Matamata

Matamata is a rural farming community on the other side of the Kaimai's (mentioned here several times previously) lots of cows, trees and it just so happens to be one of the places where filming of the Lord of the Rings was filmed. This view is just past the main township and on the highway out. Yes that 2 laned road is actually a highway! I didn't see any hobbits although I did see a garden centre called Hobbiton. There's touristy things to do with LOTR here, tours and the like but we were on a ride straight through. DH and I like to get out on the bike together as often as we can and this is the first ride we've had together in over a month due to hospital visits and the like! It was a freezing day (he tell's me I am a wuss) but beautiful and clear. 'Crisp' I think the weather man called it. We did a 200km run from our house in Tauranga over the Kaimai's and through Matamata, Te Aroha (photo below) Paeroa (where they make the L&P fizzy drink...which is world famous in NZ as their ad says!) Waihi (remember the old Gold Mining House photo?) and along the beautiful Karangahaki George (I posted a photo of the mystery man and the un-used rail bridge a while back) and back home again. It was a great ride and I can't wait for the next one!

If these photo's are looking blurry please tell me...they look funny on my screen when I view them on my blog but fine on my screen when I see them in the original programme...maybe it's the Hobbits?