These are the last photos from the second half of my motorcycle touring trip in the northern island of New Zealand. These were taken at Te Puia thermal reserve, around Lake Taupo and surrounding areas, as well as in Raglan where we stayed for the final biking day.

Each day of touring begins with a full tank and a full stomach.

The Pohutu geyser at Te Puia thermal reserve south of Rotorua

Mom making more landscaping plans

Wasting memory with MORE fern wallpaper

There are several pits where hot mud is constantly churning the surface

Interesting mud 'volcanoes' formed over time

Jumping mud chunks! I think I remember seeing this place in the Supergirl movie.

Pohutu geyser and spectators.

I've opened some old cans of paint that looked a bit like this.

The calcium deposits look smooth and almost organic.

Mother nature's got some pretty cool tricks up her sleeve.

Who doesn't love explosions?

Scenery straight out of a Star Trek episode

After setting up my camera in the best location the geyser died down and never...

A group of school kids listening to the story of the geyser and how it was...

The geyser eventually grew so quiet that I think they sent these scientists in...

One of the several older geysers, now relatively dormant

Sunbeams-through-steam effect

These little green fuzzballs look like they might start moving when nobody's...

Pokey green wallpaper

Another intriguing mud pit. I'd like to this this one is white chocolate-based.

Guardian of the hot springs? He looks like he stayed in too long.

Photogenic stick

Another smaller geyser. This place is what Beppu would look like if there were...

Lovely Lake Taupo

The lovely Lake Taupo and our hotel on the waterfront.

A view from the beach

Lunch at Jolly Good Fellows. This was right before a seaplace awesomely landed...

Taupo sunset

Wide open spaces

Lake Taupo and moon

This was the weather when we set out for Mount Ngauruhoe, known as 'Mount Doom'...

Plains between Taupo and the mountains

Suddenly, clouds and snow obscure our destination.

We managed a decent photo op between passing cars. Mount Doom is back there...

The most snow we saw was in the farmland southwest of Lake Taupo.

So much of this country looks too picturesque to be real.

Prettiest place in the world?

It looks like there should be a house or castle built on that hill.

I don't think you could paint a more picture-perfect scene.

If you can walk across it, is it a stream or a river?

I wonder what kind of internet speeds they get out here...

It's hard to believe, but there are three whole power lines in this photo!

Warm, fuzzy sheep.

Planted tree rows on the side of highway 32

The receiving basin at Huka Falls.

Churning waters

Mom and dad give up on waiting for me to take their Huka Falls photo.

Nature's very own water slide. Might need an inner tube to go down this one....

I can't decide if this looks like my pie meringue or my pie meringue looks like...

Last water photo, I promise.

Just kidding! This is the river feeding Huka Falls.

Mom finds something she likes.

Some places look like movie sets, and others you expect model trains to come...

The bikes we rented came fully equipped with Givi pannier and tail hard bags....

A glimpse at an industry other than sheep-herding: logging!

Weather and scenery like this really make you feel like you could ride forever.

Zooming!

zomgPONIES! This country can't be real!

Even the weeds are well-mannered.

Deer burger anyone?

New Zealand is a country that really sells itself!

Cow and sheep

Some neat stuff growing outside our hotel in Ro

Evening view

Fishing at sunset

Rippled waterline

The place we stayed, Bow Street Studios, is surrounded by these old, massive...

Hobbiton, just around the corner...

This road has 'made for motorcycles' written all over it.

So long New Zealand!

The Pacific Ocean, about as pacific as I've ever seen it.