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Tour Aotearoa - Tara Iti Whānau Charitable Trust

Tour Aotearoa | Day 24 - Blown away in Bluff
17 December 2021
Thursday 16 December
Mossburn to Bluff (The finish line!) - 119 km | 5h 47m | 20.6 km/h
It's my last day of the TA! Do you know the phrase “I’m not gonna let it rain on my parade”. Well, it did rain on my parade as we headed towards Bluff. It wasn’t too heavy just annoying. The good news though was that we had a slight downhill for the rest of the way which kind of zigzagged both left and right as we entered Winton which was approx 50 km from where we finished off yesterday.
We stopped off in the centre of Winton at the bakery, where we refuelled with eggs on toast, a date scone and a flat white. From there we travelled onto Wallacetown which is approximately 24 km away. It was here that Meg finished up and Linda joined me for the final sector. I had assumed we would arrive in Bluff around midday but by around 1230 pm we were still 10 km away! As we entered Invercargill, we took a wrong turn and got a little lost for few kms before getting ourselves back on track.
We pedalled hard against winds towards Bluff and once again the GPS and directions let us down so again, there was another short detour. Finally, back on track with just 2 km to go of the amazing 3000 km journey the headwinds pick up. It's a hard push to the finish line. We have gone from a pace of approx 24 km/h on the bike to around 6 km/h. And as frustrating as it was we pushed through many times standing up on the bikes peddling as hard as we could trying to advance.
Those that were dot watching us were wondering if we had stopped or started walking. However that wasn’t the case. It was just that Bluff ended up being windier than Wellington!
Finally, we hit Sterling Point. The end of the road, at the end of the country and the end of this epic journey. 24 days. 3000 km long. And it was time to savour the moment. Tears fell with emotion and the Tara Iti team were on standby as the first of all to congratulate me.
I was so emotional that I couldn’t take the call at the time, but I want to thank Zoey for all she’s done in helping us along the way. I also wish to thank the entire TI team who have supported me throughout and provided the wonderful daily quotes to keep me motivated. I want to thank Meg, and my beutiful wife Linda for being alongside me all the way.
I guess after settling down and seeing a few photos taken of me at the finish line. I will begin to digest the magnitude of this adventure and accomplishment.
After a celebration drink kindly arranged by the team, we drive back to Invercargill and stop by the local cycle shop to pack up the bikes. We then head onto the Quest Hotel for a shower and a rest before dinner. We celebrate the occasion at Invercargill’s best restaurant Louie’s and are grateful to the Trust for this wonderful treat.
Tonight I look forward to a great nights sleep and no alarm or distance to tackle on the bike tomorrow. We have a midday flight scheduled from Invercargill to Auckland where I look forward to returning home and looking back at my daily adventures and images of Tour Aotearoa 2021!
Thank you again to all of you for your incredible generosity, encouragement, and for following me along NZ’s best ever bike-packing adventure! Against all the odds we made it happen and it will most certainly rank high up there in my memory bank.
Happy Holiday everyone and all the very best for 2022!

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- 17/12/2021 by Rob
  
  Well done Matt. Have a fantastic Christmas and a well deserved break mate. Happy New Year for 2022!
Tour Aotearoa | Day 23 - The Highlands and Lowlands of the South
17 December 2021
Wednesday 15 December
Queenstown to Mossburn - 122.1 km | 6h 42m | 18.2 km/h
The morning started out perfectly, we slept until 5:30 am, grabbed breakfast and coffee and caught a water taxi from Queenstown over to Walter Peak Station.
It was cool and windy when we arrived. This is the second time I’ve been to the station and Linda‘s first. It's such a beautiful place, that you should add to your bucket list.
Once we got going, it took us around 11 km before we exited Walter Peak Station and arrived at Mount Nicholas station. I made reference to the fact that when St Nic is not at the North Pole, he lives here at the station.
We push through here and head up Von Hill which is the final climb on the TA route. As we approach the hill, I put on my music and to my surprise, it was the theme song from Rocky. Listening to it gives me some energy and then I push repeat, repeat, repeat. That’s right, I end up listening to the song six times as we continue the climb and still haven’t hit the summit.
But two or three songs later Linda and I make it to the top and knowing that we’ve just conquered our very last climb it feels great. We work our way down towards the Otago Southland border. Interesting enough the weather changed and it seemed fairly dramatic. The temperatures suddenly dropped and we were faced with a strong headwind.
We continue biking onto Mavora Lakes where we stop for lunch and exchange 'drop riders'. Meg had the second leg today, so we set off towards Mossburn.
It seemed we had a headwind for the next 30 plus km. It was very frustrating and difficult, so I decided to throw a pity party. But unfortunately, nobody came. So I dug deep and although my legs were shot and I was feeling tired. We somehow pushed through and connected to the Mountain Cycle Trail alongside the river. Here we manage to gain a little shelter and spot a few trout in the clear water.
On arrival into Mossburn, we pulled into the General Store and stopped for a milkshake and cola. We decided to push on for another 25 km to set ourselves up for the grand finale tommorrow.
We return to Mossburn as we have accommodation booked at the Wheels & Reels. It is a lovely place across the street from the Mossburn Railway Hotel which the managers own as well. Dinner at the hotel was fantastic. We throughly enjoyed the blue cod with vegetable and delicious dessert.
The owners were very welcoming and also told us about the two ghosts that live there. We also learnt about the great fly-fishing in the area and Linda and I look forward to coming back here at some point in the future.
So tomorrow will be a big push to the finish line. We are expecting a mixed bag weather-wise with some rain and strong winds so I aim to set off early. We are hoping to get to Winton for breakfast and then push onto Bluff which is a short distance from Invercargill. I am very excited.

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Tour Aotearoa | Day 22 - Conquering the Crown Range
15 December 2021
Tuesday 14 December
Wanaka to Queenstown - 95 km | 5h 49m | 16.3 km/h
Last night was probably one of the most restless night’s sleep I’ve had. I had a hard time getting to sleep and once I did, I found myself waking up hourly. Lots on my mind I guess.
Flashback to March 2007, my daughter Tiffany and I spent the night at the Kibo Hut. That was the night before us tackling the Mount Kilimanjaro summit. I recall being as restless that night as well. Okay maybe cycling over the Crown Range isn’t quite as dramatic and or as difficult but for some strange reason, I made the comparison.
This morning I set off at 6.00 am from Wanaka’s lakefront. I turned up McDougall Street which turned into Cadrona Valley Road. One of the longest climbs in New Zealand. I was biking solo today as Meg had work to do and Linda had several things to accomplish as well.
The first 25 km to Cadrona was a nice gentle climb, with plenty of wildlife to admire as well as lush green countryside. I stopped in Cadrona for a coffee, a slice of banana bread and took a photo of the infamous Cadrona Hotel. It was a further 15 km to the Crown Range summit. At 1076 m above sea level this is the highest point on the Tour Aotearoa course. With headphones on and tunes blaring, I continued the climb and by 9.00 am I reached the summit with tears in my eyes and very shaky legs. This was a very emotional moment where I soaked up all that I had accomplished.
I was grateful for a fast downhill descent for about 7 km before turning onto Glencoe Road and which was gravel and then onto Tobin‘s Track which lead into Arrowtown. At that point, I jumped onto the Queenstown Trail and started working my way towards Queenstown.
Unfortunately, there were several portions along this path closed due to slips. This led to a very frustrating several k’s as the GPS was not working and I found myself off course. After doing a further 10 km to get back on course I made my way into Queenstown. I rode around the beautiful Botanic Garden Peninsula and then parked myself up at the Queenstown waterfront.
I contacted Linda and Meg to meet me for lunch. But they had several issues going on, the big one being the car. With lots of screeching and abnormal sounds, they were trying to find a mechanic. Unfortunately, the Toyota dealer was not able to look at the car for another week and several others said early next week at the earliest!
However, Graeme and Marc from Queenstown Auto Services, two Scotsmen. Best guys ever! They were willing to look at the car and by late afternoon it sounded like they could have it repaired by late Friday. So the plan was, to rent a car for the next few days then return to Queenstown with the rental to pick up the car which was getting brake pads and a few other issues sorted.
Late afternoon the two Scotsmen, who are our angels today said that they would have the car ready by tomorrow at 8 am and the job done. All I can say is… Wow! Thank you, Queenstown and thanks, Graham and Marc!
One other issue we were dealing with, but have been unable to resolve was that when we were in Hokitika and biking towards Ross we came across a bridge where Linda decided to take a photo with her mobile. As she reached in the back of her bike jersey to pull out the phone she dropped it. So in true slow-motion style, we watched the phone bounce not once, but twice over the bridge into the river. So, if any of you are having a hard time reaching Linda by phone at the moment you now know why. And it looks like we will have to wait until we get back, to purchase a new one.
Finally, a big shout out to Gregg Ewen, the General Manager of Ramada Central here in Queenstown. He heard that I was raising money for the Tara Iti Whānau Charitable Trust and provided us with a room at a VERY reasonable rate. Way to go Queenstown!

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Tour Aotearoa | Day 21 - Land of the long white cloud
14 December 2021
Monday 13 November
Haast to Wanaka - 123.3 km | 6h 46m | 18.2 km/h
It’s hard to believe it’s Day 21 and that we have already reached Wanaka. The rain fell most of the night and when we woke this morning, it was still falling. Wrapped up in wet weather gear we started out the day with a slow climb. Travelling along the Haast River Valley was some of the most scenic views we’ve experienced on route so far. The rippling river, lush forest and snow-capped mountains in the background were simply breathtaking. Of course, Meg started the day with me as we were in for another steep climb. The Haast Pass has an elevation of 564 m and is nestled amongst the beautiful forest of Mount Aspiring National Park.
To pass the time today, we came up with a game where every 'culvert' had a name. The key was to take that name and use it in a sentence. Needless to say, we found this rather entertaining and had a few laughs along the way. Also on doing a little research about the area I learnt that EP Harper was the first person to bike and hike over this Pass, 65 years before the road was actually completed.
From the pass, we descended down to the Makarora County Café. It was here that we came across our next angels Rachel and Annette. They purchased the Café in October. They were so friendly and welcoming and we enjoyed one of our best breakfasts to date which included poached eggs, salmon, avocado, toast, tomatoes and spinach. That coupled with some great flat whites gave us the energy to begin the second part of our day where Linda and I biked to Lake Hawea and then onto Wanaka. Rachel, being the perfect host also packed us a complimentary ginger pistachio slice for added luck and this kind gesture was almost as sweet as the slice.
4 km into the second part of the ride was where the road met the most northern tip of Lake Wanaka. At around 35 km we had another descent and then climbed again to the neck of the lake which is 405 m high. At the spectacular lookout or saddle between Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea, Linda mentioned that this was by far one of the best views we'd captured on the ride together.
Shortly after, we rolled into the Lake Hawea General Store and enjoyed a couple of milkshakes. From there we jumped onto the Hawea River Track, made our way to the river bridge and then crossed over onto the Clutha River Track which took us around the edge of Lake Wanaka.
Along the way, we met a couple that was doing the Tour Aotearoa on foot. He was heavily packed, complete with guitar and had been hiking for three months already! We talked about what we liked most about this crazy adventure so far.
We both agreed it came down to the country, the landscape, the beauty and the people and it really is as simple as that.

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Tour Aotearoa | Day 20 - The Hard Antler
13 December 2021
Sunday 12 December
Fox to Haast and a little extra - 157.1 km | 7h 28m | 21 km/h
By 6 am we had finished breakfast and were eager to get out the door. We had a goal in mind to ride 130 km today and arrive at Haast.
We headed in the direction of Fox Glacier which is approx 2 km outside of the township. We travelled over the bridge and turned left into the glacier parking lot. Surprisingly it was empty, but I guess it was early so we biked a further 4 km to capture a great view of the glacier. Along the way, we came across two red stag grazing and then we returned to the highway and set off for another adventurous day.
Linda opted for the early morning leg so was going to join me as far as Lake Paringa. The first 26 km was mostly downhill and it seemed we had a bit of a tailwind. Since the café at Fox Glacier was not open Meg was going to pick us up some coffee and scones and hopefully meet us around 9.00 am. But then we received a message from Meg saying the cafe didn’t open till nine. So we had to settle for the Salmon Farm Café which was a good 70 km away from our starting point.
We arrived there and the three of us ordered Smoked Salmon Bagels which were the bomb! Additionally, we had a couple of flat whites as well as a ginger slice. Linda and I completed another 9 km together then Meg jumped on board for the next 55 km. This portion of the course had several hills which Meg adores. She is an incredible hill climber. At around 25 km from the lake, we stopped and took a photo of the Knights Point Lookout. This is where the highway was completed back in 1965. We climb several more hills and make our way onto Haast. I was amazed how little traffic was travelling along the road on Sunday. I imagine we probably saw less than a dozen cars over a distance of 126 km.
We arrived at the Hard Antler at 2 pm for lunch. We walked in and I immediately fell in love with the décor, nothing but antlers and deer mounts, wooden tables and floorboards. It had a rustic and cozy atmosphere. I devoured a Venison Burger and Linda and Meg ordered salads. After lunch, I decided to push myself a little extra to help myself out for tomorrow’s climb over Haast Pass. By continuing for another 30 km today it brought me over the 150 km mark which is great day’s ride.
Once finished we returned to Haast for a quick shower and headed back to the Hard Antler. Not necessary because of the food or the décor, but because it was the only place open in the area.
Unfortunately, I didn’t come across an angel today. Partly because of the lack of traffic and the few stops we made along the way. I also think some of this is due to COVID. You can clearly see how it has affected the South Island and particularly in this area which is reliant on domestic but also international tourists.
But tomorrow is another day and I’m glad I pushed on for that extra 30 km. It appears we may get a bit of bad weather.....

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Tour Aotearoa | Day 19 Glacier Country and Waterfalls on the West
12 December 2021
Saturday 11 December
Ross to Fox Glacier - 130.7 km | 6h 53m | 19.0 km/h
The forecast called for 114 ml of rain approximately 4 1/2 inches. Fortunately for us much of the rain fell through the night. However, it felt like a lot more during the day. Linda and I set off from Ross to Hari Hari as the rain continued to fall. At around the 5 km mark, we turned off Highway 6 onto a gravel road. We heard the ocean to the right and birds chirping as we travelled along the track.
We saw several wekas as well as some red stags on the countryside. We came across a beautiful lake, Lake Lanthe. We stopped for a photo but more importantly it was a place for us to gain some shelter from the rainfall. I struggled several times this morning as I wasn’t feeling the greatest. At one point, when we hit a headwind I looked at Linda and said I need to put some music on. I put on the song “Here comes the sun”. I welcomed this thought through the downpour and seemed to find some strength again.
It was another 15 km to the next town. It was here that we met our angels Nelson and Stewart who approached us as we were having coffee and breakfast. Nelson had noticed our bikes outside and asked us if we were doing the TA. To my surprise, someone had quickly realized with our bikes and gear what our goal was. We exchanged pleasantries and talked about the TA course. Nelson’s friend Stewart then joined us and we chatted further about where we were heading. We mentioned that we wanted to get as far as Fox Glacier today. He asked if we had a place to stay. “No” we replied, so he kindly recommended the Lake Matheson Motel. He had recently delivered some appliances there, he knew the manager and confirmed they had hot showers and a laundry. It sounded like we’d hit the jackpot. We later found out that Nelson had owned the bike shop in Hokitika for a number of years. Hence his interest in our bikes and in what we were doing.
After coffee and breakfast, Meg joined me for the next 90 km as we travelled onto Fox township. The rain that had stopped during breakfast began falling again as we set off to climb Mount Hercules. But the route was incredibly gorgeous with lots of ferns, native trees and waterfalls. I think we gave up counting the number of waterfalls after about 100. Although we could not see the mountain tops we admired the beautiful waterfalls. They had a good amount of water gushing down as recent rains had brought. We stopped off at Franz Josef for a quick bite to eat and to dry ourselves off a little before the challenging climb over the next three saddles. A total incline of 1150 m over 10km.
Once again the headphones played an important part in the climbs. I held up a little finger actually when we made it to the top of the first saddle, we enjoyed the downhill, crossed over the bridge and when we conquered the next climb, I held up two fingers and again a third time when we managed the third climb! After the final climb, we had a well deserved 4 km descent into Fox Glacier town.
I was thrilled to have another 130 km behind us and also glad to have Linda and Meg alongside of me for this incredible journey.
This evening we had a lovely dinner at Betsey's Café. All of us ordered the salmon and risotto. The food tasted incredible after a challenging day on the bikes. We even got the chance to meet Betsey herself as well as do some planning for tomorrow’s ride onto Haast.

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Tour Aotearoa | Day 18 - West Coast Wilderness
11 December 2021
Friday 10 December
Greymouth to Ross - 132 km | 7h 15 m | 18.5 km/h
To be honest it was a bit of a rusty start after having 10 days off. This morning, things didn’t quite go to plan as I’d hoped for. The local bakery that opened up at 5 offered instant coffee, pies and the typcial kiwi sweet treats which was not quite what I had in mind. So we opted to find another café called Maggie’s which was delightful and fueled us well for the ride ahead.
Unfortunately, I encountered some tech issues with my GPS Garmon today which hinded the 130 K trip. Adding to that, at around the 20 km mark I ended up with a flat.
But let’s focus on the positives, here we are again on the rugged West Coast about to take on the exciting Wilderness Trail. With overcast skies and a nice temperature, the waves were crashing along the shoreline and that in itself was rather cool.
The last time Linda and I tackled the West Coast Wilderness Trail, we had strong headwinds and rain which made the ride tough and not so enjoyable. But today was different. I was able to soak up the surroundings, listen to the birds, admire the native forest and enjoy some ocean spray. And not forgetting the lovely people we met along the way.
As I headed into Kūmera I was a little frustrated as I got a flat tyre approx 6 km short of the destination. I just pumped up the tyre and limped it down into the township.
On arrival, I searched for a place to get a hot coffee, breakfast and a place to change my flat. But unfortunately, nothing was open at that time of the day. However, I fixed my flat and Meg and I began biking towards Cowboy Paradise.
This part of the trail was amazing and I got the opportunity to see several trout along the way. I wished I had my fly rod. On reaching Cowboy Paradise that too was closed and a little disappointing. This place is a replica of a small western town back in the States. The gentleman that runs it is a real character and the local bar comes complete with pole dancing. Need I say more.
From Cowboy Paradise, we work our way to Hokitika. Meg and I met up with Linda here and we biked the water race track into town. We stopped and enjoyed lunch at a Sandwich Shop. Two years ago this was voted the 'best' sandwich place in all of NZ. The three of us agreed hands-down that they should win it again for 2021!
Linda joined us for the last 34 km to Ross where we had booked accommodation at The Empire Hotel. We also enjoyed a great meal here.
Today angels go to the girls that were working in Hokitika at the sandwich shop. They were merely minutes away from closing but kindly offered to make us all some delicious sandwiches and chocolate milkshakes. Without them, the last 34 km today would have been much more difficult.

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Tour Aotearoa | D Day - Departure to Greymouth
10 December 2021
Thursday 09 November - Mangawhai to Greymouth
As I take off from Whangarei Airport to complete the final stretch of my TA journey I notice the seat number is 7D on my Air NZ flight back to Hokitika.
What a coincidence, as mentally I prepare myself to complete the last section from Greymouth to Bluff in 7 Days (an average of 130k a day) I take it as a lucky omen.
A couple of songs come to mind as I get ready to restart my ride again on Friday “On the Road Again“ by Willie Nelson and “Back in the Saddle” by Aerosmith.
FYI, I use to be a DJ on a college radio station years ago at St Mary’s University. I have downloaded 24 hours of music from Spotify as well as several books and podcasts. So hence the music reference.
Anyway, I’m really excited to get back on the bike this week. I think this part of the journey will be the most beautiful and scenic to date. It includes Franz Josef, Fox Glacier, Haast, Wanaka, up and over the Crown Range, Walter Peak Station and across Otago to Bluff.
Today’s angels are the team at Tara Iti who have recently come together and worked through the new Government traffic light settings. They have handled a number of challenges quickly and professionally and I am blessed to have them as teammates.
Finally, speaking of blessings. I am reminded of an old Irish blessing:
May the road rise up to meet you, the wind always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rains fall soft on your fields.
And until we meet (the bike) again.
I look forward to being "back on the road" and sharing my next adventures with you!

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- 10/12/2021 by Rob
  
  Well done Matt, not long to go, enjoy it!
Tour Aotearoa | Day 17 - Pause Pilot
30 November 2021
Monday 29 November
Reefton to Greymouth - 80.5 km | 3h 58m | 20.2 km/h
Today was the most challenging day for several reasons. Surprisingly it started well as Linda and I had breakfast at the Dough Company Tearooms in Reefton and it was delightful. We chose the paleo option, fresh salmon with mushrooms, asparagus, tomatoes and spinach along with perfectly poached eggs.
It was here that we met our first angel Jo Newbury. She lives in the area and is also an acquaintance of Simon Hardley. She along with other local residents pointed out that because of the recent heavy rainfall that the ride up to the big river would be difficult and possibly dangerous because of the flooding. So we opted for the alternate route along Highway 6 to Ikamatua. It was a beautiful day with no rain in sight and cycling was pleasant. Additionally, I had good cell phone service so I checked in with the team back at Tara Iti. Much like I do every day, but it was easier today because I had the coverage.
I travelled onto Greymouth which was another 54 km away. Linda then drove onto Greymouth and started working her way back to meet me back at Blackball. It was spectacular riding through the beautiful countryside and one that is rich in history. I stopped by and paid my respects at the Pike River Mine Memorial. In addition to that, the next stop was in Blackball where we went to the former Hilton Heritage Hotel. My understanding is that’s where NZ’s Labour Party first met and formed.
As the hotel was closed until noon, I headed over to the cafe just down the street where I was meeting Linda. On pulling up I saw a nice looking Scott bike completely equipped with all the gear one would take on the TA and there was a gentleman sitting there having a flat white and carrot cake. I asked if he was doing the TA and he replied “Yes”. His name was Steve and I was very excited to sit and talk with him while I waited for Linda. Finally, I had met up with someone going in the same direction! That maybe I could spend the next seven days riding with.
Linda arrived and we shared a piece of carrot cake. Actually, I ate most of it and we enjoyed a coffee and chat with Steve. I then excused myself to take a call from work, one of which I was kind of expecting as things over the past few days were becoming increasingly challenging. With the recent changes in the NZ Government law and the implementation of the new traffic light settings, where vaccinations are becoming mandatory along with a few other issues. I felt it best that I head back to Tara Iti to be with the team, as we move through these turbulent times.
So Linda, Steve and I rode the last 26 km onto Greymouth together and it was emotional. It was there that we met another angel, Scott. He is the owner of Coll’s Sports World. You see the plan was simple, we were going to take our bikes to the local bike shop and store them while we flew back home. But unfortunately, when we arrived at the bike shop it was closed due to a public holiday in Greymouth.
A gentleman got out of his car and asked us if he could help us. We weren’t sure as we pointed out that were hoping to get into the bike shop but it was closed. He mentioned then he was the owner and just happened to be going in to get some paperwork done. Wow, How is that for serendipity! I mean what are the chances? So Scott kindly took the bikes and when we return, they will be fully tuned and ready for the rest of the journey.
I guess through these COVID times, they disrupt many of our lives and the only thing that remains certain is uncertainty. So unfortunately I have put my TA ride on pause. But I am optimistic that I’ll be back to complete the final stretch.
In the meantime, I would like to thank everyone who has supported Linda & I so far, kindly donated and followed along on this incredible adventure!

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Tour Aotearoa | Day 16 - Rain, rain go away!
29 November 2021
Sunday 29 November
Murchinson to Reefton - 122.1 km | 7 hr 04m | 17.2.km/h
A couple of things went through my mind this morning. Firstly, I got up at 5.00 am but it was bucketing down with rain, so I headed back to bed. When I got up again, it was still was pouring down so I reminded myself that I had trained for this and had experience riding in the rain. I made up my mind to head out and start the 130 km trip to Reefton. I remembered the old nursery rhyme “Rain, rain go away come again, another day” so I repeated it to myself several times but unfortunately, it wasn't going to work for me today. I think around 100 mls of rain fell, which is approx 4 inches.
Dean from Tara Iti, who is also an avid biker sent me a message that said. “Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet. All the best for today!”. Thank you, Dean, I needed that.
So the journey began. It was approximately 77 km from Murchison to Springs Junction with the Marula Saddle, 580m high in the way. It was quite a push, but I finally made it to the top and then headed towards the town of Maruia which had a café and a gas station. When I reached the town at about 60 km I was drenched, shivering and my spirits were down. However, I looked forward to getting into the café, warming up and getting something hot to drink and eat.
Unfortunately, when I arrived at the Alpine Motor Inn the café was closed. So I headed onto the Maruia Motel. It was here where I met my next angel Amber. Even though the motel and café were closed she was kind enough to open up a section for Linda and I, so that I could have a hot shower and get out of my wet gear into some dry gear for the next portion of the ride.
Linda was kind enough to bring me coffee, a sandwich and a chocolate croissant so I could refuel. It was another 17 km onto Springs Junction. I met up with Linda again here, had a ginger beer and Snickers bar before I attacked the next challenge which was the Rahu Saddle. Once I reached the peak at 696 m I put on some warm clothes for a "wet n wild" 30 km descent.
Linda met me about 10 miles outside of Reefton. I was so glad to see her as I wasn’t sure I was on the right track as I had no reception. Then 8 km out of Reefton, we came across a memorial sculpture of Jack Lovelock the 1936 Olympic champion runner. I stopped to take a photo of him for no reason other than Linda and I own a 1936 Austin Clifford automobile and I wondered if our car and this Olympian had ever crossed the pass as we continued into town.
On arrival at Reefton, we checked ourselves in at the Landmark Motel, which is fantastic as we had a place to store our bikes and they had wonderful hot showers which I took full advantage of. We headed over to The Wilson Hotel for dinner where we met Jimmy the owner for the past 11 years. He is quite a character and the place is certainly worth visiting. He was genuinely interested in getting to know us and we talked with him for quite a while.
Jimmy is a coal miner and has been all his life, he took over the hotel 11 years ago, where it opens at 5 pm after his work shift. This is where he socializes with people, and he has an interesting story. Also amazingly, he is open seven days a week.
My mind then turns to tomorrow… because of the amount of rain that has fallen today. It looks like I’ll be taking an alternate route or so-called bypass track onto Ikamatua.

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Tour Aotearoa | Day 15 - Spooner's Tunnel and the sandflies
28 November 2021
Saturday 28 November
Wakefield to Murchison – 128.9 km | 7h 03m | 18.3 km/h
This morning Linda and I left Wakefield at 5.45 am. Our first stop was the local bakery which comes highly recommended. Luckily enough it opened up at 5.00 am and both of us can attest to how good it is. The smell of freshly baked bread and pastries certainly set the mood for another big day ahead.
We started the bike ride to Tapawera together, which included Spooner’s Tunnel. It was around 2.00 am this morning when I heard Linda shuffling about as she was trying to plug in the light for her bike for today’s journey. She confessed after a restless night sleep, she was feeling a little apprehensive about travelling through the long tunnel. Spooners Tunnel is one of the key highlights along Tasman’s Great Taste Trail. The tunnel is 1.4 km the longest decommissioned rail tunnel in the Southern Hemisphere, with the cycle trail following the route of the old railway line through Norris Gully.
We enjoyed biking through this historic area and talked a lot about what we saw. We passed by several hops fields and could see that this region produced several tasty beers. Fortunately, when we reached the tunnel it was light enough and Linda biked through it just like a champ and the fear seemed to disappear. Linda continued biking with me through the next two small towns as we looked for a café to stop. But it was a good 35 km of biking this morning before we found a place to stop and have a bite to eat. At that point, Linda headed back to the starting point and I travelled onto Lake Rotorua.
It was here that I met David and Diana Robinson. Fou, a friend of ours had introduced me earlier to them via LinkedIn. David has worked at several golf courses including Jacks Point and Diana had worked in Arrowtown. We’d been in touch because he’d heard that I was fundraising for the Tara iti Whānau Charitable Trust and kindly offered Linda and I a place to stay, in a cabin, as well as a delicious venison curry.
It was great meeting up with them and hearing about their exciting travels through golf. They’ve been to Edinburgh in Scotland as well as Saint Andrews and several other interesting locations around the world. I let them know how much I appreciated their kind offering of a place to stay but because the weather was starting to turn, I needed to push on over the Braeburn Saddle to Murchison which was still another 33km away.
As clouds started creeping in, I captured a moment by the lake, but as I stopped to take a few pics, I was immediately attacked by the most annoying insects inhabiting NZ, the notorious sandfly. They live mainly on the West Coast, but let me tell you – they love foreign blood and it seems that Lake Rotorua is their headquarters. They attacked me in the thousands and I had no chance against these vicious creatures. So I slathered copious amounts of repellent on my exposed skin but to no avail. In the end, I had to admit defeat. Jump back on the bike, and get the ... outta there!
But David and Diana along with their lovely children were my angels today. Their kind offering of an overnight, as well as a homecooked meal, was very warmhearted. My additional angels for today are Paul and Heather who own, The Grand Suites here in Murchison. This place is brand spanking new and they went out of their way to provide us with a place to store our bikes and even did our laundry! As the washers and dryers haven’t been set up yet.
From a trip advisory standpoint, I’d give this place a 10 out of 10 as they went well beyond what we would normally expect. But then again that’s what we are enjoying most about this trip. The incredible people, who don’t know us, but are still prepared go above and beyond to accommodate us in any way possible.

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Tour Aotearoa | Day 14 - Happy Thanksgiving!
27 November 2021
Friday 26 November
Pelorus Bridge to Wakefield - 59.1 km | 4h 21m | 13.5 km/h
Happy Thanksgiving! Today I’d like to start off by giving thanks. I have a lot to be thankful for, from my beautiful wife, my family, my son and daughter and also our grandkids and friends, including Ric and Suzanne for giving me a once a lifetime opportunity to help them set up Tara Iti Golf Club. To our incredible world-class team and to our community and this beautiful country. It really has been an amazing adventure exploring so many different areas of Aotearoa. I’m also thankful for the people that I’m meeting along the way and thankful for the angels who have helped me get to this point.
This morning‘s ride was an incredible challenge. To be honest the Maungatapu Track has by far been the hardest part of this journey. The ascent was incredibly steep and less rideable with rocks and gravel and when I finally reached the saddle at an elevation of 740 m there was a four-way intersection of different trails. It took me a few moments to figure out in which direction I needed to go but from there - it began to flow. It was a great accomplishment for me today, much of the climb was on foot, and pushing the bike uphill was no easy feat. I even dismounted the bike and walked downhill several times for fear of tumbling over the extremely sharp rocks.
Once hitting the steep and narrow sign at about 15 km to go, I was able to relax again, pick up speed and travel through the stunning Maitai Valley, which lead me straight into Nelson. Here I met up with Linda for coffee and a bite to eat. It was then time to locate a bike shop, which was where I met my next angel, Stephyn who works at Torpedo 7. Besides a new chain, I needed to replace the cassette and give my bike a little TLC. Not to mention, the derailleur was pretty messed up and he was surprised that I could even ride my bike in the shape it was! I grinned and told him I’d fallen off several times and that I had to make do with what I had.
Shortly after we called Tiffany, Scott and the grandkids Taylor and Hayden along with our son Bill, my sister Mary and husband Wayne, their son Brandon and his wife Ariana as well as my other sister Jean. It was very special talking to them and catching up on what’s been happening over the past months. It was wonderful to share a slice of Thanksgiving with them all.
Once done, we caught up with Linda‘s family, her brother Greg and wife Elizabeth and their children as well as her younger brother Scott, his wife Kathy and their daughter Emily who recently announced her engagement to Bob. So after the congratulations, I got back on my bike and travelled from Nelson to Richmond and then onto Wakefield. Nelson and its surrounds have some incredible biking trails. The weather was perfect and the easy riding through this winery region was scenic.
It was then at the Wakefield Hotel where I ran out of gas today. So Linda and I settled in for the night, enjoyed some dinner and hit the bed early.
Will tune in with you again tomorrow...

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- 27/11/2021 by Rich
  
  Go Matt! Such an incredible challenge. Looking forward to reading about your progress to the end.
Tour Aotearoa | Day 13 - The spectacular Sounds
26 November 2021
Thursday 26 November
Picton to Pelorus Bridge (plus a little further) – 65.2 km | 3h 53m | 16.8 km/h
I must admit it was a little hard leaving Picton. The accommodation that Linda booked for us overlooked the spectacular Marlborough Sounds and since we arrived at around 10 pm last night, it was amazing to wake up to such a view and welcome our first full day on the South Island.
Today would be a shorter ride enabling some recovery time. I chose not to set the alarm this morning so awoke around 6.00 am and set up a plan with Linda for the day. We went into town for breakfast, enjoyed a smoked salmon bagel along with the usual flat white to “kick start” the day.
The ride from Picton to Havelock was glorious but you could tell the area had recently experienced a lot of flooding. Plenty of repair work was happening along the highway as many parts had been washed away by the heavy rainfall. The view of boats on still waters was peaceful and calming but my goal was to arrive in Havelock by 11.00 am so that I could tune in with the Tara Iti team for our usual weekly meeting. Unfortunately, the coverage in the area wasn’t the greatest, but I managed to connect for a bit and see everyone again, which was really important.
Shortly after and to my surprise, a number of classic cars travelled through Havelock which lead to a delay for the next stretch to Pelorus Bridge. Unfortunately, I had to travel 19 km along a busy State Highway with a lot of traffic including many logging trucks. To be honest, at times this was a little scary, especially around those hairpin bends.
Linda joined me at the Pelourus Bridge and the plan was to bike a little further. Again I have opted against taking the so-called “chicken route” tomorrow and will tackle the Grade 5 Maungatapu Track over to Nelson. For many, this track is a real highlight of the TA route and not one to be missed. So getting the first 12-14 km of it under my belt today in prep for tomorrow’s climb to the summit would most certainly help me out.
By mid-afternoon, Linda picked me up and we travelled back to the Havelock Garden Motel. It had a lovely setting and our hosts Steve and Kirsa were very welcoming. The rooms were also nicely nestled off the road and it was easy walking distance to the shops and local restaurant, where we dined later in the evening.
Today’s angel goes to Zoey (my Administration Assistant) who has been a champion at helping me to raise funds for the Tara Iti Whānau Charitable Trust. I know how much this means to her and I truly appreciate her dedication in supporting me with this worthwhile initiative.
Every day I have been sending her photos, along with some notes and she has magically transformed these into some beautiful pieces for the blog and social media platforms. In addition to this, she has kept one hand on the pulse at Tara Iti for me which I am thankful for. We communicate daily, several times actually, so I am very fortunate to have someone like her that I can rely on. At the same time, she has taken the initiative and challenge on and turned it into gold. Often better than I could have imagined so again, I can’t thank her enough for her support.
Tomorrow will present another challenge but in crazy times like these, I am confident that together we can tackle the tasks and keep adjusting those gears accordingly.

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Tour Aotearoa | Day 12 - The race to windy Wellington
25 November 2021
Wednesday 24 November
Masterton to Wellington - 148 km | 7hr 52m | 18.8 km/h
So forget what I said yesterday about going from Masterton to Martinborough and resting before going from Martinborough to Wellington on Day 13. This morning I travelled along the river and over rolling hills through beautiful farmland.
I stopped at a café on Kitchener Street in Martinborough called "Metco" and highly recommend their date scones and ginger slices as well as their coffee. It was here that Linda joined me and we discussed the remainder of the day. Originally I was booked on the Ferry from Wellington on Thursday at 8:30 pm. But unfortunately, Linda would not be able to join me with the car on the South Island until Sunday.
We continued to ride the county roads together for about 20 km when Linda turned back and I continued on to the Remutaka summit. This is part of a cycle trail and an old railroad track. It was a 400-meter climb over 5 km however the reward was an 18 km gradual downhill. Throughout this section, there were four tunnels that I needed to travel through. Unfortunately, I took a rather nasty fall at the summit. Tearing my jersey and cut my right elbow, along with a few more bumps and bruises and what later looked like a black eye, but turned out to be just soot.
Near the top, I talked to Linda who mentioned that she was now able to catch the 4.00 ferry today with the car. So the race to Wellington began and this is the part where I did not stop to take photos, go to the bathroom, take a drink or stop for any food!
As I arrived in the Hutt Valley, I cycled as hard and as fast as I possibly could. Unfortunately, I was hit with a headwind much of the way, which was a little frustrating. Shortly after I received a call from Meg who was super impressed by my speed but pointed out in a nice way, that there was NO way that I would make it in time for the 4.00 pm ferry. She kindly offered to find me a place to stay in Wellington but I kept peddling and told her that the ferry was delayed by 45 minutes and that I was only about 17 km out.
The final push came when I saw a sign that said the turn off for the ferry was 2 km. So I cracked on hard but so hard, that I actually passed by the Ferry entrance for the bikes. Fortunately, my GPS notified me and I turned around and headed into the terminal – but it was an empty terminal.
Finally, someone came out and I asked if it was too late to catch the ferry that Linda was already on. I showed my ticket and the lady said that’s for Thursday at 8.30 pm not, today. I said "I know my wife didn’t think I would make it!" So as she was called to board, a young lady came back and changed my ticket (my angel for today). So I boarded the ferry, walked up to the fourth floor, looked around for Linda and called out loud because I couldn’t find her!
It felt like something out of a hallmark movie – you know, girl waiting on ferry, guy nowhere to be seen but fighting headwinds and up against the odds….. will they ever see one another again? But then… the guy shows up, they hug, she cries and they live happily ever after – The End.
It was unbelievable really! But now that I have roughly 1600 km behind me I think it’ll happen tomorrow that I’ll enjoy a much shorter day and set myself up for the following when weather permitting, I will cross the Maungatapu Track saddle which is a 750-meter climb over 5 km. So watch this space....

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Tour Aotearoa | Day 11 - Real Kiwi Country
24 November 2021
Tuesday 23 November
Ashurst to Masterton - 128 km | 7h 15m | 16.8 km/h
Today’s ride was 128 km from Ashurst to Masterton. Interesting enough I only had an hour’s ride on to Palmerston North and I felt last night that maybe I should’ve pushed on that extra hour yesterday, but at the time, I just couldn’t. So this morning’s early ride with fresh legs was just over an hour.
I have a couple of angels today, the first Paul Blackwell who contacted me yesterday and offered Linda and I, a place to stay with his brother Peter and wife Diana in Palmerston North. It was unfortunate that I didn’t make it to Palmy (as the Kiwi’s call it), but first thing this morning they were kind enough to offer me coffee, toast with peanut butter and the most delicious blueberries.
It was a blessing in disguise that I managed to meet up with them as they advised me that there was construction work going on over the Pahiatua Track Pass and that the road would be closed from 9.00 am – 2.00 pm. Without this advice, I would not have made it through this area today and fortunately, managed to slip through in the “nick of time” with 3-4 mins to spare.
There was a short steep climb of 250m over the pass with windmills at the top. The descent was then enjoyable and at my next stop, I devoured pancakes, bacon, banana, eggs and another coffee.
From there I travelled along a sealed road onto Ekatahuna. This is home to a giant Kiwi statue and I couldn’t help myself but go into another café. Lunch was a chicken, bacon, beetroot sandwich accompanied by potato wedges with sour cream. So afterwards, I was refuelled for my afternoon ride to Masterton. This was situated 42 km away and was made up of 28 km sealed and 15 km of gravel roads.
About halfway along this stretch, I met Giles and Connor. They were doing the TA from Bluff to the Cape. We exchanged pleasantries as well as some advice on the areas we’d covered and I wished them the best of luck with their quest.
On arriving in Masterton, my legs were tired. I was hoping to push a few more kms today, but again that was just not going to happen.
Linda and I then sat together and planned out our next few days.
The question was, would I push on to Wellington and catch the ferry tomorrow or would I take an extra day, divide the mileage and stop off in Martinborough to visit a winery or two.
The decision was made. We’d split it over two days, enjoy the wineries and tackle the Remutaka Trail, which would be my next adventure and exciting challenge!

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Tour Aotearoa | Day 10 - Digging Deep
23 November 2021
Monday 22 November
Hunterville to Ashurst - 147.5 km | 9h 22m | 16.4 km/h
Today I woke up to pouring rain. My goal was to set off at 6.00 am sharp, however the beds at the Station Hotel were far too comfortable and checking in with my daughter Tiffany and grandkids over in the US took a little longer than expected.
As I headed out the door, Linda asked if I knew where I was going, "Yep" I replied and set off for another big day ahead. I was hoping to reach Palmerston North today, however fell short of this due to technology and I guess stamina.
As the rain fell heavily, my GPS coordinates lead me down State Highway 1, and some 30 km later I noticed the sign to Palmerston North was only 42 km away. I thought to myself, this cannot be right as I was expecting to ride 110-120 km today. So I contacted my support team, Linda, Simon and Dean who is now my official "dot watcher" to work out where I was and if I was actually on the right track.
Well, after a few confusing phone calls, I decided to hit the restart button and return to Hunterville. Thankfully Linda was able to collect me with the car and return me right back to the morning's starting point - The Station Hotel.
As I hopped back on the bike I was frustrated, upset and disappointed for the poor judgement I made first thing however at the point I dug deep, determined to make it as far as I possibly could for the day.
The countryside was beautiful, but it included lots of climbing and I mean lots of climbing. So it was nice when the path levelled out a little and eventually turned in my favour with some decents.
I planned to have a coffee in Rangiwāhia and check out the Golf Course in Apiti, however these stops were rather short lived as the coffee shop didn't exist and the golf course was much like a mini putt in the middle of a sheep paddock!
By mid afternoon, I was a little unsure as to where I'd end up for the night. So I set myself a goal of at least Ashurst, but maybe just maybe I'd make it to Palmerston North. So I decided to push hard through the rain as Ashurst was still 24 km away. Determined, I continued to attack the mud-covered, wheel-sucking gravel roads out in the "wop-wops" of Manawatū.
After 11 hours biking, it was 6.00 pm but I was still 28 km short of Palmerston North. So we settled in at the Ashurst Inn, where unfortunately the restaurant was closed. But Linda went and got some takeaways and we enjoyed a party for two. It was an early night but as my head hit the pillow, I decided that Linda my dear wife and best friend was my angel today and my absolute saviour!
The good news was that I was back on track, hoped for a good nights sleep and prayed for sunshine and a GPS that would actually work tomorrow!

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Tour Aotearoa | Day 9 - A horse with no name
22 November 2021
Sunday 21 November
Matahiwi to Hunterville via Wanganui - 112.7 km | 6h 20m | 18.2 km/h
Because I finished up a little earlier the day prior, I opted to do an extra 30km to Matahiwi finishing up around 7.00 pm. But this set me up for a decent start today which took me straight through to Wanganui. It was a beautiful ride along the riverside, with the exception of one climb up Gentle Annie Hill. Here I captured a great picture of the outlook over the Wanganui River, and then enjoyed a comfortable descend of couple-hundred meters.
It was a pleasant morning travelling into Wanganui along a beautiful cycle trail for approx 12km. Linda and I met at the Mud Ducks Café which I highly recommend for breakfast and coffee. It was here that Linda and I also had our first opportunity to check in with the outside world and catch up on a few emails and messages from the past two days.
After breakfast, we headed across the bridge along ANZAC Parade to Durie Hill. At the end of the tunnel, we took the Durie Hill elevator up to the lookout which was a real highlight. Once on top, you can climb the tower and absorb some impressive views over Wanganui.
The Dunie Hill elevator has been in existence for around 110 years. At the bottom we rang the bell and waited patiently for the elevator to take us up 60m. Here we were greeted by our angel today - Anthony Tonnon, a new operator who recently took over from four generations of one family that had operated the elevator over the past 40 years. He was kind enough to give Linda and me, a bit of history and background of the elevator, as well as share his passion for public transportation.
From there, Linda and I continued to travel for about 15km towards Hunterville. She turned around at this point to get the car so I continued cycling through the stunning countryside and rolling hills. Linda caught up with me at the 70 km mark, pulled over and to my surprise, pulled out a chocolate milkshake and a Coke Zero, which by that time I was desperate for. (another angel!)
I continued to ride on into Hunterville. Our accommodation for the night was at the Station Hotel, which came highly recommended by past TA riders. There we met the owners of 18 years and sat down to enjoy dinner.
Along the way today, I was also fortunate to meet a gentleman by the name of Adam. He pulled over to the side of the road as his bike was fully loaded with bags, tent and gear and we chatted for a while. I found out he was coming from Queenstown moving north and following the path of the TA course, so we talked about what I had encountered over the past couple of days and I gave him some suggestions for things to look out for. He was very appreciative and then wished me luck with a tailwind! I looked at him smiled and said “Remember when the tailwind is not behind me, it’ll be behind you. Good luck and enjoy the days ahead!”.

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Tour Aotearoa | Day 8 "8 Days a Week" and travelling on the Bridge to Nowhere...
21 November 2021
Saturday 20 November
Blue Duck Station to the "Bridge to Nowhere" - 73.28km | 5hrs 16m | 13.9 km/h
Pipiriki to Matahiwi - 22.17 km | 1 hr 23m | 15.9 km/h
Linda joined me for the first part of this morning‘s ride from Blue Duck Station to the entrance of the Whanganui National Park approx 10 km.
Then on arrival at the Kaiwhakauka Track, I was confronted by a narrow muddy trail after the recent heavy rain. So today’s venture turned into a “hike your bike” sort of scenario, where I spent a good 6 km pushing my bike uphill carefully.
Later that day was spent pushing my bike downhill as well as lifting my bike by the handlebars and pushing it across some very narrow walking bridges. From memory around 12 of them. Payday arrived though, with some spectacular scenery and me finally reaching the “Bridge to Nowhere”. This large concrete bridge is an icon within the Whanganui National Park and now a major visitor attraction that was built back in 1936.
Today’s ride was the most technical to date. I’m guessing I mounted and dismounted my bike over 100 times at least. Through muddy tracks and over bridges that were far too narrow to bike through. It was actually the most challenging day to date, which tested me both physically and mentally.
Once I reached the “Bridge to Nowhere” I was met by Thomas and a group of people. Thomas asked, “Are you Matt?” and I said “Yep” and he said "I’ll be taking you down the river on the jet boat today". I said “Great perfect, I’ll meet you down at the river, so I can just wash down my bike.”
Thomas replied “Why don’t you join us then for a coffee and a little storytelling,” which I did and it was very interesting learning about the history of the area. Thomas still owns homesite along the river, that belonged to his ancestors and he also owns Whanganui River Adventures.
We enjoyed an exhilarating arrival at Pipiriki, with the jet boat doing an impressive 360 in front of the landing pad where Linda was waiting. I could tell she was a little worried but most certainly relieved when she saw me sitting safely in the back of the boat.
As the area had no cell phone coverage she was apprehensive as to if I would actually make it to this point today in one piece. But, after getting off the boat, food was what I needed so we headed straight for a burger and chocolate milkshake. Ok, make that two chocolate milkshakes!
I then proceeded to push on just that little bit further to get ahead of my schedule, with a comfort zone of maybe 100 -110 km per day.
As for angels today, there were two. The first one was Rob whom I called “Rob the Ranger” He was the one responsible for putting up safety nets and adding support poles in areas that were extremely dangerous on the trail today.
The second was Thomas, who I think is doing an incredible job not only with his jet boat business but also with sharing his knowledge and passing on the fascinating history of the area.
It was here after World War II, that the soldiers were given sections to build on and to farm the land that remains today. But much of this over recent years has been reverted back into native bush.
If you do get the opportunity to come and visit the area, I highly recommend Whangarei River Adventures, Campground and Cottages. Thomas is a great guy and you will most certainly enjoy kayaking jet boating, and learning a lot about the local history.
Later in the evening, Linda and I learnt about another cyclist that was behind me today, that unfortunately had to get airlifted out of the area. So our thoughts and prayers go out to him now and we wish him a speedy recovery.
I felt blessed to eventually arrive at Matahiwi today. Although without any connectivity to the outside world and no power, I officially survived my first night on the TA “off the grid”.

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Tour Aotearoa | Day 7 - Blue Duck Station
20 November 2021
Friday 19 November
Taumarunui to Blue Duck Station – 65.6 km | 3hrs 29m | 18.8 km/h
As fate would have it, I was surprised this morning when I loaded up and got ready for my adventure and Alan the manager of the Alexander Motel offered me some great advice about the challenging two days ahead of me.
He mentioned that tomorrow’s track will probably be the hardest part of the TA to date and possibly the hardest part of my entire journey. Much of it is a single track, that will probably need to be walked as opposed to rode. But let me tell you about today’s ride.
I decided last night that instead of trying to tackle a long 12 hour day. I would split the next section into two halves. I would take on one ride of approx. 65 km to the Blue Duck Café and Station and get up again the following morning and ride through the “Bridge to Nowhere” where I would be picked up by jet boat and taken onto Pipiriki. At this point in the TA, you actually have a choice. The Kaiwhakauka tramping and mountain bike trail known for it’s mud, tree roots and treacherous cliffs or the Kaiwhakauka Track which is a fair bit longer but it’s easy asphalt and commonly known as the “chicken route”. Well, for those that know me... they know that I’d NEVER opt for the chicken route.
This morning I awoke to fog hanging in and around the hills. It was much cooler than usual. I looked up at the hillside and spotted deer feeding at the top. It instantly reminded me of Montana. Actually the entire day was like being on an NZ Safari as I passed by deer, wild goats, many birds and even an ostrich. I wondered why someone would actually have an ostrich? But then I thought, they’d probably need, just one egg to scramble for a very hearty breakfast!
The terrain here was absolutely beautiful. It reminded me alot of the Continual Divide in the United States. To date, this is by far the most beautiful part of the journey, that I have encountered. I was so caught up in the beauty of the area, that I missed the turn to Ōwhango where I was actually supposed to stop for breakfast!
When I was approximately 5 km away from my destination, Blue Duck cafe and Station I came across a gentleman on a four-wheeler. While he waited for his two dogs, we began to chat and it was during this conversation, where I encountered the next angel.
We started chatting about the area and he knew someone that had purchased some property just next door to his. I asked if he knew the gentleman‘s name and he said, “No we’ve never actually met, but I have however had several email conversations with him”and then he asked me if I knew Simon and Ruth Treacy? How surprising, as indeed I did!
I started to smile because I knew at that point his name was Dan and that Dan owned the Blue Duck Station which is approximately 7000 acres or 3000 hectares of land. I kept pedalling along as he said he had a couple of chores he needed to do and that he would catch up with me later at the Café.
Then when I arrived at the café, Mel the Lodge Manager was there to greet me and I asked her if she’d seen my wife Linda yet. She replied she had not, so I went in, sat down, enjoyed a flat white and started up a wonderful conversation. She came and joined me and talked about the station, what it was all about and what it meant to Dan and his family.
This place is certainly a real gem historically as well as from a conservation standpoint. Located on the banks of the Whanganui and Retaruke Rivers, and surrounded by the Whanganui National Park, Blue Duck Station is an outdoor enthusiast’s playground.
The station’s core values are to conserve its endangered wildlife, increase the health of native bush and rivers, and preserve the history of the area, while also educating their visitors about the endangered NZ blue duck and other native species and local history.
After lunch, Linda and I were shown our accommodation for the evening, it was a cosy river cabin next to the main building that sits near the original homestead. It was built here years ago and the view downriver was simply spectacular.
Dan stopped by about an hour later, after his chores and took Linda and I on an enjoyable tour of the property. He pointed out much of the rich history which I swear he was making up some of it as we went along as Dan was quite the character.
Next on our agenda, was to head to the “Table on Top” which was a unique fine dining experience. We sat at the Chef’s Table overlooking both the Tongariro and Whanganui National Parks. It’s located on one of the highest points of the station an is affectionately known as the Top of the World.
In addition to this, they have three small one-bedroom luxury cottages here and it was at that point sitting on “Top of the World” where I told Linda that we’d be back. With such an incredible view over the countryside, I felt it was definitely worth another trip.
But it was at that point also, I looked forward to an early night so I’d be well-rested before the most challenging day ahead of me tomorrow.

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Tour Aotearoa | Day 6 - The Timber Trail
19 November 2021
Thursday 18 November
Timber Trail - Taumarunui | 102.3 km | 7h 38m | 13.4 km/h
Today’s trip started on the Timber Trail down to Ongarue (80km). Then another 25 km onto Taumarunui.
The morning began with a massive climb and I guess it’s called the Timber Trail because I got a few kms along the path and came across another huge tree that had fallen down that yet again, I had to lift my bike over.
Much of the course is a single track which ideally if you are out mountain biking on a suspension bike it would be an absolute blast. Unfortunately, I have a touring bike packed with alot of gear, which made it just that little more challenging.
However, I enjoyed biking through the beautiful NZ native forest, listening to a variety of birds chirping and really immersing myself back into nature.
I reached the lodge around 11 am in the morning. There was one gentleman working there that was kind enough to allow me to make myself an instant coffee and help myself to a couple of cookies and fruit.
It also gave me a chance to check my inbox and to briefly FaceTime Linda to let her know how I was tracking. Today I literally had the Timber Trail to myself with the exception of Rick the Raticator (a trapper) and Paula and Alex, who I met about 25kms later.
It was nice meeting Rick, we chatted for a bit and as I started biking away, I mentioned, have a nice day. Rick looked up, smiled and said “I’m already having a nice day.”
I then came across Paula and Alex as I was crossing another rather impressive suspension bridge. As I passed by, I said hello and asked her where she was from. She mentioned Taupo, I said that’s a wonderful place. My wife and I go fly-fishing there and that’s when she introduced me to Alex, her partner and mentioned he also loves to fly-fish.
I told them I learnt how to fish back in Montana and Alex smiled and said “I’m from Montana as well, and Big Timber is where I grew up!”. Small world I guess. He then stared through the suspension bridge down to the water and said.
“Can you spot that big brown fish right by the rock?” I gaze down and sure enough there was a big brown trout hiding behind the rock feeding.
I continued along the spectacular trail, while in the meantime Linda had travelled onto Taumarunui and started biking back, approx 25km from there to meet me. So just as I headed out of the Timber Trail, sure enough, she stood there welcoming me with open arms and a beautiful smile.
We then got to enjoy the final 25km of our day together. We stopped one more time to watch a sheep farmer and his dogs move a large herd of sheep from one pastor to another and we talked for a short while as he had been living there for 25 years.
He mentioned he had an electric bike and let us know it was only 15km from that point into town. Linda had arranged accommodation at the Alexandra Motel where Alan and Susan Harrison are the managers. So Alan is my angel today, due to the quote he has inscribed on his motel front door.
Alan and Susan are also bikers and additionally Alan has competed in several
Ironman races. Alan informed us that we were not allowed to keep the bikes in our rooms but he had a secure storage shed which we could keep them there.
On arriving into the shed, I noticed about six other bikes which were all theirs. He pulled out his cleaning kit, showed me some tools and basically had everything you could possibly wish for in a bikers “man’s cave”. He also had a seat bag that he’d barely used that he gave me for the rest of the tour since mine is now torn and broken.
Afterwards, we stopped by the Four Square and purchased some supplies for the coming days. We then went on to enjoy a Thai dinner.
So, after yesterday’s deal, today’s "Timber Trail" was truly lovely!

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- 19/11/2021 by Vince
  
  Really enjoying your posts Matt & vicariously all the excitement, trials, challenges and highlights of what is an amazing experience. So lovely to have had such great support along the way and to have Linda to share some of your journey. Enjoy…
  Love to all, Team Te Arai Lodge
Tour Aotearoa | Day 5 - Fall from grace
18 November 2021
Wednesday 17 November
Arapuni to the Timber Trail - 109.2 km | 7h 56m | 13.8 km/h
I'm not sure where I want to start with this. We could call it the "Rocky Horror Ride" but perhaps the "Fall from Grace" sounds better.
So let's take a look at everything that fell today. The rain fell early morning mid-afternoon and again late afternoon. Tyre pressure fell. That is, I got a flat. Trees had fallen along the single track several times that I needed to lift the bikes over, Linda fell twice and as for myself, I also took a few tumbles.
The temperature also fell as I approached the end of the road today. It was only 109km. My shortest distance to date, however it was the longest and hardest of rides. Even a few tears fell as I grasped the difficulty of the journey. However at the end of the day, I reminded myself of what I was expecting: Some days are magic, some days are tragic and the rest of the days, we’ll they’re just in between.
Today's angel goes to "Jarman" whose name is Jim Carrey. I met him first thing this morning crossing a bridge, he was out fishing for trout and told me to watch out on the course today because of the recent rain and advised us to take caution on certain portions of the route as it was wet and the rocks primarily granite, would be very slippery. He suggested that maybe once in while we get off the bikes and walk as opposed to the usual train ride through.
There were a couple of other angels as well, that were following me "live online" and when I got off course or took a wrong turn they were quick to put me back on track. So thankfully they too, were watching over me.
I think the highlight of my journey today was enjoying a Chicken & Cranberry pizza made by a gentleman who had a bus that was converted into a diner and additionally reaching the very Centre point of the North Island and that in itself was pretty cool.
Finally last night when we were sitting at the B&B putting together the next part of our journey we realised that at 11:59 pm on Tuesday they lifted the level for the Level 3 border restrictions in the Waikato, merely several 100 meters away from where we were staying. I didn’t realise that we needed to cross a small area of Level 3 when we set out on this journey. So that also was a blessing and reminded me that I need to keep focusing on the positives.
Just like, I got the chance to try out my rain gear (ok, I’ve used it everyday so far lol) fix a flat tyre, move a few tree limbs off the path and learn to get up when I fall down.
The team at Tara Iti have been kind enough to put together a little note that I get to read each day, I kinda draw these out of a hat. I think the one I opened today hit the spot perfectly. It was from Katie, in our Guest Relations team and she said "Nothing is impossible the word itself says I’m possible". So thank you Katie, for those words of encouragement it ABSOLUTELY helped me through today.
Finally, as I'd hoped to arrive at the comfortable Timber Lodge this evening, I found myself 40km short and settling for my "Plan B" accommodation spot, but I'm okay with that as there’s always tomorrow!

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- 18/11/2021 by Rob
  
  Matt you are doing a great job, I am enjoying your journey, remember going South, its all down hill :-) Regards rob
- 18/11/2021 by Matthew Guzik
  
  Thanks Rob! Appreciate it's all downhill from here 😂.
Tour Aotearoa | Day 4 - Hobbiton and the Rose Queen
17 November 2021
Thames to Matamata - 87.2 km | 4hr 13m | 20.6 km/h (morning)
Matamata to Arapuni - 39.3 km | 2hr 13m | 17.6 km/h (afternoon)
This morning I awoke early again, a little after 4 am. After looking over the next few day's schedule and preparing for the ride ahead of me. I’m excited but a little apprehensive as to where and when exactly, I hit the Timber Trail. Today’s ride will be somewhere around 140 km mark, mostly flat and I'm still lucky to have a westerly wind for a small push along the way.
Linda and I were laughing this morning as I rolled out of bed. She mentioned I look as though I've just come off a rugby field after a very hard hitting All Black match. I get myself ready, slap the cheeks, put on the fern shirt, slather on the sunblock and swallow a couple ibrupfons… which hopefully will ease some pain.
Over past few days, I realise how important nutrition is, so today I decide that my food intake is an absolute priority. We schedule a couple of pitstops and I start out with a hearty chicken and avo wrap accompanied by a delicious flat white. After all, coffee "n" me is key! By the time I get to Te Aroha, it's time to stop off for a milkshake and green smoothie…. Then onto Matatmata for Pancakes, Bacon and Banana!
Matamata is a small rural town located in a thriving farming area known for Thoroughbred horse breeding and training pursuits. It is also known as Hobbiton HQ which was created for Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings film. Anyway as Frodo wasn't home I decided to press on which oddly enough lead me to an encounter with the day's angel….
Along the 40k home stretch, I come across a striking and colourful Rose Garden. Which actually stops me in my tracks. It was only yesterday that a friend reminded me that every now and then I should stop and smell the roses!
Well, what better opportunity to do so. I decide to hop off the bike, pull out the camera and take a few snaps of the flowers - when out pops a lady. I tell her how beautiful her garden looks and if she would mind me taking some pictures. She kindly points out a number of rose varieties and invites me into her home for afternoon tea (freshly baked cookies and large glass of ice water) She then goes on to tell me that she is the past time multiple National Champion Rose Queen but more importantly for me today the most incredible cookie maker.
As the sun starts setting, I arrive at Arapuni. We check into the Backpackers where they kindly provided us with a grill, seating and small kitchen area so we can whip up a wonderful steak, baked potato and fresh asparagus. I feel good for eating so well today and my head is now ready to hit the pillow.

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Tour Aotearoa | Day 3 - Guardian Angels
16 November 2021
Dargaville to Poutu Point - 69.2 km | 3h40m | 18.8 km/h (morning)
Miranda to Thames - 33.6 | 1h 35 m | 21.1 km/h (afternoon)
This morning I started out a little slow, but the good news is that we picked up Simon Hardley to join me for the first 70km from Dargaville to Poutu Point.
My pace had slowed down but I stuck with it. Simon reminded me that he had not biked for 4 days and was really well rested, needless to say we biked along nicely together for about the first 10km and from there, I was doing my darndest to keep up with him and drawing some strength from his fresh legs. It was a beautiful morning out, but just few more hills than I had prepared myself mentally for. But for every climb came an enjoyable decent which gave my tired legs a little reprieve.
Approx 45km into the morning’s ride my beautiful wife showed up with some delicious homemade scones and a much-needed coffee fix. Talk about timing, as the caffeine kicked in we were confronted with the next big hill. We met Linda again at Poutu Point, a timeless Kiwi bach town, where visitors often stay longer than originally planned. But today, the locals seemed not to want us there, for the fear of catching COVID. But at that point we were expecting to stop anyway and return to Dargaville with the car.
From Dargaville, Linda and I set off towards Auckland. Can you believe it, we applied 6 times for an exemption to get through this area and fortunately some Guardian Angel was looking over me and granted my wish at very last minute to travel through the big city’s “lockdown zone” in a vehicle. (Proving that when you don’t succeed, try and try again!)
Speaking of Guardian Angels, the Tara Iti team gifted me a wonderful wheel of fortune prior to my departure and on that wheel I found a cute little pendant, which I have attached to my bike. Up until now I’ve been fortunate enough to have a number of angels that have enabled me to take this journey and I’m quite sure I’ll meet many more along the way.
So today I’ve decided, that I’ll try and nominate an angel a day. After all, this ride is about people and raising awareness and funds for those that need it. For Day 1 and 2 my angels are Simon and Meg Bennett. I truly appreciate that they have taken time out of their busy schedules to join me for the start of this crazy journey. They have guided me throughout the first two days of biking and given me many worthwhile "Tips and Tricks for the long road ahead. Day 3, is Simon and Maryanne Hardley. I was thrilled to have Simon join me this morning, although his speed was somewhat a concern. I thoroughly enjoyed his company and as a veteran of the TA, he has provided me with many insights which I will embrace wholeheartedly and not to forget Maryann who seriously saved the day by collecting another pair of bike shorts that I forgot at home, and met us at the Kaiwaka Four Square for handover. Without these friends, the first 3 days of the journey would not have been what it’s been. Simply incredible.
And finally, as we make it seamlessly through the Auckland borders … I jump back on the bike for second time that day for a “short stint” from Miranda through to Thames and I welcome the flat Waikato and the most delightful B&B, The Cotswold Cottage. Stay tuned.

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Tour Aotearoa | Day 2 - The Tāne Mahuta
15 November 2021
Sunday 14 November | 101.1 km | 5h 50m | 17.3 km/h
My incredible support crew decided to draw straws for Day 2 – Rawene to Dargaville. There was another big day ahead of us so somehow it helped to break it down into bitesize pieces mentally. Linda drew the short straw getting Rawene to Omapere which was roughly 25km of uphill biking, early morning. We were expecting very strong headwinds and gusts of up to 40km/h. Meg was assigned Opononi to the Waipoura Forest and Simon drew the last sector which comprised of rolling hills and mainly gravel.
It was great to set off with Linda first thing in the morning. More than ever I felt thankful that I have her in my life. She has been amazing, with her continual support and encouragement for this crazy ride. There is no way I could have got to this point without her. Not forgetting, her incredible patience and superb logistical skills, booking pitstops and accommodation.
Fortunately the winds weren’t quite as strong as expected and Linda and I arrived at our breakfast stop in Omapere in around 70 minutes. Perfect timing, as the rain rolled in and it really started to plummet. However, Meg much like myself, was keen to get to started and we hoped the rain would ease for the big climb ahead of us. For some strange reason Meg seemed to cut through the hills like no tomorrow which for a competitive chap, was a little frustrating at times! While travelling through the Waipoura Forest we stopped at the photo control point, the Tāne Mahuta, Lord of the Forest, New Zealand's largest kauri tree.
It was a magical and mystical place with plenty of oxygen in the air which I lapped up. Linda met us here and joined us for the next 10km downhill but unfortunately, she had to go back up, retrieve the car and continue to travel over to Dargaville.
We had one last steep climb into fog with heavy rain and really really high winds, the crosswinds were probably the scariest of all as we would encounter them unexpectedly. Gusts of up to 50km/h, were tough particularly having a frame bag which didn’t hold so well. It seemed to push us about from side to side on the road which felt a little uneasy. However, once we'd worked our way back down into the valley our ride changed for the better and for the first time that day, the sun broke out.
Linda had put together a nice lunch for all of us which we enjoyed at the Matakohe Kauri Park and then Simon and I embarked on the final 30km for the day travelling over rolling hills and mainly gravel surfaces.
You can see from the video the amount of water that had flooded the fields again. We had to be very careful travelling both up and downhill with the amount of water on the road, as well as the crosswinds.
We pulled into Dargaville around 3pm. Checked ourselves into the hotel, enjoyed another hot shower and cleaned down the bikes. After a small rest and a check of my inbox we headed off for an early dinner at the Thai Restaurant. We arrived back at the hotel around 7pm where we met Simon Hardley. Simon has agreed to join me for the next 80km tomorrow from Dargaville to Pouto point. This is part of Simon’s training as he will be undertaking the entire TA in late February.
As my head hits the pillow, I feel somewhat triumphant that together we’ve managed to knock off a whopping 270km in 2 days – but to be honest, I’m really tired now and my knees like my bum are a bit sore and swollen! I wonder what tomorrow will bring as I quickly fall down into a deep sleep.

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Tour Aotearoa | Day 1 - A foggy departure!
14 November 2021
DAY 1 – Cape Reinga to Rawene via Ninety Mile Beach
Saturday 13 November | 170.2 km | 7h 46 m | 21.9 km/h
The day started off extremely foggy and I must admit I was a little apprehensive when I couldn’t spot the lighthouse from the parking lot. Actually, I couldn’t see the lighthouse from 500 feet!
We left the B&B at 6.00 am, walked down to the lighthouse which was rather surreal and got ready to launch at 7.30 am. My support crew included Linda, Meg and Simon Bennett who planned to join me until Ahipara. It was a restless night’s sleep and I woke at 4, breakfast of course was not enough, but included yoghurt, granola and some strong coffee. I was feeling rather nervous, a little scared and emotions were high.
We ended up walking through Te Paki Stream as it was overflowing from the recent rain. It was approximately 7km before we reached 90 mile beach. Fortunately there we encountered a tailwind and smiles return to our faces as we managed to hit between 30-35 km per hour.
We arrived in Ahipara just before noon and were lucky that Linda had made arrangements to visit the Kaitaia Golf Club where John the Golf Course Superintendent allowed us to wash down our bikes from the sand and saltwater. We enjoyed a delicious lunch together. By that time Simon was done and Meg and I continued the ride onto Broadwood. For the first hour or so the ride was awesome. We made the most of the tailwinds and after a few steep hills we arrived in Broadwood in the Hokianga region. Here both Linda and Simon greeted us warmly and cheered us on.
We decided to continue onto Rawene and the final 29 km proved to be more challenging than I’d expected. I was pushing my limit so to speak, from what I’ve done previously which sits at between 100-125 km. 7 km of this was gnarly gravel road. I have no idea why they took us off the main road here? But it was extremely difficult and hilly. After a number of hard climbs we welcomed the descend and ended just short of Kohukohu - where Linda and Simon headed out of the pub to greet us. We had another 6 kms to meet the 5 o’clock ferry so continued to push hard as we only had 20 minutes to get there.
Thankfully we arrived just in time to catch the ferry which transported us over the beautiful Hokianga Harbour to Rawene. To be honest, today required a LOT of strength particularly from Broadwood onwards as the rain just kept falling.
I was absolutely drenched to say the least and I can’t tell you how great it was to arrive at our accommodation The Heads @ Omapere and jump into a nice hot shower. We cleaned the bikes off and not only recharged our equipment but also ourselves!
We learnt a few lessons along the way today regarding the power that we have and some of the equipment on the bike. I’ll make a few adjustments for tomorrow, get myself ready and see how it goes.
We hope to hit Dargaville tomorrow which is a little over 100km. It includes a few good climbs. We will also get some gear carried for us, which will help and I am thrilled Linda will be joining me on her bike for the first part of the day. We will make a stop for breakfast and continue the exciting journey ahead.

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Tour Aotearoa | Ready to LAUNCH!
11 November 2021
Ready to LAUNCH. Houston, We have ignition.
Linda and I sat patiently next to the computer to listen to the Prime Minister’s announcement on Monday at 4:00pm regarding COVID-19 and the border restrictions in place for Auckland and the Far North. 20 minutes into her address she confirmed that the Far North was returning to Level 2, effective 11:59 pm on Thursday night. We quickly drafted an email and sent it off to the Te Tai Tokerau Border Control to ask for their blessing/permission to cross into the Far North as the local tribe is working to protect their region - whānau - Maori and Maori alike. Likewise, at this time I will have to skip cycling through Auckland now and drive through (with a special exemption) instead and complete this section at a later date once restrictions are removed. A BLESSING GRANTED that I can now start at the top of the Island.
Lift off
At approximately 8.00 am this Saturday, November 13 (Friday 2 pm EST if you live in the States) I’ll roll down the hill from inspirational and spiritual Cape Reinga to start my ride to the far end of the country to Bluff, the Pearl of the South. The weather forecast for the day will allow me to sample my raingear as heavy rain is expected with winds of 17k gusting to 30k (tailwind) It will be a challenging start, however I was expecting to be confronted with rain sooner or later.
I’ll be riding the Tour Aotearoa, (3000K) a complete kaleidoscope of kiwi terrain from beach, bush and mountains to forests, farmland and riverbanks, with lots of small settlements, some towns and a couple of cities along the way.
Ground Control
As I ride down the country over the next 25-30 days, you can follow my GPS position in real time at https://touraotearoa2022.maprogress.com?bib=MGuz. You can also follow me on my social platforms Facebook and Insta @mguznz or read my updates here on my Givealittle page or the Tara Iti Whānau Charitable Trust website: www.taraiticharitabletrust.com
In closing, I want to thank my wife Linda, Simon, Meg, Simon, Marianne, the Mangawhai Cycling Club, my family, friends, Ric and Suzanne, the Tara Iti members and my team for their continued support, help and encouragement.
Additionally, I would also like thank all of you who have to date graciously contributed to the Tara Iti Whanau Charitable Trust as every dollar counts!
EXCITED for lift off!

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Tour Aotearoa | 1 week to go!
4 November 2021
ENDURE & ENJOY
Resilience
Over the past 2 years, COVID-19 has really tested my training, patience and resilience and even more so in the last 6 months. With Linda stuck back in the States (until recently) without a spot in MIQ here in New Zealand and Auckland going into a never ending lockdown, now just days before my start, I still am without a travel exemption to cross over from Level 2 (through Auckland) to Level 2 to complete the ride.
Endure and Enjoy
To really endure and enjoy the Tour Aotearoa, my body will need to be well prepared, maintained along the way and occasionally fixed up due to accumulated wear 'n' tear along the journey due to a possible fall or two.
Food for Thought
I was never really very good at nutrition years ago when I ran marathons and competed in triathlons. In fact, I use to think drinking beer was a way of Carbo loading. However, what I did discover during my training was that I need to get my nutrition right as the TA is a huge challenge and I’ll need to eat a sufficient quantities (and quality) of food over the duration of my trip.
I’ll need to teach myself to function on, and enjoy, a range of fuels - fat, sugar and carbs. I’ll need to search out gas stations, dairies and franchise takeaway joints for widely available packaged food that is palatable when I am knackered, and/or running low on energy. Past TA riders have mentioned to me the large quantities purchased for immediate consumption. “There's no such thing as too much” my mission will be to shock shopkeepers. I should get excited about scoffing down 'bad' food, guilt-free and when I crave 'real food' enjoy salads, veggies, fruit and all the wholesome stuff when I can.
I’ll also need to plan ahead. Buying just enough to get me to the next provisioning stop, plus carry a small emergency stash. I need to set food and beverage targets alongside kilometre milestones. Eating at least once an hour and drink half a litre of water per hour.
Almost ready Butt….
Taking great care of my bum. The very first step was to sort out my bike fit, (Salsa Cutthroat) choice of saddle (Brookes) and bike shorts (Ground Effect Exocets) to minimise pressure and chaffing points. Next, I need to develop a daily program with the Chamois cream (Sweet Cheeks) as well as Sudocreme. Finally, at the end of each day, I’ll need to get my shorts off and air my bum (where decency allows). Lather up with soap and warm water, then let the soft skin dry. A healthy cloud of anti-bacterial talcum powder on my nethers can also help.
Lament of the Numb
Numb buns, neck, elbow, wrist and/or hands are real and potentially show-stopping issues. As discussed above, I need to hope that my bike fit is sorted to distribute weight between my hands and bum. If not, I need to discover what’s wrong along the way and hopefully correct it!
Stretch and Go
I’ll also need to finish each day with 5 - 10 minutes of stretching. I’d like to thank my past yoga instructors Meg, Mariska and Mel for teaching me the basic Yoga poses and movements over the years (the pigeon pose, gentle back bends, hip flexors and hamstring stretches) which will prove to now be very useful. In addition to this, whenever I decide to take a break during the day, I’ll treat my body to a micro stretch with one or more of these exercises.
First Aid
I’m also taking along a First Aid kit which includes a few essentials: Pain relief. (Ibuprofen) Fixomull for road rash and scrapes, Antiseptic wipes, Strapping tape, Band Aid Blister Blocker plasters as well as a few other goodies. I’ll also need to lather up with sunscreen - paying special attention to the back of my calves, top of my thighs, face, 'v' and back of neck and a proper SPF lip balm in abundance to prevent blisters.
In closing, I want to thank my wife Linda, Simon, Meg, Simon, Marianne, the Mangawhai Cycling Club, my family, friends, the Tara Iti members and my team for your continued support, help and encouragement.
Ride on!

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Tour Aotearoa | 2 weeks to go...
28 October 2021
The Tour Aotearoa is a mammoth challenge that can easily overwhelm the best of riders. What I’ve learned over the years of running marathons and competing in Ironman’s is to keep the objectives in perspective and divide it all into bite-sized milestones.
IN TRAINING
Training can quickly morph from grin, to grin and bear it too I’m over it.. With the help of a few cycling friends (TA vets) I tried to set up a realistic, regular (and invariably progressive) goals to keep myself motivated and in a positive place.
Bite-Sized Milestones Checklist:
- Group rides with supportive friends or fellow TA riders-in-training.
- Watch You Tube videos and hone my mechanical skills.
- Ride single-track fully-loaded to test how my bike handles differently.
- Make bags-on bike fully-loaded for training rides.
- Ride at night to test lights and charging system.
- Practice setting up my tent and sleeping overnight
- Knock off an overnight trip with my bike
- Riding 100km in a day
- Ticking off some back-to-back 100 km days .
It's been tempting to pre-ride some sections of the route but I didn’t want to set expectations of pace or create a buzz that would be hard to match during my actual ride. Tunes, Podcast and Audio books have been a great distraction to help push through the inevitable extended periods of tedium. (Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!).
My goal is to be prepared and ready, but not over trained. Finding the correct balance is crucial as I don’t wish to burn myself out mentally and physically, before hitting the start line. I guess the key has been to pace myself throughout training and continue this during the event.
AT HOME
We mixed it up with dinner parties, planning sessions, popcorn and beer as well as a trip to the Matakana Movie theatre to watch “The Big Bike Night” featuring 13 films which were weird, wacky, wonderful, uplifting and inspiring. Linda and I met regularly with Simon, Meg, Simon, Mariann and a few others to discuss training, equipment, itineraries, etc as well as watching Vimeo, YouTube, and a variety of bike-packing 'non-race' movies which have proved to be inspiring, amusing but at times overwhelming, intimidating and also scary.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Amongst the adrenalin and tough days that lie ahead one must remember to stop, smell the roses and seek out other Zen-like pleasures...
I enjoy the simplicity of just riding my bike, I like to bathe in the sunrises and sunsets, discovering 'windswept and interesting' locals and engage with them in discourse.
I've done the hard yards in training and will approach the start with low or no expectations. (Actually, I’m not sure I’ll be able too). There will be moments of misfortune that will test my resolve - so not meeting any preconceived expectations can be demotivating. Better to expect and plan for things to go wrong and celebrate when they don't.
As the start date creeps closer now, I am hopeful I will be able to secure a travel exemption to cross the Auckland border when Alert levels shift and the tide permits!

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Tour Aotearoa | 3 weeks to go ....
21 October 2021
TOUR AOTEAROA GEAR LIST
My aim is to complete the TA in a total of 25 days. With this approach and current fitness level, I’m likely to be pushing myself to my absolute physical limit. Wisdom is telling me to take the least amount of gear possible - without compromising my self-sufficiency. (Hopefully I’ll be able to sort myself out if there's an unscheduled night out, the weather turns nasty, my bike suffers an inevitable mechanical issue or I take a (minor) crash. Notice I choose to use the word “minor” as I’m sure my wife, Linda and family members will be reading this!
Less weight on my bike equals easier pedalling and better bike handling. Taking this approach, I’ll constrain myself to a finite volume of baggage, of around 30 to 40 litres on my handlebars and under-seat bags. So a clothing and equipment list is a useful starting point (Thank you Simon for your detailed excel spreadsheet as a reference point) but I guess in the end I'll opt for what work's best for me and the exciting adventure ahead.
I’ve driven Linda insane already with stacks of gear scattered around the living room floor. Invariably I won't fit it all in, so I plan to trim my list to what I really, really need and/or to seek out some rather innovative solutions.
BIKE BAGGAGE
Bike-packing soft luggage is the default solution. The TA includes some significant sections of “strenuous” mountain biking. A traditional touring set-up of panniers and racks will sort of work, but it can be quite a serious handicap off-road as well as less aerodynamic. Backpacks are best avoided to minimise any additional pressure on my bum.
• Handlebars; I decided on the Jones Bar for maximum hand positions and an aero bar, harness and dry bag for my tent, air mattress and a few other goodies
• Located on the front fork, I’ve mounted 2x BikCase drink holders
• Salsa tube top bag. For easy access mid ride - electronics, chargers, etc
• 2nd Top tube bag. To carry ID, cash, credit card, sunblock and lip balm
• A quadlock to hold GPS and iPhone on handlebars
• Two handlebar food bags. For food on the go and/or extra fluids
• Salsa Cutthroat in-frame bag. To carry a First Aid kit, 2 tubes, bike tools, rain gear, gloves and a few other items
• Salsa seat bag setup with a lightweight 'overflow' stuff pack to stash my sleeping bag, extra food and some clothes.
• Couple of utility straps for strapping gear down
• Bike lock to slow down opportunistic bike-burglars while I’m refuelling or sleeping
ON-THE-BIKE CLOTHING
I’m anticipating long days riding in gorgeous, mild conditions, but am also preparing myself for the reality of evil-cold sou'westers and or nor ‘west gales and lots of rain. In other words the usual, unpredictable spring like conditions that NZ is commonly known for.
• 2 pair cycle shorts, both pairs on. Wash the ones underneath and wear them on the outside the next day to dry.
• Merino leg warmers - to extend my shorts on cold mornings and provide bug protection around the campsite.
• Icebreaker Merino riding top. Arm warmers - to 'winterise' my short sleeve top - especially in the cool weather at either end of the day.
• Fast-drying Icebreaker thermal base layer for snap-freeze weather surprises.
• Gloves with padded palms as well as a second pair of full fingered.
• Ultra-lightweight and compact High vis vest.
• Thin balaclava under my helmet to keep my hard earned sweat from steaming up my shades.
• Icebreaker Merino socks.
BAD WEATHER KIT
• Thermal and wet weather gear will both let me soldier West Coast biblical deluges and provide an extra margin of safety if things go horribly wrong!
• Ground Effect Rain Jacket and pants, (Three-quarter length styling makes 'em easy to pull on and off, enhances breathability, avoids chain suck and reduces bulk when stashed.
• 3 layer HydroFoil™ plus fabric shields your thighs from deluges and your bum from rear wheel splatter).
• Thermal liner gloves and a buff for sun protection, keeping bugs out of my face, wrapping around my neck and a zillion other handy uses.
AROUND CAMP (OR TOWN)
• Long sleeve merino top
• Lightweight puffer jacket
• Underwear
• Merino compression socks,
• Sandwich bags to keep my toes warm and dry socks dry in wet cycling shoes,
• Jandals and personal toiletries.
SHELTER
• Nemo bikepacking tent
• Nemo light ground cover
• Sea2Summit Air mattress
• REI sleeping bag
BIKE ACCESSORIES & NAVIGATION
• A handlebar mounted Lezyne Headlight
• A headlamp as backup and for around the campsite
• Extra batteries
• Lezyne Taillight
• Garmin 830 and holder with dedicated GPS
• GPX files of the route loaded
• Cue sheets and elevation profiles in a waterproof case
• SPOT tracker - https://touraotearoa2022.maprogress.com/?bib=MGuz.
• iPhone - for logging progress photos, booking accommodations, boat tickets,
checking the weather forecast
• USB charger and cables
OTHER IMPORTANT BITS AND BOBS
Cycling shoes. Helmet, Sunglasses, 3 x water bottles, 1 PowerAde, Sun block, lip balm, Chamois cream (Sweet Cheeks) spoon and tiny can opener, dry bags, Aero bars, tennis ball for massage, bike cleaning gear, bike tools, 2 tire tubes, chain links, spare derailleur hanger, padlock, Duct tape, pump, zip ties, tyre levers, first aid kit, 24 hours of downloaded music (mostly the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s), audio books and podcasts……And of course, happy thoughts and a tough bum!

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Tour Aotearoa | 4 weeks to go ....
15 October 2021
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BIKE
The reality was, my “full suspension Pivot Mountain bike” wasn’t going to cut it for this crazy adventure and a getting new bike was absolutely paramount. A bike - accessorised with aerobars, a fixed-height seat post and suitable tyres to handle long days, mixed terrain and bike-packing payloads.
BIKE
After months of research and discussion with several bike shop owners my choice came down to the “Salsa Cutthroat Apex 1” with “Lauf front suspension”. The Cutthroat is an ultra-endurance bike packing machine inspired by all the unique challenges that the Tour Divide (USA) presents. Its lineage led them to a drop-bar mountain bike geometry that provides confidence even in the most challenging riding conditions.
Cutthroat’s carbon frame delivers excellent power transfer and its Class 5™ VRS soaks up micro-impacts from the road and trail, preserving my stamina. Ample cargo mounts allow me to configure my load to suit my personal preferences. SRAM’s Apex 1 groupset is a reliable workhorse—perfect for the Tour Aotearoa ride and rigs that will spend a lot of time deep in the backcountry. I also fitted the Lauf Grit SL front suspension which is the perfect addition to any tour/gravel bike. Which makes my bike more capable and offers off-road comfort and tolerance to survive tricky terrain.
Some of the Tour Divide Inspired Features on the Salsa Cutthroat that make it a great bike for TA is the bike is designed for maximum frame bag volume. Additionally, I can stay hydrated with room for three water bottles. The top tube bag mount makes mid-ride refuelling easy, and the three mounts on the fork offer extra capacity for gear or water.
GEAR UP
I decided I am clearly 1x kind of guy. I currently plan on using a RaceFace Ride Direct Mount 30t Crankset with a SPAM PG-1130 11-42, 11 speed cassette. I may change the cassette out once fully loaded and training in the next several weeks leading up to the start of the Tour Aotearoa. Afterall, no one has ever needed a bigger gear. It's the smaller gear for spinning up those big long hills which is often sought after.
RUBBER SIDE DOWN
A veritable candy store of tyre choice awaits. I ended up with mid-volume mtb tyre Teravail Sparwood 29 x 2.2 inches wide, 60 TPI with a low-profile tread. Less tread rolls faster, but is more of a handful off-road – so I have sort a trade-off tread pattern that matches my skills. Inflation pressure helps so I will run 25-30 psi off-road and around 40 psi on the tarmac.
BIKE FIT
I hunted down Benny @bennysbikeshop, who is a local expert (legend) to set up my bike for the correct pedalling alignment and cockpit length. The main bikepacking specific challenge is balancing the weight distribution between my bum and hands. Specifying a less aggressive ‘touring’ stance to your bike fitter is a good conservative starting point. It’s fine balancing act so I’ve had to test ride the set up. (On at least one multi-day ride). Including a few multi-day rides as often issues only become apparent after a couple of days. At the moment I’ll continue to experiment with different saddles and grips until I’m 100% happy.
RAISING THE BAR
I’ve been toying with a multitude of handlebar designs and are leaning towards the Jones Bar as well as aerobars for long sessions spinning into a headwind. The change in position also provides some relief to your ulnar nerve (numb hands) and gives your bum a welcome break with less weight on the saddle and ESI-type oversize silicon grips to soften vibration and nerve pressure on my palms.
GIDDY UP
A happy bum is vital. The right shorts, fastidious personal hygiene and a comfy saddle are the key ingredients. Traditional Brooks leather saddles are my favoured. Hopefully, they will be well worn in (but not worn out) and moulded to my bum by start time..

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Tour Aotearoa Update | 5 weeks to go...
6 October 2021
CAUSE and EFFECTS
"Cause and effects" is a relationship between events or things, where one is the result of the other or others. This is a combination of action and reaction. Something happens (a cause) that leads to an effect.
A bit of background. In May of 1999 I was hired as the GM to open the Stock Farm Club in Hamilton, Montana. It was at there that I made a name for myself (Marathon-Matt) raising money for the community by running marathons and competing in triathlons. I started out in 2000 running 12 marathons for 12 causes hoping to raise $12,000. That turned into running a baker’s dozen marathons raising $138,000 for 36 charities. In 2002, the Stock Farm Club formed The Greater Ravalli Foundation whose purpose is to financially support the growth and development of Ravalli County’s public education system. Over the last 20 years the TGRF has provided 10,000 meals, $500,000 in teacher supplies, 5,600 clothing items and 320 college scholarships.
Fast forward to today. “The Cause”. In 2020, The Tara Iti Whānau Charitable Trust was formed to provide financial support for betterment and to overcome financial hardship of employees, caddies and their families of Tara Iti Golf Club and the wider community. It aims to support such activities which promote literacy, education and wellbeing in the community and also to carry out other charitable purposes within our community as needs are determined.
The main reason for me wishing to complete the Tour Aotearoa (the Event or the action) beginning on November 13 or 14, 2021 is primarily to raise awareness and further funding for our dedicated team, caddies, their families and the community.
Over the past years I have been fortunate enough to witness first-hand the true impact this funding has had on our people. We have been able to support a number of people facing serious health issues including Cancer and Leukaemia and we have truly changed people daily lives by supplying hearing aids, scholarships, computers, and funds to those have struggled financially due to COVID and other unfortunate circumstances.
Additionally, through our Trust and the Spirit of Mangawhai Charity Golf Tournament, we have been able to assist many important organisations in our community with their wonderful initiatives, including but not limited to Mangawhai Activity Zone, Mangawhai Community Garden, Volunteer Surf Lifesaving, St John’s Ambulance, Fire Brigade, Mangawhai Beach School, Mangawhai Kindergarten, Mangawhai Museum, Artists Association and numerous other clubs and associations.
One week closer to taking on the epic challenge of Tour Aotearoa!

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Tour Aotearoa Update | 7 weeks to go...
29 September 2021
This adventure has been on my bucket list for the past 3 years. Through a few cycling friends (Simon, Meg, Mike, Murray, Pete, my wife Linda as well as our local “Mangawhai Cycling Group,” I’ve succumbed to the hype and signed myself up for the Tour Aotearoa. Instead of doing it with the group in late February 2022 I’ll be launching my journey on Sunday 14 November 2021.
TOPICS OF NOTE
My approach to the TA which encompasses a total distance of 3000 kms is much like how I approach life, that is “Some days will be magic, some days will be tragic and the rest of them will be somewhere in between”. Over the last several months I've been preparing my bike, my body and my mind for this challenge - including my bike choice, setup, gear, clothing navigation, training, nutrition and music, podcast and audio book selection so watch this space!
CAMPING STRATEGIES
One critical decision I have pondered about was HOW and WHERE I would sleep and eat. There are several broad approaches, with a myriad of hybrid options in-between. The “Credit Card” approach, that goes from town to town in pre-booked motels or backpackers. Thus reducing the need for a tent, sleeping bag and camping gear. Unfortunately, this approach reduces my options - forcing me to stop earlier in the day than perhaps I otherwise would. The next approach would be traveling light, fast and flexible - sleeping whenever and wherever I run out of gas. With the aid of a lightweight tent, sleeping bag and public shelters. Hot meals in cafés and takeaway joints. Cold food around camp. The final option is going Full touring mode with tent, cooker and cookware. More gear but maximum flexibility, comfort (good for recovery) and good times enjoying some epic camping spots.
But the good news is I have opted now for the second option, so it's a Nemo Bike-packing tent, Sea2Summit air mattress and REI Ultralight sleeping bag.
TIME AND $
Through rose-tinted glasses 12 months ago till my arrival in Bluff, I will have invested a significant amount of time researching bikes and equipment, configuring and tweaking my setup, and completing increasingly longer and more frequent training rides. (See latest training video) I will have also inevitably spent some serious coin on a number of things needed for this ride. Some purchases are mandatory, others indulgent, and others well just because.
Also, during the TA I expect to burn ALOT of energy and refuel with an unimaginable volume of food. Not all of it will be pretty, so let's say a lot of pies, fries, hamburgers, milkshakes and the occasional beer!.
WEAR 'N' TEAR
The intensity and duration of both the TA and my training is hard on gear. A lot of stuff will wear out (including me). I'll go through a set of tyres, brake pads and drive train before I hit the start line, and another lot during the event. The health of my bum is paramount, and therefore my choice of good saddle “Brooks” and padded shorts “Ground Effect Exocets.” is going to be key. My shorts should be worn in, but not worn out when I set off in Cape Reinga in November. Depending on the weather and surface conditions, after 3000km of grit, grim and 'average' washing they could be at, or close to retirement by the finish line. Likewise my rainwear “Ground Effect Flash Gordon” is likely to have expired if it's a tough spring training and a wet TA.
EXCITED
The hype leading into the TA has been highly addictive however it’s nothing more than pedalling a bike and having a great time. With just 7 weeks to go now ... I am definitely feeling EXCITED.

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Tour Aotearoa - Tara Iti Whānau Charitable Trust

Tour Aotearoa | Day 24 - Blown away in Bluff

Tour Aotearoa | Day 23 - The Highlands and Lowlands of the South

Tour Aotearoa | Day 22 - Conquering the Crown Range

Tour Aotearoa | Day 21 - Land of the long white cloud

Tour Aotearoa | Day 20 - The Hard Antler

Tour Aotearoa | Day 19 Glacier Country and Waterfalls on the West

Tour Aotearoa | Day 18 - West Coast Wilderness

Tour Aotearoa | D Day - Departure to Greymouth

Tour Aotearoa | Day 17 - Pause Pilot

Tour Aotearoa | Day 16 - Rain, rain go away!

Tour Aotearoa | Day 15 - Spooner's Tunnel and the sandflies

Tour Aotearoa | Day 14 - Happy Thanksgiving!

Tour Aotearoa | Day 13 - The spectacular Sounds

Tour Aotearoa | Day 12 - The race to windy Wellington

Tour Aotearoa | Day 11 - Real Kiwi Country

Tour Aotearoa | Day 10 - Digging Deep

Tour Aotearoa | Day 9 - A horse with no name

Tour Aotearoa | Day 8 "8 Days a Week" and travelling on the Bridge to Nowhere...

Tour Aotearoa | Day 7 - Blue Duck Station

Tour Aotearoa | Day 6 - The Timber Trail

Tour Aotearoa | Day 5 - Fall from grace

Tour Aotearoa | Day 4 - Hobbiton and the Rose Queen

Tour Aotearoa | Day 3 - Guardian Angels

Tour Aotearoa | Day 2 - The Tāne Mahuta

Tour Aotearoa | Day 1 - A foggy departure!

Tour Aotearoa | Ready to LAUNCH!

Tour Aotearoa | 1 week to go!

Tour Aotearoa | 2 weeks to go...

Tour Aotearoa | 3 weeks to go ....

Tour Aotearoa | 4 weeks to go ....

Tour Aotearoa Update | 5 weeks to go...

Tour Aotearoa Update | 7 weeks to go...