19th April: The Support Crew’s Perspective #4

Day 6: North island

Only in New Zealand. We left the Waikato yesterday and climbed up to the plateau. The views of the mountains are clear and stunning. I look forward to the next opportunity to go tramping here. We arrive at our alpine hideaway in National Park and meet up with new team member Patrick Morgan, Project Manager at Cycling Action Network. We also meet Peter who owns the house we’re staying in. It turns out that Peter is a cycling instructor and has been involved in the development of the cycling trails around Taupo. He soon works out that he already knows Patrick and makes the snap decision to join Team Hikurangi for the next day’s ride. Like I say… only in New Zealand.

We all attend the day’s prize giving at a lodge nearby. Good cheer all round. John from the Medilex Team in Hawkes Bay has bought several bottles of ‘The Press’ olive oil, and is intent on auctioning two tonight to fundraise for Hikurangi. It’s good to give a quick pitch on Hikurangi and everyone a sense of tour work – debunking the idea that we retail bananas (All Good ones albeit!). Some fierce bidding takes place, and Hikurangi walks away with another $200 for the ‘Cycling Innovation Challenge’ that we will run with the funds we generate from the Tour.

The two auction winners also happen to be the two race leaders. As we have a photo my competitive sense gets the better of me and I imagine an elite Hikurangi team in 2013 teaching the boys from the Air Force a thing or two.

All down hill today (apparently). We’ll get to Wanganui in the afternoon, and then on to Palmy for a BBQ with another three new teammates – Team Hikurangi will be going large!