VETERAN CYCLIST.

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 17898, 19 December 1929, Page 5

VETERAN CYCLIST.

HAMILTON TO WELLINGTON. 422 MILES IN SIX .DAYS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. When he rode into the city about 4.30 o’clock yesterday afternoon, after his cycle journey of 422 miles from Hamilton, Mr E. Breckon was looking At and well and showing no ill-effects of his long pedal, despite his remarkably good time of six days and his 73 years. To a Waikato Times representative the veteran stated this morning that lie left his home at G. 30 o’clock on Thursday morning, and did the 55J miles to Te Kuiti ’by flve o’clock. He loft Te Kuiti at 6.55 o'clock on Friday morning, and struck rather bad roads on tlie journey to Awakino. lie reached Awakino at 5.5 p.rn. on Friday, and was off again by 7.40 o'clock next mornin. The 60-mile run to New Plymouth was covered by six o'clock the same day. On Sunday Mr Breckon was in his element pedalling over the beautiful Taranaki roads on his way to Hawura, which was reached 5 p.m. Leaving 11 aw era at 7.40 a.m. on Monday he pedalled the 57£ miles to Wanganui, arriving at the big river town at 4.30 p.m. “ I hadn't seen Wanganui for 51 years,” lie remarked, “ and could only marvel at the progress the town has made in half a century.” He left Wanganui at 8 o’clock on Tuesday morning, and between Shannon and Levin a tropical downpour of rain descended upon him. " I am naturally independent,” said Mr Breckon, " but so devastating was the downpour that I was compelled to turn in at a farmhouse and crave permission to sleep in the hayloft for the night. Mr W. 11. McKenzie, the owner of the farm, turned out to be a regular good Samaritan. He made me come into the house and treated me most hospitably.” Bidding his kind host good-bye, Mr Breckon came on yesterday, and reached Wellington at 4.30 o'clock in the afternoon. I was treated very kindly all along the route,” Mr Breckon said. He reckons that three-parts of the roads over which he travelled were bituminised. Mr Breckon is the guest of an old friend, Mr 11. Schneider, of Lower Hutt, and will spend a few weeks in Wellington before returning home. Asked if he would take his bicycle back with him, he smiled and said: “ Yes, on the train.”