The photos perhaps might best speak for themselves, but back for a night in Kaitaia, we’re now seriously underway with two fabulous, and sun-searing+overcast days of riding already behind us. Some 160 km so far, which means that if we keep this up – and don’t get too bogged down with evening internet and blog … Read more …
2016 Tour Aotearoa
Psychlo-Identity – Jutta’s take as we approach Cape Reinga
Time for another word from the stoker. I have to admit to feeling something of a fraud. Prancing about in high-tech lycra-merino profi-gear enrolling loads of people’s goodwill to get these long-distance travellers with their long bike and awkward-sized panniers accommodated, while all we have done so far is cycle to and from stations, airports … Read more …
Tour Aotearoa can begin – we’re safely in NZ
Safely arrived in Auckland and delightfully quartered with Warmshowers friends Steve and Annette Thoms (latter helpfully also Secretary of Auckland Cycle Touring Club), we’re nearly ready to get going on the Tour Aotearoa. Flew over Ayres Rock/Uluru in the middle of Australia at 40,000 feet on the way (evidence pictured), and rather more important, Daisy2 arrived … Read more …
Flying Tonight – having tried to check in to wrong, cancelled Qantas flight
Rule one of flying, esp with code share. Check in with correct Airline. Emirates (ours) is flying tonight (sounds like a Chinese chippie). Qantas, which we tried to board, isn’t. So, DaisyTwo is accepted through to Auckland in her plastic bag, and we’re about to head out on the adventure of a lifetime. Having first … Read more …
A fortnight till lift-off
Quite how we’re going to get all of this (and more, out of frame, though not the bed) into four panniers, one barrel bag and one handlebar bag is perhaps a question for Iniduoh – Houdini in reverse (terrible joke).But yesterday in two weeks, Feb 3, Jutta (hoping by then for recovery from a nasty … Read more …
Stoker musings
Time for the stoker to come on-line. Having encouraged Mark to go ahead with this venture and stoked his organising enthusiasm I find myself getting surprisingly excited about this trip. I look forward to pedalling the length of NZ and my body into uncharted ways of being (bar 3 weeks tandeming around killingly hilly Scotland … Read more …
A month to go
So, with a month and a day to go till we fly off to Auckland, the Rory Peck Trust’s page is now live, encouraging their supporters to chip in and sponsor our madcap 2000-mile tandem adventure to and through New Zealand. With warm thanks to so many of you all, Jutta and I are already nearly … Read more …
Tour Aotearea – 3000km the length of New Zealand, Feb/March 2015
Nearly 40 years after receiving our first tandem for our wedding in March 1977, we’re taking our heavyweight long-distance tourer Daisy2 to NZ/Aotearoa to cycle from Cape Reinga at the top of North Island to Bluff at the bottom of South Island. We’re raising funds for the wonderful Rory Peck Trust, uniquely dedicated as it says … Read more …