Hey guys:)
Sorry its has taken so long to update... heres whats been going on with Ryan and his walk since i last updated. Also my appolagies for all the spelling errors. Spell check playing up and computer being annoying.
Kawakawa to Whangarei
56 kms, 20/4
Got the 1 fingered salute several times times today and was also told to go to hell.
Four cars in convoy pulled up , they were traveling from bluff to cape reinga taking photos for an australian mag, photos were taken of Ryan:)
A woman from Whangarei drove out to meet Ryan and gave him directions to the Baptist church , she left and went back to the church where she later met him. They left the cross in the foyer and went to her home which is on top of a hill over looking Whangarei and over to Marsden point. Ryan had plenty of laughs with her husband.
Whangarei to Marsden Point
27kms, 21/4
Today was uneventful but he did bump into a young lady he meet last year when she was living just north of chch ,she remembered his name and they had a good catch up:) No blisters, Hardly any pain and plenty more abuse.
Marsden point to Wellsford
54kms, 22/4
A real haul over the Bryderwyn pass, left side going up and right side going down.
He meet a Buddist who lived around the area, he was a self sufficent back sliden Christian, they had a good discussion but agreed to disagree on certain points.
An arrangement had been made to stay with a woman in Warkworth but he realised he wasnt going to get there so the woman arranged a place for him to stay in Wellsford. He stayed with a young man ho has not been long married...10 months ( Yeah:) ) The young mans family came around and they all spend a relaxed evening chatting.
Wellsford to Warkworth
20kms, 23/4
The young man Ryan stayed with gave him a packed lunch and put the cross in the ute and drove him back to where he picked him up.
Ryan came across road works and well negotiating the road works the cross fell over, two elderly road workers saw it happen and laughed and jeered...sounds familiar really. Ryan was very dissapointed.
At Warkworth he went into the petrol station to get one of his tires blowen up, the guy suggested that he went across the road to the tire place. While there he meet a woman coming out of the drive way, she was blowen away to see him ( a year ago Ryan had done the same walk from south to north) and she had prayed for him ever since and now here he was doing it again from north to south.
Shortly after he met another guy who was also blowen away by his faith.
That night he stayed with a guy who had worked in the Solomons with Ryans uncle Andrew, he had stayed with him the last time he did the walk and the gentle man had tried to persuade him to go to the solomons to work over there for a while.
That night they both attended a Bill Subritzky meeting ( Ryans first).
Warkworth to Auckland
40kms, 24/4
Ryan had no trouble along theexpress way to the Johnsonville tunnels and he found the bypass no problem. At Orewa a woman stopped Ryan for a chat and was extremly excited about seeing him. Alittle further on 2 Police men invited Ryan in for a cuppa, one was a trainee detective and the other a police man of 25 years. They had been talking about faith when they meet Ryan ( the police man had had to take his gun out 3 times the week before in self defence). They invited Ryan to stay over the night but as Ryan had already made prior arrangements he politly declined. He was staying with Dudley Scantelbury who is a radio announcer with Southern Star which is part of the Radio Rhema broadcasting group. He had trouble getting onto the east coast road as there was too much traffic. He spoke with several people, one was a non christian who was rather confused about biblical events. Another had been a christian since October and was really enthusiatic about what Ryan was doing. Dudley sent some one out to meet Ryan with instructions on how to get too his place however because he was so far from Dudleys arrangements where made to leave the cross at a young womans house. Ryan and the young woman got chatting and she asked where he had stayed before Warkworth, he mentioned Wellsford and she said her parents and sister live there...lol turns out he had stayed with her parents:) Ryan stayed with Dudley that night and the next day he was taken back out to where the cross was and he walked back to Dudleys from there pulling the cross.
West Harbour
25/4
On Ryans walk back to Dudleys a gentleman walked with him, they got chatting and the guy was an aircraft engineer and it turns out he had worked with Ryans uncle Keith in Chch about 15 years earlier.
26/4
Ryan spoke at Dudleys church the message and talk complimented each other and Ryans talk was extremly powerful as people where extremly touched. In the afternoon they laxed...dvd time. Later he rang his uncle Andrew in Auckland and was invited to stay there.
27/4
They went to Dudleys favourite car yard and tried out several of the cars...Big Boys Day out :)
Later Dudley showed Ryan how to get to the Rhema broadcasting station.
Pakuranga
50kms , 28/4
Up at five , left half six to be at the studio by half ten which was 25kms away. Only got lost once and had to run to make up time. On the way to the studio one or two people tried to misdirect him. At Rhema he had an interview with Life Fm and with Shine TV, he had to walk up and down the road 4 times for the cameras...as if he hadnt done enough walking already lol :) A photo was then taken of the camera crew signing the cross. When interviewed on Southern Star he had a dig at mum by telling everyone he missed her cooking:) The interview on Life FM was to feature that evening and on Shine TV was to feature the next evening but didnt.
He left the studio and got onto the great south road. At Papatoetoe Ryan rung his Uncle Andy who came to pick him up. Andrew was astonded at the distance he had covered.
Pukekohe
30kms, 29/4
Andrew Ryan back to Papatoetoe and from there he walked to Myrtle Sharplins at Pukekohe, he had stayed with her the last time he walked the country. On the way to Myrtles he saw a lady in her garden so he went back to talk to her but she was quite fearful. He gave her a tract and she was fine but when a car pulled up and the driver wanted to talk to Ryan she became quite abusive. The driver was an ex Christian who said he had lost his faith, Ryan chatted briefly and gave him a tract. When he got to Myrtles he fell asleep on the sofa .
Dudleys observation is that much of the verbal attact on Ryan is from the older age group and mainly Europeans.
30/4
Dudley rang Mum and Dad to appoligize that the Shine TV interview wasnt screened when it was ment to but was going to be shown that evening. Myrtle and Ryan went for a drive down to the beach and she showed Ryan the area she used to live in. While there Ryan saw a car that was stuck in the sand so he pushed it outbut the woman drove into soft sand again, she wasnt used to driving on the beach. He pushed her out again and told her how to get out. They went to the oldest bar in the area for lunch ( the bar is around 150 years old) About the age of Ryans home town, Oamaru. Myrtle was telling every man and his dog about Ryans walk, the owner of the bar was blown away. After lunch Ryan slept for 3 hours...pretty good tucker i'd say.
Later that evening Ryan and Myrtle watched Ryans Shine TV interview, he was very dissopinted with how much of what he had to say was edited out.
Pukekohe to Mercer
22kms, 1/5
Ryan was very tired and when Dudley interviewed him he had to tell Ryan to snap out of it as he was also becoming quite down and depressed. On the walk Ryan had achat with the lord and was told that he had to run the race to win the prize and not worry about peoples attitudes towards him. He was to praise God in all circumstances!!! Later he came across a broken down car so he stopped and had a chat with the guy who owned the car, the guy wasnt a Christian so Ryan gave him a track and the guy responded with Jesus Loves You, Ryan replied the same:)
15 meters further on a tyre blew out on Ryans cart but he carried on walking and went up the off ramp. He called in at a house and asked where he could sleep. He was shown a place to sleep down by the river but the son came and had a chat with him and invited him to sleep in the orchid. Ryan couldnt find the gas bottle in his cart so he had cold noodles and water, later he was invited inside for eggs on toast. While sleeping out side in his bivvy bag it rain that night, he didnt sleep well and awoke to the sound of shot guns ( first day of duck shooting) .
Mercer to Hamilton
38kms, 2/5
Two wheatie goodness weetbix for breaky.
After breaky Ryan walked to Huntly but there was no bike shop. Two guys had gone ahead to scope the town for Ryan but they didnt find one either. They came back and each gave him $20 . He passed a Christian guy coming out of his house and the guy said to him to go to the recycle place and get the tyres there and mention his name, he was given two bmx tyres for free. Also well walking a Christian couple pulled up, they had just finished reading Hebrews 11 on faith and where blown away with what Ryan was doing and gave him some apples.
A traffic officer passed and pulled up ahead of him and walked back to Ryan, wondering what he had done Ryan panicked alittle but the officer offered him a bed for the night and Ryan exepted.
3/5
Ryan told the officer about his tyres and gas bottles and it turned out he had a couple of gas bottles the same size and gladly gave them to Ryan. The cop was a Christian who was married with kids, his wife had heard about Ryan on Southern Star and told her husband that if he ever saw him to invite Ryan round for a bed. They didnt know where Ryan was a the officer was amazed to actually find him.
That morning and evening Ryan attended the families church, both messages where on prophecy. In the afternoon Ryan hung out with someof the people from the church andwatched movies.
Hamilton to Cambridge
24kms, 4/5
The officer gave Ryan instructions on a shorter root through Hamilton which was on the other side of the river. Ryan got lost a number of times. A christian man pulled over, he had been listening to a secular radio station and heard a christian song and then he saw Ryan. He had seen Ryan going up the off ramp before hamilton. They chatted and the guy gave him some money to help him on his way. Ryan meet a couple by the river , the fella was a bmx racer and she was a Christian reporter, she interviewed Ryan thoroughly and hoped to get Ryan into the newspaper. The guy had a couple of Bmx tyres and put them on Ryans cart but five minutes down the road one of them exploded with an almighty BANG! A guy in a masonary outfit heard the bang and came out, he took Ryan to a cycle shop and brought two new tyres and a repair kit. The tyres where fixed and Ryan got back on the road. Ryan meet a young lady who was an ex youth with a mission student and she invited him to her place for lunch. She shared how she had found it hard to reajust to normal life after doing the discipleship training course. On the walk five Maori road workers signed the cross. At Cambridge he stayed with a family that the woman in hamilton had arranged for him.
RYANS COMMENTS:
• Now that he is praising God more the more God is blessing him.
• All that has gone wrong has been put right.
• Despite the increased flak there has also been increased support.
• The battle will be to complete the walk.
• Has had six tyres and three tubes so far. Last time he did the walk he did not change the tyres once.
Cambridge to Tokoroa
41kms, 5/5
Ryan went to a mens breakfast and spoke at it. While Ryan was speaking Dudley rung so he interviewed Ryan at 7.25 instead of 7.20, the interview went two minutes into the news.
While walking Ryan saw a cross on a high rock near the Karapiro dam, four people had jumped from that rock and died.
Near Tirau a tyre blew, a guy went into town ( 20 mins one way) and came back after two hours, took a while to find a bike shop, he returned with two new tubes and stuff to stop tyres exploding and also subway for lunch. The man is a new Christian who has 13 brothers and sisters, they had all left the church but there Maori father had been praying for them all, since he died 9 have recommited their lives to the lord. :)
A cathlic man ( on and off for 20 years) chatted to Ryan and then drove him to Tokoroa to stay with local pastor.
6/5
At half 7 Ryan was picked up and taken back to Putaruru? From there he walked to Tokoroa, had lunch and an interview with the Waikato Times reporter. He meet two ex gangs guys who are now christians who he chatted to for a while. Some one else took photos of him by the Jesus charvings in Tokoroa. It rained on and off in the morning, by lunch time it was bucketing downa but it the afternoon the weather was fine. That afternoon he meet two big hunters ( One with dreads and tats) he had spent much of him time in prisons around the country and he had seen hardened killers who would kill as soon as look at you changed over night by the gospil:) Ryan gave him a tract. He was offered a bed for the night but politly declined as he was staying back at the pastors in Tokoroa.
Tokoroa to Taupo
38kms, 7/5
Ryan was interviewed by Southern Star and was then dropped off back where he had been picked up ( Atiamuri?). The walk was very frosty and foggy, he had 25meters visability ahead of him and not much action. A fella from Sydney walked with Ryan for a while. As he walked into Taupo the main school was coming out and there where various reactions...Abit embarrising. Ryan received quite abit of flak as he came into Taupo, people wouldnt come within 20 meters of the cross. The flak seems to come in waves depending on the town or city and most of it comes from Europeans, very little from Maoris.
Ryan was interviewed by the news talk zb announcer.
Ryan stayed with a man that night who had just recently lost his job, Ryan shouted fish and chips for tea that evening.
8/5
Ryan stayed with the family from the night before.
Taupo to Turangi
(Not sure of kms) 9/5
He left early and brought some goodies from the bp station. A lot of people asked questions and a couple from invercargill took photos.
The wind was a side wind.
Ryan bumped into a man he had stayed with during his last walk, the guy was a manager of the christian camps in the area, he offered to arrange a place for Ryan to stay at one of the camps but Ryan wanted to get to Turangi.
Ryan meet a lady who told Ryan he was an answer to prayer and he ended up staying at her house that night. The woman had hot pools near her house and Ryan went and enjoyed a most relaxing soak. There was no under ground wiring to the house as the ground temp was 100 degrees, the water for the house is heated in under ground pipes.
10/9
The lady Ryan stayed with the night before took him to the local Marae where she is designing a meal area. Ryan was able to relax for the rest of the day. Lots of people in the area knew about him.
Turangi to Waiouru
63kms, 11/9
Heavy rain over night. Ryan was late leaving today, he left at 9am.
He walked to the area on desert road where there are several kms of sharp dangerous bends.A guy from Waiouru insisted on taking Ryan past them as he felt Ryan was a danger to vehicles... Ryan was not pleased as he had walked this area the year prior. How ever he complied.
It was supposed to snow but over night rain had cleared the road, there was no wind and it was a great day to walk the desert road. The womkan he had stayed with in Turangi gave him 2pies and a cream bun as she headed to Waiouru. On the way back she gave him a thick fish slice. One lady gave 3 kiwi fruit and 3 apples another gave 3 manderins and a guy gave him an ice cream container of soup whilst another gave money. The tires on the cart where stuffed, they where new in hamilton and one blew out 20kms from Waiouru.
When he did his first walk two tyres lasted from bluff to Cape Reinga, Kawhia to Tauranga and then Cape Reinga to Hamilton he had now gone through 7 tyres from Hamilton to Waiouru.
He watched the army mogs doing exercises in the army training area. 10 minutes from Waiouru he got picked up, it was very dark. They took the wheel off the cart and left the cross where it was and went into Waiouru to get it repaired.
Waiouru to Taihape
32kms, 12/5
The person Ryan stayed with had a special pass to get onto the army bass and when you are on the bass you can go any where. They went to the general store but there where no bmx tyres of the required size so they went back to where the cross was and got an old tyre out of the cart and put it on instead. The mogs where doing a lot of exercises. He walked into Waiouru and then on to Taihape. A woman stopped and gave him hot chocolate and some eats. Ryan got into Taihapi at 3.00pm and then waited for 2 and a half hours to be picked up. The people in Waiouru had arranged the accomodation.
13/5
Ryan was taken to see geoff who has been praying and fasting for the nation, he believes the lord will have him do it for 40 days. When Ryan meet him he was on his 36th day, according to Ryan he looked pretty good.He only takes fluids.
Happy Birthday my Big sis xoxox
Taihape to Mangaweka
24kms, 14/5
Ryan went back to see Geoff and Geoff pulled the cross into town. Some of Geoffs friends had him on about it and about his beliefs. One pointed to the cart with the ten commandments written on it and pointed to the command Keep the sabbith holy, the question was asked When is the Sabbath??? This leadinto quite a discussion . He then pointed out the command aabout having no idols before God, Ryan thought about it and realised that the cross is not an idol but a symbol of what Christ has done for us. Ryan walked onto Mangaweka. Mogs passed him and tooted, they had seen him now 3 times. A guy gave Ryan the fingers but it really dosent affect him anymore, he just waves and smiles in return. I hope muslie bars dont look like fingers because he was eating one when he waved...Lol:)
Ryan likes the North Island Phone charges...only $25 per month and talk as long as you like for up to two hours.
A man pulled over and mentioned Ryans Blog, he reckoned there where only two negative comments on it. Ryan had given the blog address in hamilton. We have received two newspaper clippings about his walk so far, the Northland Age tues 21/4/09 and The Cambridge edition Wed 6/5/09.
As Ryan got into Mangaweka some tourists where having a gumboot throwing comp, apparently its the in thing to do when you enter Mangaweka. They where from various parts of the country and one was from good ol Oamaru. Thy asked Ryan to join them and while he was there he thinks he threw it the furtherest, almost onto the road.
Mangaweka to Hunterville
18kms, 15/5
While in Mangaweka Ryan stayed with a guy into stock car racing, it was the same fella he stayed with during his last walk. He sold the vehicle he was trying to sell last time but not the way he wanted, he had entered a stock car race and some one had cut the tyre but not right through. In the race the tyre exploded and went up the bank and flipped. The car was a mess but he managed to get back to the pits, car was sold as is where is. Little happened on the way to Hunterville.
Ryan had been told to text a woman in Hunterville if he needed a place to stay, she didnt have any accomadation but put money into his account to pay for a motel unit, very nice of her:) Ryan just got into the unit and the Heavens opened.
Hunterville to Bulls/Feilding
36kms, 16/5
A woman from the Redeemed motor cycle gang had meet Ryan between Taihape and Mangaweka while on her way to Tauranga. She told him to contact her when he got to Bulls, he did and she had arranged for him to stay with a pastor in Fielding. The pastor picked Ryan up from Bulls and took him back to Fielding. He spoke at the pastors church the next day.
Ryan admits he will miss the North Island as he has got used to the traffic and the crowds.
17/5
Ryan watched Dvds whilst the pastor he stayed with rang around other pastors about Ryan speaking in the evening service. No one from any of the other churches came.
Some of the Redeemed motor cyclists where at the service ( Redeemed motor cyclists who have become Christians) Yeahhhhhh:) When Ryan rose to speak his mind went blank, its the first time it has happened during a speaking engagment. However when he did speak it went really well, it confirmed some things for people about the end times.
During the day he replaced a wheel and two tyres. That around 8 tyres he has been through.
Bulls to Foxton
21kms, 18/5
The pastor took Ryan back to Bulls where he again began his walk. At the Ohakea air bass he meet a man who took him back to his house, they chatted quite a while. The lord had told this guy to pull a cross but he was unsurewhen to do it. Ryan shared his testominy and in return was given a lot of food. He was then taken back to where he was picked up and it was about lunch time when he resumed him walk. On his way to Foxton a man in a car pulled up and asked Ryan how he was, he was a trucky and had seen Ryan much earlier whilst on the road.
Acouple of guys offered Ryan a bed in Levin. They where prepared to pick him up in Foxton take him to Levin and drop him back in Foxton the next day, however when ryan did contact the guy he didnt have his cell phone on him. He stayed in a hotel over night and it was the first time he had to pay for accomodation this walk. He went to Kfc for tea and was given it for free. In the hotel he had four cups of plunger coffee, he didnt realise it was so strong...it was definitly nice though:) However no sleep for the wicked so he ended up watching three movies on sky. Finally got to sleep around 12.30am.
Foxton to Levin
19kms, 19/5
His watch alarm woke him at 7 for his interview on Southern Star. Ryan sounded down and the interview didnt go well as he was incredably tired...I wonder why:)
When he began his walk it was very windy. It rained off and on but he didnt bother putting on a jacket as he would have got too hot. A woman from Tauranga who goes to the same church as Ryans Nana and Grandpop saw him and walked with him for a while to get the update to share at the church. Ryan had gone to the church the Sunday before he began the walk to be the face to the person the congragation had heard about.
Ryan got a text from Ivy, a woman who he had met during his last walk. She met Ryan at the mall and they had a catch up over lunch. Ryan had left the cross at the Salvation Army. He contacted the Guy who had offered him a bed before Foxton, the house was alittle like a rail way station. The sister of a guy who was at the house offered Ryan a bed at Waikanae.
By this time Ryan is exausted.
Leven to Waikanae
36kms, 20/5
On monday Ryan had brought an Oamaru stone jar in Bulls and had it posted to his Dad for his birthday. As he left Leven Ryan was given an envelope to help him on his way. He went to the Salvation Army, got the cross and walked on to Waikanae.
The weather has been lousy across New Zealand for the last few days, it has been very windy and a lot of rain. He had to run across several narrow bridges, on one a truck passed him and blew his hat off. He had to cross the bridge and then go back for his hat. A guy with porter loos on his truck stopped for a chat as he seen Ryan further up the road. He then walked into Waikanae and rung the woman who had offered him a bed the night before.
21/5
He relaxed then went for a walk to the beach and made the most of not having to walk for the rest of the day.
Waikanae to Tawa
40kms, 22/5
The weather was terriable , he walked to Tawa and got absolutly drenched. The waves in the strait where 7 meters high and the ferries were being extremly cautious. He passed the police college and there was no one there. He then met a mormon who agreed with what Ryan was doing but was discussed with the cross because acording to him the cross ...wasnt invented??? Ummm Hello???
He then talked with a guy who thought about becoming a JW he studied the history and found the founder had been into free masonary...he wasnt impressed. Another person had seen Ryan at Cape Reinga and told him when he saw him again to keep it up. When he got into Tawa he went into the Salvation Army thrift shop and asked about accomodation. They directed him to the Salvation Army home which was called the boiler house. There was a spare room there. Phil who was also there took him to the prayer meeting, it was a 24/7 prayer meeting for the church. Ryan went to the youth night at the prayer meeting, he prayed for a while and then went ot bed around midnight.
23/5
Waves in the strait where 14 meters high. Absolutly no ferries sailing so he spend the day watching dvds.
24/5
Ryan went to the Sally Army church. The Captain came over to have a chat with Ryan this is how the convo went...
Captain: What are you up too?
Ryan: Walking New Zealand pulling a cross
Captain: Thank you lord that im not doing it. Why are you doing it??
Ryan: To point the nation to Christ!
Captain: See hes normal and not crazzzzyyyyyyyyy!
Guy next to Ryan: Thats what she thinks :)
Hehehehe
After church Ryan went with Phill to his parents place for lunch. He had some tracts and note books in his pockets, they had got wet so he put them on the heater to dry...not good. They almost set alight. Ryan went to put more music on his ipod but it froze. It took a while to unlock it.
Later that night Ryan went to the prayer meeting for the last hour and a half.
Tawa to Picton
12kms, 25/5
Its still pouring. Booked into the 6.25 ferry. When he left the Salvation Army home the wind was very strong.
He arrived at the terminal at mid day and changed his booking to an earlier sailing...1.30pm. He then had lunch and then got on the ferry. On the ferry he met a guy who was 24 they got chatting. The guy was a dope addict who was trying to get free of the addiction. He gave Ryan his cell phone number so they could keep in contact. Ryan gave him a tract. The ferry workers were very interested and supportive of Ryans walk. One offered a bed for the night but Ryan already had pre arranged accomodation.
When he arrived in Picton he rang the pastor and got directions to his house. The pastor knew ryans pastor in Oamaru, he had known him in Milton he also knew Ryans pastors inlaws.
It has taken him 6 weeks to the day to get from Cape Reinga to Picton.
Dudley contacted Ryan and told him off for not having his cell phone on him all the time so he could be contacted...Ryans reply was...Well I do have to recharge it :) LOL
Dudley was on holiday in the south island at the time.
26 and 27/5
Ryan spent two days exploring Picton, he went into an antique and as a bit of an antique collector himself he wasnt impressed with the prices.
By this time he was really worn out and feeling as though he didnt want to go on.
Picton to Blenheim
28kms, 28/5
Little happened on the way. Very tired but knows he has to keep going or he will not complete his mission.
Blenheim to Ward
49kms, 29/5
The family Ryan stayed with took photos of him before he started and walked with him a small distance. As he was going over the pass he found a hammer and a chisel on a fence post. He stood them up so that who ever they belonged to found them.
He took a photo on the seddon bridge. He then knew...it hit him, he still had 1000kms to go.
Two irish guys pulled over for a chat, they had no idea what the cross represented and knew nothing of Christianity so Ryan shared and gave them some tracts :)
A woman pulled over and asked Ryan what he was doing. A friend of hers in the North Island had seen him walking and shared about him. Later on he found a large crow bar and a small spanner. Dad had Ryan on about having a tool kit by the time he got back.
He met an elderly man who was cycling from Blenheim to Christchurch with a guitar on his back, Ryan passed him on the hills and he passed Ryan going down them. In Ward the people he was staying with told Ryan about a person who the lord had impressed on his heart to travel the world and to pray in key points. He had been around the world three times in 130 days and had prayed in New Zealand as the Lord led.
Ward to Clarence
41kms, 30/5
Fairly heavy drizzle when walking so he was soaked when he got to Clarence. A farmer said he could sleep in the church but he had to cross acouple of paddocks to get there. The church hadnt been used for a while because when Ryan opened the door there were dead flies all over the place. Ryan swept all the flies out side. He used the pew cushions as a matress and played on the organ and played service with the Bible.
31/5
He was about to start his walk south but it was snowing fairly heavily outside. He turned the heaters on and stayed inside for the day. He had no water so he put some snow in his camel pak and melted it, he ate his last can of baked beans. He only had two bananas for the next day.
