Paekakariki – again …

On Tuesday 24 January we took a drive up to Paekakariki again, for another ride on the Whareroa track. We looked in on the Tram Museum again, had another look around the tram barn, and stopped to talk to the two people who were on tram driving duty.

We talked to the people on driving duty for the day (photo by John)

One of them said he had an e-bike too, so we asked if he knew anything about the cycle track that was supposed to be built alongside the new Kapiti Expressway (Mackay’s to Peka Peka). He said he thought it had been built concurrently, and that the Expressway was due to be opened in the not too distant future.

We cycled out of the old Mackay’s Crossing entrance to the Queen Elizabeth Park, and rode for a short distance on a bit of the old road, which had been replaced by a new motorway in 2006.

The old MacKay’s Crossing Road, near where it joins on to the new motorway between
Paekakariki and Raumati (photo by John)

The old Mackay’s Crossing entrance to QE Park (photo by John)

We biked the rest of the Whareroa track, and when we got to Poplar Avenue in Raumati, we went to check on the status of the cycle track by the Expressway. It looked ready to go, but there was orange netting, which, though it had collapsed onto the tarmac, indicated that we weren’t supposed to go there – yet.

The Raumati start of the cycle track next to the Expressway (photo by John)

Since then I have seen on the Facebook page of Cycle Aware Wellington, a link advising that the Kapiti Cycling Club is announcing a “once in a lifetime chance to cycle on the Expressway” before the official opening of the new road. There will be races, but also a non-competitive recreational ride. The date has not yet been determined, but it is worth keeping an eye on. It should be towards the end of February or early March. I think it would be great to take part in the recreational ride.

After checking on the Raumati expressway cycle track, we rode to Paraparaumu for an icecream, and John set up his bike again, to take a bike-style “selfie” (using his rear-mounted camera set on a time lapse).

Enjoying the sun in Paraparaumu (photo by John)

When we returned to Paekakariki, we kept going along Ames Street towards SH1, and found the Paekakariki Domain, which overlooked the beach – far below us – and a walking track that led to The Fisherman’s Table (restaurant). We didn’t go down that track, but John took some nice photos.

The Paekakariki Domain. No guesses what the prevailing wind direction is! (photo by John)

View from the Paekakariki Domain towards Pukerua … (photo by John)

… and towards Kapiti Island (photo by John)