Gower, 46, is one of 100 riders set to saddle up before dawn in Queenstown for the annual Westpac Chopper Bike Ride, a 230km grind ending in Invercargill this afternoon, raising money for the Lakes District Air Rescue Trust.
Other riders this year include former All Blacks captain Richie McCaw, his wife, Gemma, a former Black Stick, and 2012 Olympic gold medal-winning rower Nathan Cohen.
While Gower is no slug on two wheels, having taken up cycling about two and a-half years ago when he gave up alcohol, "I’m still a novice compared to all these people I’m going to be riding with, which is pretty scary".
He also admitted he had been on State Highway 6 from Queenstown only once before, "and that was in a nice car".
"I wasn’t taking much notice of it because I never in a million years thought I’d have to ride it one day.
"As a North Islander, I don’t know what are the Jollies. What’s the Devil’s Staircase?
"I’m picking it’ll be pitch black and below zero [early on], so it won’t even be like I’ll be able to enjoy the scenery."
But once the sun rises and he navigates the Devil’s Staircase, on Kingston Rd, and the Jollies, between Athol and Five Rivers, it won’t be long until the riders pass through the tiny town of Browns, between Winton and Hedgehope on State Highway 96, a place Gower fell in love with at first sight.
"I was driving down to Southland one time — my flight had been cancelled, I got dropped off in Dunedin and I got in a rental car and had to drive through to Invercargill," he said.
"That was the first time I came across Browns.
"I can vividly remember I was following the Google maps ... but actually had to stop the car, turn around and go ‘what is this place called?’
"I fell head over heels in love with it — it was, literally, love at first sight."
Northern Southland has also tickled his fancy.
"We could talk all day, but Northern Southland is another great Kiwi place name."
Chopper Bike Ride organiser and Westpac NZ Otago and Southland regional manager Phil Taylor said the Lakes District and Otago Regional helicopters flew 2123 missions between them last year, saving countless lives.
He hoped to raise $80,000 from this year’s event, to push total funds raised for the local helicopters since the first Chopper Bike Ride, in 2011, past $1m, all of which goes to the helicopter trust to continue its life-saving work.
