Finding Rhythm, Almost - Johanna Brebner

Johanna Brebner is on an adventure of a lifetime, taking on the length of Aotearoa New Zealand by bike—surfboard in tow—experiencing a full range of emotions as she establishes a deeper connection with the land she calls home. In this second journal, Hahnee joins the adventure bringing a welcome new energy, while Johanna is grateful for the wisdom and generosity of a new friend and mentor whose kindness (and spare trailer) come just at the right time! Follow along as Johanna shares stories from the road as she pushes north through the elements.

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Laying in the long grass on the side of the road, thoughts clouded my mind as I waited for an un-forecasted 22km headwind to pass. Had I been too naive and optimistic deciding to weave together this kind of engineless transport, fueled solely by womanpower, in the pursuit of waves? Only days later we would once again lay defeated, on the side of the road, the bitumen warming our weary bodies as we came to the realisation that we just got skunked after biking 250km of relentless South Island hills. You’ve got to pay the band if you want to dance, right? Well, we were dancing with two left feet, slightly blind folded and nursing a few stubbed toes. We couldn’t help but laugh in the face of defeat.

Hahnee’s arrival to the trip brought fresh energy and welcomed one of the most incredible days of riding through the mountains. Hahnee and I had not met prior to the trip and her determination and openness to join the adventure blew me away. It takes a special kind of person to turn up and dive headfirst into this kind of escapade. After plenty of laughs about how green we both are to this cycling thing, we set off the next morning for our first day on the road together. Hahnee recounts this below:

‘Waking up on the morning of the first ride, I was eager to throw myself into the adventure, but also nervous - as a cycling newbie, I wasn’t sure I could keep up with Johanna, who by this stage was probably a seasoned power-woman on the bike. After some head-scratching and bicycle assembly, we set off. My doubts faded quickly, replaced by the simple rhythm of peddling and awe at the landscape — green hills, snow-capped mountains, grey rivers, and a long empty winding road. My first day of biking was unforgettable and so stunning. Johanna had been riding from Christchurch further north, chasing a nice looking swell on the forecast. I arrived the day before the swell, we were still 84km from the coast. So we biked all day, and arrived exhausted and exhilarated to the sight of the ocean. Laughably, after the 250 km ‘bike strike,’ we slept through the morning session the next day, completely wrecked. We later paddled out at an onshore point with a relentless sweep and uninspiring surf, coming in defeated. Maybe biking and surfing weren’t meant to be mixed? But the next morning, as if to prove us wrong, clean, peeling right-handers greeted us just outside our tents. We surfed for two days with the welcoming local crew, soaking it all in—the effort, the reward. I couldn’t ask for a better start to the trip.’

So, as life often goes, things always have a way of falling into place. In a stroke of serendipity, our ‘bike strike’ had somewhat, paid off.

What happened to the trailer, you ask?

Well, sometimes angels appear in human form, and in my case, my trailer angel was Annie Ford. Multiple people had mentioned her name to me – she's a seasoned biker, with more travels up her sleeve than most could dream of. Perfect bike mentor material. As I scrolled through her page before the trip, I almost spat out my tea when a shot of her standing with her bike, surfboard and trailer popped up. She’d cycled the entire length of Aotearoa— in the exact same way—two years earlier. I had to laugh. Someone as crazy as me. Fast forward two weeks, and Cam, Jordy, and I were driving in silence, utterly defeated by the realisation that the original trailer was no longer an option to use. We were wondering if our trip was over before it had even really started. Perplexed at what to do, suddenly the picture of Annie burned into my mind again. Is that trailer still in existence? Is it in NZ? Would Annie let a complete stranger borrow it? I reached out, and in some sheer miracle she replied instantly ‘Yes! It’s in Queenstown! It’s all yours!!!” I couldn't believe what I was seeing. A wave of relief swept through the van. Annie welcomed us in like old friends and the driveway was filled with laughter as we spoke of our parallel travels and relatable stories of weeks on the bikes. Annies zest for life, generosity and unwavering encouragement could not have come at a better time. She is hands down one of the most inspiring people I have met, and I am endlessly grateful for her open love towards us, as complete strangers. Human connection on the road is such a beautiful thing and Anie’s seasoned guidance and knowledge was worth its weight in gold. She left me with one last piece of advice ringing in my ears as we departed, “Never rush, that's when things go wrong”

Thank you Annie!!!

I am currently writing this sitting on the deck of the Interislander ferry as we head North through the Cook Straight. 940km in, 9124m of elevation climbed through the mountains, and here we find ourselves, halfway across the country, on the eve of the second chapter. Dare I say, an abundance of roads and waves awaiting our arrival in the Northern lands, what a hoot!

Follow Johanna and Hahnee's journey @brebsy @hahneevail