Chain Reaction Challenge Update — Day 2

Christchurch to Otira

“Kia ora, fellow cycling enthusiasts! It’s day two of the Chain Reaction Challenge, and we’re off to a cracking start! With 77 km in the bank from yesterday, I’m pleased to report that the team has gelled nicely.

A nice little surprise on our first presentation night — awarded the coveted Black, Spirit of Chain Reaction Jersey, sponsored by LSH Auto. Congratulation to my fellow CR riders for their amazing efforts and Jerserys 👇

• A special shout-out to Dave Southon, who has raised the most for #CRSYD23 — $39,816. Just an amazing amount by an individual! Dave was awarded the Orange Leader jersey, sponsored by Pure Storage.
• The White Young/New Rider jersey, sponsored by Dynamic Projects, went to Kevin Kuechler — nice one Kev.
• The Green Polka Dot Sprinter jersey, sponsored by CBRE, went to Mark Otterson — onyah Mark!

With that, the Fab 4 led the peloton out of our Christchurch digs. Today’s route takes us through the majestic Southern Alps and up Porters Pass, and then finally Arthur’s Pass, where the peloton gets to climb through a sharp mountain range and take in the stunning scenery.

Who needs a movie set when you have the real deal right in front of you? That’s right — some of the Lord of the Rings movies were filmed here, and we can see why. The weather looked a bit sketchy, but regular rider Warrick Gard (or Wazza, as the CR peloton affectionately knows him) predicted “heavy mist” until the foothills, with skies clearing for the remainder of our journey. We got a bit damp in the mist — meh, we survived!

With nearly 80 km of false flat (yep, that’s riding uphill for 80 km without realizing it), the peloton has risen to the occasion!

You’d expect legs to be zapped after this, but that’s not the case with this bunch! We’re all in high spirits, and the energy is contagious. Tim, our ride director, has allowed for some free play, where the peloton can ride at their own pace for a specified section and regroup at the end.

Porters Pass 👆— free play, 9 km, 370 m of climbing, and a max grade of 19% — yup, it was a toughie. We regrouped at Pipa’s Lookout over the beautiful Lake Lyndon, taking in the views and catching our breath.

Then it was back on our bikes for 50 km of peloton cycling to get to Bealey for lunch. This is where things got interesting. Splitting up into 3 teams, the cruisers set off first, followed 5 odd minutes later by group 2, with the final group heading off after 10 minutes or so. I don’t think it was meant to be as hard-core as it was, but let’s just say the pace was on…

We’re a hungry bunch, and the spread (and views) did not disappoint. We refueled and rehydrated before setting off to warm up our legs again before the next free play section.

Put the LSH Auto Black Jersey out to dry during lunchOff we go — but as we approached the Bealey Bridge, which crosses the Waimakariri river, there was some sort of road work or repair going on, and the bridge was closed for an hour at a time. Our CR team had timed it perfectly, and we arrived at the opening of that window…but for whatever reason, the construction team wanted a bunch of cyclists to skip the queue and cross first… if looks could kill! We all made it across the bridge alive, but there was a long line of traffic wanting to pass…not to fear — Tim, our ride director, found a nice little rest area, we pulled in, and off went the traffic and the looks.

Now, the final section, 18.4 km of up and down, through Arthurs Pass climb, with 12 km of uphill, 331 meters of elevation, and a max gradient of 9.7%. But after conquering the Porter Pass yesterday, this was a piece of cake. And what goes up must come down with a short 6.4 km downhill, spectacular down hill I might add…..we regrouped before rolling into Otira as the Chain Reaction Peloton.

But our journey doesn’t end here, as we have a short bus trip ahead of us to our overnight stay in the seaside town of Greymouth. A well-deserved rest awaits us after today’s grueling yet exhilarating ride. And who knows what tomorrow holds? With the Chain Reaction Challenge, anything is possible.

So, folks, I’m gona keep pedaling, smiling, and typing with my new and existing CR friends!

We’re all in this together!

Want to see some of the amazing country this challenge will take use through 👉 here

Kia ora for reading and haere raMike

By Mike Carpendale on February 27, 2023.Canonical linkExported from Medium on February 19, 2026.