Gear

This was an opportunity to buy a new bike! Did I need an excuse?
Started with searching the Web for a suitable steed. So many options to choose but ended up talking to Matt at Good Rotations bike store in Wanaka. He sells a lot of touring bikes and was certainly quite knowledgeable.
 We chose  a Surly Ogre with 29 inch wheels, with Rohloff gears. The modern fashion of bike packing means lightweight touring.

  So both of us have kitted out with frame, front roll and large saddle bags. We wont be camping so keeping gear to a minimum is a priority.
Other gadgets include
Garmin 1000
Terrano Headsets
Dynamo lights and usb charger

Plan

A and I live in Wanaka (Central Otago, New Zealand). Both retired medics with time to dream and play. Biking is a very popular activity with plenty of great tracks around the town and lakes.

The plan is to ride Lands End to John O'Groats. The idea was hatched after our failure at Bridge lessons. Although we went through the bridge course with enthusiasm we couldn't quite see ourselves continuing with the club. We started talking about our enjoyment of being outside and cycling. Since we both go to UK to catch up with relatives during the Northern hemisphere summer the subject of a bike tour became a possibility.
There is really only one ultimate bike tour in UK which we both were keen to do and that is LEJOG.

We have chosen the mainly off-road route on the National Cycle Network. 

"Take the scenic route! This fantastic ride from Land’s End to John o’Groats covers nearly 1,200 miles on the National Cycle Network, broken into 28 achievable stages using on-road and traffic-free routes and taking you through some of the most picturesque landscapes in England and Scotland. Explore the Forest of Bowland, Loch Lomond and the Cairngorms on some of the best cycle paths in the UK. This complete guide includes maps, directions, recommendations and much more to make your journey a happy and memorable experience, and we hope this book is the start of the ride of a lifetime."

Training

Initially we started training over a year ago with weekly gentle rides around the tracks of Wanaka.