Wednesday afternoon/evening call-ins

96 hours (four "days") and counting:

Mondo Kopua, 12:27 Wednesday afternoon in Spingfield: "I'm about to have some lunch, and then I'm going to push on. Hopefully get towards Culverton, somewhere today."

Duncan McKenzie, 13:59 Wed in Blenheim: "Just calling in from Seymour Square, we're awaiting Oli's arrival any second now. Overcast, bit of a southerly, perfect riding conditions. Not too hot and a little bit of a tail wind for the last bit. So hopefully everybody enjoys that across the Molesworth."

Duncan McKenzie, 14:13 Wed in Blenheim: "Oil's just arrived in. Looking remarkably fresh. Quite dusty. Amazing ride by the looks of it. No daubt he'll be able to give you far more detail."
 
Jo Holden, Chris Sherwood, Dave Bailey, and Chris Gilbertson, 15:24 Wed  in Arthurs Pass, "The time is now... sometime today. We're having more fun than a bug in custard. Look forward to seeing you in a few days. 

Chris Charles, 15:29 email from Springfield: "Well its wet and cold. Rather than soldier on to wharfale hut I have decided to take advantage of Tracy the barmaids hospitality and stay at the Springfield hotel so will be drinking pints and playing pool until the weather improves. The last 200 kms on the road were easy compared to the big river waiutu section, that was quite an eye opener! Just to confirm - I have not pulled out and I am still loving it ;o)"

Duncan McKenzie, 16:21 Wed in Blenheim: "Seymour Square Blenheim... and a 'shot to pieces' Andy Reid has just finished. Awful lot of achilles trouble and a bit of a knackered ankle after a twist going through Big River. But, he's home now and looking forward to putting his feet up and not looking at a bike for a wee while."

Tina Bayer with Dirk Naish, 17:08 Wed in Sheffield: "We're heading up to the Wharefdale hut. Bit wet, but all good otherwise."

Oliver Whalley, 18:12 Wed in Blenheim: "Hello, this is Oli calling from sunny Blenheim! I must say it's very much a great relief to arrive in one piece. And, ahhh... pretty stoked to do it in the four days. It was my goal. So pretty happy. We got up really really early this morning - 4:30 I think it was. And - contrary to Andy's report his ankle was in fact stuffed. He smashed up the first hill and then we rolled down hill together, but I put a gap on him - after that. I did manage to have a quite a big stack and, if anything, it really motivated me to get to the finish faster and get some first aid, but managed to ride it all out by myself so it was great to see some peopel at the finish. [Summa?] Jane came cheered me on to the line. Fantastic experience - and I recommend doign the Brevet to anyone else out there. Hopefully Simon'll go about organising it for next year as well."

Chris and Bob, 18:20 Wed in Hanmer: "We're going to bunk down here tonight and make out for Blenheim tomorrow."

Rob Garden with Marquita Gelderman, 19:17 Wed in Spingfield: "I am retiring from the race with a recurring back problem - that I brought in to the race unfortunately - and Marquita is carrying on, with Willi and possibly a guy called Chris [Charles]. They're probably going to leave here early tomorrow morning. That's all for now. See ya."

Chris Tennant Brown with Mark Rayward, Tony Bateup and Lisa Savage, 20:43 Wed in Blenheim: "It feels really good. We are pretty stoked. Cheers."

David King, 21:05 Wed in Hanmer: "We're my sunshine? Aeerrh! I don't fancy 180k's in the rain."

Darren Tatom, 21:12 Wed in Blenheim: "I'm at the finish! And pleased to say the ordeal is over. So, ah... I would like to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it but I'll have to think on that, and have sleep on it first. But... anyway, it's all been pretty good! Big tough day today - two tough days in a row. Actually those a re two hardest days of all. Really just endless gravel road. But we did it! And it's done. So ah - couldn't quite get the end sorted out. So, ah... there! All good!"

Laurence Mote and Guy Wynn-Williams, 21:32 Wed in Culverton: "Bit of a long day today. Bit of a slow day really. Quite tough riding through Wharfedale and Lees Valley. It was a little bit drizzly. So we figured it wasn't worth going to Hanmer, 'cause be were going to run out of food to get through the Molesworth, so we're going to hit Hanmer early tomorrow and see how far we get on the Molesworth. It was good hearing from family and friends, and that the crew have already made it Blenheim. It's very exciting. Look forward to getting there ourselves very soon."

Guy Wynn-Williams, 21:40 Wed in Culverton: "When Laurence called in earlier he forgot to mention that we had one of those neat experiences - when we were riding in to Hiranui we were talking to one of the local farmers who was on the side of the road and we stopped and chatted to him and he'd been following whole Brevet on the blog and having a great time. And, anyway, we've got a bit of a tactical dilemma about getting food just before we get in to the Molesworth tomorrow and so he just volunteered to whip-off home and get some food from the kitchen and they met us back done at the pub in Hiranui and stocked us up. So, that was a neat experience - James in Culverton sorted us out. So, it's all good."

Tim Mullinar, 22:43 Wed in Blenheim, "I have made it to Blenheim probably about 10 minutes ago. I'm thoroughly shagged. I know what else to say really. Huh - over and out."

Jeff Lyall with Nick Treadgold and Jonty Ritchie,  23:03 Wed in Hanmer: "We're just warming up and drying out, and... going for a big push tomorrow."

Micki Speck, 23:09 in Blenheim: "Good race. Nice and fun, and... yeah!"

John Randal with Tomas Lindup and Simon Kennett, 11:48 in Blenheim: "Very pleased to be here. Going to go and find some food now. Phooowh! It was a tough day again today."