CALL OF THE ROAD

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 329, 9 January 1937, Page 4

CALL OF THE ROAD

LONG CYCLING TRIP. J Gisborne Boys Pass Through Stratford. Holidays and how to spend them? Two Gisborne High School boys, J. Porter and S. G’bben, did not deliberate very long before making up their minds. The call of the road, the urge to see new towns, new faces, a nc * investigate for themselves alluring accounts of the beauties ot the west coast of the North Island, were the facors which influenced th em to undertake a cycling tour of about 850 miles.

This morning the boys arrived in Stratford from N'cw Plymouth and during a short stop for the purpose of adjusting their gear they gave a Central Press reporter some particulars of their journey.

Gisborne was left on December 12 and they traversed 604 A motor lorry carried them for 55 miles and they had pedalled the rest of the distance. The longest single day’s cycling was from Gisborne to Opotiki, 94 miles being covered in about 15 hours.

At. Auckland very wet weather was encountered, otherwise conditions had been good. The boys slept in the open and plan their day’s run so as to have tea in town. They provide their? own breakfast and boil the “billy” for lunch by the wayside. An uneventful trip had be n experienced and except for a puncture there had been no mishap. The boys carried a road guide but they found that it was rarely necessary to refer to it as the Automobile Associations’ road signs directed them as required. Aided by a. srong northerly wind th y left Stratford at 9 o’clock this morning for Wanganui and Wellington where they will stop for a few days. Should they be pressed for time the homeward journey will be made by rail.