Fish and Chips at OPO Takeaways
for everyone else. Many of the roads were classic Northland backcountry gravel— narrow, winding, and constantly changing. The inclusion of private farmland added another dimension to the event, with riders crossing paddocks, grassy tracks, and light muddy sections that kept things interesting without becoming extreme.
HIGHLIGHTS AND MEMORABLE MOMENTS One of the highlights was riding up the iconic Ninety Mile Beach and seeing toheroa gatherers and fishermen along the way. The route later looped around the Bay of Islands and passed the historic Waitangi Treaty Grounds. The Takahue Saddle became one of the event’ s unexpected talking points. About twothirds of the way through this challenge route, after riders had already negotiated several tricky sections, they encountered a complete washout blocked with logs and storm debris that made the track impassable. Riders were forced to turn around and retrace their path before re-joining the main gravel-road loop. It highlighted just how important last-minute route checking can be after severe weather and changing conditions in remote areas. Weather conditions added another layer to the event. Rain arrived on two of the three days, although most riders agreed it was more of a nuisance than a real problem. In many ways it improved conditions by keeping the dust down and making the gravel roads more manageable. Like most adventure rides, the Northern Explorer developed a strong sense of camaraderie among riders. One unexpected route change led the group down a forestry gravel road where a crossing had been badly washed out by earlier storms. Riders ended up roping bikes one at a time through the
KIWI RIDER 95