Along the way, team members will promote positive mental-health messages and encourage discussion about mental health and suicide prevention.
Queenstown cyclists Kimberley Percival and Rachel Kennedy said yesterday if they could prevent one person from committing suicide, their gruelling 2301km journey over 21 days next month would be worth it.
They and six North Islanders, aged from their late 20s to mid-60s, will start at Bluff on October 13 and are scheduled to reach Wanaka on October 14 before riding over the Haast Pass to the West Coast.
The cyclists, clad in high-visibility safety gear and accompanied by two support vehicles, are scheduled to pedal up the West Coast, take the ferry to Wellington and visit Taupo, Hamilton, Auckland, Dargaville and Kaitaia before arriving at Cape Reinga, on November 2.
Miss Percival said "Ride Out of the Blue" was started last year by Alison Blyth and her family as a way of acknowledging their relatives affected by depression.
A group of cyclists who left Bluff last year were joined by more than 100 supporting cyclists on various legs of their 27-day challenge, which raised more than $30,000 for the foundation.
The Queenstowner said she was moved by their story and, although she had never participated in extreme sports before, she signed up.
"We started training five months ago and built up our base fitness.
"We're now up to 120km a day, riding out to Kingston and the Crown Range."
Mrs Kennedy, a mother of three children, said her preparations were also going well, with "lots of time on the bikes [and our] legs are feeling really strong".
"It's not OK what's happening with depression and suicide in New Zealand and most people - especially if they are from overseas - are shocked to find out there is one suicide every 16 hours."
A fundraising evening featuring live music, supper and a live art auction for Ride Out of the Blue will be held in the Arrowtown Athenaeum Hall on Saturday night.
Queenstown party band LA Social Club and a support act will perform, after 10 to 15 original artworks by Shane Woolridge, Simon Morrison-Deaker, John Shewry, Rachael Errington and others go under the hammer of auctioneer David Murray from 8pm.
Tickets cost $30 per person, or $280 for a table of 10 people.
Tickets are on sale in the Lakes District Museum, Arrowtown and i-Site Queenstown Visitor Information Centre. Doors open at 7pm. Cash only bar.
The Queenstown Times will check in regularly with Miss Percival and Mrs Kennedy as they tackle the ride of their lives.
