04/06/2026
Update Message from Naomi Riedel about Paul (her dad):
874km down and he's still peddling!
It has been a brutal few days out there for Dad, and it's certainly not getting any easier. He has gone from battling dehydration and 35º heat to almost freezing temperatures and torrential rain for the last few hours. Just when you thought it couldn't get much harder, out of nowhere (in the middle of nowhere?!) comes a car and an almost collision. Luckily, only a few scrapes and grazes later, Dad got back on his bike and kept peddling.
Dad faces a battle against the clock. One that has meant many people have pulled out, including the friends he made at the beginning of the race. He now has just over 24 hours to make it to Check Point 2. A checkpoint that is just under 200km away. Oh, and did I mention it's midnight!?
At this point, I think most of us would count our odds, look at how far we've come, say we gave it a great shot, call it quits and head to bed. A valiant effort nonetheless. Luckily, Dad is not like most people. He is a battler and won't give up without a fight.
So on he peddles. Up and up and up.
Will he make the checkpoint? It'll be touch and go.
What we know for sure is that he is out there giving his all, and whatever the outcome, he can be very proud of the resilience and determination he has shown!
These external factors Dad faces are a great insight into what those in rural villages in Nepal face when travelling for medical treatment – rapidly changing and extreme weather conditions, rugged terrain with steep mountains and thick bush, and limited sources of food. Having seen how these challenges have affected Dad, I can only imagine the difference an ambulance would make to the people in Nepal who need urgent treatment and may otherwise not be able to make such a journey. Please consider if you can financially support this great cause.
Leprosy Mission New Zealand
If you haven't yet donated and would like to, you can do so here:
https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/cycle-for-hope
Now is also a better time than any to send him an encouragement through his tracking link: https://transbalkanrace2026.maprogress.com/
A Local Effort. A Global Impact.
