geoffstouraotearoa

Here is some words from a fellow rider this morning

Thanks team.
Certainly, it has been an enriching experience so far !
Apart from a wreck of a ferry blowing up it’s motor 5 minutes after leaving Pouto and a bit of rain, the trip has been fantastic.
We are a bit nakkard and asessing our options for today. Food and sleep are a priority and getting clothes dry – though they will get saturated pretty pronto !
Some of the team have a bit of chafing but all is well.
Miles.

Here’s the famous ferry!

Just heard they docked at 3am this morning!!  What an adventure.  9 hours at sea to get across the harbour.  Hope they have a sleep in.

A few issues have come to light.  Geoff left his phone pocket unzipped, it filled with water and – good bye phone.  No longer working.  That was on day 1.  So I have acquired a new phone and spent ages getting it all set up.

Now his rear saddle bag is failing.  Not able to handle the weight he has in it.  So a new saddle bag is needed.  Ordered it from Wallis cycles and when Gill sees them in Clevedon she will take the new phone and will collect the saddle bag and deliver that too.  That only took a paragraph to write but it took more than a day to organise.

They stayed near Tane Mahuta on night 2.  Up early I think due to mosquitos and snoring issues.  Not much sleep was had so they headed off early.  Arrived in Pouto early afternoon so time for a swim and chill out.  Geoff said the last 50ks was gruelling.  New gravel and the going was tough.   On the ferry at 6pm.  Have just heard the ferry has broken down and the coast guard called.  It could be a long evening.

 

Here’s a shot at Pouto waiting for the ferry

Off they go.  Ahipara to Tana Mahuta today.

I’ll see him next in Bluff.

Up at 5, breakfast and then pack up and off we left for the cape.  Arriving at the cape as the sun was starting to rise.  Very misty and slight rain which turned in to heavy rain with in the next hour.  Jill had organised a Maori leader to do a blessing for the riders.  We walked down to the light house for the photos which they have to up load, then back up again.  Lovely views over the Tasman sea and the Pacific ocean.  A really special place.  Then at about 8am the riders started to head off.  Pouring torrential rain!!  What a way to start.  About 20 ks on the road then they turned towards the beach and rode down the Te Paki stream (which was very flooded and virtually impossible to ride over)  then onto the beach.   As I visited my cousin I watched on the tracker site and saw their names crawling down 90 mile beach.  What a huge effort.  6 and a half hours from the cape to Ahipara.  Lots of washing of bikes and drying out gear!!

Well they are on their way!!

Friday the 9th we drove up north.  filled up with dinner supplies in Kaitaia then out to Ahipara to collect everyone’s tracker devices.  Really good move as there was much discussion about where to attach them on the bikes.  Then up to Waititi Landing (20ks from the cape) where we had booked cabins about a year ago.  Lots of riders staying there – from Aussi, Nelson to name a few.  Very jovial pre event diner.  And everyone did final work on their gear and bikes.  Plagues by mosquitos and heat made for restless sleep though.

A few people have asked me for some links to follow the ride.

Here is a google map of the route.  The yellow pins are where Geoff has to take a photo of himself at each point, and up load it.

http://www.kennett.co.nz/maps/tour-aotearoa/

Here is the link to his tracker.  So you should be able to see his name slowly making its way down the country.

https://touraotearoa2018.maprogress.com/?id=11991&justme=yes&showPath=yes&showMarkerHistory=yes

And here is the link to the Tour Aotearoa site, if you want to read more about the adventure.

http://www.touraotearoa.nz/p/home.html

Just one more thing for Geoff to do before he heads off.  His mum’s 100th birthday.  What a milestone,  what a lady!!!!

Only 4 days to go and sadly the boy has a cold!!!  We’re hoping it will be all over by Saturday.