ON A PUSH-BIKE

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 137, 14 June 1927, Page 7

ON A PUSH-BIKE

AIJCrtLAND^O WELLING TON

A lonely journey, and one which ho said ho would not care to undertake again, was completed by the professional champion road cyclist, A. C. Sutherland on P- nday morniii- wl.en he arrived at Wellington on his push-bike from Auckland. Sutherland took 72 hours to accomplish the journey. Ho left Newton Post Office, Auckland, on Thursday morning, and arrived at the Wellington G.P.O. at 9.15 a.m. on Sunday. Throughput the long and lonely journey Sutherland:did not have r. puncture, but owing to tho unfavourable conditions experienced on the latter part of the run, the trip occupied longer than he had estimated. Sutherland left Auckland in company with, another Auckland rider, W. Hill, and reached Hamilton at 4.30 p.m. on Thursday. He left Hamilton at 6.30 p.m., and made for Te Kuiti, and, after resting a while, he went on to Hawera. He dismounted at Hawera at 10.30 p.m. on Friday, and at 0.30 tho next morning ho made for Wanganui. Four hours after leaving Wanganui he arrived at Palmeraton North. After staying about two 'hours at Palmcrston he continued his journey. Lintoh was liia next stopping place. At 9.30 p.m. he left Linton. . A stop was made at Otaki, and then Sutherland set off on the last part of his journey. On reaching the Paekak—iki hill on Sunday morning heavy rain was falling, and it was bitterly cold. At Tawa Flat he sought shelter, he was so cold. "I was, cold all over," said Sutherland, "and the remainder of tho journey was .very trying. I can tell you I was not sorry when I xeached the Post Office on Sunday morning. I was pratically done in, but a hot bath and a few hours rest put me right again." . Sutherland has been riding for a number of years now, and he set out on the long journey from Aucklaud on his birthday. He estimates his actual riding time as 53 hours. On the first day of the trip he covered 136' miles, while on the third he did about 214. A number of motorcars passed him on the way, and ho had several pacers at various times. This did not make the journey any more pleasant, however. "Wherever I -stopped," said Sutherland, "X was giv.en a good, welcome, but it was a terribly lonely ride, and for that reason I do not think I-would caro to tackle it again."