LONG CYCLE JOURNEY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18597, 7 January 1935, Page 6

LONG CYCLE JOURNEY

WESTPORT TO GISBORNE

AN INTERESTING TRIE

A bicycle journey I'roiu Westport to (>isboine, ;i »iist:im-o of ti2i> miles on roads that would try the muscles of any 'experienced adult cyclist, has just been completed 1»y two kid's, liiehaitl (’un)if’fc :inil William tfloan, students at the Westport Technical High School, states the Herald’s l’nlutahi eorrespondent. They dismounted from their lietivily-laden machines at I’lltulahi on the stroke of 5 pan. yesterday. Both lads are Hi years of age and showed little sign of fatigue after their efforts of the past few days. Both were mounted on sturdy roadster bicycles equipped with back-pedal brakes and each carried a change of clothing, sleeping bag and rain-coat, and other paraphernalia was distributed between the two.

Briefly, their itinerary was as follows:—Leaving Westport at (5 a.in. on Boxing Day, the route Jay through the mountain grandeur of the Buller Gorge, the loneliness of the journey being broken by occasional glimpses of renewed gold-mining activities in lhe form of prospecting camps in the bush and dredging activities in the waiters below. On the opposite bank could' lie seen the tunnels and cuttings of “Westport’s Dream” —the sUH incomplete portion of the InangalmaWestport railway which Coasters hope will some day connect the coal mines with the South Island Main i'runk railway. HISTORIC PLACES

The first night was spent on the hospitable floor of a roadman’s hut at Doctor’s Creek, a few miles from Murchison. Before emerging from the gorge, the romantic township of: Lyeli was passed. Now comprising only a couple of hotels and a tew ramshack houses. The Lyeli once boasted a population of several thousand in the gold boom of years ago. Blenheim was made the objective for the second day, the route being via Top House, Lake Roto-iti, and the long straight valley of the Wairau. The heat on this stage was oppressive and u welcome halt was called at thi' lake, which, set in sylvan beauty, guarded by snow-capped sentinels of the Spencer linages, even excels in beauty its North Island sister. Like Roto-iti of the North, its shores are dotted with summer cottages, the fishing rendezvous of. Nelson residents, the spot being only 43 miles from that city.

After sweltering in the stifling heat of the Wairau Valley, the youthful adventurers emerged into the fertile plains of Marlborough, passing Tuumarina, where stands the monument: to those pioneers who tell in the massacre when Colonel Wakoliohl’s surveying party clashed with To Ranpiiraha’s warriors. THE LONGEST STAGE

The riders v,;ere impressed with the luxuriance of the crops around Marlborough’s capital, extensive areas of wheat, oats, barley and peas growing in profusion. Nightfall saw Blenheim well m the rear and 12 miles from Picton a neighboring barn afforded adequate shelter for a warm summer night. An hour’s run into the land-locked port of Picton left several hours to view the grandeur of Queen Charlotte, Sound, and at 3 p.m. the s.s. Tamahine was boarded. After a pleasant run down the Sound, with fresh beauties unfolding at every turn, a comfortable crossing of Cook Strait was experienced, and foot set on the North Island shores at 6 p.m. After a pleasant few days spent in the garden valley of the Hutt, the North Island section of the trip was commenced in pouring rain exactly a week after leaving the home town. The Uiimituka Range having been crossed, lhe rain abated and Martinborough was reached that night. The following day Pahiatua was reached, rain having, again set in during the last few miles.- Here comfortable accommodation was found in a hayrick.

On Friday an early start was made for the longest stage of the journey--123 miles to Napier, which was reached without misadventure by 7 -p.m. The boys were loud in their praises of the motor-camp there, and of the hospitality they received at the hands of the attendant.’ The new Napier presented a vivid contrast to the historic mining towns of Westland and Nelson.

Although advised not. to attempt to make AVairoa in one day, the tourists successfully accomplished this hilly stage in 12 hours, and after a good night’s rest in AVairoa completed the journey yesterday, a welcome dip in the Morero hot baths proving a soothing balm to tired muscles. Only one puncture had been experienced on the journey, which had been accomplished without} spills or mechanical trouble to the machines. The boys were impressed by the hospitality they received all along the route.