Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northern Advocate

Team of Northlanders to cycle length of NZ in 25 days

By Julia Czerwonatis
Reporter for the Northern Advocate·Northern Advocate·
17 Feb, 2020 07:00 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

The Northland team joining Tour Aotearoa, (from left) Jane Sweeney, Mike Waymouth, Paula Lang, Rob Meadows and Liz Davies. Absent: John Lengyel. Photo / Supplied

The Northland team joining Tour Aotearoa, (from left) Jane Sweeney, Mike Waymouth, Paula Lang, Rob Meadows and Liz Davies. Absent: John Lengyel. Photo / Supplied

Six Northlanders will today begin pedalling the length of New Zealand in just over three weeks to raise money for the Northland Rescue Helicopter service.

Mike Waymouth, Jane Sweeney, Rob Meadows, Liz Davies, Paula Lang, and John Lengyel will hop on their bikes at Cape Reinga along with 100 other cyclists from New Zealand and around the globe, and follow a 3000km trail down to Bluff.

They are joining one of 13 relays of the Tour Aotearoa event which will see nearly 1000 bike-enthusiasts riding throughout February and March.

Meadows said the group had made the decision to join Tour Aotearoa some time last year and they were excited to get on their bikes.

"I'm excited that we're doing it, but it's also scary because it's a freaking long way," Lengyel added.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The six of them met through the Marsden Wheelers Road Cycling Club, and, after one of their team had to be picked up by the Northland Rescue Helicopter last year, they decided to support the organisation through their big bike adventure.

Practice run for the big challenge.
Practice run for the big challenge.

READ MORE:
• Premium - NZ holidays: Cycling Northland's Pou Herenga Tai Twin Coast Cycle Trail

• Premium - Elisabeth Easther: A walking and cycling holiday in Northland

Waymouth took on the role as group coach making their calves burn during practice trips and writing up gear lists for everyone. He said they had some amazing experiences already in preparation for the challenge, including a trip to Rotorua.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"If it weren't for Mike we wouldn't be where we are now," Lang said.

The group's goal will be to complete the challenge within 25 days, meaning they will have to cycle on average 120km per day.

Mike Waymouth's and Paula Lang's bikes will weigh around 30kg each with all  their gear attached.
Mike Waymouth's and Paula Lang's bikes will weigh around 30kg each with all their gear attached.

Tour Aotearoa was launched in 2016 by Jonathan Kennett who, together with his two brothers, mapped out a route that includes most of New Zealand's prominent cycle trails and avoids main roads whenever possible – and then asked the public to join him on the trip.

This will be the third time the biannual challenge kicks off, although cyclists can individually complete the Tour Aotearoa trail any time of the year.

Discover more

New Zealand

Desperate for water: Residents describe life in drought zone

14 Feb 04:00 PM

Meet Northland's young cycling hotshots

15 Feb 06:00 PM

Uni hub for Whangārei is Chamber of Commerce boss' vision

16 Feb 09:00 PM

A century of heritage at iconic Northland baches

16 Feb 04:01 PM

There are a set of rules participants have to follow, including a $100 registration fee to a charity of their choice. Kennett also says the challenge wasn't a race but a brevet or "bikepacking" trip that must be completed in between 10 and 30 days.

Meadows said he weighed his mountain bike with all his gear – a spare pair of socks, tent and sleeping bags and a few basics – and even scaled down to the essentials, it's still 30kg.

They will share three camping stoves between the six of them so the classic rice and pasta diet will be on the menu as well as local cuisine from dairies and pubs they cycle past.

"Most people lose around 4kg on the trip," Lang said.

Enjoying the evening after a 120km ride to the Kai-Iwi Lakes.
Enjoying the evening after a 120km ride to the Kai-Iwi Lakes.

The group won't take many personal items – even packing a book is not to be considered – as weight is a "big deal".

Lengyel said while they had an idea what the first few stages across Northland would look like, they didn't have a detailed plan for the entire tour.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"We want to take it day by day," Lang added. "Whether we want to or not, we're going have to get up every morning and get back on the bike, day by day."

Waymouth is excited about the trip because as they'll go down backcountry roads and cycling tracks, they will be seeing a completely different side of New Zealand and meet a diverse range of people.

"Also, you'll be off the grid and don't worry too much about communication and what's happening around the world. It's refreshing not to have to worry about that."

Swiss couple Doris Arnold Basler and Peter Basler are friends with the Northland team and have come over from Europe to join the cycling tour across New Zealand. Photo / Julia Czerwonatis
Swiss couple Doris Arnold Basler and Peter Basler are friends with the Northland team and have come over from Europe to join the cycling tour across New Zealand. Photo / Julia Czerwonatis

To support their Northland Rescue Helicopters fundraiser, visit givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/cycling-adventures-for-northland-rescue?fbclid=IwAR18Lsx5RAa5f6a8L-Qc8p6V6-iUpW1JIV3khPMFOxSN8pnhkCnXscboUwY.

To track the location of the group, visit touraotearoa2020.maprogress.com/?bib=rdm&justme=yes&showPath=yes&showMarkerHistory=yes.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Northern Advocate

Northern Advocate
|Updated

'Tipping point to extinction': Orca expert fears marina fast-track application

Northern Advocate

'I didn’t have time to think': Well-known local rescues woman from rising flood

Northern Advocate

'Frankly dangerous': Gang member's alleged reckless driving near police lands him in court


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northern Advocate

'Tipping point to extinction': Orca expert fears marina fast-track application
Northern Advocate
|Updated

'Tipping point to extinction': Orca expert fears marina fast-track application

Dr Visser warns the marina could be the 'tipping point to extinction' for orca.

16 Jul 05:00 PM
'I didn’t have time to think': Well-known local rescues woman from rising flood
Northern Advocate

'I didn’t have time to think': Well-known local rescues woman from rising flood

16 Jul 06:00 AM
'Frankly dangerous': Gang member's alleged reckless driving near police lands him in court
Northern Advocate

'Frankly dangerous': Gang member's alleged reckless driving near police lands him in court

16 Jul 04:04 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP