Hawke's Bay pensioner couple cycling from Cape Reinga to Bluff for Women's Refuge

Odette Reid wades through water on the 3000km Tour Aotearoa route. Photo / Supplied

A retired Hawke's Bay couple are currently in the midst of pedalling 3000km from Cape Reinga to Bluff to raise money for the Hastings and Napier Women's Refuges.

It's just them, two bikes, a tent, one change of clothes – and an emergency locator beacon, just in case.

Odette Reid, 66 and Tony Reid, 73, embarked on the Tour Aotearoa route on January 27 and are currently travelling just south of Nelson, having already navigated their way through the North Island.

Tony cycles on their first day on 90 Mile Beach. Photo / Supplied

Odette said the journey so far, travelling the length of New Zealand, obviously hasn't been easy.

"Our backsides are not made for this, our legs seemed to have turned to jelly and our faces get smashed to pieces with flying insects," she said.

"But, the scenery is beautiful and the people we meet are fantastic so that makes up for it."

The couples' daughter, Tamara Pawson, said her parents have always enjoyed going on adventures.

"This wasn't surprising, my parents do a lot of outrageous things," She said. "They walked the Camino de Santiago a few years ago which is 800km through Spain and France, and they've done the Trans-Siberian adventure."

Pawson said she thought her parents would do the Tour Aotearoa route on e-bikes as they're "not really bikers", but her mother was insistent on doing it properly.

"My mum keeps using this motto, 'We'll just keep pedalling and we'll get fit on the way - and by the time we'll get down there we'll be fit'," she said.

According to Pawson, her parents are travelling around 50km to 60km per day.

Their longest day was the first when they rode 106km along 90 Mile Beach to beat the tide.

Tony and Odette were just over halfway through their journey when they thought they were being a bit selfish, just swanning around for nothing.

Odette said they decided to complete the trip and fundraise with a Givealitte page for the Napier and Hastings Women's Refuges.

"To compensate for the 'down side ' of our travels it would be fantastic to think we will be helping such a community-focused charity," she said.

The retired couple are determined to complete the challenge by April 10, as they have booked their flights to get them back home to Hawke's Bay.

The pair have already raised $1200 on their Givealittle page.