKACP) runs from Kohimarama Rd to Orakei Basin (Yellow Arrow). It links to the existing Glen Innes (Merton Rd - Kohimarama Rd) path and will link to the Tamaki Drive waterfront path via a mix of boardwalks and roadside paths along Ngapipi Rd (Yellow Dashed Line) that are in the design/consultation stage. New Path (Yellow Arrow), Proposed path (Yellow Dashed Line) Base Image from www.aucklandbikemap.co.nz It was part of a ride from home, variation of a regular ride to explore the new path. Nice day for a ride Towards Onehunga, love... Read more →

Timber Trail Day Two | Time Out 2021-22 Pureora Forest

Woke to a misty view from the Timber Trail Lodge, Piropiro. Better than the heavy rain I heard overnight... After breakfast got kitted up for a damp day and left my overnight bag for the transfer to base. It's nice having change of clothes for the lodge, fresh clean riding kit, and not having to carry it all on the bike! Met Tony, the shuttle driver, again at the lodge. A few of the shuttle staff were going to ride the second part of the trail as part of training/experience. Leaving Timber Trail Lodge, Piropiro Today's ride follows the trail... Read more →