Hot Rides

Jane and Chris bikepack from their home in Queenstown up the West Coast to Nelson, taking in three iconic mountain bike trails - the Paparoa Track, Old Ghost Road and the Heaphy.

Kaikoura had always been a legendary mountain biking destination for us, but the riding was restricted to the very narrow S & M band width. Now it's been reimagined with the Kaiterau Loop on Mt Fyffe and the frothing Middle Hill M.T.B.

Ground Effect graphic designer and creative whizz Liam Crozier reflects and philosophises after a hard 'n' fast masochistic winter sortie into the Canterbury High Country on the Ashburton Lakes Brevet.

Dave and Ditte roll their camper van down the West Coast from Karamea to Ross - notching up some magic mid winter campsites and crisp 'n' clear mid winter rides along the way.

A big round of Dutch cheese was moving up the South Island as the C19 elevator dropped down to level two. Ditte and I popped back into travel mode with a mighty sigh of relief and exuberance for freedom. First stop the Heaphy.

In the last of their pre-covid-19 adventures, Dave Mitchell and Ditte van der Meulen revisit the hilly finger of land separating Lake Hawea from Wanaka - scoring the obligatory fisheye panoramas from the windswept tops.

After crossing the Kawarau Bridge just before Conical Hill the bare steep rock faces move back to reveal Gibbston. It's a wide open river flat that's now mainly covered in vineyards. The main town once stood where Coal Pit Road heads for the hills, as did we.

Dave and Ditte link together stops for gelato and burgers (in that order) with honest exploration of Ben Lomond and the Queenstown hinterland.

The day started like any other. The sun came up in the east and slowly but surely persuaded the clouds to exit stage left. Our high country grand loop began at Moke Lake on the Ben Lomond Station Farm Road near Queenstown.