Ride Out of the Blue 2011

Ride Out of the Blue was created by Alison Blyth and her extended family as a way of paying tribute to their relatives, Mike and Tony, who were affected by depression.

“The ride is not just about the memory of Mike and Tony. It's about raising awareness of depression and making a difference for anyone affected by depression, it's about raising money to ensure anyone who requires specialist help with depression can access it," Alison says.

On 5 March 2011 a group of committed riders departed Bluff on the ride of their lives. Over the next 27 days, the cyclists would cover over 2,500km as the rode to Cape Reinga. As they progressed up the country they were joined by over 100 supporting riders on various legs wanting to take part in this life changing event.

The ride gave the group an opportunity to participate in community events that encouraged discussion on mental health and raised money for the Foundation. Through these events the team got to talk to a lot of New Zealanders whose personal stories motivated them to continue on each day.

By the time the team arrived at Cape Reinga, their journey had been covered by over 40 media outlets including TVNZ’s Close Up, the New Zealand Herald and a cover story in Healthwise magazine. The ride raised over $30,000, with close to $1000 of that coming from Counties Manukau Police Welfare Officer Adrian Lee, who raised the money by running the New York Marathon!

The Foundation thanks Alison, her family and everyone who took part in the ride, and also all those communities who welcomed and supported them on this wonderful adventure.