After a long ride around the East Cape, with its lonely beaches, Māori villages, steep hills and the lighthouse at the easternmost point of New Zealand's mainland, coming back into West Auckland can feel like a rude awakening. The finish is in the western suburbs, between Te Atatū and Massey, near the upper reaches of the Waitematā Harbour, a suburban area of houses, parks and shopping centres, and it is the finish line for that long adventure.
The upper Waitematā is a quieter, more sheltered part of the harbour, with mangroves, mudflats and creeks winding inland. The Te Atatū Peninsula juts out into the harbour, with walking paths along the shore and views across the water to the city skyline and the Harbour Bridge. Ten minutes on foot there does wonders for knees that have spent days folded on a bike.
West Auckland has a distinctive identity, shaped by the Waitākere Ranges, the wild west coast beaches and the waves of immigrants who settled here, from Dalmatian winemakers to Pacific Islanders. The area around Henderson and Kumeu, just to the west, is still dotted with vineyards, some of them run by families who have been making wine here for generations. A visit to a cellar door is a pleasant way to celebrate the end of a long ride, though obviously after the bike is parked.
The East Cape ride covers some of the most remote roads in the North Island, and State Highway 35 around the cape is long, winding and sometimes rough, with few services. By the time you get back to Auckland, you will have earned a rest. The western suburbs have plenty of fuel stations, supermarkets and takeaways, and the motorway network connects them to the rest of the city. Traffic can be heavy, especially on Sunday evenings, when everyone returns from weekends away.