John McKillop:
“I did not do the Cape Reinga trip, but I did leave home about 3:00 am on 04/01/59 to meet them at Donnelly’s Crossing. Unfortunately they had had a change of plans and had stayed in Dargaville on the night of the 3rd, so I went right past them there, without knowing it until I reached Donnelly’s Crossing. So I turned round and headed back to Auckland.

Managed to pick up a ticket in Dargaville (it was about 9:00 am on a Sunday morning. I am sure that the only two people awake in Dargaville at the time were me and the local cop.) I finally caught up with the Club in the hot pools at Waiwera sometime after lunch. I rode 321 miles (517 km) that day.”