Join us for an afternoon bike ride  from Scott’s statue to the Antarctic Centre, via the cycling tunnel, meet C-17 pilots, and return to the Explorer’s hub at the Art Centre. 

The event is co-hosted by Days of Ice and Biketober.

This family ride starts from the Robert Falcon Scott Memorial on the Avon at 1pm, where Antarctic Society historian Jane Ellis describes how Christchurch got its start to be a major gateway to Antarctica.

Then we cycle for about an hour on cycle ways and then along the proposed Wheels to Wings cycleway. The Wheels to Wings cycleway will connect people in Harewood, Bishopdale and Papanui suburbs to destinations including the airport, schools, shops, businesses and McLeans Island. We ride through the cycle tunnel to the airport.

We spend about an hour at the International Antarctic Centre, where, while we have a cuppa, the staff bring us up to date on what New Zealand is doing now on the ice. Then Lt. Col. Brandon Tellez, C-17 Commander and members of his squadron describe how they support the National Science Foundation science in Antarctica. 

Then we cycle back to Christchurch CBD, finishing at Adventure Books, Explorers Hub, in the Arts Centre around 4:30 and meet with the owner, Bill Nye, whose bookstore is full of stunning Antarctic, polar, mountaineering and adventure books and unique Antarctic artefacts.

This ride is the first collaborative event between Days of Ice and Biketober. You are welcome to join us for part of or the entire ride.

Be sure to register on the Facebook page to help us anticipate numbers. Further information, contact tour leader Ian Wells venduco@gmail.com