Features

Feature: An all-day affair

He plan was simple; ride every trail that Craigieburn has to offer - in one day. Mission like these require loads of energy and a positive attitude.

 

Just over an hours’ drive from Christchurch, the Craigieburn Forest Park is one of the best days out available on a bike, in New Zealand. This unique basin is nestled against the foothills of the Main Divide and, traditionally known for a culture of club ski fields and bouldering, it’s now also a mecca for mountain biking. Native trails, surrounding tall peaks and clear streams are about as good as ingredients get for a day spent outside. Through all the bustle of life, training, work and everything in between, Craigieburn represents the ultimate reminder of why we started riding bikes in the first place. Stripping it back, it’s an inherent need to be surrounded by mountains and native bush. There is something indescribably wonderful about being able to combine being in the foothills of the Southern Alps, taking on a decent physical challenge, and being able to get immersed in the joy of being on my bike. Taking the enduro bikes meant that, while we weren’t planning on breaking any records up the hills, we were ready to add the maximum fun factor on the descents.

 

The plan was simple; ride every trail that Craigieburn has to offer – in one day. An ambitious goal and a big day but rewarding, nonetheless. Missions like these require loads of energy and a positive attitude. Max Hides was just the person we needed to keep the drive going and, after a last hour call up, he was more than ready to join us.

 

In classic Canterbury style, leaving Christchurch it was grey, misty and almost drizzly. We were on for a good thing, escaping the eastern plains inversion layer in exchange for some sunny mountain riding. Armed with coffee and the essentials from Sheffield Pie Shop, the clouds parted right on cue heading up Porters Pass. We spared a moment’s thought for the 9-5 hustle back in the city, but only briefly. We were on for a great day!

 

Starting from Mistletoe Flat, we headed up and moved our way east across the trails feeding into the basin, to finish in Castle Hill Village. Anticipating a full day out, we packed our bags with all the essentials for happiness, warmth and ‘hangry’ management. The great thing about riding Craigieburn is that the hills are big, and the climbs require a bit of effort. It’s not a cash crop, especially not when the first climb of the day is from the basin floor up to Craigieburn Valley Ski Field.

 

The pedal is initially pleasant through the beech, but kicks up about halfway through, and the conversation was naturally replaced by an increased focus on turning our pedals. The Craigieburn Hut was a welcome appearance, complete with a perfect set of smoko steps. We looked, but there seemed no one available to open the bar for us at 10am on a summer’s weekday... maybe we should return at the appropriate hour. For now, though, it was time to turn our sights downhill.

 

The Edge track starts at Craigieburn Ski Field, and traverses the side of the hill. Starting with a couple of scree crossings, it’s mostly a lovely gradient through the beech forest, punctuated by the regular rocky outcrop and tight corner to keep us on our toes! One of those tracks where paying attention is necessary but it’s all too easy to get distracted by the views. Not that it upset us, we were all too happy to take some regular breaks and soak in the view before dropping through the tight singletrack.

 

The climb up AntiLuge to Lyndon Saddle is 15 minutes of real Type 2 fun. Pinchy and technical, it’s guaranteed to get everyone’s heartrate up, but at least it’s short. At the same time, it’s impossible to hate it because it leads to the star child of Craigieburn Forest: the Luge track.

 

Graded as an intermediate track, this is the definition of fun for the whole family. No other track does roots and flow in the same sentence quite like the Luge does. The gradient and turns are mellow enough for a broad audience while, for the more advanced among us, it’s littered with natural doubles and high lines. Following Max gave me the chance to try a few more myself! Dirt conditions were all time, with just enough moisture among the beech leaves to hook into the side knobs of the tyres and feel like world cup riders, even if only for a split second. Best of all, it finishes right at a creek, perfect to refresh in preparation for the next climb.

 

As the day passed, we moved our way east through the basin and network of trails. Most creeks were a compulsory stop and kept the body temperatures cool in what was an almost perfectly still, sunny alpine day. By the time we reached mid-afternoon we’d covered some good ground. Arguably not so much in distance and metres climbed, but in scenery, good chat and high spirits.

 

Reaching the other side of the Dracophyllum flat track, we turned upwards for the second half of our ride, to get a lap in each of Cuckoo Creek and Cockayne Alley. With rogue weather in July 2021 causing a major slip on the access road, access has been limited to pedal only from Forest Lodge onwards. Controversial opinion, but I can’t say I mind it. There’s a feeling of being self-sufficient in these sorts of environments that’s quite nice to keep hold of. For the most part it’s an inoffensive climb in the trees, then kicks up above the tree line to remind us that hills are hard work!

 

Heck, it’s not a bad view from the top though. Max went in to get some ski turns on the scree and we traversed along the ridge to admire the view once more. The light was starting to soften as the afternoon hours got on, and not for the first time that day we commented on how good bikes and places really are.

Cockayne Alley is about as good as backcountry riding gets. Originally a walking trail, MTBers discovered its steep rooty steps and have since called it their own. To find good flow takes a bit of finesse and concentration, but once it’s found, there’s nowhere I’d rather be. The sort of place where the most important thing in the moment is where your front wheel is going. With just one more climb left to finish off the day, we were Castle Hill Village bound via the Hogs Back. Picnic Rock at the top provided a stunning 360-degree view around the basin, making it a good spot to take a look and realise there’s many more untold adventures and peaks within sight, for mountain bikers or otherwise. From there, we took easy going flow trails winding through the beech, then across the last creek stop and up the terrace to catch our breath by the world-famous lightning tree. The blast from there down into castle village guaranteed a great day, and completed the ride.

 

There's a simplicity in just putting a backpack on and traveling for a day, that is hard to replicate.

 

Days like this in Craigieburn don’t get much better. There’s often a value put on metres climbed or kilometres travelled and, although the end-of-ride beer doesn’t taste the same without it, smiles per mile is a metric I’m much fonder of. There’s a simplicity in just putting a backpack on and traveling for a day, that is hard to replicate in any other way. We saw next to no one, and those we did see were like minds, on the same page. It was a brilliant opportunity to switch off, turn some pedals and enjoy a special part of NZ.

 

 

 

Words: Robin Pieper

Photography: Cameron Mackenzie

by nz mountain biker magazine

Destination: Nelson Tasman

Nelson Tasman is surely one of the country’s most premium riding destinations. The region has a wide variety of trails, basks in a ton of sunlight hours, has splendid national parks and some of the best craft beer our little country has to offer. So, what’s not to like? Well, nothing really, apart from the fact that I don’t live there...yet.

 

There are ample trails in the city that’s surrounded by hills. Nelson Tasman offers 400km worth of mountain bike trails within 45 minutes of the city centre. That’s enough to fill a few weeks’ worth of riding – but we only had a few days. Nevertheless, we got a great tasting platter of this region’s incredible landscape, trail network, fine cuisine, hospitality, and the passionate people who make this city shine.

We gathered a crew of mostly locals: Emma Bateup (featured in our last issue #105), Sam Todd (featured in issue #104) and Henry Jaine (photography/ videographer), who documented proceedings. I flew in from the big smoke – Auckland.

 

On that for a quick moment: Nelson is easily accessible with a short flight from most larger cities, or you can drive there. I really like that when you land, you’re only a few minutes from the city centre or surrounding trails. For this excursion, we’d be covering some of what the region has to offer in terms of trails, hospitality, cuisine and, of course, some craft beers. Our main stops on the road trip would be Kaiteriteri Mountain Bike Park, Nelson Trails and Coppermine Trail.

 

This place has always been on my radar for riding but lingered out of reach for a while. I’m not quite sure why – perhaps it was life, work and the pandemic getting in the way of things. But, as we know, good things come to those who wait. And perhaps it was my intermediate level of riding that kept putting me off. As the North Island (where I reside) doesn’t offer the same steepness, I was constantly doubting myself. However, for this trip we’d come up with a plan to cover the more accessible, mellow flow trails, backcountry loops and debunk the chatter about all of Nelson being grade 5+ gnarlyness. Don’t get me wrong, Nelson does have a lot of that too, but we came to document another side of the region.

Kaiteriteri

 

It’s been known as a scenic holiday beach spot for years, to locals from the upper south – but we weren’t there for the beach (well, maybe after some riding)! Kaiteriteri MTB Park is nestled on the hillside overlooking the bay’s fine views back to Nelson. Kaiteriteri has considerable historic significance, as the first meeting place between tāngata whenua and representatives of the New Zealand Company whose sole purpose was to colonise a ’new’ country.

 

The Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve is 250ha of Crown land that includes Kaiteriteri Beach, Kākā Point Historic Reserve, Kākā Island, Kaiteriteri Estuary, Kaiteriteri Mountain Bike Park, and the hills with native bush surrounding the beach and estuary.

 

What’s interesting is that although they’re a Crown entity, they are not government funded. So, to generate revenue, they own and manage the businesses on the Reserve including the Kaiteriteri Reserve Camp, Kaiteriteri Reserve Apartments, Kaiteriteri Store, the restaurants Waterfront & Gone Burgers, and the Kaiteriteri Mountain Bike Park.

 

These businesses fully fund the Kaiteriteri Reserve and 100% of profits are invested back into Kaiteriteri. This strong community spirit and giving back to the land is to be applauded. In fact, I think a few other regions around Aotearoa could learn from this model. The sense of pride in their slice of paradise is evident as soon as you drive in.

 

The trails are among splendid bush mixed with forestry and native. If you’re staying at the campsite or apartments, which we did, I highly recommend riding out of the campsite straight into the trails. As you make your way out, there’s a sense of times gone by, with the relaxed state of people in front of their caravans. It’s a stress-free holiday vibe out here and you can’t help but be infected by it. The up trails have a nice gradient and there are numerous options for these, instead of gravel fire roads. I like this, as it gives the sense of being immersed in the bush and trails for the whole ride and keeps it much more interesting.

 

On this trip, the warm days were still prevalent so riding mornings and evenings was on the cards to escape the heat. The trails have a range of diversity and cater to all abilities. I found the trials to offer some good challenges but still have flow.

 

After we lapped out the park, we headed down the hill to grab a bite to eat. The sun started dipping behind the hills into the bay below us. Whoops and hollers were yelled as the pace went on for grub.

 

The compactness of the trails, camp and restaurants mean everything is easily within reach. Gone Burgers is iconic and names its burgers after the trails. Burgers, chips, and beer – the perfect end to a day on the trails. The grub was delivered and hit the spot, then we washed down the meal with an ale and pedalled back to the campsite ( just next door) – our digs for the night.

The alarm sounded early the next morning. It startled me but I was eager to get another taste of the trails before we headed off. The crew threw back their duvets and wiped the sleep out of their eyes too. Coffee was brewed and we sipped it whilst we got ready. It was still dark out, but the sun was just starting to come up. We pedalled out to the beach and watched the sun come up over the horizon.

 

There’s a great feeling to be beside the beach, riding bikes. It’s this mix of holiday plus riding that makes this place feel special. A short, snappy session that was lively and energetic played out before we hustled back, bundled gear in the car, threw bikes on the rack and grabbed a quick brew before heading off.

 

KAITERITERI MTB PARK – trails we rode: Big Airs Jump Track, Corkscrew, Easy Rider, Half Pipe, Huff, Karmakaze, Rock Face, Swamp Monster and Ziggy.

Roadie to Nelson

 

The roadie to Nelson wasn’t long but we were in no rush. The places along the way, such as Riwaka and Motueka are charming, eclectic, and frankly deserved our time. Hop Federation local brewery was the first stop – a few tastings went down way too smoothly. The red settings meant we couldn’t linger inside for too long, so we ended up walking out with a few flagons of their fine ‘Fields of Green Haze Phaze’ which is made with Riwaka, Nelson Sauvin and Motueka Hops. The experience was lemon zest and mandarin on the nose, with grapefruit, lemon and lychee rounding off this juicy Hazy IPA. It wasn’t long after midday, so we needed to put an end to the beer consumption as there was still plenty of riding to be done. The next stop was only a few minutes down the road: Toad Hall, which partly situated in a reformed church. This cafe is well worth a visit, with local produce, ice cream and a curated selection of craft beers. Blending cool vibes

with delicious grub – what’s not to like?! After we’d filled our bellies with great kai, we jumped back into the wagon and headed to Nelson. The road trip was quintessentially Kiwi and reminded me of those times in my youth, looking out the car window, eager to explore every nook and cranny I could see.

 

Our digs for the evening were nestled in the Maitai Valley, so we ventured there to unload our gear and get on our bikes. Newly built Maitai Whare Iti hosted us – and boy, was it a charm! It’s way up the valley and completely hidden from anyone’s view. Wooden cabins with bike racks are dotted on the steep property, with a large common area for food and eating, plus an outdoor area with a fireplace to relax by while you listen to the constant bird song echoing through the valley. I didn’t really want to leave, and could feel myself unwinding into the epic landscapes surrounding us. However, with pizza on the menu for the evening, we headed to the nearby trails for a quick shred before the sun went down.

 

Nelson Trails

 

Nelson offers nothing short of a plethora of trails right on its doorstep. For this trip, we had to narrow our focus to just a few trails, otherwise we’d be overwhelmed with the amount of choice. So, our time was given to riding Codgers Mountain Bike Park. The park is handily situated in the heart of Nelson and contains a wide range of mountain bike trails, from easy meandering single track for beginners to full on double black downhill trails best left to the experts. The trails are based around three hills, with the summits rising to approximately 400m. The trails all start from Brook Street and Codgers Recreation Hub, and offer great signage. The best thing is that you’re only ever thirty minutes or so from the city.

 

 

For the evening session, we lapped out the new Te Ara Rere o Koata (Koata Rere) jump line. There’s great flow, berms, hits and, of course, jumps on this new trail – they’ve done a great job with the build. I was keeping my lines in check, but the others were sending it and, whilst we were out there, we met a local shredder – Kiran Taylor. He’s sixteen, works at Village Cycles, and had so much style and height. This just showcases the level of riders coming from a region littered with great trails. It shows it’s not just good for the here and now, but also for the next generation. After that session we headed back to our digs, Maitai Whare Iti, for the evening. Pizzas, beer, and yarns in front of a fire rounded out the day’s affairs nicely.

 

I’m skipping ahead here a little, but after spending the following day riding the Coppermine Trail we ventured back to Codgers with Gravity Nelson for some shuttles. We just wanted to ride more of what’s on offer and shuttles are the best way to achieve that. And, to be honest, we were flogged after being out in the backcountry for half a day. Also, with Nelson’s steepness and large variety of trails, a shuttle with great local knowledge is often the best use of time. I for one had a great experience riding Codgers and found the trails were fun, flowy, and well maintained. There’s a heap of trails on offer there, and as Alistair from Gravity Nelson says, when coming to Nelson start with Codgers and work your way up to techier and gnarlier trails that loom high above the city. Codgers is all within proximity of downtown Nelson, and super easy to navigate.

 

The other spots that are close by Nelson, are Cable Bay Adventure Park and The Wairoa Gorge.

 

CODGERS MTB PARK – trails we rode: Te Ara Rere o Koata (Koata Rere), Hulk’n Hogan, Te Tirohanga Whetu o Koata (Koata Whetu) and Firball.

 

The Coppermine Trail

 

The alarm on my phone chirped to let me know it was just after six and still dark out. However, there was a mission to be completed. I really like the drive that having a big ride on the radar gives you. Under the Maitai Valley’s starry sky, I walked out of my cabin and down to the communal area. As I flicked on the kettle, the others started to make their way down. A few gentle ‘good mornings’ were exchanged as we devoured granola, washed down with strong coffee. The light had only just broken and we are already out the door, ready to tackle the Coppermine Trail. There’s such a good feeling that comes with being out early: it’s quiet, clear and sometimes spiritual. You always feel like you’re ahead of the day and whatever it might bring. It only makes sense to leave early when encountering a backcountry trail, as you never know what’ll happen, so it’s best to have as much time as the day can give you.

 

We meandered up the trail, which heads directly into spectacular hill country via Codger’s Mountain Bike Park. The long, consistent tramway line climb up the Dun Mountain Walkway was at a good gradient, although the crew wanted to push the pace for some reason. Perhaps they were just eager to reach the top so they could start shredding the downhill. The trail opened up to offer some broad panoramas of Tasman Bay below and showed just how much elevation we were gaining. This offered a good opportunity to have a brief break for some water and snacks and meant I could catch my bloody breath. The trail follows the original railway alignment early on and continues at a steady gradient through mature beech forest, eventually reaching the site of Third House at 660m. Perfect – another place for some respite and a quick bite!

 

The Coppermine Trail is based on the line of New Zealand’s first railway, used to transport minerals from the eastern slopes of the Wooded Peak. It was opened in 1862. Today, this historic railway provides a steady gradient to its terminus near Coppermine Saddle. The trail then descends to the Maitai Dam and follows the Nelson City water supply pipeline to the lower Maitai Valley. This is a very accessible alpine mountain bike ride, due to it being a circuit and very close to Nelson. The Dun Mountain rises to 1129m, and is one of the most distinctive mountains around Nelson due to its unique geology.

 

The trail continues to Junction Saddle, where the old railway alignment joins the main ridge. Beyond the saddle, the trail continues to climb upwards – but steadily – through stunning beech forest all the way to the site of Fourth House. Being in the beech forest I’m reminded why I love venturing out into the backcountry so much. It’s being out here in this stunning and awe-inspiring nature with nothing else around. It’s so tranquil and does wonders for clearing your headspace. It wasn’t long before we reached Coad’s Creek and filled up our water bottles. There’s a sudden change in vegetation here, from mature forest to the stunted manuka and shrubland of the ‘mineral belt’. This infertile, distinctly coloured landform belt is also found in Otago and several places between St Arnaud and D’urville Island. The single track takes you all the way from here to Coppermine Saddle (878m) for some great views of the Richmond Range, down to the Maitai Valley.

 

 

The panoramic views at the top of Coppermine Saddle were the reward for the morning’s efforts. On this day, we did encounter some wind – which is often expected – but we had a clear day. The rocky tops, mixed with bush on the lower slopes, with large mountains lingering in the distance, gave the sense of the vast expanse. It’s tranquil, remote, and stunningly beautiful. The crew gathered around the table and shared snacks, yarns, and smiles. I pondered times gone by and how tough it would have been, back in the day, working up here. I also thought about how it’s so good to have bikes bring us to places like this. You can learn the history of an area, experience landscapes and ride some superb backcountry all at once.

 

Well-fed and rested, we grabbed our packs and tackled the long descent. The trail – which is well maintained – dropped through rock gardens, then back into tight bush. A few stops on the way down helped the body from getting beaten up too much and meant I could get back in touch with Sam and Emma who were riding hard. The stoke level was high and for good reason: this is a bloody good trail. Stream crossings, great landscapes, rocky terrain, and a trail that doesn’t let you switch off, but isn’t too technical. After the bush section, we eventually popped out at the bottom and had what was supposed to be a leisurely pedal, but was in fact mixed with a few efforts back to Maitai Valley and our digs. This is an epic backcountry loop filled with historic tales along the way. So close to the city but so far in the backcountry, it feels like Old Ghost Road or similar. This is a great trail for those wanting to escape a little more and extend their fitness.

 

NOTES, EATERIES AND DIGS (ACCOMMODATION)

 

Nelson Tasman is a food basket with plenty of great cuisine on offer. Being vegan or vegetarian is no problem in these parts, with plenty of offer catering for all dietary requirements. Perhaps that’s due to the alternative thinkers of this region – they’ve always been progressive. Heck, there’s no shortage of fine food and brands hailing from this region! Simply walk down the supermarket aisle and you’ll find a ton of products and brands which come from Nelson Tasman.

 

The Nelson food and beverage scene is a mixture of exciting newcomers, and popular staples that have stood the test of time. Access to fresh local produce from both land and sea makes the city a big player in New Zealand’s food scene, and a true culinary destination. The vibe is generally relaxed and eclectic; most places have flair. They’re also very welcoming of riders and often ask which trails you’ve done or are heading to. The city has bonded with the riding culture well. We stayed at KAITERITERI RECREATION RESERVE, in their cabins, which is well suited for riders and other amenities. Back in Nelson, we stayed in the recently opened MAITAI WHARE ITI ADVENTURE CABINS, which are nestled down the Maitai Valley, right on the backdoor of some of Nelson’s most incredible trails. They offer a range of cabins equipped with bike hooks and a wash station catering for all types of riders. Most of our ‘spare time’ was spent at THE FREE HOUSE which offers fine beers and food – you can even grab a curry from across the road and they’ll deliver to you at the Free House. Beer and curry – what more do you want?!

 

GETTING THERE - Located at the top of New Zealand’s South Island, Nelson Tasman is highly connected to other parts of the country – and to the world. Whether you prefer to take a scenic drive, fly with one of the many airlines or catch a ferry from Wellington: there are a variety of transport options available to suit your travel needs.

 

 

THE CLIMATE - Nelson Tasman is a beautiful and diverse place to ride, whatever the season, and regularly vies for the title of ‘the place with the most annual sunshine hours’ in New Zealand. The consistently sunny weather and temperate climate means mountain biking can be on your agenda whatever the season. And you’ll be spoilt for choice with 400km of single-track trails to explore within a 45-minute drive of the city.

 

LOCAL MOUNTAIN BIKE CLUB - Active since 1989, the NELSON MOUNTAIN BIKE CLUB has annual membership of over 3500 riders, of all ages and abilities. The club is a volunteer-driven non-profit organisation that works to improve mountain biking in Nelson and surrounding areas. The club build and maintain a fantastic network of over 100km of trails and organise a wide range of events throughout the year, as well as advocating for Nelson’s mountain bikers.

 

BIKE SHOP AND REPAIRS - Local bike shop, GRAVITY NELSON offer a full-service workshop, premium rentals and expertly guided mountain bike rides. They also operate a shuttle service, and can give you the full dirt on riding around Nelson. VILLAGE CYCLES RICHMOND have a genuine passion for cycling and stock a wide range of bikes and e-bikes, clothing, and accessories, and have a dedicated service and repair workshop. NELSON SUSPENSION live and breathe to tinker and ride bikes, and are Nelson’s dedicated mountain bike suspension and dropper post servicing workshop located in the city centre.

 

 

FOOD AND DRINK - THE FREE HOUSE. No ride in Nelson is complete without a visit to New Zealand’s first climate positive pub set in an old, reformed church. There’s craft beer on tap, delicious snacks from their on-site food truck, or you can bring in your own food. EDDYLINE BREWERY & PIZZERIA in Richmond is frequented by the region’s mountain biking community and boasts mouth-watering wood-fired pizzas and freshly brewed craft beers. If you’re riding in Tasman, finish the day at WATERFRONT in Kaiteriteri. Enjoy a delicious meal, relax on the beach-side deck with a fresh brew, local wine or savour a cocktail at the bar.

 

MUST DOS - When you’re taking a break from the trails, Nelson Tasman is home to three national parks meaning you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to hiking, kayaking and beach hopping. Give canyoning a go or jump out of a plane with SKYDIVE ABLE TASMAN. Taste your way around the wineries or explore the art trails. Nelson Tasman also holds the unofficial title of New Zealand’s craft brewing capital and have many a brewery to be visited.

 

Thanks to Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve, Gravity Nelson, Nelson Cycle Trails Trust, Maitai Whare Iti, The Free House and Nelson Tasman for their support with this article. For more information on Nelson Tasman please visit nelsontasman.nz •

 

 

Words: Liam Friary

Photography: Henry Jaine

by nz mountain biker magazine

Trail Builder: Lasting Legacy

When avid mountain biker, Lou Hunt became a Trail Fund NZ trustee on the Backcountry Trust six months ago, she didn’t plan on becoming a legacy-leaving advocate. But, the impact it can have has got her thinking. To gain a better understanding of this insight, Trail Fund sat down with Lou to discuss leaving a legacy for what you love.

According to most, there are many ways to leave a legacy; be it money, time or influence. Lou agrees, but she says that when it comes to the Backcountry Trust, it’s become clear that money in particular can help achieve some big milestones.

“One thing I’ve noticed, since being in the role, is the number of bequests left to the Backcountry Trust (BCT) for the other two organisations involved,” says Lou. “Both Federated Mountain Clubs (FMC) and the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association (NZDA) are organisations that have had at least a generation of bequests coming their way.

“And these aren’t only small bequests – they can be property or a decent sum – which, when invested properly, can take an organisation from volunteer-run to professional.”

For those who don’t know, the BCT funds and supports volunteers to maintain huts and tracks on public conservation land for outdoor enthusiasts including trampers, deerstalkers and mountain bikers. Established in 2017, it is the successor to the Outdoor Recreation Consortium, which saw the three key organisations – FMC, NZDA and Trail Fund NZ – working together for the first time from 2014 to 2017. Each has two trustees on the Board, ensuring equal representation.

“The bequests mean both FMC and NZDA have people in funded roles, while Trail Fund remains completely volunteer-run,” explains Lou. “It’s not really surprising, given that trail building in its current capacity is a relatively new industry, but it’s never too early to plant the seed for the multitude of mountain bikers who may want part of their legacy to be leaving something to the recreation they love.

“As a passionate advocate for getting more women and girls into the sport, and as someone with no children, I am definitely keen for my legacy to go to trails on all three levels – money, time and influence. I’m currently working on the last two through my role with BCT and Wellington Off-Road Department (WORD) instruction but hoping the former will be a good 50 years away!”

Spreading the love

While we’re on the topic, Lou says that if you are going to write Trail Fund or the Backcountry Trust into your legacy, try to trust the system.

“What I’m currently keen to help shape, is the criteria around what a good BCT investment is, to ensure it’s broader than shrines of boyhood antiques.”

All jokes aside, Lou believes mountain bikers will want to leave a legacy to the sport that has offered them so much, it will just take time.

“The thing is, mountain biking may have been around in the 80s, but that’s not that long ago and, until now, it wouldn’t be clear who to leave a bequest to. Now that there’s such a great framework in place for outdoor recreation, would-be legacy leavers would know their bequests were in good hands.”

Final piece falling into place

Lou admits that another possible cause for pause may previously have been a lack of advocacy for mountain biking on Department of Conservation managed Crown land. However, that’s been steadily shifting over the past few years, and an announcement from Conservation Minister Kiri Allan in mid-December hopefully means any bequests coming BCT’s way will have plenty of Crown land to impact in the future.

The announcement, which highlighted an intention to modernise New Zealand’s conservation law, highlights the importance of reflecting what local communities want – including mountain biking!

Minister Allan noted, “Conservation planning and permitting decisions often don’t – or can’t – reflect what local communities want, or the latest environmental science. The current system isn’t fully facilitating the activities we want to enjoy, like mountain biking, or the scientific research we need to address the biodiversity crisis.”

But while Lou says she’s seen firsthand the difference bequests can make, it is by no means the only avenue.

“It’s really about getting out and giving back to the community you care about. Help build a trail, buy some Trail Fund gear or volunteer for a hut rebuild. Everything you do will be part of the legacy you leave.” •

Words: Meagan Robertson

by nz mountain biker magazine

Bike Check: The Juliana Wilder, ridden by Emma Bateup

by nz mountain biker magazine

Feature: The Boomer 'E'volution

While Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z have long been purveyors of mountain biking (in fact, we know many who could ride before they could walk!) there’s a whole other generation of cyclists currently getting a new lease of life on your local trails. The new kids on the block are not actually kids at all, though. They’re the Baby Boomer generation – aged between 57 and 75 this year, and affectionately known just as ‘Boomers’ – complete with slick eMTBs and all the kit. If you haven’t seen them out on the trails (often riding in a large pack) you’re sure to catch a glimpse of them racing through the trees soon enough.

Two such Boomers are Tim and Pat Felton, although they prefer not to be called that. Full disclaimer here: Tim and Pat are my parents, so if my tone sounds a little endearing, it’s because it’s supposed to. The Felton’s are no strangers to mountain biking – Tim first bought mountain bikes for the family in the late 90’s, in the hopes we would all ride together out in the patch of forest now known as Woodhill Mountain Bike Park. Initial outings were somewhat disastrous (rugged tracks, ankle deep sand and massive tree roots come to mind) but some years later, when they became ‘empty nesters’, Tim and Pat bought new mountain bikes to take with them on campervan trips around New Zealand. During this time, they completed the Otago Rail Trail and the Twin Coast Cycle Trail to name a few great rides. Those mountain bikes (generic hardtails that did the job but were nothing special) were passed around the entire family, and then some. They’ve only just been handed over to new owners some 10+ years after Tim and Pat bought them. But room had to be made in the garage because [cue suspenseful music] the eMTBs have landed!

“On eMTBs we can explore places we’ve never been before – without having to worry too much about getting exhausted or riding too far and not being able to get back easily,” explains Tim. “Carrying supplies in a panier or pack is also easier and the added weight isn’t noticed, thanks to the power of the bike.”

Make that ‘thanks to the power of Bosch’, too. Bosch- powered eMTBs are partly responsible for this recent ‘boom’ in older, first-time mountain bikers, thanks to their modern technology, slick design and raft of features suitable for both beginner mountain bikers and those who are more advanced. Long battery range offers peace of mind when Tim, Pat and their friends head out on the trails for the day, while different ‘modes’ offer increased power meaning that it’s not just the downhills which are fun but the uphills and long straights as well. Even stretches of road – previously making for sluggish work on a traditional MTB – have become easy and enjoyable to tackle.

There’s a good reason bikes are in short supply countrywide. The ongoing pandemic and repetitive lockdowns have seen an increased number of sales, with the Baby Boomer generation keen to spend their money on high-end eMTBs and gear and get out on the trails as quickly as possible.

“We were already doing a lot of walking during lockdown, but getting the eMTBs enabled us to explore our own neighbourhood even more,” says Pat. “It turns out there are some great trails really local to us, including Shakespeare Park on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, and Sanders Reserve in Paremoremo, which have been fun to practise on.”

And practise has been key. Although no strangers to cycling, riding eMTBs is a different game altogether and has taken some getting used to. “We were used to riding on the road – and even some light off- roading – as we’ve done that for years, but now we’re trying to build up our skills and confidence on slightly steeper, harder trails,” explains Tim.

Riding eMTBs is not just about learning something new and getting fitter, it has also opened up a whole world of possibility with regard to trips away within New Zealand. With the rest of the Felton family still based in the UK, regular trips across the globe were normal for Tim and Pat, during the pre-pandemic years, as it was their only means of catching up with their siblings and lifelong friends. Now, with the pandemic still raging, they’ve had to change their perspective on travel and pivot towards New Zealand based adventures – something that’s not hard to do when you’re armed with an eMTB and a luxury specific to Baby Boomers: time.

What this also means, is that Tim and Pat are rarely alone on their eMTBing adventures. The age and stage they are at in life means there is a slew of others in the same boat who are keen to join them.... and there’s no dawdling! In fact, seeing them all out together in a big crew you’d be mistaken for thinking they were a squad of riders half their age.

“As a group, we’ve done some of the great New Zealand rides over the years,” says Tim. “But now, with the eMTBs, it’s about pushing the limits a bit and going on some real adventures. We’re keen to head out into the wilderness a bit more and these bikes give us the opportunity to do that – without having to worry too much about fatigue or burning out on long trails.”

The Boomer ‘E’volution proves it’s never too late to hop on a bike and hit the trails or plan a multi-day bikepacking trip with a group of likeminded friends. There has to be some silver linings to this pandemic, and new people joining our mountain biking community – regardless of age, stage, skill-level or the bike they are riding – is definitely one of them. •

Words: Kerrie Morgan
Photography: Cameron Mackenzie

by nz mountain biker magazine

Feature: Otherworldly Adventures Mountain biking in Iran

For the past year – almost to the day – I have called Tehran, the capital of the Islamic Republic of Iran, home. After arriving from New Zealand directly into Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport, in November 2020, it became immediately clear there were many major contrasts between this country and my homeland, New Zealand. The picture painted of this country, in the western mainstream media, will be known to many of those reading this. Before going any further, I should quickly explain why I am currently based in Iran: my wife is a New Zealand diplomat and has been posted from Wellington to work at the New Zealand Embassy, in Tehran, for three years. After the initial adjustments to life, in the first six months, the remainder of our first year has sailed by.

Prior to our departure from New Zealand, I was determined to keep an open mind so as to experience this place as fully as possible. The sum of the geographic, cultural, political and social differences in comparison to New Zealand constantly raise a novel feeling. It appears that any sense of knowing or gleaning somewhat of an understanding, will only be gained by spending significantly more time here. A combination of experiencing the situation on the ground, and discussions with the locals, reveal – very slowly – bit by bit of this unique place. Somehow, I’m not sure any foreigner ever comes to fully understand this complex and unreal country regardless of one’s ability to speak the language, or the length of time spent here.

Scouting the Trailforks app prior to my arrival in Iran, I could see there were a couple of trails on the fringes of the capital city, which is home to almost nine million people. There appeared to be a bit of a racing scene too and, after finding a few die-hard riders’ Instagram accounts, I could see their level of commitment to the sport was high. In any case, it wasn’t easy to find much media showcasing the riding, unlike what you might find spread across the internet for places such as New Zealand. Indeed, it was hard to gain any major insights into the extent of the sport, especially with regard to the trails, before arriving. I did, however, discover that the capital city was surrounded by very tall mountains and, equipped with this knowledge, my hopes of finding some decent riding were high.

The Alborz mountain range, spanning the vast width of Northern Iran and dividing the Caspian Sea in the north and the Iranian Plateau to the south, is where most of the mountain biking takes place. There is no shortage of terrain in this mountain range, with its highest peak at 5,600m. The scale of this range blocks any humid air from the Caspian Sea and divides the north facing mountains and lush forests of the far north from the rest of the country, which consists of heavily eroded mountains, arid landscapes, and desert like features.

There are two main types of riding around Tehran, the first consisting of a minimal amount of mellow single- track riding on the foothills of the main range; and the second being the burlier trails stretching high up into the Alborz mountains. The types of trails that stretch up into the main mountain range are typically hiking trails. Since mountain hiking and climbing are such popular weekend activities for Iranians, in all seasons, these trails can be found in many towns and villages throughout the Alborz. For me, the best riding around Tehran takes place primarily on hiking trails. These trails tend to be the cleanest to ride at the end of summer, when the snow has well and truly disappeared and the regular passing feet of hikers have cleaned the riding surface. Although, due to a combination of the rocky terrain, hot dry summers and freezing winters, the surface is constantly shifting on top of the dense bedrock below.

The trails I frequent for the usual mid-week laps are ones that have access roads to climb the steep mountainous terrain, but it’s still hard work even with the 51-11 cassette. This area, known as Darabad Mountain, is also frequented by downhill riders at the weekends and a few local riders living in the neighbourhood, during the week – although the typical mid-week rider doesn’t usually have the riding experience or equipment to tackle the rugged single tracks on the way back down.

Other longer or more adventurous rides don’t have access roads, unless riding up ski fields to reach far flung summits. But again, these are steep and start at altitudes as high as 2,800m – making riding there brutal on both the lungs and the legs. Generally, the longer rides always include a fair bit of hiking up steep, loose trails and are usually point-to-point rides rather than loops, which helps with choosing a safe line on the steeper sections that require caution during the descent. These types of rides are riskier as I am never sure what the quality of the trail will be like.

My estimates of what to expect are usually gained from Google Earth reconnaissance, made easy by the lack of tree growth which allows me to identify any marginal hiking trails I have big ideas to scale. Each time I find a new zone to explore, I can stretch the ride in any direction on successive visits. In the year to date, these experiences often result in a feeling of conquering new terrain and big mountains that few, if any, have ventured on by mountain bike. The combination of my riding experience and the latest innovations in mountain bike technology, take me to trails and mountains I never thought possible when I first started riding mountain bikes in 1998, on a 24-inch wheel hardtail, at the age of 11.

Since the locals tend to lap out the same riding spots, they don’t often possess extensive knowledge about the wider mountains or trails. Sometimes, I find myself introducing locals to new trails and new ways of riding their local mountains, however, when it comes to the lower slopes (for group riding sessions) their expertise is unrivalled. I’m not sure if this is due to their preference to lap downhill trails with their mates or if it is more of a forced choice due to the economic situation influencing the types of bikes they ride.

More hardcore enduro or all-mountain style riding isn’t a thing here, yet.

The people here find themselves in quite a remarkable situation, with rising political pressure on a government that has been under economic sanctions in some form or another since the revolution in 1979. In addition, the value of the Iranian Rial (IRR) is unstable, and there are high rates of inflation – with 45% reported for the year to date. This, combined with comparatively low salaries and wages, significantly reduces the peoples’ ability to travel outside of Iran and purchase international goods, such as mountain bikes. For example, having the opportunity to purchase late model mountain bikes comes at an exorbitant cost, due to trade restrictions, and this is without factoring in the price of such items when converted to IRR from Euros or USD. The middle class here finds itself anxiously cut out of participating in the world – but this in no way dampens their enthusiasm for the pursuit of adrenaline on the bikes they do have. For mountain bikers here, like the rest of us, the sport allows them a sense of escape and freedom in the pursuit of the divine adrenaline rush.

I commonly find myself riding in large groups of locals, where communication requires my very slowly evolving Farsi language skills as there are usually few English speakers present in the group. One thing in particular that stands out is the value of the shared experience of riding bikes. The multitude of differences between this place and my homeland, and myself and the local people, melt away when we share the ride together. The good times generated and shared by all, from the riding experience, demonstrate the overwhelming similarities among humans the world over, regardless of a given situation. In a country that is painted so differently to my own, the power of the bicycle as a vehicle for a shared experience that bonds people together, cannot be underestimated.

Words: Cam Cole
Photography: Ali Salsali

by nz mountain biker magazine

Feature: No Reservations

We all dream of riding trails straight out of our front door. The reality is, though, that’s a luxury few of us have, unless we’ve set our lives up in one of a few towns where it’s possible. For most of us, there’s either a ride on the road, or a car journey, before we can get our trail fix. Nowadays, however, the accessibility of car camping and campervan setups means it’s possibly to literally wake up and ride right from your front door. And, that front door could be in a new location every day – or even multiple places in one day.

Our home away from home rolled up the driveway; a shiny new VW California. The middle offering in the all-new California range, this campervan gives serious modern-day Kombi vibes. With an electro hydraulic pop-up roof and roof bed, plus a self-contained kitchen, there was ample room for us to sleep, eat and chill in between rides.

Bags in the back, bikes on the rack, a couple of espresso shots from the home machine and we were ready to roll. “Where are we off to then?” was the question. We’d made no real plan and with the van being our kitchen, sleeping quarters, chill zone and changing room we needed no reservations of any sort. We had a vague direction to head, and a time we needed to be home, but between then and now, the itinerary was pretty loose – actually, it was non-existent. As we headed towards our ‘loose’ destination of the Coromandel Peninsula, we knew our plan would take shape and unfold as it needed to.

After some discussion, we decided to head to the town of iconic thermal mineral spas and a big ass mountain: Te Aroha would be our first stop and we were there for a good time, not a long time. Having ridden the ‘Gum ta Native’ trail eight or so years ago, I was keen to go back and see if it had seen any updates. NZ’s endless summer was in full effect and within minutes of beginning our climb two things were obvious: one – we should have been at a beach somewhere, as it was too hot; and two – with an almost-clear blue sky, the sun was piercing through the bush canopy meaning capturing any good photos was going to near impossible, i.e. a MTB photographer’s worst nightmare. We continued our climb up, with intentions to get to the high point of the trail and descend back down the way we’d come. The trail seemed to be smoother than I remembered – maybe it had been cleared of rocks, maybe it had been mellowed due to the amount of traffic over the years, or maybe it was just because I was now aboard a 160mm travel 29er, not a 120mm travel 26” wheeled steed?

Two thirds of the way up the hill we decided it was a bust; the juice simply wasn’t worth the squeeze. Rigs turned 180, lockouts off and down we went. Descending was a blast: some fun, flowing turns, a couple of little bridge features, a few foot-out-flat-out moments, a couple of scarily tight trees, and suddenly we were back at the van, albeit a lot sweatier than when we left.

“What’s next?” “Ice-cream, surely?!”

“Yeah boi!”

A minute later were back in the centre of town choosing which Tip-Top flavour would hit the spot, then back in the van for some shade and chill time before we headed off. Maybe there are some hidden nuggets of trail hidden somewhere in the Domain Reserve (we know there is further up the hill outside of the domain, but our lips are sealed), and given more time to explore – or a local guide – we may have found some, but we would need more time to find that out. The trails have gone the way of the miners in the 1880’s, in that they have been somewhat forgotten about as time has marched on. I’m picking that, as Te Aroha is a small town, with an even smaller riding community, there’s a lack of interested parties to further develop what could be a MTB destination on par with some impressive small-town parks around the country. For now, though, it’s worth a quick stop if you’re passing through, if for nothing else other than an ice cream and a dip in the thermal baths.

Back on the road, we’d decided Whangamata could be the go – again, a spot I’d ridden a number of years ago. With rumours that some trails had been refreshed recently – but also of logging activity in the area – we weren’t quite sure what we were in for. Regardless, the stoke was high. With the trails off limits until 5pm, due to logging, we took a quick drive to check out where our coffee the following day could be found and hitthe supermarket for supplies. Much like our entire trip, we had no plan for food. Fortunately New World had a handful of recipe cards conveniently located by the door. Recipe cards in-hand, the three of us went separate ways, loading up and reconvening at the checkout with our dinner ingredients sorted.... although we still didn’t know quite where we’d be cooking it.

Arriving at ‘Fred’s Carpark’ we unhitched the bikes, checked the map board, ensured we didn’t get tangled up with the logging, and off we went. With limited time before sundown, we figured the best plan was to scope some spots, shoot what we could, hopefully bag a golden sunset shot or two, then return the following morning for more.

Trail names at the Whangamata Ridges MTB Park hark back to the surfing roots of the town, with many having surf related or marine-centric names: Pipeline; Over the Falls; and Aqualung, to name a few. Working our way up the hill, the light was looking a little better than Te Aroha, but photo-man-Cam was still not stoked. I was, though; I’d ridden here before but back then the trees were about as tall as I was, now they’re many times my height (and I haven’t grown at all!). With the tree cover comes better dirt; what was oncerain-rutted and dry-as-a-bone is now nicely packed, at times blue-groove, and on the day we rode, perfect!

The climb up was a cinch; a wide and well-graded trail wound its way to the upper slopes of Causeway Road, which dissects the core trails of the park. Unfortunately, the trails deeper in the park were off limits, so we concentrated our efforts on cutting quick laps up and down each side of Causeway Road. First pop was Tube Cruiser, a Grade 5 flow trail with some sweet jumps and berms, all pretty crisp! The curse of the dappled light was following us around again, so we shot back up Aqualung, this time to check out the view from near the highpoint of Causeway Road. As we climbed, the unsightly pile of logging/the view rolled out over the green of grown pine, across the town and out to sea; a stunning sight ignited by the late afternoon sun. Taking note of the situation, we knew we were on borrowed time and it would soon be sundown.

We hooked into Just Saying, a short n’ sweet number with the main feature being a nice floaty gap jump. With the sun just in the right spot, I got to work trying to make it look like I knew what I was doing on the bike, and Cam got his shutter finger working (it’s just point and shoot right?!). A few hits later and we were done. Popping onto the road, we headed up to No Bull for a gander at its infamous final feature: the rock-roll. Not highly technical, but not entirely straightforward, take the wrong line and you’re in for a rough ride. The rightline was just the right blend of steep and sketchy. “Guys, guys, guys – turn around and ride up that bit again!” You know something serious is going down when the photographer gets this excited. Liam and I did what we were told; riding and re-riding a few sections of climbing trail, unsure what all the fuss was about. Cam showed us some of the shots and we could finally see what it was all about! Like the miners who once explored these hills, we’d struck gold: photographic gold. The light was perfect, as was the scene; Liam and I did our job adequately, and that was a wrap.

Back at the van, we cracked a coldie and reflected on our day: the ground we’d covered, the challenges and the wins. It was dark, we had nowhere to be, but we were hungry, and we did need to find a spot to park up for the night. Fortunately, there are a number of freedom camps around Whangamata and its surrounding areas. We didn’t want just any camp spot, though, we needed the perfect spot.

After operating multiple phone apps, and seemingly an hour of driving around in circles (I did mention we had no plan), we found the ideal spot. Setting up the California for the night was super simple – it took no more than five minutes to get the roof (and extra bed) up with an auto switch. We got the awning out and flicked the driver and passenger seats around inside to give us a comfortable indoor space for the evening. This functionality ensures the California is the perfect base camp in any kind of weather! Mood lighting was the icing on the cake, giving our setup a homely ambiance. The best thing about the campervan is that – unlike camping – we knew we just had to put everything back in its place the next morning when we were ready to head off; no tent pegs to pull out or ground sheets to roll up and repack – that’s a huge win! The nostalgic vibes of this camper may make heads turn, but it’s the ultra-modern specs and features that really make it shine.

We’d be greeted with a perfect sunrise the following morning, and could dive in for a pre-breakfast swim, just a stone’s throw from where we’d sleep. Onemana Beach ticked all the boxes and we settled in. With instructions not to cook curry in the van, we figured some spicy Mexican would be fine, so got to work, recipe cards in hand. We literally solved all the world’s problems whilst eating our burritos and as the clock ticked into ‘tomorrow’ we slid the door shut and drifted off to sleep; the aroma of freshly cooked Mexican still hanging in the air.

The 6am wakeup came as rudely as you’d imagine after a scratch over five hours sleep. Blurry eyed we prepped ourselves for the sunrise; Cam started clicking, and Liam and I prepped the first round of coffee. This was what every morning should be: coffee and good yarns whilst watching the sunrise, followed by a swim (which doubled as a bath) and finishing with bagels and granola as the sun came up. The trails were shouting, so we rolled the awning in, dropped the pop-top, and set a course once again.

We fluffed around for 20 minutes trying to make the most of a bad situation; sessioning the bottom of Over the Falls as the curse of the dappled light once again killed our vibe. Hustling back to the van, we made a snap decision: head over the Kopu Hikuai’s and check out the trails behind Thames. But first, coffee.

Pulling into Thames, it was after lunch time, and we’d eaten all the van food. Walking past numerous secondhand stores – a couple complete with hand- scrawled posters touting numerous Covid-related conspiracy theories – we finally found a spot to eat. After a quick education from the waitstaff that our lunch of a Croque-monsieur meant ‘crispy gentleman’ (I’m still not sure that’s 100% accurate?!) we downed our iced coffees and were off to the trails.

Five minutes up the road, we rolled into the Moanataiari Mountain Bike Trails. One of the best things about the California is that it features 4MOTION AWD, meaning it can handle off-road driving to slightly more secluded spots – and secluded this was.

It was pretty obvious this was an old mining area with mining works visible right from the carpark, and signs warning not to stray from the tracks as mine shafts lurked in the bushes. We had no idea what to expect but armed with the Trailforks app, and a photo of the map at the trailhead, we stumbled around, finding our way. This is one of two key trail areas near Thames, the second a few kilometres out of town up the Kauaeranga Valley road. Given a little more time it would be easy to hit both areas, as well as the single 6km Karaka track, in half a day.

The Moanataiari Trails are accessed off a gravel road which, after a short climb, pops you out at a nice pump track – although why you’d venture this far up the hill with a pump track-suitable bike, I’ll never know. The ‘Hundred Acre Wood’ beginner trail winds its way around this pump track plateau, and a number of trails either drop onto, or begin their descent, from here. The park packs a lot of fun into a small number of trails. There are no big climbs or equally long descents, but there are a handful of flow trails with some super fun sections; pop this, gap that, rail that turn, charge the roots – that sort of stuff. The ‘Pit Fall’ trail has a nice drop at the end; an overhead-height gap over another section of trail. I’d not hit anything like this for a while and, after a couple of run ins, I plucked up the courage to hit it. Such is the beauty of a small-town trail centre – they’re able to build some of these more ‘risky’ features (much like the Whangamata rock-roll) which you wouldn’t find on a regular ‘legal’ trail at, say, Rotorua’s Whakarewarewa for example. I guess with less traffic there comes less opportunity for people to wreck themselves.

Rolling out of the trails and back to the van, we fist-bumped a successful session and loaded the van for our trip home. On the road for only 32 hours, and having no real plan or reservations to turn up for, we felt as though we’d been away for a long weekend – such is the vibe you get from being in close quarters with your travel companions the whole time. There’s no retreating to your room to doom-scroll the socials, or TV to demand your attention. The feeling of having flexibility to change plans at the drop of a hat, go wherever, stay wherever (within the local rules of course) and – if you’re lucky – waking up able to ride trails right from your front door, simply can’t be beaten.

Words: Lester Perry

Images: Cameron Mackenzie

by nz mountain biker magazine

Feature: Emma Bateup Into the Wild

Emma Bateup is always up for an adventure. In fact, if she’s not out on her bike completing a challenge she’s set for herself, she’s plotting and planning her next endeavour. Whether it’s Burbing, Everesting, or completing the Olympus Mons challenge, Emma never shies away from intrepid, unique adventures that take in the best this country has to offer.

Emma first got behind the handlebars at age three, beating her younger brother to the punch – he didn’t start riding until he was six. Despite that, Emma says her brother is one of the main reasons she is so into mountain biking now. Having parents who regularly took them into the great outdoors, meant both siblings progressed at riding from a young age. But, in her early high school years, Emma switched and started road racing. At the same time, her brother was getting into mountain biking in a big way and soon started dragging Emma out with him.

“On some of my first rides with him, aside from just family rides, he would just take me down a Grade 5 downhill track – so I think I just walked a lot of it! But it meant I was exposed to some pretty gnarly stuff, right from the start,” explains Emma.

That baptism by fire happened when she was just 16 and, over the past six years, Emma has channelled her competitive energy into a variety of different racing styles, with a focus on Enduro for a time.

“Now I just do a heap of random stuff!” Emma laughs. But she’s not joking – take one look at her Instagram account and you’ll see what she means: there’s bikepacking, solo missions, racing, multisport training and even some pre-pandemic overseas bike trips to make you feel extra envious of this intrepid adventurer.

In this industry, it can sometimes feel like the only people venturing out into the wild – particularly on their own – are men, so it’s somewhat refreshing to know that Emma is doing just that.

“I think sometimes women are just a bit more planned,” she explains. “There’s still women out doing really gnarly stuff and massive adventures, but I would say they tend to pre-plan it a lot better. Although, I definitely don’t! With the Olympus Mons, I decided I was going to do it on the Sunday evening, and I started it on the Wednesday. I was always planning on doing it at some stage but deciding to do it that week, when the weather was good, was a pretty last-minute decision.” Emma agrees that perhaps us women don’t shout about our achievements quite so loudly as our male counterparts, either. “I often find it hard when people ask me what I’ve been up to. I always just say ‘yeah, I’ve been riding my bike’ – it’s kind of hard to explain that I’ve just ridden the height of a mountain on Mars....”

Thankfully Emma doesn’t have to explain herself too much to her parents or old friends anymore – they are starting to understand her constant quest for adventure and are no longer surprised when she tells them she is off on her next ride, even if the route is somewhat obscure. “It’s been interesting this year because I’ve got a whole new friend group, from studying, and their reactions have been great!” Emma laughs. “They’re not overly outdoorsy, so what I do is even more foreign to them. Sometimes I just stay quiet because it’s almost harder to explain it.”

Emma says that although her adventures are hard for some to comprehend, to her they feel like ‘just another weekend’. When things start to feel too ‘normal’, Emma kicks it up a gear and starts planning something bigger or longer or more challenging – she’s constantly plotting and planning where the next adventure might take her. “There are some things I have been thinking about for a year or so, but then some things I might think of the week before and go ‘ok, cool, I’ll go and do that!’ I’m quite an impulsive person, so that keeps me excited,” explains Emma. “I like pushing the limits, I don’t like going and doing the same – or similar – thing twice. If I’ve done a 300km ride then I want to do a 400km ride and so on, until it gets out of hand and then I’m going into nights....”

Lack of sleep, and riding through the night, is not something Emma shies away from despite the fact she is almost always tackling these challenging rides on her own. During the Olympus Mons challenge she completed in November, Emma only slept for 10 of the 72 hours it took her to finish the ride. The fact she even completed the challenge puts her in a pretty unique position – only one other person has completed it in its entirety. The Olympus Mons was something Emma had been thinking about since March this year, waiting for the perfect weather and finding the ideal loop to ride. Completing the challenge completely off tar seal also makes Emma a unique participant in the Olympus Mons, as the only other person to do it completed it mostly off tar seal but with a few sections of tar seal as well. She even incorporated a little bit of singletrack into each day – you know, just in case the challenge wasn’t already tough enough!

Although Emma undertakes these challenges on her own, her friends are always only a phone call away and offer their support by charging lights, delivering food and even giving her bike a tune up after hours of riding. “Some of my friends even came and rode a few laps with me [on the Olympus Mons and Everest challenges] .... but no one wanted to come out and ride on the last day!” laughs Emma.

This summer, Emma will take on the ultimate self-supported challenge when she rides the Tour Te Waipounamu – a ‘warm up’ for GodZone, which she’ll be competing in a month or so later. “In a way it’s something that is really familiar to me, because I do a lot of riding, but I’ve never done anything quite like Tour Te Waipounamu before, so I feel really inexperienced,” says Emma. “It’ll be interesting. It’s a lot of sleep deprivation so....”

In terms of planning for 2022, Emma is focusing on Tour Te Waipounamu and GodZone, particularly over summer, but she’ll be looking for other adventures to tackle once she’s completed both of them. “There will be other races that pop up and while I’m doing adventures I’ll think of other things – like ways of linking up a whole heap of trails – and so I’ll do that over a week,” explains Emma. “I never used to have this need to constantly do things, but now I just like seeing how far I can push myself.”

Emma says it’s been interesting to see the progression and keep building on it. “With the long-distance side of things, it’s easy to get burnt out, but it’s not like you really peak,” explains Emma. “It’s just constantly building up. I might have a slow period but then I’ll build up again. I don’t have much fast speed anymore, which is a bit sad, but I can just keep going. Physically, I’ve got a lot of capabilities, but mentally – with the sleep – that’s the hardest thing. I know my body can do it, but I’ll be beating myself up thinking I’ve got another two days to go! It’s a work in progress.”

As well as her own self-imposed challenges, Emma has completed some of the better-known ones as well. Everesting, a Mount Cook challenge, Burbing and, of course, the aforementioned Olympus Mons. For the uninitiated, Everesting involves riding a hill – any hill the rider chooses – over and over again, in a single activity, until you’ve completed a distance equivalent to the height of Mt Everest. The Mount Cook and Olympus Mons challenges are the same concept, except riders complete the height of Mount Cook and Olympus Mons, which is the highest mountain on Mars. Yes, Mars – as in, the red planet.

These sorts of challenges – self-imposed or otherwise – require a certain level of resolve, and Emma will be the first to admit she has a ‘just keep going’ attitude, on or off the bike. “I don’t like quitting things,” says Emma. “With riding, this year, I’ve pulled out of one thing and that was because the weather got really bad and I was on a main road, and I probably would have been hit by a car. That was hard to do. I guess I do have a mentality of, when I’m in something, I’m fully there. I really beat myself up if I don’t finish something. I know if I don’t do it, I’ll regret it – and that keeps me going.”

Being ‘fully there’ sometimes means choosing between her beloved bike adventures and studying. Emma is a first-year nursing student and, while she loves studying, she admits she sometimes just wants to be outside, on her bike. “Riding has been my way of switching off and resetting my mind,” explains Emma. “I struggle to just not do anything – even sitting at home watching a movie, I get so bored! I definitely like to be busy but, that does make me tired. A rest for me is going to work. I work weekends in a bike shop, I just get to talk about bikes all day – which is awesome!”

Emma is full of encouragement for others who might want to take a step into the unknown and eventually try out a solo adventure or challenge for themselves. “To start with, find other people who are in the same boat – if you’re scared then it’s likely someone else will be too, so you can conquer something together. When I first started riding, me and another girl from school would go out together and try out these Grade 5 trails – and mostly walk down them. But it didn’t seem as hard because we would both be struggling and we’d both spend all weekend crashing! If you’ve both just crashed on the same corner, you can generally just have a good laugh about it, which makes it okay.”

And what about the times everything is not okay? Bearing in mind Emma is often out exploring on her own in remote places. “It makes me sound like a bit of a wimp.... But I’ll generally cry!” laughs Emma. “If I’m having a bit of a shit time – sometimes I’ll stop, sometimes I’ll just keep going – I’ll have a good cry and let it all out, then I’ll get going again. I’ll have a quick breakdown, then I’ll go, ‘harden up!’ and carry on. I didn’t cry during the Olympus Mons, though, so I was really proud of myself for that!” It’s hard to imagine Emma crying – she sounds like someone who permanently has a smile on her face! But, knowing she’s not immune to tears makes her even more of an inspiration.

So, how can we all be a bit more like Emma? How should we go about setting challenges for ourselves, packing up last minute and heading into the wild? “Throw yourself in the deep end,” Emma suggests. “It is scary at times, but you’ll always be stoked you did it.”

Words: Kerrie Morgan
Photography: Henry Jaine

by nz mountain biker magazine

Feature: Hanmer Springs - The Gold in them there Hills

Hanmer has the beauty and charm of an Idyllic Mountain Town - perhaps a little like what Queenstown may have felt like 50 years ago.

This has been a tough year for many, arguably those living in the Auckland region – and those stranded overseas trying to get home via the MIQ lottery – most of all. In the era of COVID-19 and lockdowns, exactly where you live has a dramatic effect on every part of your life. Those in Auckland have endured 100+ days of lockdown now, while those in the south have enjoyed relative freedom. Regardless, lots of us are looking forward to a summer break where we can truly recuperate. But where should you go to do that?

After spending a few days there recently, I would argue that Hanmer Springs, 130 km north-west of Christchurch and 65 km south-west of Kaikoura, might be worthy of serious consideration. In fact, recuperation is pretty much in Hanmer’s DNA.

The hot springs for which Hanmer is famous for, have long been used for the purposes of rest and restoration.

Leaving Hanmer, the trail up is tight singletrack, cut into the slope and, being in the mountains, you are climbing on a rocky shale surface the whole way. This surface means that trails stay in great condition for most of the year.

Since the early 1900’s, facilities were built around the hot pools and, over the years, these have variously been hospitals caring for sick and wounded soldiers, facilities for caring for women, as well as caring for those with alcohol or drug disorders. The theme has been the same throughout; hot pools, fresh air and sunlight, away from the hustle and bustle of larger centres, Hanmer was a place where you could come to rest and be restored. What’s more, the population is only 1120! Hey Auckland! Sound appealing yet?

Of course, rest and relaxation isn’t just about sitting round the pool – it’s about getting out and hitting some trails. When you drive into Hanmer, the first thing you notice is the lines of trees down the main street. It’s got the beauty and charm of an idyllic mountain town – perhaps a little like what Queenstown may have felt like 50 years ago. From town, you can look up and see Conical Hill and, as you look around, you see the broader outlines of the Hanmer range and Mount Isobel (1324m). It’s this combination of a small mountain town, with trails on your doorstep that makes Hanmer Springs so appealing.

We stayed at the iconic Hanmer Hotel, built in a Spanish Mission style and completed in 1932. It’s the perfect place to base yourself during a stay in Hanmer, and is an architectural icon in its own right, as well as being surrounded by beautiful grounds – perfect should some in your party want to leave you to ride while they enjoy the grounds, the pool, or a drink in the courtyard.

Once we were settled in, it was time to hit the trails. We were fortunate to have a guided tour of local trails by none other than Hanmer Springs’ local mountain biking ambassador, Anton Cooper. Anton is pretty much a household name now but, if you’re unfamiliar, he’s a New Zealand Olympic Team rider, regular on the World Cup XC circuit, and ended up with a stellar 8th overall at the end of the 2021 season. If that wasn’t enough, we were also joined by local legend Steve Halligan. Steve may be less of a household name if you haven’t delved into the ultra-endurance bikepacking scene yet, but Steve is one of these guys who will ride for 24hrs straight, sleep for an hour or two then crank out another 300km. To give you an example; despite mechanical setbacks, in 2019, he rode to 4th in the 4,418km Tour Divide (Banff to Mexico border) in 16 days and three hours! He’s a freak. But he’s also a hell of a nice guy. Between Anton and Steve, I was already feeling like this might be a weekend I wished I was on an e-bike to help level the playing field.

Once we had all checked in, there was still time for an afternoon ride. Heading out from our hotel, we were onto some gravel within five minutes and started ascending up the Clarence Valley Road; a good warm up and the fastest way to get to Tank Track, that gave us a decent reprieve from the climbing and conveniently led us on to Yankee Zephyr, and our real trail target, Tombstone.

Together, these form a great loop that is a real workout and gives intermediate to advanced riders some solid climbing. Leaving town, you are at about 340m above sea level, and at the high point on Tombstone you will have reached 680m. The trail up is tight singletrack, cut into the slope and, being in the mountains, you are climbing on a rocky shale surface the whole way. This surface means the trails stay in great condition for most of the year.

At the top of this I had a healthy sweat on and had felt like I’d done some decent work, but I’m pretty sure neither Anton or Steve’s heart rate got above 60.

From the top of Tombstone, it’s a tight and twisty downhill – hand-built single track at its finest, and you have to be on your game to make sure your handlebars don’t clip any trees and your wheels don’t veer off the edge. Within moments of dropping in off the Tombstone summit, and despite my best attempts to stay with him, Anton was gone – completely out of sight – and this was a pattern that would be repeated, over and over and over the next few days, making it abundantly clear why he is a professional rider and I.... am not.

The trails around Hanmer have an interesting way of quickly showing you exactly where your skill level is actually at and how confident you really are. There aren’t really jumps or drops that feature, instead what separates the pros from the noobs (as my Minecraft-gaming sons would refer to me as) were the long, tight, twisty downhills, shards of rock pointing out at the most awkward angles and the plenty of switchbacks that test your ability to judge entry speed, braking and overall technique.

As much as I was observing the trails and loving the terrain, I was also in awe of Anton’s ability to simply get round these tight corners that often felt like they had a loose covering of pea-metal sized rock sitting on the surface. He could truly hold uncanny speed through these, and time after time it was a case of one corner, two corners, out of sight. After Tombstone, we linked a few extra, fun flowing trails; Big Foot, Detox, and Red Rock to get back to town. Detox was a crowd favorite – a little wider than we had been riding with plenty of speed and flow to keep the smiles pinned.

On our second day, it was time for an expedition of sorts. Anton and Steve had been talking about a trail called Addiction – saying that it was one of their favorite trails of all time, and definitely worth the effort. Effort? If it’s an effort to these guys, would I even survive?

Addiction is a double black trail that’s a challenge not just to ride, but even to get to. One of the interesting things about Hanmer Springs is the 4WD roads that surround it. Jollies Pass Rd, and the Clarence Valley Road, are joined by Top House Road to form a bit of a classic backcountry 4WD loop that can be a fun addition to a trip. You could also use these to connect the St James cycle way back and ride all the way back into Hanmer.

We didn’t have time for that on this trip, but I would definitely like to do that another day. For today, it was riding from our hotel, up Jollies Pass Road till we got to around 850m elevation – that’s about 500m vertical with no reprieve and, as much as we loved the perfect blue sky weather we had for this trip, I would definitely recommend getting started earlier than we did because it was hot, hot, hot, grinding up Jollies Pass Rd with the sun beating down on us.

Eventually, we reached the turn off to Addiction and, after a gentle traverse, the trail seemed to literally tip downward. This is the point where you are either glad you’ve got a new set of brake pads in, or will be kicking yourself for not having them, because the next few kilometres are steep technical descending with no let up. With plenty of elevation to play with, the trail builders clearly saw no reason to eek it out, instead they decided a direct approach was the best way to get down. The start of the downhill is a solid 500m where the average gradient is consistently 35-40% down before you get a let up. Where you are used to trails having a natural ebb and flow of tech, steep, and then periodically flatter sections, Addiction just keeps on giving. There are one or two sections where the trail just stretches out almost beneath you, where it is just a straight line down – no corners, just narrow steep singletrack, with plenty of that awkward angled rock to rip a hole in your sidewall or elbow should you get off-line.

Anton, typically, was nowhere in sight. I imagined him back in the hot springs wondering what was keeping us all. OK, that’s not entirely true, Anton did stay with our group and we had a blast riding together but, despite my best efforts, I still had no chance of keeping anywhere near him. By the time we reached the bottom, I could see why this trail is called Addiction; the first hit is a rush, but I think every hit after that would be even more satisfying. Conveniently, Addiction leads straight on to Detox which extends the fun even further.

Stopping and taking a few photos along the way meant that, by the time we were down, we were all ready to hit the famous Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools. These are a major tourist drawcard for the region, and for good reason – they are pretty special. These aren’t your average council hot pools; they are more aquatic theme park than just hot pools. I lost count of how many pools there are – there are cascading pools, aqua therapy pools, sulphur pools, rock pools, private pools, as well as a big play pools for kids and two pretty fun waterslides that yes, for the sake of research, we spent quite a while testing. (FYI: current COVID-19 restrictions mean you need to book ahead of time, so make sure you phone ahead to avoid disappointment.)

Back to the riding, our final day was spent getting the photographic requirements we needed for the trip, so it was hitting a few spots we thought best described the feel of what it’s like to ride here. Everyone was keen for another lap up Tombstone and now that we were all getting in the flow, getting used to the trails and riding them for a second time just escalated the fun. While we chose some of the more techy trails, it’s not just all gnarly; there are plenty of family friendly tracks that are easily accessible, only a few minutes from town, that even the littlest of legs can access without having to load up all the bikes onto the car each time you want to ride.

It’s the easy proximity to the hills that make it so appealing and, if things keep going the way they are going, I am sure Hanmer will no doubt turn into a real destination mountain bike town. On this trip, we rode the Old Ghost Road the day before coming to Hanmer and it’s this relative nearness to lots of things that makes it worth adding in to your summer road trip plans.

Having never spent time in Hanmer Springs, I was blown away by what it had to offer. Trails are the new ‘gold rush’ when it comes to small South Island communities – and when it comes to Hanmer Springs, ‘there’s gold in them there hills’.

Words: Lance Pilbrow
Photography: Cameron Mackenzie

by nz mountain biker magazine

Feature: Chch in 24 hours

We all know the rough hand Christchurch has been dealt in recent years. From natural disasters to the horror of March 15 2019 and, more recently, the big C word, we’ve really been thrown a few curve balls. These events have brought with them unexpected change. In particular, the ongoing pandemic has seen us stuck in lockdowns and unable to connect with our friends in person. What remains unchanged, however, is the way bikes bring people together through a common connection. Back in June, my good friends moved back to Christchurch after three years away in the big smoke and we picked up right where we left off – just like the old days when we were growing up. They had ridden Vic Park, but they hadn’t seen some of the other riding areas Christchurch has to offer.

It’s funny how you get stuck in your ways with riding. You frequent the same trails and the same routes. However, when it came time to planning our catch up ride, it dawned on me that Christchurch is a now an incredibly accessible city for mountain biking. We have a huge variety of trails that are all interconnected, with great options for refuelling and hydrating along the way.

Kicking off the day with breakfast and coffee at home, we chatted and made a plan for the day ahead. We’d start out at Christchurch Adventure Park (CAP), which was once just a series of trails in the old Worsley’s Forest. Back then, it was a pretty low-key affair but an important piece of the Christchurch riding scene. When the park was built and opened in 2016, it incorporated some of the original trails, which my Auckland pals were familiar with as the last time they’d ridden in this area was before the park opened.

Unfortunately, In 2017, the park itself suffered a blow from Mother Nature when a large fire ripped through and destroyed the majority of the trails – a mere eight weeks after originally opening. After many hurdles getting back up and running, the park now boasts an excellent array of trails which are all accessible by chairlift, but the reality of the fires – and the challenges faced when rebuilding the trails – are evident. Trees that were badly burnt on the outside still stand, while entire areas have been completely decimated as trees have succumbed to the damage caused by the fires and fallen. It’s a stark reminder of the power of nature – something Christchurch is sadly all too familiar with.

One of the park’s latest offerings is a trail called Wasabi. Weaving through an area of tree fall littered with foxgloves, the trail tightly drops into a traverse with rocky crags towering overhead, before heading into a couple of technical rocky sections and some dusty corners full of once-burnt material. It was refreshing to be able to reintroduce friends back to CAP after a few years away and have them reminisce the old days riding in Worsley’s, after riding the likes of Wasabi.

Having a chairlift in town really opens up the options, so we made the most of it after our lap of Wasabi, by heading back up and pedalling along Christchurch’s iconic Summit Road before dropping down into Lyttelton for lunch at Co-Op. This café has a great view over the harbour and an awesome menu, catering to every taste. We tucked into lunch and enjoyed a coffee before getting back on the rigs and heading out to our next stop of the day.

Riding in Lyttelton is a bit of a ‘phoenix rising from the ashes’ type story. The area always had trails but, following the 2017 fires, the area rose to incredible popularity as riders looked to get their forest riding fix. Recently, more trails have emerged. We pedalled up a few times and dropped down some of their black graded trails, stopping en route to session some of the techy features in the forest. The vegetation is dense and green, making for a unique experience compared to riding in the rest of the Port Hills network. The stoke factor was high – thanks in part to sharing the experience with mates who were riding it for the first time. Short climbs and fun descents mean there is plenty of time to chat about recent happenings and life movements.

After a few hours shredding in Lyttelton, we cruised back through the streets of the port town and winched back up to the Summit Road before dropping down into the city via Rapaki Track. We rolled around the banks of the Heathcote River, eventually pulling up at Moon Under Water to wet the whistle after a solid day of riding. Moon Under Water is a craft beer spot that has gone from strength to strength in the last few years, despite the adversity faced in the hospitality industry. The bar is incredibly popular with the riding fraternity, and it’s not uncommon to see the entire outside of the building lined with bikes after a school night ride. We enjoyed a cheeky burger and fries, happily washed down with a hoppy number. After some more much-needed catching up, we got pedalling – heading west to try and get the best views of the sunset. We eventually found ourselves above the Crocodile MTB Park, ripping the grassy turns as the sun set.

Once the sun had disappeared, we headed back home to debrief on an epic day of riding. We were all in agreement that we’d never thought a day of riding like this would be possible in Christchurch. While change can be hard to adjust to, the results are often worth it. Life moves fast and shit happens, but it all gets put in perspective pretty quickly when you realise three years has flown by. Life is short; look after your mates and live harder.

 

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Words: Will Keay
Photography: Cameron Mackenzie

by nz mountain biker magazine