The stage from Miranda to Thames was very pleasant, without significant climbs. Due to the long previous day's route, we were already looking for a campsite to rest in the early afternoon.
This morning we first enjoyed 30km on a very flat road following the coast. This was followed by a biting 6km climb. As if that wasn't enough we discovered about 500m before the top of the pass that the front tire was torn sideways and already a piece was peeking out from the Schlach. So we pushed the whole vehicle to the rest area on top of the pass to have a closer look. There we "repaired" the defect provisionally with adhesive tape. In addition, we reduced the tire pressure from 65 psi to something below. We also reduced the pressure on the rear wheel, which was also a bit brittle.
So, as a precaution, we didn't roll over 20 km/h on the descent ... too bad! Likewise, we drove the next 15km to Coromandel just slowly and carefully. To everyone's shame, there was a second hill with a beautiful downhill section. On the descents we were extremely happy to have invested a few more dollars in the additional disc brake, with only one working brake (we could not use the rim brake due to tape) the descent would not have been particularly relaxing.
Arriving in Coromandel, we asked around if anyone was selling tires. In the "hardware store", a store where everything seems to be available, we could choose between a newer mountain bike tire and an old and brittle touring tire.
Afterwards we visited the local post office to send some excess luggage home.
Arrived at the campground, the defective tire was replaced after only a little over 1000 km. Tomorrow we will look in the bike store of Whitianga if we get a smart replacement for the rear tire. On the way dorhint we will have to master first but a very steep road, whose course we could already guess from the campsite.