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Barbara MacGregor NZCB Auckland President
Impressive effort leads to awesome achievement New Zealand Certified Builders (NZCB) member Dave Redmond, from Construction Management Group (Building) Limited in Auckland, proves it is possible to have the adventure of a lifetime while running a successful construction company. NZCB Auckland President Barbara MacGregor caught up with him recently to hear his story. Over a beer and a handshake, I signed up to cycle the Tour of Aotearoa. A 3,000km bike ride from Cape Reinga to Bluff… in under 30 days.
From cycling 90 Mile Beach with a headwind, getting lost in the centre of New Zealand, and clocking the fastest downhill I’ve ever done (picking up my nickname “Dangerous Dave”), it was an incredible experience. I visited remote, almost untouched places, pushed myself to new limits, and met truly inspiring people along the way. Every night was like Groundhog Day – consisting of getting to my accommodation before dark and before the local pub/restaurant closed (so I could have a hot meal), buying food/drink for the next day, doing my washing (I only had two changes of clothes), repacking my bag ready for the morning, and getting as much sleep as I could before I had to get up the next day and start all over again. Unbelievably, my only “injury” was a bee sting, and my only mechanical malfunction was having to replace my brake pads. Other than that, the toughest challenge was mental. It helped having the support of friends and family – some even popped up along the way! This was my first major cycling event, and it won’t be my last. In fact, I’ve signed up to cycle the “Kōpiko” in January next year. A 1,000km ride that is equivalent to climbing Mount Everest twice. I’ve even managed to shake a few hands and get some friends to sign up too.
Dave sets off…
The route ties together many of the national cycle trails, connected by quiet backroads where possible. It’s a non-competitive, non-commercial event where entrants ride a set course, unsupported, in no less than 10 days and no more than 30. Taking a month away from the office, I envisioned checking emails nightly and sending off the occasional invoice. I even invested in a new compact “tuff book”. Needless to say, the new tuff book rarely got opened – there just wasn’t time. Dave in the Centre of the North Island.
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Dave makes it to the Bluff.
