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before joining the Clarence River that is nestled between the Spenser Mountains and the Boddington Range . Spectacular landscape indeed that affords great riding with plenty of water crossings and majestic views . It set the scene for what was to become an inspired exploration of the many passes of this land .
Te Waipounamu , New Zealand ’ s south island in the Māori language , isn ’ t large in land area , in fact around 70,000 square kilometres less than my home state in Australia , yet with a population of just over 1.2 million it certainly feels devoid of human life and therefore a place to be explored .
It was my first time to New Zealand , a place the Indigenous people , the Māori , call Aotearoa , a fact that wasn ’ t lost considering , although New Zealand is not Australia ’ s closest neighbour , we consider them siblings , similar cultures drawn on over one hundred years of ANZAC spirit . It didn ’ t feel strange to say that New Zealand was Australia of the 1980s , a time that was simpler , more inquisitive , and less cynical . It seemed New Zealand , unlike Australia , had learnt from their neighbours and become more progressive whilst holding on to their traditions .
Riding from one small town to another provided the necessary two wheeled adventure before a stop , either for lunch , or the for the entire day afforded conversations with the local people , usually over a beer , and much banter about the nuances of football . You see New Zealanders prefer a sport where the combatants place their heads between the bums of others and thrust forward , whilst the majority of Australians prefer a sport often referred to as ‘ aerial ping pong ’, my choice is the ‘ beautiful game ’, the world game , but I diverge …
Riding through the many temperate forests , the rugged valleys surrounded by emergent peaks , and
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