I’m finally on my way to New Zealand for the Tour Aotearoa! This video covers the long journey to get there (and trust me, it was long!), followed by my preparations before heading to the start point. A big surprise: I meet up with my friend John, who I rode with on the TransAm, and he’ll be joining me for this adventure! I am also joined by another friend, Rob, who I met riding the GDMBR the year before. Rob will ride the North island with John and I. We all travel together to Cape Reinga, the northernmost tip of New Zealand, where the Tour Aotearoa begins.
The Tour Aotearoa is one of the world's great bikepacking adventures, spanning 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles) from the northern tip of New Zealand at Cape Reinga to the southernmost town of Bluff. This self-supported journey takes riders through a stunning variety of landscapes, including rugged coastlines, lush forests, rolling farmland, and majestic mountain ranges. Along the way, participants experience New Zealand's unique culture, hospitality, and diverse terrain while tackling a mix of cycle trails, quiet country roads, and remote backcountry paths.
The next video will mark the official start of this epic ride, so make sure to like, subscribe, and hit the bell if you would like to follow along. I will hopefully be releasing episodes regularly throughout the tour.
Thank you for watching.
Links:
Ko-fi (If you want to support the channel): https://ko-fi.com/matryder
Review channel (where I review a lot of the gear I will be using on this trip):
https://youtube.com/@matryderreviews?si=XXmCNUNMUqcF9hAA
Follow my journey (Garmin location): https://share.garmin.com/share/matryder
Team Cont;nue (The foundation John is riding for):
https://teamcontinue.org/
Learn more about the Tour Aotearoa: http://www.touraotearoa.nz/p/home.html
00:00. Departing London
00:46. A LONG layover in Shanghai
02:56. Mat 'The Yardstick' Ryder
07:12. And breathe...
09:01. Look who I found!
10:48. Assembling the bike
14:55. Driving to Cape Reinga
21:08. Goodbye from mile 0