A WORLD TOUR

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 52, 2 March 1934, Page 12

A WORLD TOUR

CYCLES AND TRAILER

A novel way of seeing the world and of satisfying their urge to explore beyond the horizon is that taken--by -two-young Wellingtouians, George Cobb and Cyril Cox. These boys, have decided to make the trip - uuder their own power, and .to prove that they can do it, they, have just coiidudi'd a trip of 1G22 miles arouml the North Island.' "' Their travelling kit is leiuarkably compact, and consists of two bicycles coupled loosely together and towing a trailer. Kach bicycle carries _a pack, and, the trailei, when fully loaded, ■ takes over two bundredweigbt,of camping necessaries. The tourists explained, that on normal roads they proceed abreast, towing the trailer. On rough roads, the double coupling is disconnected, and. one bicycle pulls the load whilst the other pushes. With a following wind, they can set a sail which they assured a "Post" reporter was very efficient as a means of propulsion. THE FIRST STAGE. The two boys set out on their North Island cruise on October 3, and travelled in easy stages up the East Coast, around the North Auckland peninsula, and down the West Coast. On the way, they defrayed expenses by doing odd jobs, and thus have made, this initial .stage of their projected -world tour at remarkably low- cost. ■ "-."•■" Before reaching ;Taranaki, their average daily railage rarely exceeded thirty miles, and was more often about twenty. Both were very enthusiastic about the roads in Tarunaki, and remarked' on the fact that in that province their daily average •rose to sixty-five miles. The Wellington provincial roads they classed ns fair, but they considered that "something should be done about" the stretch between Sanson and Himatanc;i. "It's a good sound road." said one of them, "and resurfaced and put into shape it would be-a real asset. Now it's in about the worst condition of any in the province." *'.''■ TRAVEL EXPERIENCES. They have been snowed up for. two days, stranded: in the-flooded north, and without -water. for. fifty miles on the llotorua road. The greatest altitude they reached during the- trip was 27S0ft. "We can claim- one record," said Cyril Cos. "At one time we had' fifty punctures in forty miles, but ire'soon pot over that." The two are the first New Zealanders to depart on such a journey. Now they Jiave completed the -North Island tour, they are preparing to leave for Australia, which they will do in two or three weeks' time. After looking over that country, the cyclists are going on to America and Canada. They have not decided where they are going after that, but will doubtless be able to pick out fresh roads to conquer from the. diminished territory available. In. seeing New Zealand first, they consider that they have done their bit for their home country.