Odette somewhere between Nelson and Tapawera on the Tasman Great Taste Cycle Trail
What started out as a crazy idea for retired Napier couple Odette and Tony Reid, ended up with a fundraising bike ride the length of New Zealand. The pair not only added another notch to their adventurous belt, but also raised $3000 for Women's Refuge along the way.
"I've had crazy ideas before— let's walk the Otago Rail Trail, let's walk 800km on the Camino Santiago, let's hike Machu Picchu, climb Mt Sinai, let's travel on the trans Siberian train through Mongolia and Russia — but nothing quite as energetic as this one, especially now I am of pension age," Odette says.
Following the Tour Aotearoa route, the Reids stayed in motels, hotels, backpackers, cabins, lodges, huts and BnBs along the way — "and anything else that was available", Odette says.
"It was not always upmarket and not always the cleanest but often there was only one option. And hey, we didn't catch anything and have lived to tell the tale, so all good."
Tour rules state the cycle ride cannot be completed in less than 10 days and no longer than 30 days.
"I now think I could do the 30 days, but to do it in 10, that's an amazing feat. We took 46 biking days."
Odette says they had thought about doing the ride about a year before.
"It was just a vague idea we were floating around and then in about November 2020 we woke up one morning and thought 'what the hell, why not do it'. In fact we didn't have much else to do so it would fill in some time."
By the end of December they had still done nothing about it so finally got organised and booked flights to Auckland, Kaitaia and transport up to the Cape.
"Once we had done that it actually started to fall into place and we left here on January 26 and got to Cape Reinga the next day."
The Reid's pre-ride training schedule took on a leisurely pace, with the odd trip around Napier for coffee and out to the Puketapu pub for lunch.
"We did ride to Snappers Cafe once or twice as well. We tried to organise a few longer rides with friends but it didn't seem to work out and in the end we more or less shrugged our shoulders and said 'we will get fit on the way'. Not sure that worked out that well as I still seemed to be huffing, puffing and cursing as we rode to Stirling Point at Bluff."
Packing for the journey was kept to a minimum, taking with them as little as possible and included a personal locator beacon, a very small tent, an extremely small gas stove and pot, sleeping bags, mats and liners.
"That was the essential stuff. Clothing was a change of bike shorts, bike top, a merino, a pair of long, light pants for off the bike, another T-shirt, a pair of knickers, socks and spare light sandals for showering in and wearing out for dinner."
They also took a small first aid kit with lots of painkillers, suntan lotion and insect repellent, a "semi" waterproof jacket, a beanie and a camelback for water.
"That was about it. Probably more than the experienced riders take, but we did consider this our holiday so indulged a little. We did share a toothbrush to save the weight."
Odette says for most of the way they biked on their own, but always ran into people who were also biking which was "good for a natter". By the time the couple had reached Wellington, they were feeling determined to reach their goal.
"When we first set out we honestly were not sure we would make it so just got on our bikes and went for it. By the time we got to Wellington we decided that come hell or high water we were going to finish, so at that point thought why not try and put our holiday to good use and raise some funds."
Their daughter Tamara is involved with Women's Refuge and Odette has had some experience with family violence, so this charity seemed a good fit.
"There are so many charities that need help so we had to make a decision and go for it."
Tamara set up the Givealittle pages, posted any emails Odette had sent during the ride and got the fundraising side of it up and running.
"After that I just had to keep the updates rolling along, posted everything to friends via social media and onto the Tour Aotearoa group chat, begged and wheedled with everyone I knew and we ended up with near enough to $3200."
Odette had been hoping to raise $1 per kilometre.
"I was really pleased everyone helped out and we achieved that so I was happy. I know people have raised a lot more but we were really chuffed with how much friends, family and also strangers donated."
Looking back, Odette says it was more than just a bike ride.
"The more I think about it now the more I think it was amazing. At the time we were just biking and enjoying it, but really New Zealand is an amazing place with so many fantastic people."
The couple averaged about 65km a day , with the longest 110km and the shortest 35km.
"We didn't really go at break-neck speed."
She says one of the main challenges was making sure they had food or could buy food each day and if not, had organised to take it with them.
"That didn't always work out. Dinner one night consisted of sharing two hard boiled eggs, six gingernuts and a muesli bar."
They always had to be thinking ahead to find accommodation and knowing what was needed when they got there.
"We could often be in a hut where there were no shops or food available. We used the tent up north as accommodation was difficult to get at times."
The trip wasn't without the odd scratch or two, with Odette falling off on Ninety Mile Beach and hurting her knee.
"I took it easy, used the painkillers and it came right. Tony fell off about day four and bruised his rib. More painkillers. It came right finally. There was another incident that involved gravel, blood and bruising but we lived to tell the tale so all good."
Apart from the exhilaration of completing the journey, Odette says highlights included the Manea Footsteps of Kupe show at Opononi, the jet boat ride on the Whanganui River and the campground and little caravan at Mangakino.
"The sand dunes up north were stunning and the scenery of the West Coast when seen from a bike is absolutely beautiful. Also Tony loved the Wilderness Trail. The highlight was really the whole trip."
Whatever the next adventure is for the Reids, there's one thing for sure — "Something will come up and we will be there with bells on."