Sunday, May 21, 2017

The ride across the plains, a flattie moment but a sweet sweet finish.

The ride across the plains, a flattie moment but a sweet sweet finish.

The final morning of the riding part of the challenge was a beauty in Springfield, a crisp Canterbury morning with the sun sending its warming rays through breaks  in the buildings.

It was a slower  start this day having put the challenging sections of the ride behind us and the YHA wasn’t in a hurry to awaken either it seemed Patience was needed as a key was hurried along to get eh campers kitchen filled with the aroma of a southern fry up.

Today would be a more healthy option for Prickly Behind, Rice Bubbles, fruit and yogurt followed by crumpets with Marmalade jam and a good cup of tea. With the YHA at Springfield having a Japanese theme through its camper kitchen and dining room, the team were  startled when one of the book shelves containing many books especially with a Japanese  flavour suddenly moved away from the wall on one end revealing a doorway and out pops an assistant manager.

We were joined this morning being Saturday 6th May by Robert who was the manager at Laura Fergusson in Christchurch, he would be our guide for the final section of the ride from Springfield to New Brighton Christchurch. From here Robert told us, it’s straight and flat across the Canterbury plains, that sounded good but with tired bodies after two day climbing over the Alp’s it still sounded like a cranker of a day’s work.

I was in approval of being transferred from my chair to the rear seat of the recumbent with the bike waiting in a patch of warmth from on high after navigating out way across a gravelly driveway still crisp with morning breeze in the shade.

As I prepared to set off as much as the arms felt the downward pull of gravity heavy from tired and tight muscles, I determined within myself that I would get that crank wound up for all it was worth, we had to be at New Brighton by four o’clock but the plan was to have a leisurely lunch stop if the going was good and allowance had been made for up to an hour should the final leg not go so well. I was determined to have as strong a finish as possible no matter what the body was feeling, if we can get the speed up early and to a manageable gear on the rear I could maintain it I felt till the finish line.
It wasn’t too long after saddling up, we were off, more cold patches and then out of Springfield to the open dairy farm plains, it took a few minutes for muscles to settle into a good rhythm while endeavouring to set an early pace. It was nice to have only a thermal and riding top on, long sleeves rolled up like action man but in my mind’s eye wishing I was Peter Pan. 

Those dairy farm odours were very invigorating as I thought of the early awakening for one on a farm compared to Prickly Behinds start for the day but then night can roll into day and day into night for one with blind sight.

We set an early pace, I was pleased as the pace saw me using the higher gears in the upper range with the recumbent bouncing along. My thoughts turned briefly to a new recumbent with a suspension as Prickly Behind is hardly young in age and this finer points are important as year rolls into year.

It was then my thoughts were jerked back to reality as the bike swerved to the left and then back to the right before straighten up, straight roads I said to myself, must be a curve to keep drivers alert as the pace increased again It wasn’t far from here the first pilot change for the day took place while several southern baked  cookies were shoved in my hand and off we went again. This time with one called Hayley as my pilot. She commented later that I was a human machine but there’s nothing bicentennial of a man about me just lots of deep down determination to never give up.

Several times along those straights we hit 65 kilometres per hour I learned later but I felt we were still not going fast enough, speed can be deceptive in the rear seat with blind sight.

Not long after a good burst with Hayley as pilot, we stopped briefly to greet Trevor from Laura Fergusson in Christchurch as a backup for Robert in case he lost his way and then a surprise, Karen from Laura Fergusson taps on my shoulder and alongside me is my Dad. That was a moment to treasure for the memory chest.

A little further along and a spot in the sun for a well-deserved lunch break and to learn we only had thirty kilometres to go, man we had made great progress, must have been the invigorating odours in the air.

A fine fair was had for lunch that day, filled wraps with more homemade baking and cups of tea, the sun was so warming there was concern for Prickly Behinds receding hair line with helmet off lest it end up with an ouch spot and a peeling to follow.

After fueling up, it was time to hit the road Jack and don’t you go back no more no more. Well we hit the road Jack, stricken another patch of roadworks about 10 kilometres down the road, the newly designed recumbent with suspension entered the mind again as we bounced our way through and then onto flat stuff again but the song did not come true about going back no more no more. My pilot being my brother Clem at this pint received the message via walkie talkie, that a gremlin had struck Molly our coach.

We have to go back the message came through on my hand, go back, oh no oh no. What would come of this, we were on time with 10 kilometres to cover till the finish line but through a busy Christchurch on a Saturday afternoon with an hour till four o’clock.

Back we went after some careful manoeuvring to a spot about half a kilometre back along the straight to learn that Molly the coach had had a sudden  leak and a flattie moment. The reality of the situation was added to as Molly had a spare tyre but it was a trailer tyre and not for the coach

Frantic calls were made to get Karen back from the finish line where she was setting up the finish line tape to ferry those on the coach to the finish line. All support riders with bikes were now riding with Prickly Behind as we set off again leaving the coach and driver to an element of uncertainty trying to get a fleet service out to repair the flattie.

We were a rocking and a rolling as we stopped and started our way across the city and it wasn’t to the local classic hits radio station. A city struck by earthquakes has left the roads feeling like a roller coaster on a recumbent, then the familiar smell of city life as we past a KFC and a punnet of chicken flavoured chips would have hit the spot but the mission was almost complete, would we make it on time with an unexpected flattie moment!

We came to a stop not far down the road as I said to myself, where has that lovely warmth gone too. Stopping and starting across town, the body wasn’t as warm burning less energy and then the message came, We are about 2 kilometres from the finish line. Oh my goodness I said, we have almost made it and with about ten minutes to go before the clock struck four o’clock. Lots of positive thoughts from here on and we will make it safely, sure, sure , sure, just give it one more blast, I had a plan for a sign to raise my arms in a successful accomplishment right on hitting the line but my senses and body were a little tired and behind the eight ball and the arms were raised as the tape hit my chest and the Tinnitus sounded like cheering of well-wishers and supporters at the New Brighton finish line.

It was a moment to cherish for a long long time, we has accomplished a challenging ride of just over 250 kilometres from coast to coast crossing two alpine passes, one being the third highest pass in New Zealand and we had done it as a team. The warm glow of satisfaction filled the heart and the dial said it all. Team members were thrilled as hand shales tool place, hugs and pats on the back, time to pop a champagne bottle thrust in my hand and then to be congratulated by the Minister for disability, Nicky Wagnor, followed by speeches.

I will cover more of the finish line in my next post plus the final day returning home again after such an epic adventure.

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Apologies for those who have had issues getting from my Facebook to my Blog Spot by clicking on the link I provide. I am endeavouring to post snippets on Facebook and the main post on my Blog Spot as I believe my Blog Spot is the best medium for posting lengthy posts and not Facebook but this is a new challenge for me as I am doing this on my own preparing and posting so I have made several errors at times, thanks for being understanding and patient with me. Please stay connected as I will be writing regularly to my Blog Spot even after completing the challenge series.


Kind regards,
Phil Thorn

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"To achieve great things, you not only need to act, but also dream, not only plan, but also believe"  
"One should never creep, when one is compelled to soar"



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