Mike reaches the big gumboot

29th April 2010

MIKE Avery of Stratford, dwarfed by the big gumboot at Taihape, three quarters of the way through his trip of cycling the length of New Zealand on his recumbent trike. The planning and regulatory manager at Stratford District Council is cycling from Bluff to Cape Rianga to raise funds for Big Brothers, Big Sisters of NZ, a community-mentoring programme for pre-teens. Yesterday he tackled the Desert Rd, from Waiouru to Taupo. He plans to reach the top of the island and be home by May 16 for his daughter’s 21st birthday. So far he’s had no breakdowns and is bearing up to the strain of the ride. He was hoping for a tail wind on the desert road. His ‘Laid Back End to End’ trip is documented on the Internet.