Cycle: 63.9km

We arranged to meet Tim and Cindy at Mt Maunganui tonight, so were very excited about that all day.

First stop, we went straight to the campsite hot pools which were clean and toasty and a gentle way to wake up. We loaded up after Scott did a spot of trampolining (again!) and after we'd heard the road advice from several locals. To Katikati was supposed to be the worst stretch of "Suicide Highway" - good job we were about to do it Saturday midday in holiday season!

I loved this ride. It was perfectly up and down for me. I felt great, but Scott was not 100%. Even so we managed a good average speed. The roads were busy, but with a verge. We stopped in Katikati for lunch, but unfortunately were too early for the Avocado Festival!

On the next stage Tim and Cindy cruised past in their car and Tim shouted out the window "pedal faster!", just as we were going up quite a steep hill. They pulled over and very kindly took our loads on to the campsite for us, and even set up the tent. What great friends!

We struggled on, short-cutting through residential Tauranga, even through a building site pointed out to us by some locals. Scott's rear wheel was wobbly, so we stopped for a spoke-key in Tauranga, but at the campsite realised that two spokes had "popped". Poo. At this point Tim and Scott raced off to get some more spokes (where Scott had to convince the bike-man to reopen his shop!)

Cindy and I chatted over gin and tonic until the boys got back, then we all went to the Hot Salt Walter Pools for a soak. We treated ourselves to a meal out, our first with Cindy and Tim since our arrival in New Zealand! The food was really good, but a little small for some hungry cyclists. Back at the campsite we had a nightcap courtesy of Tim's box of red wine and stayed up chatting.