Challenging ride completed

The very long ride was completed when we arrived at the Bluff on 18th March, 27 days after we started at Cape Reinga. The journey for us was truly a once in a lifetime experience, cycling through this wonderful country of ours and meeting such fabulous iconic New Zealanders. The Tour Aotearoa course (designed by Jonathan Kennett) had us cycle minimally on main highways, but mostly on secondary roads and cycle ways such as the Hauraki Cycleway, Waikato River Trail, Timber trail, Wanganui Mountains to Sea Trail , Manawatu Cycleway, Rimutaka Cycleway, Nelson Great Taste Trail, West Coast Wilderness Trail, Lake Hawea/Wanaka Trail, Arrowtown/Queenstown Trail and Around the Mountains Southland Trail.

The first 3 days were the hardest as our bodies got use to riding 100 + kms per day on a mountain bike carrying about 10 kgs of gear. The trip was one big highlight with perhaps:- riding the 90 Mile , Beach, riding through the Kauri forests, crossing the Kaipara harbour, jet boating down the Wanganui River and taking the

We are so grateful to be able to have had this opportunity of a lifetime and to have been able to fundraise for the two chosen charities. We are truly humbled by the donations received that go towards Life flight and Catwalk Trusts, whom we were riding for. We wish to say a huge thank you to all those that donated, believing in the two charities and in us. THANK YOU so very very much! Funds raised so far are in excess $15,000 received through: givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/tobyandjohnaotearoa, remains open until April 9th.
For John :- Thank you for the generous support of Pain @ Kershaw Ltd, Porters Pinot, Wairarapa Livestock Transport and Duncraigen Farm Wyndham,
For Toby: – Thank you for the generous support from Cotter @ Stevens Ltd