Spoked Cycle Tour - Three Greytown Men Take On The Ride Of Their Life

Spoked - The Tour Aotearoa

Starting on the 1st of Feb 2021, three guys from Greytown in the Wairarapa will be riding the ‘Tour Aotearoa’ (TA), a 3000km mountain bike route from Cape Reinga to Bluff over 26 days (plus some probably) ... that means over 100km's a day and all the ‘hazards’ that come with 7+ hours in the saddle! Calling themselves the ‘Spoked’ crew, Pete Sutherland, David Savage and Mike Smith will be fundraising for The Neurological Foundation and the Million Metres Stream Project as they go.

Why this ride?

This is an adventure, but there’s also a driver here to do this sooner as opposed to later. David has a condition called Multifocal Motor Neuropathy (MMN), which is gradually causing increased muscle loss in his right arm and hand, and right leg and foot.

"Some people with MMN end up with walking sticks or in a wheel chair. I've already lost two thirds of the strength in my right hand and my right leg has a subtle limp-thing going on at times ... and so a physical challenge like the TA is huge, but one that is hugely motivating - It's focusing me on what I can do now, not what I may lose in the future. We need more research in NZ on conditions like these, so this why we’re raising money for the Neurological Foundation.” David Savage

Fundraising

There’s an obvious link to the Neurological Foundation and so they are one of the two charities they’ll be raising money for. They fund research in New Zealand also the Brain Bank based in Auckland. Spoked will also be raising money for the Million Metres Stream Project who’s mission is focused on water way restoration.

“In the same way that the autoimmune disease I have has given me a shrinking window to take on a physical challenge like this, environmentally, we also have a shrinking window to restore our damaged waterways, before numerous endangered native species become extinct.” David Savage.

The Spoked team have already taken on some fundraising challenges; Mike waxed his back to ensure a smooth ride (to the delight of the watching masses), there have been team weigh-ins, Fabric-A-Brac stall from Miss Maude and raffles. They will take on more challenges and welcome guest riders as their epic journey progresses.

On the Team

Pete “Pannier Pete and his pins of power” Sutherland - Pete’s ex-Airforce and he has a timetable (!) to keep Spoked on track. He’s the best at maths, so will do things like calculate distances and ETAs. He is also the mobile weather station and will ensure we’re rain jacket ready at all times.

Mike “Prickle back” Smith - His official tour title is Chief of Humour and will snap the team out of any whingeing (that's when he's not whingeing himself). Mike is the good looking and athletic member of the group. (He wrote his own bio).

David “Sav” Savage - He came up with the idea, so he is Chief Blame Carrier for anything and everything that goes wrong. He’s also a Leadership Coach and Trainer, so will be working to make each individual within the team better than they already are via a series of intensive and very deep life coaching and life-changing conversations.

Follow the Spoked journey South, there will be some special moments, inevitable tears and drama, crashes and tears and lots of pies.

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