Folding Goldies ride – Seeking Sakura in Whitby

On Thursday 28 September, we went on a Folding Goldies ride to take a look at the flowering cherry trees in Whitby. Alastair, the leader of the FG group had been in Japan at the peak of the cherry blossom season, hence the name of the ride – Seeking Sakura in Whitby. 

We were to meet at the Porirua train station at 9:35, and ride the Whitby Traverse, to see the cherry blossoms, then to Pauatahanui for coffee, and return to Mana, via Te Ara Piko. The map is here. 

John and I took the train from Takapu Road – we could have biked to Porirua, but I suggested we ride that stretch after the main event, rather than before.

On the motorway side of Porirua Station (photo by John)

Ten of us set off from Porirua Station, and after ducking under the motorway, we had to bike up Champion Road for some distance, because the track alongside the Kenepuru Stream was not usable. There were repairs going on after it had been damaged by flooding. We joined the Bothamley Park track a bit further along. This is a pleasant, wide track through a bushy area, where it is easy to ride side by side and have a conversation.

Bothamley Park (photo by John)

Coming off the Bothamley Park track onto Warspite Ave (photo by John)

At Ascot Park, the “track” leads alongside a sportsfield. It is basically a concrete drain, but in several places the concrete is cracked and very uneven. On a previous ride I had a spill along here, so I was quite careful. No spill this time.

The “track” alongside the Ascot Park sportsfield (photo by John)

Whitby has a great network of walking/cycling tracks, but you’ve got to know your way around them, as they are not very well signposted. We have got lost a couple of times on previous rides.

The cherry blossom trees in Nishio Garden were donated by Porirua’s sister city Nishio in Japan. I think we got there just about a week too late to see them at their best. There were plenty of blossoms, but the leaves had already started coming out. And sadly the swathe of daffodils under the trees had all but finished.

Plenty of blossoms, but also lots of leaves, and not many daffodils left (photo by John)

Gordon checks out the information panel about Nishio Garden (photo by John)

From this angle, the blossoms appear swamped by greenery (photo by John)

By 10:30, we were at the Ground Up Café in Pauatahanui, where we enjoyed coffee and scones. Always a very pleasant interlude – the chance to chat and get to know each other a bit better.

Coffee and scones at the Ground Up Café in Pauatahanui (photo by John)

After our coffee stop, we rode along Grays Road, Te Ara Piko and the Camborne Walkway to Mana. From there, most of the group headed for the station to take the train back to Wellington or Pukerua, while we decided to bike back to Takapu Road, in Tawa. We rode a total of 32 km.

Riding on the protected lane on Grays Road (photo by John)

A brief stop at Motukaraka Point (photo by John)

The Camborne Walkway took us back to Mana (photo by John)

Some headed off to Mana Station, we biked back to Tawa (photo by John)

Folding Goldies ride – Pukerua-Whitby-Porirua

On Wednesday 5 July, we went for another Folding Goldies ride. The plan was to take the train to Pukerua, then ride down Te Ara Harakeke to Mana, cross to the Camborne Walkway and head to Pauatahanui’s Ground Up Café for coffee/lunch. Then through Whitby and Bothamley Park to Porirua, and home.

It was a beautiful, frosty day – clear and calm, but very cold. So we wrapped up warm – long trousers instead of short, and I had four layers on under my jacket, plus my neck warmer. My body was toasty warm most of the day, but my hands were very cold in my fingerless biking gloves. They did warm up as the day wore on.

It was the biggest group we’ve had so far. Our neighbour Sue met us at Takapu Road station. Luckily it was a long train with two carriages that could take bikes. Alastair, Nigel and Paul were in the back carriage, so we hopped on the front one. Some poor chap with a bike (not a FG) at Mana station missed out. The guard wouldn't let him on, as each carriage is only allowed to take three bikes. We could have folded up one of our bikes, but the train departed before we could negotiate that with the guard.

Waiting for us at Pukerua were people who had come in from Kapiti: Lynn, Doff and Neil, Frank; Colin, who had biked up, and two new people, Heuchan and Richard. Thirteen people in all.

A big group, about to set off from Pukerua Station (photo by John)

Doff on the Pukerua footbridge over SH1 (photo by John)

Down Te Ara Harakeke (photo by John)

It was very cold coming down the hill – in shady areas there were patches of frost still in the grass alongside the track, but fortunately not on the track itself. The ride went well until the Camborne Walkway. On the unsealed, somewhat slippery track that runs along behind the boat sheds, we had to keep well to the left to make room for a couple of women with pushchairs. While keeping to the left, and looking to the right to make sure I avoided the pushchairs, I slid into the gutter, and then into a hole. The bike stopped, I kept going and went flying. Crash! I’m afraid I let go of some choice expletives.

One of the women came to my aid to lift the bike off me. It is quite heavy, and my right leg was folded underneath me and the bike, so I had trouble getting up. I ended up with a fist-sized bruise above my right knee, and bruising all around my left knee as well. But generally, I was OK, and so we carried on.

On the Camborne track – note muddy knees and shoes from my fall … (photo by John)

When we got to Grays Road, we rode for a short distance on the road, before crossing to a new boardwalk through the wetlands. We had seen the flags marking out the proposed track the last time we were there (in September), but it was now completed, as far as just past the bridge.

The proposed track, in September 2016 (photo by John)

On the new boardwalk, coming up to the bridge (photo by John)

The wetlands at low tide

It was great to be able to divert onto the boardwalk, as that bit of road is quite treacherous – winding, no shoulder, and prone to impatient drivers. However, the fun was short-lived as we had to go back on the road for another short distance before we got to Motukaraka Point.

The end of this stretch of boardwalk – and back onto the road

The peloton riding at Motukaraka Point (photo by John)

Riding at the back of the group, I was struck at one stage by the colourful combination of all the yellow, red and orange jackets as they were riding past a tall clump of red-hot-poker flowers (Kniphofia). It would have made a great photo, but the moment was gone before I could get my camera out.

We got to the Ground Up Café at 11:15. Just a bit too early for lunch, but I had soup anyway, and it was very nice. After lunch we headed towards Whitby.

Ready for take-off after lunch (photo by John)

Taking a breather at the top of the steepest climb of the ride in Whitby (photo by John)

Waiting for the stragglers (us!) in Bothamley Park (photo by John)

I was not the only one in the wars that day. John had a couple of mishaps (slow falls, he called them) on slippery ground. His compromised sense of balance does not help in these situations. Fortunately he was not hurt.

John in on the Bothamley Pathway

At the end of the Bothamley Pathway, there is another track that skirts the Kenepuru Stream through Cannon’s Creek. But this track was closed – I believe one of the bridges had been damaged. Actually, I was relieved to find we had to stay on the road instead. This track is quite narrow and can be muddy, even boggy, and I didn’t want either of us to do any more slip-sliding around.

We were lagging behind a bit, and some of the time the others waited for us to catch up. But at the end, I suppose they must have made a run for it so they could catch the train back to town from Porirua. They got there just in time. We arrived at the station underpass just as it was leaving.

We didn't need the train. We were able to just bike back to Takapu Road on Te Ara Tawa. We did 35 km all up.

Folding Goldies ride – Pauatahanui and Whitby

After two months of not blogging, I have a few rides to write up. Even one that we didn’t actually go on.

On 24 August, the Folding Goldies group planned a ride which Alastair called a “Tour de Paekakariki” – having been inspired by watching the Tour de France. He suggested taking the train to Paekakariki, then climbing the Paekak Hill, riding over the top, down to Pauatahanui, along Te Ara Piko to Mana, and then the train home.

When he first put out the email, I said "You've got to be joking", but he assured us that the climb was “steady but not too steep”. John reckoned I was a wuss, if I didn’t join in, so I was prepared to give it a go. After all, we have e-bikes that “flatten the hills …”.

But in the end, neither of us went, as John was still having trouble with his knee (damaged a month earlier), and I managed to get him to see a doctor that day.

Five of the other Folding Goldies did go, and Alastair put up a few photos of the ride, which I’ll share here (with his permission).

Biking up the Paekakariki Hill Road (photo by Alastair Smith)

At the Paekakariki look-out. From left: John B, Sue, Daryl, Carole (photo by Alastair Smith)

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A month later, on 21 September, the Folding Goldies went for another ride. This time, the plan was to take the train to Pukerua Bay, ride down Te Ara Harakeke to Plimmerton, then the Camborne Walkway and Te Ara Piko along the northern shore of the Pauatahanui Inlet. Lunch at the Ground Up Café in Pauatahanui, then the Whitby Traverse to see the cherry blossoms in the Japanese Garden in Whitby, before heading back to Porirua via Bothamley Park.

John wasn’t up to biking yet after his health set-back, so I went without him. But he was able load my bike into the car, drive me to Takapu Road station, and unload the bike. Because the e-bike is heavy, and I have problem hands, I am not able to manage lifting it in and out of the car myself.

Apart from Alastair, three other Folding Goldies came along. Lynn joined us at Pukerua Bay Station, having biked there from Paraparaumu. We zoomed down Te Ara Harakeke, rode through Plimmerton and Mana, and headed onto the Camborne Walkway, around the northern edge of the Pauatahanui Inlet.

At the end of the Camborne Walkway. From left: Gottfried, Lynn, Frank, Alastair

After the Camborne Walkway, we had to ride on Grays Road to get to Motukaraka and Te Ara Piko. As we were approaching the bridge over the Kakaho Stream, we could see that there were preparations for building the next stage of Te Ara Piko. Two lines of flags showed where the track will go across the wetlands. This is really good news, as the road bridge is narrow and not terribly safe for cyclists, so it will be great to have a separate bridge for walkers and cyclists. Of course we stopped to take pictures.

Alastair crossed the road to take photos

Two lines of flags show where the track will run through the wetlands towards the Camborne Walkway

The proposed track, near the Kakaho Stream

There is an interesting blog post on the Te Ara Piko website, which describes this next stage of the pathway. It also has information about the Pauatahanui Garden Trail on Sunday 27 November, which is a community event to raise funds for the continued extension of the track. I think we will go – it will be a good cause to support. 

After lunch at the Ground Up Café in Pauatahanui, we headed into Whitby, where we were hoping to see the cherry blossoms in the Nishio Japanese Garden. We did this ride at about the same time last year, in the opposite direction, and saw the blossoms then. This time, unfortunately, the trees had not yet started to flower, though the daffodils under them looked lovely.

Lots of daffodils …

… but sadly no cherry blossoms yet

However, on our way through Bothamley Park, we saw quite a few trees that had started flowering – probably just different varieties.

We did find some trees in Bothamley Park that were flowering

When we got to Porirua, the others planned to take the train back to Wellington from there. I was biking back to Takapu Road, from where John would pick me up. However as the train wasn’t due for a while yet, they accompanied me as far as Redwood Station, before catching the train from there.

John was waiting for me at the Takapu Road end of Te Ara Tawa (photo by John)

Despite the cold wind, and the disappointment of not seeing the cherry blossoms, it had been an enjoyable ride, but somehow, it wasn’t the same without John.

Cherry Blossoms in Whitby

Wow, it seems like such a long time since I last wrote up a blog post. We have been cycling, but I’ve had no time to write things up.

On Thursday 24 Sep, we went on a Folding Goldies ride. As pre-planned dates tend to go, you have no control over what the weather will be like on the day, and this time, again, it was not a particularly brilliant day – quite cold and wet.

The date was determined by the flowering of the cherry trees in the Japanese garden in Whitby. The walking/cycling path runs through it, and on previous rides we had speculated on how lovely they would look at the right time of year. The plan was to take the train to Porirua, bike through Bothamley Park to Whitby. Then on to Pauatahanui for lunch, and back to Mana for the train back. There were six of us – a few more than usual – and for the first time, another woman came along.

As expected, the track through Bothamley Park was quite wet. The wide path through the forest was was OK when on the gravel, but some part were quite muddy.

The lower end of Bothamley Park (photo by John)

Fortunately the muddy track had a solid base (photo by John)

We emerged from the forest track, and crossed the road (don’t know which road it was!). Here several of the group stopped to take off their parkas, as it was warming up a bit and the rain had stopped. I am glad that I didn’t take mine off, because on the next track, I went for a spill in the mud.

Time for some of us to shed a layer (photo by John)

We avoided riding on a very soggy bit of track, and diverted along the edge of a sports ground, where the “track” was basically a concrete draining channel. I tried to avoid a broken bit of concrete, and strayed onto the soft edge of the grass, promptly losing traction and going for a skid. Result: I came a cropper, landing on my left side in the mud. Because it was soft and wet, I did not hurt myself, but I did get filthy dirty. Lucky I was wearing my parka over my nice new blue Tineli jacket (which is not so easy to wash!). The parka was easy to sponge clean when I got home.

The walking/cycling paths in Whitby are very nice indeed. We duly reached the Japanese Garden with all its lovely Sakura cherry trees in bloom. This garden celebrates Porirua’s sister city of Nishio, in Japan.

Despite the gloomy sky, the frothy look of the cherry blossoms was a treat, especially as there were still some daffodils out under the trees. Apparently it is tricky to find a time when both the blossoms and the daffodils (which tend to flower a bit earlier) are both at their best. I reckon we were lucky to see both.

Stopping to take photos (photo by John)

Cherry blossoms and daffodils

As we were lingering near the cherry trees, taking photos, a local walking group came along with the same purpose. They told us that usually their group was much larger, but the rainy weather had put some of them off.

Cyclists meet walkers (photo by John)

We stopped for a leisurely lunch at the Ground Up Café in Pauatahanui, and then rode back to Mana via the Camborne Walkway. The weather had sort of cleared by then, and John would have been quite happy to ride all the way back to Porirua or Takapu Road (where we had parked the car), but I felt that 20 km was enough, especially since we were dancing in the evening as well. The others decided that they would take the train back from Mana, so we did too.

For the next Folding Goldies ride, it has been decided that we will ride the Whiteman’s Valley Road.

Pukerua – Pauatahanui – Whitby

In amongst the horrible wintry days, we do get some lovely fine ones, and Wednesday 1 July was such a day – cold, but sunny and calm. With our e-bikes, we took the train from Takapu Road to Pukerua Bay. We discovered that the Takapu Road station had had a make-over since we were there last. A flash new shelter had been installed.

The new shelter at Takapu Road station (photo by John)

As the train sped past Porirua Harbour, the view was gorgeous – flat calm, like a mirror, with lovely reflections of the Whitireia Peninsula opposite.

We had a couple of false starts trying to find the pedestrian overbridge near Pukerua Bay station. John thought it was this way, I thought it was that way. We found it – it is a much safer way to get across SH1 than trying to do so at ground level.

The ramp of the Pukerua Bay pedestrian bridge over SH1 (photo by John)

We rode down Te Ara Harakeke, the shared walking/cycle path alongside the motorway. Whee! No need to pedal! When we got to Whenua Tapu (the cemetery), I suggested we go up Airlies Road, towards Karehana Bay, rather than taking the easy way down the cycle path to Plimmerton.

We’ve only ridden up there once before, on John’s suggestion and with my serious misgivings. It was before we had the e-bikes, and he claimed it would be “just up a little hill" and then it would be all downhill to the Karehana Bay. It wasn’t.

It is quite a lot of uphill, and rather steep at that. That first time I struggled up it, huffing and puffing, having to get off and walk, purple-faced with the effort, cursing and muttering dark grumblings. This time however, with the e-bikes, it was a whole lot easier. I won’t say it was a doddle, it was still hard work, but with the e-assist set at 3 and sometimes 4, at least I did not have to get off and walk.

Downhill all the way to Karehana Bay from here (photo by John)

When we got to the bottom, we noticed some activity and a big crane at the wharf by the Boating Club. We went to investigate. They were repairing the wharf, propping up some of the piles which had become wobbly.

Wharf repairs at the Plimmerton Boating Club (photo by John)

The other wharf and boat launching ramp by the Boating Club (photo by John)

We rode along, through Plimmerton, onto the track that runs beside the railway line. There is a little beach on the other side of the Ngati Toa Domain, but I’ve never seen any people there.

A nice little beach north of the Ngati Toa Domain (photo by John)

At the Domain, we crossed the railway line and SH1, to head towards the Camborne Walkway – one of our favourite tracks. The Pauatahanui Inlet was calm and mirror-like. We watched a grey heron wading through the shallow water at the edge. Long, slow steps, very regal.

Watching the heron (photo by John)

A glimpse of the reflections between the boat sheds (photo by John)

One of the sheds had a painting on each end wall. One side showed the poet Sam Hunt and his dog Minstrel, the other side a seascape with what I assume must be one of his poems. Sam Hunt is a well-known poet, apparently much-loved by NZers, who lived in several of the boatsheds on the Pauatahanui Inlet.

Sam Hunt and his dog Minstrel – and me … (photo by John)

Some of my friends gasp in horror when I say that I detest poetry. I am probably too practical – poetry is too vague and waffly to my taste, a pointless waste of time and energy. And I must admit that I don’t like Sam Hunt’s voice or his delivery either, when he reads his poems. But he’s a local hero, so there you go.

Toetoe and flax (photo by John)

On Te Ara Piko – “The Meandering Path” along the edge of the inlet – we found that two new information panels had been installed at Ration Point. Each featured a photo of the landscape one sees from there, with smaller photos and details pointing out some of the highlights.

Two new information panels at Ration Point (photo by John)

We carried on around the inlet, to the Ground Up Café for lunch, and then rode into Whitby, intending to return to Porirua via Bothamley Park.

Whitby has a very extensive network of walkways which are lovely to bike on. The only trouble is that they are not properly signposted. There are signs with a picture of a walking man pointing to where a track starts, but there is no information as to where it leads.

And we got lost. I am completely directionally challenged – I need a map, and then I still have to turn it round and round to figure out which way I am facing. So I have to rely on John, who seems to have a natural flair for direction most of the time. We went up this path and down that road. All very pleasant, but we clearly weren't making any headway. When I said “You’re lost, aren’t you?”, he replied “That’s OK, we just have to keep the sun on our right, and we’ll get there”. Such confidence.

Whitby has some lovely walking/cycling pathways (photo by John)

We rode under some big macrocarpas …

… and beside a pleasant stream (photo by John)

We-e-ell, he was right, in principle, as we did get to Porirua – eventually. Then again, he was wrong, because we didn’t go via Bothamley Park. Instead of going south towards Bothamley Park and Cannons Creek, we went north towards the Inlet again. We came down Postgate Drive, and ended up on Paremata Road.

This is where we ended up, on Paremata Road

Looking towards the Paremata Bridge

Fortunately there was a foot/cycle path along the water’s edge (there isn’t further around the Inlet, and it is rather hazardous to bike there). So we biked back to Porirua past the Aotea Lagoon, and then along the Porirua Stream, back to Takapu Road, where our car was parked.

The last couple of kilometres through Tawa are on a lovely wide, smooth path, and here John challenged me, “I’ll race you!”. We cranked our assist levels up to 5, and belted along like a couple of youngsters! Nobody else was around, so we didn’t endanger anyone. I was winning, but in the end I had to admit defeat, as my legs couldn’t keep it up. In fact I paid for it in pain in the next few days, especially as I had three dancing nights that week as well. Scottish Country dancing is hard on the old calf muscles!

Despite getting lost, we’d had a great ride – 43 km.