ASHHURST BOYS’ THOUSAND – MILE CYCLE HOLIDAY

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6812, 16 January 1929, Page 8

ASHHURST BOYS’ THOUSAND - MILE CYCLE HOLIDAY

A Remarkable Performance

ADVENTURES AND HARDSHIPS GALORE

From Our Own Correspondent,

A wonderful performance was put up during the holidays by two Askhurst boys, Maurice and Arthur Hayward, aged 18 and 16 respectively, Prompted by the spirit of adventuro and a desire to see as much of the country as the limited time and means at their disposal would permit, they conceived the idea of a cycling tour, set off from their home at 2.30 on the morning of December 24. In 16 days, according to the mile meters on their bicycles, they travelled 1148 mile.®, reaching as far north as Dargaville. During the whole of this time they spent only four or five nights under a roof, usually sleeping in the open or making the most of any shelter that offered. To make their packs as light as possible, the only sleeping gear they carried was an overcoat and a pair of long trousers each, the remainder of their packs consisting of a change of clothing and a few cooking utensils. The boys’ story of their trip is an interesting one. Each day was full of incident and in many cases thoy had to face hardships which might yvcll have daunted older men. After leaving Mt. Messenger on their way north, a tyre on one of tho bicycles blow out—• the tube being completely ruined. A makeshift in ,the form of toi toi heads packed in the cover proved only partially successful and the boys Njvere forced to walk most of the way to Mokau, where a sympathetic farmer gave them a tyre and tube off his own machine. The nest day, misfortune again overtook them, the forks on Maurice’s machine snapping when they were within a few miles of Pio Pio and they were forced to wmlk some 36 miles to TeKuiti, arriving there wet Through. It was on the next stage of their journey, when they wero within a few miles of Te Awamutu that these two, by. now hungry boys, discovered a parcel by the roadside, and their delight can be well imagined wlien on opening it they found a leg of mutton already cooked. Next visited were Hamilton, Auckland, Port Albert and then Dargaville where a day was spent in preparation for the long journey home. The return trim from Dargaville to Auckland 150 miles was the longest stage undertaken in one day and took 13 hours to cover. The worst roads of the wholo tour wore encountered on this stretch, there being about 70 miles of clay which clogged the wheels of the cycles and made progress difficult. From Auckland their itinerary included Papakura, Pokeno—-whoie they branched off for Te Aroha —Taupe, Napier, Hastings and then home through the Gorge to Ashhurst. The journey from Te Aroha to Ashhurst was accomplished in three ■lays which must surely be a record for this mode of travel. Of the kindness and hospitality shown them during their travels, both boys speak highly. Ono incident for which they are unable to account however, occurred at Aarawera when they were making for a river to get some water for their mid-day meal. Some Maori women in the vicinity for some reason resented their presence and commenced throwing stones at them. Before besting a Tetreat they managed to get a snapshot of one in the act of throwing a stone. This snap is one of tho boys’ favourite exhibits. What the boys regard as a satisfactory featuro of their holiday is the fact that their total outlay was not more than £lO.