A core group of eight cyclists and other supporting riders began the Ride Out of the Blue ride in Bluff on Saturday, stopping overnight in Garston on their way to Queenstown.
Cut oranges, coffee and chocolate brownies awaited the riders when they arrived in the resort yesterday morning, before they tackled the snow-coated Crown Range that afternoon.
Queenstown man Jeff Kennedy's wife Rachel is completing the entire ride, while Mr Kennedy is riding from Bluff to Wanaka.
A cyclist of two years, he said he had never had a puncture before and somehow managed "three within two hours" on Saturday.
The only other South Islander completing the full ride, Queenstown's Kim Percival, said the group endured heavy rain during their last hour on Saturday, though they were equipped with wind jackets and two support vans carrying dry clothing.
Although "not a cyclist at all", Ms Percival has been training for the past five months and on Saturday completed her longest cycle ride ever, 153km.
"That was actually fairly flat and because it was the first day everyone was really amped. I have a feeling day three and four will be tough," she said.
She felt nervous before the ride began but, with the first leg out of the way, the journey ahead was less daunting, she said.
"It's amazing what your body can pull off - I never thought I could ride 150km."
The convoy hope to raise $100,000 for the Mental Health Foundation and also see the ride as a way to encourage discussion about depression and suicide.
"The whole point is to stop in places and talk to people ...to open up the stigma behind depression and see what people's stories are," Ms Percival said.
"Lots of people have been affected by depression and suicide, surprisingly."
Community meetings were planned in many of the major stops "so the community can come and learn what's going on [with mental health]", she said.
Money can be donated online at www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/RideOutoftheBlue2012
