I got some more time on the conmputer, so here are some of yesterday's photos.  The first two are looking back and looking forward from the peak of the Coromandel hill.  The climb is about 350 meters in 3 kilometers, or an average slope of over 11 %.  Compare this to the hll up Mount Washington which (I believe) averages 8% with two 11% sections.  Add all of our gear to carry and the fact that we haven't cycled a huge amount prior to this trip and you end up with a real gutbuster.  Luckily, it wasn't as long as Mount Washington or we would still be on it.  There are lots more hills like this, but hopefully our fitness will improve.

The 3rd photo is a logging truck coming up the road loaded with Radiata (sp?) pine.

And the cute little shack is our room in Whitianga, at a hostel.  Better than the dorm rooms.  Click on the photos to get a larger view.

We're heading south today, stoppng at Hot Water Beach and taking a day off there if the weather holds (which it isn't predicted to).