going to be another monster-km day, but it dawned crystal clear and sunny. We packed up and left straight into winding bush and long swift straights leading out to the East Cape seascape where White Island’ s plume first indicated it was nearby. If there’ s a prettier coastal road than that from the tip of the East Cape to Opotiki, I have never heard of it. I am filled with the heady promise of life in each headland and crossing big lazy rivers, the Motu, the Waioeka and the Whakatane. Other smaller streams cross to swathes of stone and sand beaches, where the small waves spray white foaming cascades onto rocky bush-covered headlands, and we sail past small villages and settlements gazing out to sea. Gas was a priority for Lance as his leak was eating his reserves. We stopped at Orete Point and filled up amongst the 4WDs and their towed fishing boats – all eager to be out amongst it on such a perfect day. A few kilometres down the road we came to the little white-steepled Anglican church on the point at Waiokaha. I stop there because it was a place my friend Horace Hartnett and I visited
Above: helmet hair! Below: Where’ s the leak coming from BMW?
102 KIWI RIDER