Epilogue Cape Reinga--Bluff SOLO Cycle
Monday 7 May 2007, 12:19PM
By Fraser Mills
893 views
Colin Anderson at Bluff Credit:
Supplied
Colin Anderson's thoughts after completing his epic ride:
Well I've spent the last few days resting, in preparation for my return to NZ Post as a cycling Postie!, in between getting gear sorted and the van returned to Pacific Horizons in Plimmerton.(strange my two TREKS are just sitting idly waiting for a clean and perhaps re-use at the weekend!).
It's hard to really comprehend what has just been completed, but suffice to say, it would never have occurred without the super generosity of precious time by my crews of Jenny & Brian Hughes, Royce & Owen Mills, Noel McConachy and Mike Sturgess, all members of the Manawatu Masters Cycling Club, plus my two eldest sons Nigel and Brett Anderson. My youngest son Sean, and wife Leanne, who have assisted me through almost all my "apprenticeship" rides were unavailable this time, but no doubt Taupo will see them again assisting.
The crew were responsible for my measured sleeps, which apparantly totalled (including the copter flight) 10.35 hours. So not a lot of time was spent lounging about! The van, although the most expensive outlay, was a godsend - it did provide some form of space and facility for quick stops, and certainly the warm duvets provided were put to great use at the "sleep-overs".
Never in my wildest dreams did I think WE would battle along through the various high and low spots and come out with a new record time. I have ridden against Rob Scott (the record holder since 1993) a couple of times, he popped me by almost 4 hours in a Nelson-ChCh, 428 km in 1993, and by 11 minutes in the Grape Magnum recently, so my confidence and aim was to finish and not be titled a Gunna.
Those final 60-70 km from the Gore area to the finish were possibly the toughest I have ever ridden, my feet were saying "no more" and my calves were screaming, (till I gave them a whacking, then they behaved!). I did pass Shag point somewhere near the end, it seemed so true!
The finish at Bluff was just one of relief, pleasure of course that a new time had been set, but the main priority now was to get some sleep. Incredible to see standing quietly in the shadows, Marcus Lush of Radio Works, taking a real interest in the goings on.
There are so many thankyous due for a ride of this size, SOLO NZ who set the fundraising section alight with a $1000.00 donation, plus various promo gifts; Gary and the team at PEDAL PUSHERS Palmerston.North for their usual professional and genuine support; TREK for the zoo-keeper gear; CAMELBAK for their generous donation to HeartChildren NZ, plus a HiViz back pack; HAMMER NZ for the supply of my Hammer Liquid Food fuels (at a bulk discounted price), and as importantly the nutrition advice from the American Parent Company Director, Steve Born.
The Auckland section of the ride was always going to be a nightmare, but a timely phone call to Lloyd O'Brien of Avanti+, in Auckland, saw five riders come out to meet us at Orewa and ride the 80+ km through the city to the RamaRama exit. I thought of a new Auckland heading as I rode, "JAFH" - just another flipping hill ! Boy there are plenty, I reckon without this generous sporting assistance I would havev been on the pension before I had gotten through Auckland.
Mind you, the Three Mile Hill and Maori Hills at Dunedin were far from a treat, especially after just noshing away at the nicest pie/pea/spud and then to be shoved out again southwards, and, bother, UP-wards.
Generosity was something that I and the crew saw first hand on many occasions, like the MOBIL at Bulls (5.00 am) who ensured we all left with a belly full of free hot coffee, and kept passing the donation bucket around customers; MOTEL 219 on Johns in Christchurch who gave us a unit to shower and doss down in for a couple of hours. We were pleased to be able to purchase accommodation there on our return. The 388 TAY MOTEL in Invercargill who, at a well-after hours time (12.30am Friday), had units ready, electric blankets turned on, plus a free unit for our Lady of the trip Jenny Hughes. Jenny had been in control of just about everything, including massaging my shoulders at every stop point.
Southland folk in particular really got into the swing of the fundraising, no doubt prompted by the MORE FM network and RADIOWORKS later, stopping the van to hand across donations. Truckies / motorists in general, bloody marvelous, giving the van and myself a wide berth and generally a quiet honk of encouragement. The mayors, Maureen Reynolds (Tararua District Council )and Yvonne Sharp (Far North District Council) were enthusiastic to promote their respective regions. I took gifts and letters to the South which I gave to Mayor Shadbolt on his eventual arrival on the Friday after the ride.
My TREK, 7 years old (of which I also took a spare--not touched) never failed, credit to its manufacturer and maintenance at Pedal Pushers Palmerston North. There was the odd hashed gear change, but that was cockpit error. Tyres, I never punctured at all over the 2158 km ride, due in no small part to my normal new Michelin Pro-Race tyres that I had fitted to both bikes. Oh well, will have to keep on cycling now just to try and wear them out.
Generally the roads were great, the surface from Ohakune to Waiouru was very tiring though, but at least the crew gave me a 10 minute break here before showing me the way south! Oh joy they (the crew) gave me another 10 minute break under the aeroplane at Mangaweka!! generous souls....
BODY, well it held up great, the Hammer food plan worked to perfection , I was still 72 kg's after the ride, drank over 50 litres of purified water, butt was great, credit to the again chosen Pearl Izumu Bib shorts, with heaps of KeyWin cream and zylocaine like it was going out of fashion to my numb / tingly feet.
The HEAD, well it certainly did hallucinate a few times, sort of like cob-webs coming slowly (sometimes fast) down over the eyes, one time to stop, this aint no Kamikaze ride.
IF any one is keen, it is exactly 1000 km from the Panorama Motel in Levin via the Auckland Cycle lanes to Cape Reinga!! I could be a volunteer for a crew person !!.
Tune into 98.6 FM on Saturday morning 8-9am for Burnzee On the Breeze sports talk interview, this should give more insight.
Thanks for everyones interest/support, the
www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/capebluffsolo
for HeartChildren NZ is going very well, almost $4000.00 raised, and still not too late to donate.
France/Taupo 2007 here we come, its going to be a busy year,
Cheers Colin (wal) Anderson
Well I've spent the last few days resting, in preparation for my return to NZ Post as a cycling Postie!, in between getting gear sorted and the van returned to Pacific Horizons in Plimmerton.(strange my two TREKS are just sitting idly waiting for a clean and perhaps re-use at the weekend!).
It's hard to really comprehend what has just been completed, but suffice to say, it would never have occurred without the super generosity of precious time by my crews of Jenny & Brian Hughes, Royce & Owen Mills, Noel McConachy and Mike Sturgess, all members of the Manawatu Masters Cycling Club, plus my two eldest sons Nigel and Brett Anderson. My youngest son Sean, and wife Leanne, who have assisted me through almost all my "apprenticeship" rides were unavailable this time, but no doubt Taupo will see them again assisting.
The crew were responsible for my measured sleeps, which apparantly totalled (including the copter flight) 10.35 hours. So not a lot of time was spent lounging about! The van, although the most expensive outlay, was a godsend - it did provide some form of space and facility for quick stops, and certainly the warm duvets provided were put to great use at the "sleep-overs".
Never in my wildest dreams did I think WE would battle along through the various high and low spots and come out with a new record time. I have ridden against Rob Scott (the record holder since 1993) a couple of times, he popped me by almost 4 hours in a Nelson-ChCh, 428 km in 1993, and by 11 minutes in the Grape Magnum recently, so my confidence and aim was to finish and not be titled a Gunna.
Those final 60-70 km from the Gore area to the finish were possibly the toughest I have ever ridden, my feet were saying "no more" and my calves were screaming, (till I gave them a whacking, then they behaved!). I did pass Shag point somewhere near the end, it seemed so true!
The finish at Bluff was just one of relief, pleasure of course that a new time had been set, but the main priority now was to get some sleep. Incredible to see standing quietly in the shadows, Marcus Lush of Radio Works, taking a real interest in the goings on.
There are so many thankyous due for a ride of this size, SOLO NZ who set the fundraising section alight with a $1000.00 donation, plus various promo gifts; Gary and the team at PEDAL PUSHERS Palmerston.North for their usual professional and genuine support; TREK for the zoo-keeper gear; CAMELBAK for their generous donation to HeartChildren NZ, plus a HiViz back pack; HAMMER NZ for the supply of my Hammer Liquid Food fuels (at a bulk discounted price), and as importantly the nutrition advice from the American Parent Company Director, Steve Born.
The Auckland section of the ride was always going to be a nightmare, but a timely phone call to Lloyd O'Brien of Avanti+, in Auckland, saw five riders come out to meet us at Orewa and ride the 80+ km through the city to the RamaRama exit. I thought of a new Auckland heading as I rode, "JAFH" - just another flipping hill ! Boy there are plenty, I reckon without this generous sporting assistance I would havev been on the pension before I had gotten through Auckland.
Mind you, the Three Mile Hill and Maori Hills at Dunedin were far from a treat, especially after just noshing away at the nicest pie/pea/spud and then to be shoved out again southwards, and, bother, UP-wards.
Generosity was something that I and the crew saw first hand on many occasions, like the MOBIL at Bulls (5.00 am) who ensured we all left with a belly full of free hot coffee, and kept passing the donation bucket around customers; MOTEL 219 on Johns in Christchurch who gave us a unit to shower and doss down in for a couple of hours. We were pleased to be able to purchase accommodation there on our return. The 388 TAY MOTEL in Invercargill who, at a well-after hours time (12.30am Friday), had units ready, electric blankets turned on, plus a free unit for our Lady of the trip Jenny Hughes. Jenny had been in control of just about everything, including massaging my shoulders at every stop point.
Southland folk in particular really got into the swing of the fundraising, no doubt prompted by the MORE FM network and RADIOWORKS later, stopping the van to hand across donations. Truckies / motorists in general, bloody marvelous, giving the van and myself a wide berth and generally a quiet honk of encouragement. The mayors, Maureen Reynolds (Tararua District Council )and Yvonne Sharp (Far North District Council) were enthusiastic to promote their respective regions. I took gifts and letters to the South which I gave to Mayor Shadbolt on his eventual arrival on the Friday after the ride.
My TREK, 7 years old (of which I also took a spare--not touched) never failed, credit to its manufacturer and maintenance at Pedal Pushers Palmerston North. There was the odd hashed gear change, but that was cockpit error. Tyres, I never punctured at all over the 2158 km ride, due in no small part to my normal new Michelin Pro-Race tyres that I had fitted to both bikes. Oh well, will have to keep on cycling now just to try and wear them out.
Generally the roads were great, the surface from Ohakune to Waiouru was very tiring though, but at least the crew gave me a 10 minute break here before showing me the way south! Oh joy they (the crew) gave me another 10 minute break under the aeroplane at Mangaweka!! generous souls....
BODY, well it held up great, the Hammer food plan worked to perfection , I was still 72 kg's after the ride, drank over 50 litres of purified water, butt was great, credit to the again chosen Pearl Izumu Bib shorts, with heaps of KeyWin cream and zylocaine like it was going out of fashion to my numb / tingly feet.
The HEAD, well it certainly did hallucinate a few times, sort of like cob-webs coming slowly (sometimes fast) down over the eyes, one time to stop, this aint no Kamikaze ride.
IF any one is keen, it is exactly 1000 km from the Panorama Motel in Levin via the Auckland Cycle lanes to Cape Reinga!! I could be a volunteer for a crew person !!.
Tune into 98.6 FM on Saturday morning 8-9am for Burnzee On the Breeze sports talk interview, this should give more insight.
Thanks for everyones interest/support, the
www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/capebluffsolo
for HeartChildren NZ is going very well, almost $4000.00 raised, and still not too late to donate.
France/Taupo 2007 here we come, its going to be a busy year,
Cheers Colin (wal) Anderson