E Tour Aotearoa

A laid back, old-man-friendly, ebike version of the Tour Aotearoa – Cape Reinga to Bluff, New Zealand

Writer: Steve Yeoman
Editor and Enhancer: Jill Ewing

Click here to see these In date order  or check out the original plan

Day 50 | Invercargill to Bluff

We're not Bluffing Date: 19 March 2024 Our last day dawned chilly with clear blue skies and we set off ...

Day 49 | Mataura to Invercargill

Cold, wet milestones Date: 19 March 2024 There was nothing much to see on what, on a fine day, would ...

Day 48 | Tapanui to Mataura

Mataura has a waterfall, and precious little else Date: 17 March 2024 if you find yourself travelling south by car, ...

Day 47 | Miller’s Flat to Tapanui

You call that flat?? Date: 16 March 2024 From Miller's Flat we crossed the Clutha to backtrack to Ettrick, where ...

Day 46 | Alexandra to Miller’s Flat

Roxburgh Gorge & Clutha Gold Trails Date: 15 March 2024 Grade: 2, 3 These trails are among my favourite great ...

Day 45 | Cromwell to Alexandra

The Dunstan Trail Date: 12 March 2024 Grade 2,3 After a brief pilgrimage to Cromwell's industrial area to pick up ...

Day 44 | Hawea to Cromwell

Otago light Date: 11 March 2024 Grade: 3/4 From Hawea we broke away from the Tour Aotearoa route to follow ...

Day 43 – Makarora to Hawea

Hello Otago Date: 10 March 2024 An easy day today - only 50 km to Hawea, and, to paraphrase the ...

Day 42 | Haast to Makarora

The seventh day of awesome. Date: 9 March 2024 Just when you think the West Coast has shown you everything, ...

Day 41 | Bruce Bay to Haast

Another 10/10 ride Date: 8 March 2024 Post by Jill today, although I must add that these last 5 days ...

Day 40 | Franz Josef to Bruce Bay

In praise of tourists Date: 7 March 2024 During daylight hours, Franz Josef is beset with a constant whap whap ...

Day 39 | Harihari to Franz Josef

A good, well-roadworked highway Date: 6 March 2024 Hotel Harihari was - interesting. Good food, very friendly owners, clean rooms, ...

Day 38 | Ross to Harihari

A wee stroll before morning tea Date: 5 March 2024 Logistics and meteorology made a short day necessary, with an ...

Day 37 | Lake Kaniere to Ross

On the trail again Date: 3 March 2024 Three days catching up with cuzzies -Grant, Sue, Ian, Drew & Liz ...

Day 36 | Greymouth to Lake Kaniere

West Coast Wilderness Trail Date: 28/2/24 An easy 20 km of flat riding through the dunes along the beach and ...

Day 35 | Reefton to Greymouth

It's all downhill from here Date: 27 Feb 2024 We had a grey day for the long Grey valley. It ...

Day 34 | Maruia to Reefton

And still one more pass Date: 26 Feb 2024 This time, the Rahu Saddle between Springs Junction and Reefton. Every ...

Day 33 | Murchison to Maruia

Another day, another pass Date: 25 Feb 2024 Comments by Jill today Well the weather gods are still on our ...

Day 32 | St Arnaud to Murchison

A downhill day Date: 24 Feb 24 For the ebikers out there, there's some interesting battery-use stats at the end ...

Day 31 | Wairau Valley to St Arnaud

The Blenheim whine tour Date: 23 Feb 2024 Grade: 2 Well, it was a 67 km gentle but relentless climb ...

Day 30 | Havelock to Wairau Valley

The Marlborough wineless tour Date: 22 Feb 2024 The local tourist website says that the mostly-flat valley road between Havelock ...

Day 29 | Picton to Havelock

In praise of roadworks Date: 21 Feb 2024 Grade: 2 From Eastbourne we set off along the cyclepath beside the ...

Day 28 | Ocean Beach to Eastbourne

Spectacular with a side order of Day 1 Date: 18 Feb 2024 Grade: 2,3 Our original plan to bike all ...

Day 27 | Greytown to Ocean Beach

To the coast Date: 17 Feb 2024 There's a gentle cycleway between Greytown and Featherston, partly cycles only, and mostly ...

Day 26 | Eketahuna to Greytown

Side roads, deviations and byways Date: 16 Feb 2024 Grade: 2 Have you ever heard of the Norwegian church at ...

Day 25 | Ashhurst to Eketahuna

The Tararua Traverse Date: 15 Feb 2024 Grade: 2 There are three possible routes across the Tararuas: The Saddle road ...

Day 24 | Hunterville to Ashhurst

We rode SH1! Date: 14 Feb 2024 Grade: 2 From Hunterville you have to sneak up the dreaded SH 1 ...

Day 23 | Whanganui to Hunterville

A regular rural ramble Date: 13 Feb 2024 An uplifting start today thanks to the Durie Hill Elevator, then a ...

Day 22 | Pipiriki to Whanganui

Down the river Date: 10 Feb 2024 This is a nice ride. Tarsealed road, hardly any traffic, history, scenery, and ...

Day 21 | Ruatiti to Pipiriki

The Bridge to Nowhere Date: 9 Feb 2024 Grade: 2, 3 With only 40 km in total, including a gentle ...

Day 20 | Taumarunui to Ruatiti

A day off, heavy strategizing and bit of cheating Date: 8 Feb 2024 I won't trouble you with another post ...

Day 19 | Piropiro to Taumaranui

Luck, luck, and more luck Date: 6 Feb Grade: 2, 3 We woke to sun shining on the forest all ...

Day 18 | Pureora to Piropiro

Timber Trail Day 1 Date: 5 Feb 2024 Grade: 2, 3 We woke to a clagged-in and slightly chilly day, ...

Day 17 – Mangakino to Pureora

Lunch with an old tree Date: 4 Feb Grade: 2 Rather than take the official TA route (65 km with ...

Day 16 | Arapuni to Mangakino

Maeraetai to Maraetai Date: 3 Feb 2024 We passed Maraetai on Tuesday and now we're at Lake Maraetai 5 days ...

Day 15 | Tamahere to Arapuni

Waikato River Part 2 Date: 2 Feb 2024 From Tamahere (thanks Mark and Alison for your house, pool, beers and ...

Day 14 – Huntly to Tamahere

Cruising by the river Date: 1 Feb 2024 We took the old main highway from Huntly, stopping at Taupiri for ...

Day 13 – Miranda to Huntly

River or plains Date: 31 Jan 2024 From Miranda the traditional TA Route goes East to the Hauraki Rail Trail ...

Day 12 | Auckland to Miranda

The Hunua Traverse Date: 30 Jan 2024 Grade: 2, 3 After a 6 week rest to avoid the school holidays ...

Day 11 | Warkworth to Auckland

and home ... Date: 18 Dec 23 The old state Highway 1 route from Warkworth is great now that the ...

Day 10 | Mangawhai to Warkworth

Valleys and danger Date: 17 Dec 23 This is an unremarkable section except for the fact that it is a ...

Day 9 | Whangarei Heads to Mangawhai

More off-road than we expected Date: 16 Dec 2023 There is a water taxi service across the Whangarei heads run ...

Day 8 | Tutukaka to Whangarei Heads

Just missed Whangarei Date: 15 Dec 23 Grade: 2 We packed up early had a big breakfast across the road ...

Day 7 | Oakura to Tutukaka

Originally to Whananaki but ... Date: 14 Dec 2023 Originally I had a plan that took a shortcut between Helena ...

Day 6 | Kawakawa to Oakura

Back roads over the saddle Date: 13 Dec 2023 We biked around to Ohakura via the Whakapura pass, a steep ...

Day 5 | Kohukohu to Kawakawa

Twin Coast Trail Date: 12 Dec 23 A short ferry ride in the late morning to Mangungu put us the ...

Day 4 | Ahipara to Kohukohu

Road day Date: 11 Dec 2023 I had been worried about this leg because it has become the main route ...

Day 3 | Hukatere to Ahipara

With the wind Date: 10 Dec 2023 The wind did a 180 and it was so nice to cruise and ...

Day 2 | Te Kao to Hukatere

A short day to catch up with the Plan Date: 9 Dec 2023 A leisurely start after yesterday's effort riding ...

Day 1 | Cape Reinga to Te Kao

DO NOT FOLLOW THIS ROUTE Date: 8 Dec 2023 Grade: 2 Firstly, getting the bikes to Kaitaia did not go ...

 

Our bikes:

Moustache FS X Road FS5 and FS, tweaked to suit us. 650wH battery

We have about 7kg of luggage, no tents, prefer camping ground cabins or B&Bs to motels