The Rimutaka Rail Trail Stagger

The Rimutaka rail trail started life as the only rail link North from Wellington in 1878. It is famous as in incorporates the Rimutaka Incline which is a 1 in 15 gradient from the North side that operated until 1955 using the "Fell" engineering principal where a third centre rail was used to provide traction for the climb. It was also infamous for the "Siberia" incident where the Northerly wind blew 3 carriages off the viaduct but the engine with the "fell" rail locked stayed on the rails. 
It is about a 5 hour round trip to the summit a height gain of 339 metres staggering, slightly faster but hard work on a bike but well worth the trip inspite of us doing it from the North (steepest) side.
I just loved it travelling up on The Boss's pak.
The extras are.The Boss on the lower part of the trail, The view northward out of the summit tunnel (there are 3 tunnels) and The Bossess approaching the first tunnel. Note the sign which refers to a bridge before the tunnel but i don't think there has ever been road traffic up here but we did slow down.  heh heh heh