Year 13 Adventure students put their mountainbiking skills to the test over a day of endurance. Student Juanita Wharewera-Garbutt reports.

Eighteen courageous Year 13 students and two teachers set out on what can only be described as an epic pilgrimage to the Featherston Bakery.

The day started out like many others with a gear check and after much disappointment from our gallant teachers we were eventually equipped and ready to go. We drove to Kaitoke, unloaded bikes and set off at a leisurely pace.

The morning was cool and gloves were essential to keep our fingers warm. Along the Remutaka Rail Trail we encountered many obstacles, rivers were crossed on our bikes - luckily we had witnessed the brave Anthony biking through the duck pond so we knew what to do.

There were a number of tunnels to get through, while headlamps were provided they were of dubious quality making biking difficult.

Road works in the middle of nowhere were a surprise, but we took it in our stride following the commands of the stop go signs.

One of the highlights of the ride was biking across Serbia Swing Bridge and then a fast down hill ride for 6km to Cross Creek. The Serbia Swing Bridge is well named as is a cold gusty valley that made biking treacherous. The 6km down hill was exhilarating with speeds of 38km per hour reached by some, and 4km per hour by others.

The last 10km seemed to drag on forever as we biked along the flat to Featherston and Sam & Chris in the vans. Most biked consistently, but some resorted to pushing their bikes along the path much to the vitriol from the bikers as we waited and waited on the walkers.

We arrived within three minutes of Mr Weakley's estimation, further cementing him as an outdoor legend in our minds. We raced to the supermarket and bakery and devoured chicken and chips, pies and ice blocks to refuel us.

Days later many of us are still feeling the effects of the ride, walking bow legged, chaffed and worn out, but all eagerly looking forward to our next outing, the three day tramp at the end of the term.