Category Archives: MTB

around home, bikepacking, bikes, MTB, shoulder

The Christmas Letter 2022

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After all the changes that 2021 brought, this year has very much been about settling into a new life in a very quiet part of the world. But constant that it is in life, there have plenty more changes – just not on the scale of diagnosis of chronic genetic conditions, quitting permanent full-time work, selling house and moving to the bottom of the country.

The start of the year saw me bouncing between spending time with and helping family in both Naseby and Waikouaiti as Adele and James awaited the arrival of their second and our parents prepared their house for sale and a move into Dunedin. There was a bit of biking, hiking and running involved too. Amongst that, weekly blood-lettings stretched out a little but I was pleased than my iron levels were down to normal levels by February (thirteen venesections) and my haemochromatosis was under control enough to lengthen the period between blood bank trips to three-months and allow my blood to be used as donor blood (silver lining).

Shortly before heading to the top of the South Island for the start of a ride, I decided I wanted to be in Naseby for the rest of the year to be closer to Adele, James and my niblings. That meant finding somewhere to live, fortunately I was able to find a suitable long-term rental (as in many holidays spots, most rentals here are short-term holiday ones). With a couple of days up my sleeve before the start of the Sounds2Sounds bikepacking event, I went exploring – and managed to fall down a bank, dislocating my shoulder again. On a remote track, I was very pleased my beacon worked and very relieved and fascinated with an impressive and fun (besides the dislocation agony) helicopter winch retrieval. That and a night in hospital changed the immediate future a fair bit, thankfully I was well looked after by members of the bikepacking community with accommodation and transport home.

With help, I still managed to move and settle into the far-too-cute-for-me cottage. Much smaller than my Napier house, it suits me well and has been useful in confirming that I could live in a lot less space. Stanley arrived a couple of weeks later, it’s been great to be so close to spend much time with Adele, James and their young sons – plenty of nephew amusing, and a few chores too. Through the year I have enjoyed some casual work in new-to-me industries – helping the usually-short staffed local pub when needed and helping a local cycle trail operator driving around beautiful Central Otago (don’t get tired of it) moving bikes, people, bags and vehicles.



After many months of planning and waiting, the build of my first new mountain bike in seven years came together. Autumn conditions were great on the local trails, and with them only being hundreds of metres from home I was out a lot enjoying the new bike and slowly understanding the maze of techy, hand-built trails – often with James’s help. Much fun and great to have them so close. With mountain-biking so close, there was little running this year as I’d far rather be on a bike!

A trip to the lower North Island with Mum and Dad for my uncle’s eightieth was much appreciated for being able to spend time with a lot of family and friends. Parents’ house sold, shortly after it was time for their move into the city – a big week of packing, moving and starting to unpack. They are now settling in well to a far more convenient location in a house they enjoy for its warmth, smaller section, garden and views. I visit sporadically as various things take me to the city; not two hours’ drive away, Mum and Dad also stay regularly at mine – a move to Naseby has certainly been a boon for spending time with family.

As for many places around NZ, winter was a lot wetter than normal this year – plans of exploring the Maniototo gravel roads on crisp, frosty mornings fell by the wayside. Much time snuggled by the fireplace with cups of tea reading instead. A week of Covid-lite (my first cold in three years was far worse a month beforehand, no long-term effects) isolation was surprisingly enjoyable. We had one really good snow fall which was thoroughly enjoyable; the temperatures dropped after the snow fell, turning it into a snow week. For the first time in a few winters, it was consistently cold enough to be able to skate on the pond up at Adele and James’s section – enjoyable relearning that skill.

Now having so much time for myself, I’m bemused that this year I’ve biked the least distance since 2014. But quality over quantity – bike-commuting (3000-5000 km/year that was only tolerable) was traded for far more time having a lot of fun mountain-biking. I also didn’t finish the only two bikepacking events I entered, so there was another couple of thousand kilometres gone. But the bikepacking trips I did take were some of the best I’ve ever been on – probably no coincidence that those were more off-road and mountain-bikey than the bikepacking I was used to in the North Island.

Honourable mentions go to Andy’s Southern Special (a week-long affair of which the highlights were Percy Saddle, taking it easy to and from Mavora Lakes, and the southern end of the Pisa Range; Andy’s video here); also Andy’s Four Peak and Orari Gorge weekend (the new trail bike proving capable on such a bikepacking trip – we didn’t have to carry much), Nina organising a return to Mt White Station (more trail bike fun – no overnight gear carried); low key riding with Eileen and Andy to the Big Finish Line Party in Naseby; and Pete’s stunningly well-timed trip (no real rain!) up the big three West Coast mountain-bike(able) trails over nine days – it was brilliant being able to spend multiple nights on the trails and not be in any rush, a fantastic way to mark my fortieth.

 

Easily the exceptional trip of the year, and one of the best I’ve ever done, was another of Andy’s – four days linking old farm tracks through conservation areas in the Lindis, Hawea, Dunstan and Oteake hills. I’ll just leave this video here – you may get an idea of the silly amount of fun I was having on a slightly unsuitable bike (arguable point, it was the bike I had). I had to replace the now-cracked rear rim after this, and soon replaced the rigid fork with a suspension one.

November driving around the North Island with both bikes in the car was far wetter than expected, somehow I managed to avoid getting very wet at all with still a decent amount of riding. The trip was mostly about taking the time to visit as many friends as I practically could and it was lovely to see so many familiar faces – it’s a long way to Naseby so it was good to make the effort. That trip ran straight into ten days of St John courses over the first three weekends of December (Adele convinced me the local ambulance needs more volunteers – jury is still out as to if I’ll enjoy it or be any good, it’s a steep and interesting learning curve but). I’m very pleased to be home for a while after six weeks away, our Pheasant Christmas is in Naseby with parents and Mum’s siblings from Sydney (first time seeing them in some time).

There’s a few trips around the South Island planned for the rest of the summer and I was planning to go bikepacking abroad mid-2023 – but that’s out the window, as I’ll likely take the opportunity to have surgery on my shoulder again, hopefully that’ll fix it better. The downtime should be used to move my plan to build a small house on Adele & James’s land from concept to something much further on. So next year is already looking unusual – but hopefully good and worthwhile taking that time out. All the best for yours.

bikes, friends, MTB, national park, NZ

Classic Ruapehu District rides

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Getting wind of Anton’s planned weekend away mountain biking some classic trails near Ruapehu, it wasn’t long before I’d signed up/invited myself along. It had been a very long time since I’d been on a mountain biking weekend away, but I was keen to ride some of these trails relatively unloaded and on a squishy bike for a change.

First up, thirteen of us piled into the shuttle to the start of the Bridge to Nowhere trail on a misty and wet morning. Thankfully the heavy rain overnight had ceased. In hindsight, there was plenty of time to have ridden the thirty-four kilometres from Raetihi to the trailhead and I’d have enjoyed that more than a stuffy bus – but I was trying to be at least a little social and fit in, already feeling like a curiosity for not carrying a pack, having small bags strapped to my bike and generally enthusing too much about riding far on a loaded bike.

This is different.

First up, an easy climb for half an hour; the surface was pleasingly good.

Sitting around 600 m altitude for a while, we passed the Kaiwhakauka junction – from here on, I’d ridden on the Tour Aotearoa five years before. This time I was not nearly as tired, or contemplating such a big day. At the Mangapurua Trig after an hour, it was all downhill more or less to the river.

The quarter of an hour dropping four hundred metres to the stream was the best riding of the weekend for me. Chasing and then leading Dan (a fellow ex-NZ Steel graduate who I’d not seen for over twelve years) down the slippery (papa mud is notorious) double track at speed just on the right side of control was excellent. Being much slighter than Dan, I had to work hard to keep up with his momentum; the whole descent was grin-inducing with only the occasional two wheel slides around some of the sharper corners. So. Much. Fun.

Regrouping at one of the small shelters, the misty drizzle set in. Continuing while chatting about bikepacking (again, eyeroll) to Dan we were just cruising. That is until we were passed and I realised we were wasting a good downhill. Unfortunately I timed picking my speed up with one of the big holes we had been warned about. I managed to avoid it, but fell in the process and was fortunate not to be run over. I got off lightly with only a bruised and scraped knee and a sore wrist – along with being somewhat covered in mud, now slower and with my ego taking a hit.

The trail seemed in excellent condition and rounding slips and bluffs was far less precarious than I remembered. We were at the Bridge in no time, close to an hour and a half before we were to meet the jet boat. Plenty of time to linger and appreciate the bush and remoteness; until the rain set in again, that is, and we moseyed down to the shelter above the landing.

Yup, to nowhere.

All loaded up for the forty minutes down the river, just missing something.

A few kayakers coming to join us at the landing for a bit.

Eventually we got on the boat…

The rain really set in and it could have been a miserable trip down to Pipiriki. But I was just warm and protected enough that I could still enjoy and appreciate the incredible Whanganui River and its dense surrounds – majestical. Alas, no photos worth sharing with so much water flying around.

Loading the bikes again, wet and muddy we did a number on the bus interior for the tortuous trip to the northern trailhead of the Old Coach Rd. Unloading at Horopito the northerly was very strong and strangely chilly – but once moving, it did blow us quickly along the open part of the trail before we entered the bush. Another excellent trail, and being the old road for horse drawn coaches between two railheads gradually converging to form the North Island Main Trunk, it was well made. Heading in this direction was definitely faster than bikepacking in the opposite one, so less time to savour it and read all the historical signs.

A few planks would do it?

Everyone, that I heard, rated the trail very highly and at only an hour of riding twas a great end to a day out in the elements. Mountain Kebabs downed in Ohakune, forty minutes took us back to Raetihi in fading light and then dark. Noting the propensity of mountain bikers to wear mostly black and not carry lights, I was happy to play lantern rouge at the back in my bright green top and with a couple of blinky lights. I did have to find another dinner at the only option in the village, so I must have done some work – but with only sixty kilometres and little climbing in the legs for the day, it can’t have been much. After the murky and atmospheric day through some remote sections of the North Island, it was a contented and subdued group at the house that night.

Sunday I was excited to return to the 42nd Traverse – the first big, backcountry ride I ever did way back in 2005 and when I met some good riding buddies. Well, it seemed a big, remote adventure back then when I was much less experienced, bikes were far less rideable and reliable, and there was a lot less trail beta out there. That first time it was a whole-day undertaking, but I returned three years later and found it only took two and a half hours with one other. I did remember big ruts and holes, and tough long climbs…

Starting at 900 m, the drizzle quickly had us very wet and muddy – but it was warm. Route finding was much easier – there are trail markers now, who’d have thought? We passed a few vehicles coming back from a morning hunt, the surface was very good. Gone were all the big obstacles; sure, it was damp and possibly slippery – but all easily rideable. An hour of gradual downhill and we were then able to rip down the steeper descent – nothing too wild and more good fun. The seven of us were of a similar pace all day so there was little waiting around, it worked well.

Food time at the halfway point, not the whole reason for a big smile – a good wee adventure in progress.

The only walking section of the whole route. Seeing this, jackets came off despite it still raining – it was that warm.

I’m unsurprised that the climbs weren’t nearly as bad as they seemed over a decade ago – I may be a bit more used to hills. Still eight hundred metres in forty-five kilometres is some climbing. I was just happy to be able to keep pedalling as my gear shifting was playing up; time to replace jockey wheels it turns out. The rain ceased and the afternoon started to clear and warm – in time for the climbing of course. The native forest was far denser and more impressive than I remembered; another fun little ride done as we overcame the wet, wheel-sucking gravel into Owhango.

Completing the vehicle shuffle, we loaded up, said our goodbyes and headed home. A very unusual weekend of biking for me – far more time and distance spent in transit between rides (only rode 110 km all up) than I am used to, I found it a bit weird. But never mind, it enabled riding of some excellent routes with a great crew. Thanks to Anton for an incredible job of organising the whole weekend and marshalling us all – no mean feat.

Finally got to see the mountains we’d been playing in the shadow of all weekend when we stopped in Taupo on the way home for an early dinner.

Strange seeing my under-utilised mountain bike lightly loaded – before it got filthy.

bikes, friends, hiking, MTB, NZ

Whirinaki weekend

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For the third time in a year, a most excellent stay at the Rec. Camp in Whirinaki Forest Park. This time, a more relaxed visit introducing friends to the superb example of native North Island podocarp forest – teeming with birdlife too. Bike trips have brought me here before, but this time I packed not only bike shoes (and a bike), but walking shoes, hiking boots and running shoes. Pleasingly, all were used.

Home for the weekend.

Unexpectedly cold when we arrived Friday night, fireplaces in the cabins sure helped on a brilliantly clear and starry night. It clouded overnight, so more mild waking Saturday; after an early breakfast I wandered down to check out the Whirinaki River just below camp. I was thrilled to hear a vocal pair of whio, and more so to see them. Also known as blue duck, these are a threatened species (far rarer than kiwi, for instance) that live in fast flowing rivers and streams.


How they manage to find and feed on small invertebrates in such quick water still amazes me.

The short loop on the Whirinaki mountain bike track was under the canopy of towering giants, and the downhill on a rough and ready, rutted track was the most fun I’ve had on a mountain bike in a long time. It was a nice change to let go and know that the bike would soak up all but the biggest hits – rather different to a loaded, fully-rigid bikepacking rig!

The rest of the weekend was spent on foot, walking to waterfalls, the ephemeral Arohaki Lagoon and running back, gazing in wonder up at the mind-blowingly numerous giants of the forest, listening to the birdlife and most of all learning more about it all. So good to take people knowledgeable about such things along – the enthusiasm was infectious, hopefully some of the knowledge was too.

Wheki-ponga may have been the word of the weekend.

Kahikatea line the lagoon on a misty Sunday morning.

Some marshmallows may have been harmed in the making of s’mores.

around home, family, MTB, NZ

North and south family visits

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With a big bikepacking trip cancelled, a pandemic did at least leave me with masses of annual leave and substantial flight credit. Internal travel restrictions eased, it was high-time to pop down and see family in Central Otago. For mid-winter, it wasn’t as cold as one would expect in Naseby and we managed plenty of time outside.

Flying into Dunedin, Naseby nestled over yonder in front of the Ida Range.

First up, a walk around Sutton Salt Lake – NZ’s only inland salt lake apparently. A pleasant little walk around the geographical curiosity.

The Rock and Pillars completely devoid of snow – glad I didn’t bother to bring my skis down.

Plenty of rocks to negotiate; smoke from a burn-off drifting lazily down the Taieri Valley.

For a change, I’d not travelled with a bike and hadn’t really planned on doing any riding. James had other ideas…
Forgoing a bike my size due to lack of front brakes, I tried to remember how to mountain-bike on a bike two sizes too large and in shoes too small. I ended up riding it on five consecutive days, much fun was had – especially when a pedal became near impossible to unclip from.

Naseby Forest.

Adele didn’t have to expend much effort in getting me to join her on a rogaine. She was looking well forward to her first athletic event after over a year of baby-related layoff. We realised it was the first event we’ve ever done together – All Pheasant and Correct turned up, ran a little, got slightly lost, walked a lot, and found as many checkpoints as we could in the three allotted hours. Much fun traipsing over the hills just out of Alexandra – even if the singletrack had me wishing for a bike, and the briar roses and matagouri thorns tore us to shreds. Impressive to see so many families and children out running around every which way

The Clutha flowing through Alexandra.

Such an unusual landscape for NZ; all those trails…

Already further west in Central, it was a good opportunity to meet online friends, catch up with old friends and stay with family in Wanaka.

We may have snuck in a Sticky Forest ride too. Superb; not much snow over here either.

The rest of the time in Naseby was spent riding, walking around, discussing house-build plans, short doses of nephew-entertaining/minding and working on depleting the gin stock. All too soon twas time to return north.

But one week later, Mum visited for a week (a trip planned pre-lockdown). Conveniently, many of us were sent to work from home for three days – so that was timed well. Such a visit deserved another long weekend; I was keen to show off Mahia Peninsula, so that way we headed for a few days of walking, gravel roads and even a little caving.

Couldn’t believe I was up here without a bike!

The peninsula’s scenic reserve has a great technical walk through thick native bush. With plenty of stream crossings, we managed to keep our feet dry – just, and generally avoid the mud.

We explored to the end of Kinikini Rd, if only I could find a link through to make a loop…

Another place to add to the list of where one might find horses freely roaming the roads.

Sunday was time to take in another favourite gravel road before checking out the short walk behind Morere Hot Springs – things one doesn’t do while bikepacking. Well worth a visit if you’re going past.

Tunanui Rd is still fantastic.

The grove of nikau palms is startlingly large – I was quite taken aback.

Monday was for retracing part of a scouting ride from last year – I thought Mum would like the cave I’ve not heard anyone else mention, but I think is pretty neat hidden away in a paddock at the top of a sizeable hill.

There’s a steep climb up through some limestone bluffs to begin with.

We enjoyed scampering around Mangaone Cave for a short time.

There ended a fun little weekend away around Mahia with Mum. After what is now an unusual flurry of travel, some normalcy is returning to life as attention turns to sorting HBAT details – as that pandemic allows.