Explore Raise funds Login Help

Nick’s 3,000km Bike Ride

$3,390 of $3,000 goal

Given by 45 generous donors in 4 weeks

Share Closed

I’ll be riding the length of Aotearoa to raise money for Bowel Cancer New Zealand

Auckland

Hello friends! On the 21st of February I’ll be setting off on the Tour Aotearoa – a 3,000km bike ride from Cape Reinga to Bluff. The tour links together cycle trails, beaches, country roads and plenty of hills, showing off some of the most beautiful parts of the country. It’s also ‘self-supported’ meaning I carry all my food, water, clothing and shelter.

This ride is a great opportunity to raise money for an important charity to me, Bowel Cancer NZ. Every year 3,000 New Zealanders are diagnosed with it, and 1,200 people die of it, including young people. It has impacted people on both sides of my family. The key thing to reduce the harm is early detection. This charity has pushed for national bowel screening and since 2016 it has been successful in screening at risk New Zealanders.

Please show your support with a koha to help the peeps at Bowel Screening NZ continue to screen, support and research this disease that is such a pain in the arse.

Let’s aim for $3,000! $1 for every

Nick Maddren's involvement (page creator)

Riding the length of Aotearoa in support of Bowel Cancer New Zealand

Other page links

touraotearoa2021.maprogress.com/?bib=NM

That's A Wrap! 18 March 2021

On Monday around lunchtime I made it to Bluff - 23 days and 3,000km after leaving The Cape. The rain was pouring and a Bluff Westerly was howling but considering how lucky I was with weather throughout the trip I can't complain.

And what an awesome trip it was. There was something cathartic about waking up and knowing my only job was to cycle this beautiful country. So many small towns and friendly people I wouldn't have otherwise met.

There's a real sense of community on the tour. All the riders are dangerously tired and hungry so as you sit together demolishing a pie at the Mangakino 4square, you may not be talking, you may not even know their name, but you know what the other guy has just been through and that's enough.

The small towns get behind it too. From the dairy owner up north who watches the tracker and stays open late, giving everyone a chance to buy the required chocolate and Powerade, to the publican down south who will put aside a serving of bangers and mash to heat up when you arrive at the hotel, hours after closing.

But the biggest take away - the generosity of friends and family who have come together to raise more than $3,000 for Bowel Cancer NZ! Thank you all so much for donating to a very important cause and giving me a boost to keep turning the pedals even when I really didn't want to.

A special big thanks to Natalie and Jason Barlow who picked me up from Bluff and leant me their car to get back to Queenstown!

Share this update

View and comment