† Explanation of BAC Ride Fee – This fee is not included in the Estimated Cost and is non-refundable once submitted. The Ride Fee for US and Canada is $50 and $100 for all other countries, both are per participant.
This is the classic North Island tour from Auckland (AKL), New Zealand's largest city to Wellington (WLG), its capitol. It is also the perfect tour for a new BAC member or anyone collecting memories! We’re looking especially for new BAC members or singles and couples are always welcome! Your opportunity to enjoy a ride spanning many of the North Island’s must-see attractions is in front of your eyes! We will begin in Auckland, NZ (AKL) on Monday, April 29, 2019 and end in Wellington, NZ (WLG) 12 days later on Friday, May 10, 2019. The south end of Hauraki Gulf on the Clevedon Coast, the Coromandel Peninsula, world famous Cathedral Cove and Tongoriro National Park are all part of this journey, and a 3 or 4 star hotel at the end of the day will make this an unforgettably fond memory. Transfers from and to our beginning and ending airports are included.
ITINERARY
Day One, Monday 29th April 2019 (D) Transfer from Auckland Airport (AKL) to Sebel Suites, Viaduct Basin, Auckland for bike assembly or bike fitting. Optional ride 50 kms (30miles), 2200’ ascent. Happy Hour with welcome dinner to follow will begin at 6 PM at Seibel Suites.
Day Two, Tuesday 30th April Clevedon Coast to Thames 90kms (56 miles), 1900’ ascent
Day Three Wednesday 1st May Thames to Coromandel 52 kms (32 miles), 2415’ ascent
Day Four, Thursday 2nd May Whitianga 70kms (43 miles), 2600’ ascent
Day Five, Friday 3rd May Hauraki Plains 132kms (82 miles), 3700’ ascent
Day Six, Saturday 4th May Pukeatua 114kms (71 miles), 3700' ascent
Day Seven, Sunday 5th May Tongariro National Park 119kms (74 miles), 5300’ ascent
Day Eight, Monday 6th May, Rest Day
Day Nine, Tuesday 7th May, Whanganui 131 kms (81 miles), 3940’ ascent
Day Ten, Wednesday 8th May, Masterton 116 kms (72 miles), 3100’ ascent
Day Eleven, Thursday 9th May, Wairarapa to Wellington 48 kms (30 miles), 1000’ ascent
Day Twelve, Friday 10th May, Wellington Tour ends with transfer to the airport.
RIDE RATING: This is a 3C ride as we will average 57 miles per 10 days of riding (one optional makes it 11 days and is not included) with 2980 feet of climbing. Our total for the tour will be 572 miles with 29,855 feet of climbing. We will have longer days of 62, 62, 81 and 72 miles on days 5, 7, 9 and 10 and five days where we climb over 3000 feet (days 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10). Day 7 has the potential for climbing 5300 feet. Day 8 is a rest day. Additionally and since my friends the Brits settled this part of the world, we will be riding on the “wrong” side of the road for the entire trip—best to follow an experienced rider through your first roundabout! There will be short but easily managed climbs of greater than 8% on most days—no bad hills, just bad gears! Weather may also affect riding conditions.
WEATHER: The weather in New Zealand is changeable and varies from warm to cold, wet to dry and is always promising. Average high temps for May in Auckland are 63F (17C) and lows are 52F (11C) with precipitation being 50mms (about 2 inches) over the month. Expect the best, prepare for the worst!
LODGING & MEALS: This tour generally has us in highly rated accommodations with 11 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 9 dinners included. Where not included, excellent dining is easily available. There will be 11 Happy Hours in true BAC style sampling fine New Zealand wines and cutting edge craft beers--the fastest growing segment of New Zealand's economy. Of course, non-alcoholic drinks and snacks will also be available.
LOGISTICS: A visa is not required to visit New Zealand for US citizens. We will begin this tour in Auckland (AKL) at the Sebel Suites downtown Auckland. For folks wishing to arrive a few days earlier (highly recommended), booking and transportation from the airport is on your own but with prior communication, you may be picked up from the airport on April 28 between 8 AM and 6 PM, and on April 29 between 8 AM and noon. .gpx files will be made available prior to the tour and cue sheets provided on site. Our shakedown ride will be on April 29 and may be shortened if you wish with Happy Hour and introductions followed by dinner that evening, beginning at 6 PM. There are short van rides on Days 2,5,7,10 and 11 and a ferry ride to Cathedral Cove on Day 4. While van supported, it is expected that all riders will be able to complete the daily rides. This tour will end in Wellington on May 10, 2019 after breakfast. Transportation to Wellington Airport (WLG) is included with arrangement for either May 10 or May 11, 2019.
Bicycle rentals for NZD$200 are available by contacting Brian at NZBicycletours.com.
Tandems are available and suitable for this tour. This is a road bike tour but slightly wider tires are helpful (25mm or 28mm). You will appreciate having climbing gears and not a 11-23 cassette! Gravel is not expected but short yards of road construction may be present.
COST & ADMINISTRATION: The total fee for this tour is $4375 for which you get 10 days of cycling, 12 days of meals and accommodations, transfers as noted, and friends that will last you a lifetime. The cost is based on current exchange rate of $0.75 per NZD but there may be an adjustment of the final payment if it changes appreciably. There is a 5% contingency fee included and per custom, all unspent moneys will be returned to participants after final accounting. Airfare to NZ is not included, nor is additional alcohol beyond Happy Hour! A deposit of $1500 will be required for participants with final payment to BAC made by 1 February, 2019 of $2875.
SINGLES & SOLOS POLICY: New BAC members and Singles are especially recruited for this tour! If single, a list of other singles (and possible same-sex roommates) will be provided as they become known / registered for the ride. After receipt of the initial deposit, a single without a roommate will be placed on the ride and given until 1 January, 2019 to find a roommate. If you are unable to find a roommate, you will have the option to receive a full refund (minus the BAC fee and payment processing fee) or pay $1800USD solo supplement cost and stay on the ride as a solo if accommodations will permit. I will assist in any way possible. Because accommodations are limited in smaller venues, only a limited number of solos (those without wanting a roommate) will be possible. There is no single supplement fee charged if an odd number of participants results in a single room. In this case, the tour organizer reserves the right to allocate a slightly lower grade room, with private facilities, for that single.Solo supplement payments need to be sent to the BAC office. Checks should be made out to “BAC” with a notation of the tour name included on the check. They should be mailed to: Bicycle Adventure Club, PO Box 23998, San Diego, CA 92193.
CANCELLATION POLICY: The BAC ride registration fee is not refundable unless the entire tour is cancelled. Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recouped. The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost as a result of cancellations. If the cancelling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time. If the cancelling participant can't be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report are completed. If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped the cancelling roommate may also be liable for the single supplement fee of the roommate remaining on the tour. BAC encourages members to purchase trip cancellation insurance.
RIDE PARTICIPANT RESPONSIBILITY: Please remember that BAC Ride Leaders are volunteers, and that successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support. Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles. All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour. We encourage you to read the ride description carefully and respond to requests from Ride Leader. While on the ride, support your Ride Leader with offers to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation and clean-up. Please do not interfere with the ride by inviting non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour. Please keep the Ride Leader informed of any special request you may have and respect the Ride Leader’s decisions.
SIGN-UP: To submit a request to join this ride use the "links" displayed above this Ride Description. When you are accepted, the Ride Leader will move you from the Waitlist to the Pending List. At this time you will receive an email notification to login to the BAC website to sign the release of liability form and pay the non-refundable BAC ride registration fee and the initial tour deposit ($1500) by credit card. As soon as your deposit has been processed, your name(s) will be added to the Participant List. To contact the Ride Leader, "click" the name at the top of this Ride Description.
Bicycle Adventure Club
PO BOX 23998 San Diego, CA 92193
Telephone (858) 715-9510 office@bicycleadventureclub.org