CYCLISTS ON LONG TOUR
PARTY OF NEW PLYMOUTH MEN The three New Plymouth cyclists Messrs. Des. George, George Plucke 'and Gordon Tuffery, who left on a cycling tour of the North Island last Sunday, arrived at Arapuni on Tuesday evening after passing through Whangamomona, Taumarunui and Te Kuiti and having covered 220 miles. It was decided to take the TarataPurangi Road. They found the road after Purangi -very bad. They were over seven hours covering 46 miles on the road before reaching the main StratfordOhura Road, including two and a half hours for meals. The riders were accompanied to Purangi 'by W. Wood, a New Plymouth cyclist. Except on the Pohukura Saddle, which was very rough and covered with grass, and was like a cattle track, they rode the Tarata and Purangi zig-zags, and the Matu, Whangamomona, Tahora and Moki saddles. Once on the main
road the roads improved, but they were found very bad again later. The party passed through the Tangarakau Gorge’s 11 miles of clay road and camped 81 miles from New Plymouth. The riders had been over 12 hours on the rOad, including all stops. The second day’s ride was begun at 9 a.m. for Te Kuiti, 86 miles away. Very bad roads, with pot-holes and new metal, were met and travelling was slow. After dinner at Taumarunui the party left at 2,30 for Te Kuiti, the roads improving from then on. Several big hills were climbed. Two ‘ riders had punctures in the afternoon. Apart from that they had no trouble with their cycles. Near Te Kuiti the roads were in a bad state and the party did not arrive at Te Kuiti until 9 o’clock at night. They left Te Kuiti at 10.30 a.m. on the third day for Arapuni. The roads were fairly level but bore much loose shingle. All were now becoming experts at riding through shingle. Some rabbit shooting was done, each scoring a kill. The cyclists slept at Arapuni, having covered 220 miles.
On Wednesday they intended to ride to Rotorua. Until then they had had all fine weather and following winds.
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Bibliographic details
Taranaki Daily News, 26 January 1934, Page 5
Word Count
351CYCLISTS ON LONG TOUR Taranaki Daily News, 26 January 1934, Page 5
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