Dave Mitchell

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.

Dave Mitchell continues his ride down memory lane with 35mm transparency photos of dinkum backcountry adventures at the birth of mountain biking in NZ.

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.

Dave Mitchell was amongst the small clan of kiwis who embraced the then embryonic pursuit of mountain biking back in the eighties. The fashion was appalling - a mash of tramping kit, sagging lycra and sometimes even gaiters over leather walking boots. Shocks, clipless pedals, disk brakes and dropper posts were yet to be imagined.