Chain Reaction Challenge Update — Day6

LSH Auto Mercedes look fabulos — keeong us safe front and rear

Wanaka to Queenstown

Greetings fellow cycling enthusiasts! It’s me again, your trusty Chain Reaction cyclist and part-time blogger, reporting back on Day 6 of our epic fundraising ride for kids in need — the penultimate day!

Thanks for following along, and a special thanks to those who have donated! If you’d like to donate to the Chain Reaction Challenge and help kids in need, we’d greatly appreciate it! Your support is invaluable and makes a real difference in the lives of children through our charity partners, So They Can and BaptistCare HOPESTREET.

Please visit my fundraising page by following this link:

Mike Carpendale*This year Chain Reaction has upped the ante…. not only are we riding more K’s with more hills, in more remote and…*www.chain-reaction.org.au](https://www.chain-reaction.org.au/fundraisers/mikecarpendale/2023-sydney)Wanaka has treated us well with an epic sunset and sunrise, 4G, and coffee that actually resembles coffee.

Suneset Not sunsetAfter yesterday’s “best ever ride” (yes, it was that great), today’s ride promises even more great scenery, with rolling roads that will test even the most seasoned of legs. And to top it all off, we have a grind up the Cardrona Valley ahead of us.

But hey — I hear there might be a half decent descent down the Crown Range. But fear not, for we are a tough bunch, and nothing can stop us!

Our day began with a 20 km out-and-back warm-up, because why not add a few extra kilometers to an already long week? Oh hey…. we ended up at the entry to Treble Cone — glad we’re not riding up there — the zig-zag road looked pretty ominous.

As we made our way back towards Queenstown, we faced a 15 km free play section with a fair amount of elevation, 219 meters to be exact. It was on from the get-go with a few rolling off the front. Fun and games!

The tired legs were setting in early today, but we pushed on, determined to conquer whatever the road had in store for us. We departed Wanaka with warm memories of the picturesque backgrounds.

How they had changed from vibrant and lush green bushland to dry and open highlands, and the pool we soaked in after that long and hot journey.

We then chugged on for another 26 km and racked up 350 meters more elevation as we started our route to the Crown Range. Before we set off, the local cop pulled up to make sure us cyclists were sticking to the left. We were a bit worried, thinking our day was about to be called early… Phew — it was not, and off we went.

And boy, did the road have something in store for us! The Crown Range ascent was a whopping 14 km with 543 meters of elevation.

Bringing our total for the day up to 1419 meters. But hey — I’m glad we’re tackling the Crown from this direction!

It was tough, but the view from the top over Queenstown made it all worth it.

We took a moment to catch our breath and appreciate the stunning scenery before the famous descent down the Crown Range. Best Descent EVER!!

As we zipped down the mountain, we couldn’t help but feel like we were in a scene from a movie. The wind rushing through our hair, the road twisting and turning beneath us, it was pure exhilaration. We eventually made our way to Arrowtown for a well-deserved lunch break.

For those of you who don’t know, Arrowtown is a charming little town with a rich history dating back to the gold rush. But for us, it was a chance to refuel and recharge before the final leg of our journey into Queenstown.

We hopped back on our bikes, ready to pedal our way into the bustling tourist town of Queenstown.

Now, a rumor had popped up during lunch that the road to Cornet Peak was going to be gravel and out of action for Day 7. This didn’t make sense since it should have been tarseal or bitumen. It was weird, so we decided to do a bit of a recce on the way to Queenstown, keeping us cyclists and our Garmin cycling computers on our toes. We went a slightly different way to have a look-see. Sure enough, the road was cactus. The council was repairing the road with freshly laid tar and three times the required rough chip spread across the road. This was not a cyclist-friendly road. Oh no… Don’t worry, though, I’m sure Tim, our ride director, will have it covered. Check out tomorrow’s blog to see how he “looked after” us.

And just like that, Day 6 complete. Our epic fundraising event through New Zealand’s breathtaking landscapes was coming to an end. Only Day 7 left — bring it

It’s been a tough week, filled with ups and downs (literally), but we wouldn’t have had it any other way. We came, we saw, we conquered, and we did it all for a great cause. Until tomorrow, the final ride and update, keep on pedaling!

Want to see some of the amazing country this challenge will take us through? Check out the Day 6 video here.

Kia ora for reading and haere ra, Mike

By Mike Carpendale on March 3, 2023.Canonical linkExported from Medium on February 19, 2026.