Stage 1: Lighthouse one done

We had this romantic idea that our ride should include four symbolic lighthouses: one at the top, one at the bottom, and one each at the eastern and western extremities of the country. Well, the top is a BIG tick.

It was Cliff’s second ride up to Cape Reinga so I had an inkling of what was in store. It was the big battery test as there was no charging up there so the ride had a ‘nurse the battery’ focus, i.e., use the lowest pedal assist level possible. I found the ride a little less strenuous than last time but it was still tough. Hats off to the Rear Admiral who pedalled on uncomplaining in the very hot conditions.

The Cape is a special experience and we were fortunate to see it at its best. It was worth the grind – i think.

The ride down to our campsite at Taputaputa was a mix of almost unrideable road and white knuckle fear. The Rear Admiral had nightmares about getting out in the morning, not helped by every second person in the camp coming over and commenting on the impossibility of the task. However, after a good nights sleep in the tent, an experience only interrupted by the slurping noise of the mosquitoes feasting on the grunt on the front, we loaded up and ground our way up the hill, without having to stop! The corrugations were epic, like riding through small valleys, but the RA was in a very determined frame of mind and took over from the pedal assist as our main source of power.

At Taputaputa we had met Rene Heyde (Recycled Rene on social media), a Commonwealth Games bronze medalist in track cycling at Christchurch in 1974. He has also been riding for charity on previous adventures. He had bussed up to the Cape on Wednesday and Thursday was his first day on the way to Bluff. We kept each other company for the hot and hilly 77km back to Houhora.

On the way south we first me a very lean cycling machine from Corsica. He was at the end of a three month ride around Aotearoa on what was a bike that we used to ride as kids – looked that old as well. Then a bit later we met two riders in their 80’s heading up to the Cape to start their ride to Bluff. Made us feel like a couple of patsies. By the time we got to Houhora we were rather sunburnt patsies.

Today we survived a 14km stint along SH 10 which is the de facto SH1 since that latter road has mostly been closed since 2020, at Mangamuka. Despite being Friday, that ride was not too terrifying but still not as pleasant as riding the trails or back roads.

We also came to the first cafe for four days and it was not a very dignified experience. Ruth went for a cream doughnut (Ruth never eats those) and i kept the coffee coming Our stop was well timed as it coincided with the first shower of rain that we have encountered on the ride. By the time we finally dragged ourselves away from the trough, the sun was out but it was not such a threat as we were covered in our long sleeved tops.

Some of you may be wondering how the big battery test went. It was touch and go. We expended some valuable power giving an extra boost up that damn hill but made up for it with some strategic manual riding later on. We went from a ‘you are not going to make it’ scenario to finally arriving with about 20km still in the tank. So that was 130km and nearly 2,000m of climbing. That bodes well for a couple of similar rides later in the year.

We are holed up in Whatawhiwhi on the Karikari Peninsula tonight. Not a bad spot and a little comfort after what has been a few tough days.

Thanks again to those who have taken pity on us and donated to our cause.