My dream of riding the Great Lake circuit.

Just recently, we came to know one of our beighbours who has moved here recently from Nelson with his wife so as to be nearer their daughters. One of his daughters pasted onto him a copy of the article that was done on us as a family re the Open Day for our new home. He also Googled my name along with Hutt City and read up about my story, all of this rrally impacted him and as a result he has connected with us and is now a major supporter to me. He even came across with character references for himself and references that we could contact should we so desire which is totally out standing of him.

He found out about a dream that I have always had tucked away in the back of my mind for sometime in the future and he too has always wanted to do the same thing, that is to enter the cycle ride around the great lake. Lake Taupo in the centre of the north island of New Zealand held each year in November, the ride is 160 km’s and we are planning on entering next years fide using a low rider tandem bike. My new riding partner Neil, now comes to the GYM almost every day of the week to workout with me and also to assist me as and when needed.

Several weeks ago we cisited the Avanti guy in Levin who deigns and builds these low riders for disabled people, they are amazing bikes to say the least. The ones that he designs and builds sit about 100 mm abve the ground, are 700 mm wide and are 3.5 metres long with #ea7 speeds and are designed for the person at the front to steer and pedal with their feet and the person in the rear to pedal with their hands. He also designs them with an electric motor if so desired, so if you run out of steam, you can flick the motor on and be propelled along, I said we won’t need that but we could use the motor to power a small fridge for a few cold drinks along the way. I have always been keen to do the ride using both my arms and legs, the Avanti guy had never designed a bke to allow one to ride like this but is keen on the challenge and says it can be done.

We are now in the process of endeavouring to fundraise for this bike as you  realize they ar,’t the chepest, but so worth it as he is going to design this one so as our kids can also use it and ride with me and it will also be able to be used on a beach with extra wheels that can be fitted.

Ther is now a dream team as I have nicknamed them setup to make this dream a reality and to fundraise, one event already planned is a movie fundraiser in December for the feature presentation of The Hobbitt that Peter Jackson and his team have been working on the past two or so years, there will be spot prizes at this event. A DVD of the journey that I am on will be shown, plus a speech from myself as well. I will post details re the event on my Blog very soon should you be interested in purchasing tickets to this. My riding partner is also taking footage of morkout that I am doing in the GYM and once the bike arrives hopefully around Christmas time, footage of us training together on it using the river trails.

Due to my hearing re conversation still needing more gains, we will be working on an idea of seting up a touch pad on the steering bars at the front and I will have pads attached to certain areas of my body that a pulse can be sent to indicating the need for braking, free wheeling, etc. The plan is to create a film with all the footage taken prior to the ride and the ride itself and the final 100 metres of the ride as I over take Neil on the homeward straight and hopefully put together a motivational film.

Very soon a page is too be setup on Facebook to cover the journey from here on in with the design and build of the bike, training, fundraising, etc, so I will post details on my Blog as soon as we have this in place.

This ride is a way for me to return and give glory to my amazing Heavenly Father for all that He has and continues to do for me and my family.

The following year being 2014, I am planning a bigger ride, this will be from Cape Reinga in the north, to Bluff in the south, I plan to raise up a team of support riders who will partner with me for certain legs of the journey as I make my way south. I have already had people say they are keen as to be a rider and sone of you maybe keen as well so let me know a little closer to the time.

I plan to do this ride as a way of bringing more awareness to Meningitis and its affects and also to fundraise for research and development of potential cures for the desease. I would like to end up in Dunedin at the ISIS rehabilitation centre where it pretty much all started from.

You maybe keen as well of know people who would be keen to assist along the journey with accommodation for the riding team and suppoet crew travvelling along with me, so again please let me know. I will be posting details on my Blog of the contact person for all the arrangements re this planned venture, so keep an eye out.

The You bike that I now have setup in my studio is going to play a huge role in my training se,sions for these rides and helping to build my trunk and hip muscles up. In my next Blog I will broing you up to speed with the You bike and details of where you can check it out further should you so desire.,

 

Kind regards,

 

Phil Thorn

Don't forget to check out my blog phillywonka.blogspot.com

 

'To achieve great things you not only need to act but also dream,

you not only need to plan but also believe'