Forty-five years after meeting in Ashburton (from left) Alan Dowdle, Ruth Gamblin, John Gamblin, Peter Gallagher and Jenny Dowdle are coming together for a cycling tour. Photo supplied.Five former Ashburton College friends are teaming up to ride 1400km along the banks of the Rhine river to celebrate their 60th birthdays.

The 16-day trip starts in the Swiss Alps at the source of the river and finishes in the Netherlands, where the river empties into the North Sea.

The students, who went to college in the 1970s, include Ashburton couple Alan and Jenny Dowdle, Christchurch couple John and Ruth Gamblin (John is Jenny’s brother) and Invercargill man Peter Gallagher.

Peter’s sister Anne, who did not go to college, will also join the cycle party, which leaves for Europe at the end of the month.

Jenny said the group had remained firm friends since their school days 45 years ago.

The five went to Ashburton College but also were connected through the Ashburton Intermediate, where Peter’s father and John and Jenny’s father were teachers.

Five years ago they began talking about ways to mark the 60th birthdays of Alan, John and Peter and, as cycling enthusiasts, they eventually decided on the Velo15, an organised cycle tour along the length of the Rhine.

There are 14 cycle days, with some of the legs up to 125km.

Jenny said the group had taken part in the Grape Ride last year and had a lot of fun.

They were looking forward to cycling through four countries – Switzerland, Germany, France and the Netherlands – and sampling the local foods and cultures on this trip.

The tour company has organised their accommodation and will carry their large bags. The cyclists will wear day packs.

Jenny said Europe had been baking in a heatwave recently, with temperatures of up to 40ºC and she was hoping for cooler temperatures.

While she is fit, she is the least experienced cyclist in the group and is not looking forward to a “screaming descent” in the first stage.

The Ashburton couple are taking hybrid bikes (a road bike/mountainbike cross) for the journey, which is mostly on sealed pathways.

“It will be a really good social time and a great way to see the different countries.”

Peter said the close friends might now live in different towns, but they still got together to hang out regularly.

Jenny now works at the college where they met.

By Linda Clarke © The Ashburton Guardian - 12 July 2019