Cycle trip raises $14,000 for Winton helipad
Tears were in the eyes of Inge de Kruijf as she rolled into Bluff after biking the length of Aotearoa in 40 days.
De Kruijf and her fellow cyclists Wim and Janet Overgaauw cycled more than 2900km from Cape Reinga’s lighthouse on February 24 to the signpost at Bluff’s Stirling Point this month to raise money for a helipad in Winton.
The township’s current set up saw emergency services organising temporary helipads in fields, which caused issues during winter when the ground was wet and muddy.
So, supported by the Winton Lions Club, the group set off on their 40-day adventure to help raise money towards the building of a permanent helipad, de Kruijf said.
The group was joined by friend Jose van der Poel during some aspects of the trip as they traversed the highs and lows of Aotearoa on their e-bikes.
It is the longest ride de Kruihf has ever attempted, and as the kilometres continued to ticked up, she said that her resolve was tested.
“You have to really enjoy biking to get up each morning,” she said. “I’ve taken it one day at a time because if you thought about the big picture it scared you.”
Taking on more than 100km a day wasn’t so bad on an e-bike, she said, but running out of battery was a different story.
“We had a few times when we ran our of battery, but you learn quickly to save it,” she said.
“If you’ve got bad luck, you’re still going up hill, so you preserve battery.”
The group was blessed with good weather for most of the trip, but as they headed further south the icy-cold mornings were taking some of the joy out of their adventure, de Kruijf said.
“The weather plays a big part. “You kind of have to set your mind to it, put on your raincoat, and carry on,” she said.
“It has pushed my boundaries. We had some tough times definitely, it’s not always easy, but it was more of a mental thing that you have to step over.
“It’s been a great experience for me personally. New Zealand is beautiful and it’s a great way to see the county.”
Since starting their ride in February, more than $14,100 has been raised for the helipad.
“Hopefully Winton has become excited about it all and will do more for it,” she said.
If you want to help out, the Winton Lions Club is continuing to accept donations for the helipad.
“We had a few times when we ran our of battery, but you learn quickly to save it. If you’ve got bad luck, you’re still going up hill, so you preserve battery.” Inge de Kruijf