LONG CYCLE TOUR.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 29 December 1927, Page 5

LONG CYCLE TOUR.

THROUGH TARANAKI AND ROTORUA.

LOCAL ROADS APPRECIATED.

The favourable weather conditions prevailing generally during the present holiday season has opened many avenues- of enjoyment to the vigorous voutli of New Zealand. Not the least pleasurabe form a holiday jaunt -may vke is a bicyc’e tour, particularly as applied to Taranaki, where the arterial roads, even though hilly in places, are splendidly surfaced and lend themselves ’.dmirably to the most likeable conditions of a push-bike tour. These roads also are lined with shady, sheltered nooks —-patches of native bush and plantations, usually edging a stream of good water—which form desirable day or night camping sites. Familiarity with this charming aspect of existing natural conditions has possibly engendered a measure of contempt on . the .art of Taranaki’s youthful _ athletes, who. quits in the order of tilings, perhaps prefer travelling further afield in quest of amusement.

However, the ' unalloyed delights of such a jaunt are just now being enjoyed by a young law student of Dunedin (Mr M. M. Caudwell) in the course of a three-weeks’ vacation. On .arrival 'n 'Wellington from South, Mr Caudwell entrained for Levin, from which point he commenced his care-free, easy-stage, bicycle iournev through the .southern and middle portions of the North Island. Mounted on a fairly heavy roadster and hampered with a. light tent, camp paraphernalia and swag of generous proportions, he set out from Levin on Sunday afternoon, camping five miles' to tiro southward of Sanson. On the journey to Wanganui, which was reached at 5 p.m. on Monday, he struck trouble on the Wangaehu Hill in the form of a front tyre blow-out, which burst the wheel rim, necessitating an application of the .average New Zealander’s ingenuity and aptitude as a wire-worker- By leisurely riding, the tourist arrived in Hawera at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, selecting the new camp site in King Edward Park as his abiding place for the night. In conversation with a representative of “The Hawera Star” on Wednesday, Mr Caudwell stated that in the whole of his tours he lias not .seen a better public camp site than that at Hawera, and he speaks with experience, this being his second long bicyc’e venture. He had previously undertaken three extensive tramps over various South Island routes, two of which included the partial ascent of Mount Cook and the devious windings of Arthur’s Pass and Otira Gorge through to Arahura and Hokitika. He expressed 'Ms admiration of the Taranaki roads, and said there was nothing in the South Island to compare with them —they made a “cyclists’ paradise.” Despite a troublesome head-wind, the tourist rode out of Hawera yesterday, expecting to make Mokau by nightfall, bat not much worried if compelled to camp before reaching hits goal. He intends later on to organise .a party to saunter, in its own time, through the smiling farm areas at the base of Mt. Egmont. which lie was assured were equally we'l roaded as the main route. Mr Ga ud well’s itinerary includes a visit to Waitomo Caves, . Frank ton Tmiction, Rotorua and Lake" Taupo. From Taupo he will branch off to Napier. through the Hawke’s Bay district to Palmerston North, whence he intends taking train to Wellington to catch the ferry to Lyttelton on Saturday. January 7. A short stay with fa ends in Christchurch and subsequent return to Dunedin will complete his vacation, and, he is convinced, the most enjoyable tour in his experience. As lie bade adieu to the pressman, the tourist, picturesquely clad in a we ] ilworii tweed coat, shorts and puttees (showing a wide expanse of sunburnt limbs between) and baked old soft hat with flapping brim, spoke gratefully of tlie hospitality be had received en route—it was quite on a par with the proverbial open-handedness of West Coasters —and he had been pleased: to return tbe compliment in a small way by exercising his knowledge of mechanics on behalf of a Hawera motorist who had experienced a slight car trouhb on Whcmiakura H:! 1 •