The second biannual trek, involving eight tractors, a Landrover, a Willys Jeep and a Humvee, took 26 days to cover the 2000km, led by the Humvee at a slightly less than blistering 29km/h, top speed for Ms Brown's David Brown, which was second in the convoy, followed by the others, each of them two power poles back from the one in front to minimise hold-ups for anything travelling quicker than that.
Taranaki man Rodney Maiden was only driving his 1964 Massey Ferguson as far as Auckland on the return journey; from there he was going to cart it home on a trailer, to cut two days off his travelling time, as there were things he needed to do at home.
It had been an amazing experience, he said.
"Great people, great company, and a great response from Hospices."
He was no longer a working farmer, he added, but he was a vintage tractor enthusiast, his collection being "lovingly looked after" in a shed.
Ken Wyley, from Hawke's Bay started the inaugural trek in the South Island, so joined this one in Wellington in his 1970 Landrover, the very last of the 2A models.
He had no idea how many times it had been around the clock; he was the 15th or 16th owner, he said, and had installed a new odometer, which was currently not working.
Kaitaia, he said, was more Hospice-minded than any other community he had pulled up in.
Gilly Brown's effort was especially commendable though. The former teacher and one-time missionary was a farmer's daughter, but had never driven a tractor until she hopped aboard the David Brown. (Her motivation included the fact that her late brother was also David Brown, so the trek was partially made in his memory).
She was proud to have been part of an outstanding adventure, she said, and had no shortage of memories to take home to Wanganui with her (in a dry, comfortable car; the tractor was staying in Kaitaia for a while, for a rest).
With no cab she had been at the mercy of the elements, wrapping herself in plastic rubbish bags on particularly wet days, to the point where some war ned her she would be lucky if she didn't end up in a landfill.
On an especially cold day, heading for Blenheim, she had filled a milk bottle with hot water in a bid to stave off the chill.
The inaugural trek, in 2016, organised by Phil Aish after his wife died, raised around $100,000 for Hospice. This year's proceeds are not yet known, but Far North Hospice was very grateful for the effort everyone had made on behalf of the organisation.
"It's a job well done," Margaret Tolladay said on Friday.
"We look forward to seeing you again in two years."
