In the spirit of the Tour Divide, the Kiwi Rim Ride begins with a Grand Départ. No entry fee, no prize purse, no sponsor logos at the start line — just riders, their bikes, and an unsupported adventure ahead. We roll out together at the appointed hour, then scatter into the wind, each rider alone with the route. Like the Tour Divide, this isn't about competition — it's shared pilgrimage. A community held together by respect for the challenge, not by rankings or backers, with the Grand Départ as the single moment each year our whole scattered tribe stands in one place before the adventure pulls us apart.

North Island: Wellington Sign at Wellington Harbour

South Island: Picton War Memorial