End of an Odyssey!
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On the afternoon of Sunday 28 September Laurence and I pedalled our bikes onto Christchurch’s Sumner Beach, 96 days, over 4,500km and some 55,000 metres of up, up and up (and therefore lotsa down!) since we rode away from Cape Reinga at the top of the North Island.
The weather gods blessed us with a screaming tailwind for the 120km mostly downhill ride from the mountains to the beach, joined by another 30 or so riders for our final kilometres. We pulled the Save the Children flags from our trailers, planted them in the sand and swam between them. We didn't stay in the cold Pacific waters long!
The weather gods deigned too to give us a special send off from the mountains. At Broken River, our final ski area (and fittingly where Laurence is a member), we woke to 20cm of the soft, white fluffy stuff. A big call, but probably the best skiing of the journey as, like the kids that we are, we skied lap after lap of fresh goodness.
Our original plan for an essentially linear journey the length of Aotearoa New Zealand, taking in 25 skifields en route, ended up more pinball like. We finished our traverse of the country at Bluff, the bottom of the South Island. But this was not journey’s end as we came north again to mop up four skifields in Canterbury we’d bypassed on the way south due to poor snow.
‘It’s not over until the fat lady sings’ some wise, if not now politically correct, theatrical sort had once said. And whilst various people were congratulating us in our final days, I always remember this. Indeed, on the outskirts of Christchurch Laurence came very close to being sideswiped by a learner driver.
Somehow, despite tumbles off bike and ski, both of us got through our Odyssey without major injury or illness.
As we pedalled, hiked and skied our way around NZ; as fingers and toes were frozen, a climb seemed endless or rain drove into us, uppermost in our minds was always the fundraising goal for Save the Children. A massive thanks to everyone who contributed amounts large and small. We’re sitting at close to $50,000. With the climate resilient shipping container schoolroom pilot project in Vanuatu the purpose of our fundraising, we’re super excited that the design is now approved by the Ministry of Education there and the pilot project site now selected. A coastal site where the kids are currently been educated in a large tent, since their classroom was destroyed, one of over 100 classrooms across Vanuatu rendered unusable in the past two years or so due to storm surges, cyclones and earthquake.
It looks like the pilot project will cost some $60,000 and we’d love for our fundraising to fully fund this first one. So if you’re able to help us get there, then donate here.
The silent auction of an amazing $4000 Adventure South cycling holiday in NZ remains live until the 20 October. Bidding currently sits at $2000, so let’s see if we can get that up some more to add to the fundraising.
The thanks are endless. Our major partners – Osprey, Ground Effect, Nemo and Adventure South, along with great support from Black Diamond, Scarpa, ATK Bindings, Smith, Ski Selwyn, MAProgress, Quest Bike Trailers, Michelin, North Wave and Real Meals.
The welcome and hospitality from the skifields of New Zealand, large and small. The hard work and support from the Save the Children teams on both sides of the Tasman.
The acts of kindness, generosity and hospitality en route from friends old and new, relatives too (I’m sure I’ve met all of Laurence’s extended family now!). The toot of a horn, the wave from a window, a scone from the oven…….
For me the worst part of any long journey is being away from Wendy. The best part is being back together, and always I thank her for her love and support.
And of course a final huge thanks to Laurence. His strength and his fitness are astounding, his eating ability legendary and his friendship welcome. We did stray into which country was next deserving of an Alpine Odyssey……
Cheers,
Huw
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Fancy a $4000 NZ cycling holiday with Adventure South?
Our good friends and a partner in our journey, Adventure South, have generously given us a $4000 NZ cycling holiday to use in the fundraising. We are auctioning this off to the highest bidder. Bids close 20 October. Place your bid here.
The winning bidder gets to choose between two classic tours:
1. Alps to Ocean Classic – the most popular trip on the Aotearoa/NZ's longest Great Ride.
With your choice of any date across the 25/26 NZ summer season and your choice of bike hire of standard ‘acoustic’ MTB bike or Sinch ebike. Value Base Trip Cost up to $3595 plus bike hire up to $600.
OR
2. Cycle the Kawarau, Dunstan & Roxburgh Gorges – riding 5 of Southern and Central Otago’s best Great Rides.
With your choice of any date across the 25/26 NZ summer season and your choice of bike hire of standard ‘acoustic’ MTB bike or Sinch ebike. Value Base Trip Cost up to $3395 plus bike hire up to $500.
