Cycling to New Zealand

[lancer17]

Well now I know its going to happen thought I would share it with you  Yes I am going overland to New Zealand on my Raven Tour named Gromit. Have a look at my sight it will give you a bit more information about what I am doing it for so if you want to sponsor me feel free
http://www.giftme.biz
richard@giftme.biz

Hope you enjoy the sight as much as I enjoy my journey

Richard

[geocycle]

Sounds like a great trip, make the most of a fantastic opportunity.  I'm sure those of us who are constrained to more modest touring will follow your blog with interest.  I hope the bike behaves and good luck!

[lancer17]

Yes, I realise how lucky I am, I hope my bike performs how it has up to now, but I have prepared as much as I can, but you can be sure I have forgotten something

[PH]

Have a good trip, I'm sure you will.  I've just looked at your route, there's enough there to last most people a lifetime, plenty of variety, I look forward to following your progress.

[jags]

have a great trip you sure like ortlieb, did you hit them for sponsorship  ,looks like a tour of a lifetime                                                                                                                                                                                   

[lancer17]

Yes I do think Ortlieb is the dogs bits, and no they have not paid for it, taken time to get it all together. But I just like the way they work simple no frills, strong and built to last, don't think you buy Ortlieb for looks, but I do know what its like to be COLD WET and MISRABLE, and I just will not take that risk. It just leaves me with one less thing to worry about.
Just looking forward to just getting on with it now.

[Geoff]

Hi Lance,

Well you have chosen a great country to finish your trip New Zealand. I have lived here for 20 years and cycle most days but not such long trips. When you visit Auckland if you email me we can certainly give you a warm invite, a warm meal and a bed for the night all free... my email is glong@water.co.nz  I will give you more details should you jot us a line... good on you for doing this trip...regards  Geoff

[lancer17]

You are are a star Geoff, I am looking forward to cycling in NZ, it will mean that I am nearly home (Temuka). Getting Nervous now its all becoming a reality and with 5 days to go, I have had to change my route; as to get a Turkmen Visa they want me to book a $900US holiday! I am afraid the budget for camping for 5 days is slightly less than that So it looks like Pakistan and India it is, so much for planning:) But not stressed no point can't change it.

Richard

Keep up with the adventure at http://www.giftme.biz

[ChrisB]

Hi Richard,

I've looked at your web site with interest as I'm hoping to cycle from UK to NZ in 18 months time and hope to follow a lot of the route you are taking........Pamirs, Kyrgyzstan, Tibet.  I would be most interested to hear how you get on with obtaining the visas for these specific regions.

I'm currently awaiting my Raven Nomad which should be ready in a week or two and then I'll be down to serious savings for the trip and rounding up the gear I need (great gear list by the way).

I will follow you progress with interest and hopefully catch up with you in a couple of years time.  I've got a mate who lives in Gisbourne and relatives in Auckland so will be dropping in to visit them when I arrive and then hopefully touring the N and S Islands.

Anyhow, all the very best with your travels I hope everything goes well and you stay safe.  The main thing is enjoy and savour the trip.

Chris

[lancer17]

Hi Chris the only visa that has been a problem is the one for turkmenistan they want me to take a holiday $600us, my budget does not run to that! I am going to try and get a transit visa or may have to reroute through pakistan or fly over that part of the world but i am hoping to sort something and will let you know what happens. As for the kit list the thing i would say is keep it lite and dont carry any spares that are not needed, everything is availble and at good prices, i have never seen so many bike shops with really good kit. the only thing I have not seen is Rohloff anywhere!
Dont know how much touring youve done but I find that the the kit you can buy like berghaus, and the like is harder whering than cycle kit and is generaly lighter, Top kit I have found so far is my down jacket, MSR stove and my phone charger, my photos have been taken with the N95 and you can geotag with it, top bit of kit. I have been staggered by how friendly some people have been and the help I have been show, only to be staggered by the complete arse that I have met next!
But my advice is save those pounds and make sure you make the trip even the bad times have been better than siting at my PC at work!
You will find with the visas that no matter how hard you try you will end up having to use agents for some of them, the big supprise for me was the visa for china pay your money and thats it really, I expected it to be hard. going to spend a couple of days in Vennia as i know there are quite a few embassys there that i might be able to sort this problem. My view is i have come to far to be turned down at this stage.

Enjoy your Thorn mine is a great bike and very very well put together. When you consider I have done 5500kms with it now and I have had 2 punctures one duff tyre and thats it oh oil for the chain, and oil change kit number one. wheels are still true and running sweet. Only gripe I have is that the paint work is not that tuff or perhaps I am not so careful.

Richard

[geocycle]

Richard,
I enjoyed looking at your pictures.  Some of those towns along the Danube look great.  Are you through Austria yet?

Your saddle pin problems were unfortunate.  I've read a few reports of these failing.  Did I understand that you also had to replace the saddle?

[lancer17]

A day of sadness and joy, home with Jane and the boys but knowing that the trip is over for now!!!
I guess I will have to get a job for a few months to cover the extra flight costs as they were not included in the original budget
But the plotting and planning for Turkey and Iran has already started!
I am not looking at it as giving up, just adding some down time in the middle, yes I would love to have done it in one leap but it was not to be, Jane is fully behind me returning in a few months, I have realised that I must finish this now I have started, its now a part of my life that I like, so the next step is to work on my knees some and to see some of NZ before I set off for Turkey, and Iran.
Will let you know the restart date when I have worked it out myself
Thanks for the support

Richard

[taylor529]

Well done,
                  you write an enthralling narative even if the spelling is somewhat dyslectic.

I have now broken three seat bolts on my Thorn raven with the San Marco Rolls saddle.  On the first occasion I was only 4km from home and coasted back with no problems.  On the second occasion I was returning from a weeks camping trip and I was not carrying a spare but I was still only 20km from home so I sat on my tent on the rear carrier, pedalled on the flats and walked up the hills.  On the third occasion out with the Cycle Touring Association I surprised everyone by whipping out a spare and fixing the problem in five minutes.  Now I  carry two  spares pregreased with 'Locktite' nickel lubricant and am hoping for no further trouble.

David

[lancer17]

you noticed my little problem with spelling, I normally get away with due to the spell checker! Glad you have enjoyed my travel notes

Richard