U.S. cyclists spend time ‘in postcard’

Press, 3 February 1986, Page 5

U.S. cyclists spend time ‘in postcard’

Seventeen cyclists from the United States have just spent five weeks “living in a postcard.” The cyclists arrived in New Zealand on New Year’s Eve, having each paid $6OOO for the privilege of seeing New Zealand from a bicycle seat. Yesterday, as many of the tourists prepared to leave New Zealand, they were adamant that their experiences had been worth every cent Miss Lyim Smith, of Boston, said that her five weeks in New Zealand had been like “living in a postcard.”

Miss Nancy Mlynek’s reaction was to ask if there was a job going as a computer programmer. The tour leader, Mr Ray Brutti, of Arizona, paid tribute to the tour’s organisation by the Youth Hostels Association in conjunction with the Bicycle Touring Company of Auckland. The cyclists would have made an interesting sight as they free-wheeled through the countryside, singing their theme song, “We’re on a road to nowhere.” One of the three tourists

over 60, Mr Bill Bundy, had a bubble on his cycle to reduce air resistance. Accompanying the party were two cooks and a support van. The van was intended to carry luggage and pedal-weary cyclists. The cyclists had problems on gravel back roads and found sealed roads were rougher than those in the United States. However, few came of their bicycles, and some managed to cycle 1700 km without a puncture. Miss Mlynek said bruises and grazes on her

arms had not come from a bicycle accident. She suffered them near Queenstown as she scrambled down a bank to assist at a car accident. Mr Rod Donald, of the Youth Hostels Association, said the trip had been the first big cycle tour organised by the association. The success of the experiment could lead to tours for European as well as American cyclists. New Zealanders would be welcome to join these , tours although they could expect to pay about $2OOO, he said.