Perhaps the thought of food, water and the destination at the end of each day's riding is not profound, but his cause is.
Mr Vivian is riding his bike about 4000km to raise money for motor neurone disease.
So far, his efforts have raised about $29,000.
''The target was around $50,000 but I'm pretty happy where we have got to so far.''
The feat was inspired after his father was diagnosed with the disease about two years ago.
Motor neurone disease is the name given to a group of diseases in which nerve cells controlling muscles enabling movement, speech, breathing and swallowing degenerate and die.
With no nerves to activate them, muscles gradually weaken and waste away, causing increasing loss of mobility, difficulties with speech, swallowing, breathing and leading eventually to death.
Funds raised by the ride were to be given to the Motor Neurone Disease Association of New Zealand for support of people with the disease and their families.
Some of the hardest days of the ride had been travelling Danseys Pass and the Hakataramea Valley Pass, he said.
Aside from the overall goal of fundraising, he had another drive.
''At the moment, it's getting home to Queenstown and see my two daughters and my wife.''
During his ride, he was mainly self sufficient., but he was thankful for people's generosity to the cause and offers of places to stay.
Yesterday was day 29 on his bike, covering the approximately 120km from Naseby to Cromwell.
He aimed to complete the ride in Bluff on March 11 having started on February 1.
Mr Vivian has a website - www.raceagainsttime.co.nz- where his progress can be tracked and people can give money as well as learn more about motor neurone disease.
