Chain Reaction Challenge Update — Day3

Ross to Fox Glacier

Kia ora, fellow Chain Reaction Challenge followers! Day three Kicks off in Ross, a 50 minute bus ride from Greymouth. You couldn’t really tell the peloton had ridden 160km yesterday, the chatter on the bus was awesome, everyone was buzzing!! Reflection of yesterday and what we would see today.

Congratulations to Brett Shearer of the Pure Storage team for winning the Dynamics Projects White Jersey, awarded to the best young or new rider to Chain Reaction. Brett has impressed us all with his dedication to training and his performance on the ride, and also with his extraordinary talent for finding pies….. and as it turns out, even in remote parts of the South Island!

Sorry mateWe’re on to day three of 7, and boy, do we have a treat in store for us today!

We’ll be cycling through lush green farmland, with a towering mountain range on one side and the Tasman Sea on the other.

And if that’s not enough to keep our eyes busy, we faced three short sharp peaks in a pocket of rainforest at the end of the day. So, read on to see how those legs fared.

We kick off the day in Ross, with a 50 km warm-up down State Highway 6 to the Poerua River.

There were some nice ups and downs, and the elevation racked up quickly, but I have to admit, it was much nicer than yesterday’s slog up to the base of Porters Pass. There is something to be said for varied terrain.

We stopped off at the breath taking Lake Ianthe, had a banana or 2, filled up on gels and topped up those water bottles.

After catching our breath, it’s time for free play! We face 13.5 km up and down the western side of the Southern Alps, with a view of Mount Adams on the left. The first part is 4.8 km of climbing, with a max gradient of 10.6%, but don’t worry, it should be a nice ride overall, with an average gradient of -2%, sure……

And what goes up must come down, right? We then go down 8.3 km, with a few pinches (max gradient of 8.9%), but we’ll let our 90 odd kilos and gravity do the work for us. We regrouped at Te Taho, time to hydrate with a bit of banter about the climb before heading off to lunch for a leisurely 12 km ride. Damn, that 12 km seemed a lot longer than it should have been — fatigue building? Maybe?!

Ah, lunch, the most important meal of the day! And for us Chain Reaction Challenge riders, it’s not just about fueling up for the rest of the ride, it’s also a chance to recharge and socialize with our fellow riders, and again today, it was with a view.

Today’s lunch was a feast fit for us hungry cyclists! We filled our plates with delicious food, from hearty wraps to crispy salads and even some noodles then washed down with refreshing drinks (hello Coca Cola). And don’t even get me started on the desserts! We indulged in a few of the slices, because when you’re cycling like a pro…… semi-pro, you can afford to treat yourself.

And now, folks, it’s time for the real treat of the day — the Franz Josef Glacier. Not a bad view, I’m told its much better, when you walk up the track, and I’m sure it is!

We were on a schedule and couldn’t afford the 20 mins to traipse up the path and back. We took some photos, caught our breath, and set off for the next free play section — actually sections, the 3 short sharp peaks…… the first a 6 km climb with a max gradient of 13.8% and 251 meters of elevation. No biggie, right? We got this!

With only 12 odd km to our next destination, we face the last two climbs that stand between us and a warm shower and cold beer. But who needs those when you have the camaraderie and high spirits of the Chain Reaction Challenge riders! We face those climbs, conquered them, and celebrated with a well-deserved cold drink in Ross.

Who knows what tomorrow holds? But with the Chain Reaction Challenge, we know it’s going to be a wild ride!

Want to see some of the amazing country this challenge will take use through 👉 Day 3 video here

Kia ora for reading and haere raMike

By Mike Carpendale on February 28, 2023.Canonical linkExported from Medium on February 19, 2026.