Ride the Wilderness

Starting at Hokitika at 9:00am, the ride through to Cowboy Paradise is a fast ride and could be said to be a bit of a warm up for the rest of the ride. Racing though to Hurunui Jacks on the Kaniere Tramline then tarseal, the legs will be looking for a bit of a climb through the native forest.

With an 8km ride from Hurunui Jacks to Lake Kaniere, you'll ride beside the water races built by our ancestors with all the timber milled from the area to build these water races. We ask you to take care through this portion of the ride as we don't want any riders going into the water races. At times you ride through the kahikatea trees and past cheeky bird life laughing at you. You will have a stream to your right and deep water race to your left, you'll feel engulfed by the forest and part of nature.
When you come out at Lake Kaniere, if you think you have time to swim the lake you're mistaken. It is 8km long and 195m deep, not a small lake.

You'll leave Lake Kaniere and head inland up the Arahura River into the Wilderness, past wide open paddocks and spaces, signs with no shooting "leave the gun behind" you'll start to wonder where you're heading. As you make your way up the valley you'll have a small climb that goes on and on then right before your eyes is a journey back west "Cowboy Paradise".

Race down the main street and continue on if you're an individual, if you're a team changeover here. Make sure you have a dollar in your pocket, if you want a refreshment as there's no Eftpos or any of that fancy phone banking.

The change of the Start to Cass Square is a positive one and gives you the awesome riding along the Kaniere Tram Line, last year this didn't have the bridges in and is really worth the ride and experience. Plus much easier Traffic Management.