Pongakawa’s James Wilkins is cycling across the US in support of Motor Neurone Disease New Zealand.
Pongakawa’s James Wilkins is cycling across the US in support of Motor Neurone Disease New Zealand.
There’s the Coast to Coast - then there’s the Coast to Coast, US style.
Pongakawa’s James Wilkins has tackled the New Zealand version six times. Next month he will take on the far more daunting 5150km challenge of crossing from America’s Pacific Coast to the Atlantic seaboard - by bicycle.
He was playing alongside England internationals including Will Carling, Brian Moore and Peter Winterbottom - and it was the friendships he made then that have led to the cross-continent odyssey.
Winterbottom is a major supporter of My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, the foundation set up by and named for Scottish and British and Irish Lions’ lock Doddie Weir, who lost his battle with MND in 2022.
Winterbottom and another England and British and Irish Lions player Mike Teague is also on the ride, along with four others.
“I think the itinerary has daunted a few,” says James.
The riders will start in San Francisco, with the Rockies the biggest obstacle to overcome.
They will ride an average of 150km per day and will cross California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, a brief sojourn into West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New Jersey before reaching New York City where James jokes he may throw his bike into the Hudson.
James’ sister Kate is one of the drivers of the RVs they will sleep in, and the riders will have a bike mechanic, chef and physio in support.
The route James Wilkins will take from San Francisco to New York. Image / Google
The whole journey will take 36 days and there are just two rest days.
After moving away from Te Puke, James returned in 2012.
“I decided I needed to get fit again so I decided I would do the Coast to Coast. I’d never ridden a road bike or anything like that, so I started training ended up, in 2013, doing my first Coast to Coast one day, and I’ve done six one-days since.”
James says he will be glad once the Rockies are behind him.
“Riding hills is not the most fun thing in the world, so I’m looking forward getting the first two weeks out of my hair.”
Nothing about the trip is making him have second thoughts though.
“I’m just a great believer myself personally in not over thinking it. I’m a strong believer that it’s your mind that gets you there.”
He says going on training rides with Craig has cemented his motivation.
“I just thought, this is important to him, and that, to me, is the important thing.”
James has spent some time in the US, living in Illinois.
“I do like America, so I’m looking forward to getting to little towns and meeting people, because Americans are really friendly in those areas, lovely generous people.”
At the end of the trip an event has been organised with a rugby club in New York.
“It’s a personal challenge and it will be nice to look back and say ‘I’ve done that’. Basically I’m going to meet some new people and spend some good times with new friends and I’m sure there’ll be lots of stories told.”
James isn’t a city person so will only spend a couple of days in the Big Apple before heading off on a road trip with his wife Donna.
