GREAT CYCLING FEAT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18341, 6 March 1923, Page 8

GREAT CYCLING FEAT.

I TOUR OF BOTH ISLANDS. 3600 MILES IN TEN WEEKS. MR. BARWELL'S EXPERIENCES. Those who maintain that the push bicycle is becoming a " back number '* in these days of motor transit will probably feel inclined to modify this opinion upon learning of the tour just completed by Mr. C. Barwell. Within 10 weeks, Mr. Barwell has completed a tour of the Dominion, extending over 3600 miles. Equipped with tent and camping gear, he has journeyed from To Reinga in the far North, to Stewart Island, and has successfully demonstrated that the most distant point in the Dominion can be visited on a " push bike " by anyone with a six weeks' vacation. Leaving Auckland on January 8, Mr. Barwell followed the usual route, via Awakino and Taranaki, reaching Wellington in six dava, an average of 75 miles a day. Crossing "to Picton, ho followed the East Coast to Bluff, which was reached in 16 days from Auckland. Three days were spent at Stewart Island, and on returning to the mainland, Mr. Barwell visited the beautiful Lake Manapouri, going on to Cromwell. Ho continued his journey via Lindis Pass, where, for the first and only time, his tent was blown down. Lakes Pukaki and Tekapo were visited; then came Fairlie, Geraldine, and Ashburton, followed by a run out to Lake Coleridge. Striking the West Coast Road, the traveller passed on to Bealey, where he was delayed by heavy rain. A roadman's hut provided shelter for a night, and the Pass was crossed next day in perfect weather. Two days later, Mr. Barwell reached the Franz Joseph Glacier, which ho aptly describes as a " veritable stairway of tho Gods." Nelson was reached five days later, through country of which every mile was described as beautiful and interesting. Four days were spent in Wellington on the return journey, which Mr. Barwell continued via Napier, Gisborne, tho Motu and Whakatane. On© of tho outstanding features of the trip was the completion of the run from Mamaku to Panmuro, a distance of 126 miles, in one day. " This goes to show that caravanning on a bike ipr 10 weeks on a purely vegetarian diet is a healthy way of spending a holiday," remarked Mr. Barwell, in describing his journeyingß. " Taken all in all, the roads were reasonably good," he continued, " but the province of Auckland is certainly much behind other parts of tho Dominion in this respect. Many of the roads, even in prosperous districts, are a positive disgrace." Many people will naturally want to know how many punctures were experienced on this trip. Mr. Barwell states that he was rather unlucky in picking up bent nails, and had four punctures in the 3600 miles. His front wheel tiro put up a wonderful record by carrying him almost the whole distance, a bent nail spoiling the perfection of the performance at 3400 miles. Mr. Barwell is most enthusiastic over his trip, being of opinion that this mode of travel is far superior to travel by train pr motor, also being actually cheaper than living at home. Additional interest is given to this remarkable' record bv the fact that Mr. Barwell is now in his 60th year, and in his most recent achievement, has broken all his previous records for length of tour, distance travelled in one day, 126 miles, and average speed. He says it is a great mistake to look upon cycling es a young man's sport only. " A man will ride a bicycle when ho js 20," he declares, " he ought to ride one when he turns 40, for. his health's sake. As a rejuvenator and health-restorer, it is the nearest approach yet found to the ' Elixir of Life.' "