Wanderer trip day 3

We cycled around the lake in the morning, it's around an hour. The track varies from wide to narrow, gravel to sand and bare rock.

The next stop was a small campground in the Waipoua Forest by the river. A very quiet spot.

 

Wanderer trip day 2

We drove north to Kaihu and parked outside the village hall. We drove the car + bikes a bit south to Mamaranui, where we saddled up for the ride back to the bus. This ride was mainly along quiet country roads.

back at the bus, we put the bikes on our other bike rack and drove back to the car. All hooked up again we made our way to Kai Iwi Lakes where we had a place booked for the night. After lunch we walked around some of the lake...

(Malcolm's short cut)

...and I had a swim to cool off.

 

At Kai Iwi Lakes

It's late summer now and we've had two visits to Kai Iwi Lakes, near Dargaville. The first visit we stayed in Dargaville, beside the Wairoa River. We woke to a hazy morning...

...then on to the lakes. Malcolm wanted to test the bike rack he'd designed and built.

The bike rack hinges to give access to the storage area and so the back door can be opened for ventilation when it's hot.

We've walked around the lakes before but this time we cycled.

On our second visit be joined our friends Sue and Jeff in their bus, Buster.

Morning light

Evening drinks

Then we headed south, Stopping for coffee at Coast Cafe in Maungatoroto.

 

Kai Iwi Lakes

 

Finally we got a couple of good warm, sunny days so we loaded 

 up the bus and headed off for Kai Iwi Lakes - they are on the west coast, about an hour and a half from here.

We parked overlooking the biggest lake and then walked around it....

A nice, two hour stroll.

Then we drove into Dargaville and parked at the NZMCA Park. In the late afternoon we strolled around town...

Statue commemorating the gum diggers, mainly from Dalmatia (Croatia)

The park is at an old boatyard, complete with historic boatsheds...

where we spent happy hour (or two) with the other motorhomers, followed by this sunset.