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On your bike
Why there’s never been a better time to take an off-road cycling holiday
september 2013
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» Four weekend hikes to try right now! » Wild venison ragu recipe » Gear test: Lightweight waterproof/breathable jackets
contents September 2013
Features
30 The journey or the destination With the Routeburn tunnel project scrapped, attention turns to the proposed monorail to Milford Sound 32 Outdoor jobs
School leavers need not apply – landing your dream job in the outdoors is all about personality and life experience
38 For the love of it
The Department of Conservation has been hammered by budget and staffing cuts in recent years. One former employee writes about working ‘for the greater good’
43 Take better
outdoor photos Further your photography with these top tips and go in the draw to win Canon cameras
16 43
52 On your bike
With 2000km of backcountry track, there has never been a better time to take an off-road cycling holiday
WAYPOINTS 16 Places
Balloon Hut, Kahurangi National Park
18 See more
Pack the tent for a memorable trip to these three tarns
20 Top 3
52
The more rain the better when visiting these waterfalls
58 Subscriber prize
Subscribe to Wilderness for a chance to win a pair of Keen Gypsum Shoes worth $280
www.wildernessmag.co.nz
1
Your trips, your pix
What did you get up to last weekend?
Claire Ballance, Elizabeth Roberts and Todd Ballance biked the Heaphy
Dan Lee visited Mt Brown Hut on the West Coast
Lee McCracken visited Cape Foulwind and walked from the lighthouse to the fur seal colony
Jillian Triska climbed Iron Hill in the Lockett Range
Stephanie and Alan canoed the Clutha River from Roxburgh to Clydevale
The Corric sisters Paige, 8, Rylee, 6 and Miller, 4, tramped to Waihohonu Hut in Tongariro NP
Alex and James Kerr rowed the Gorge River mouth while tramping from Cascade River to Hollyford Road
Matt Swailes went climbing in Timaru
Craig, Keegan and Blake Hornblow tramped Rakiura’s North West Circuit with Tracey Murray
Send your
pix
Get your ‘Las t weekend’ photo publishe d here and you’ll rece ive an original Spork courtesy of www.ampr o.co.nz. Head to www.wilderne ssmag.co.nz – se ‘last weekend ’ – for full subm arch ission criteria .
8 september 2013
Jordan Marshall, 12, spent two nights with his parents at Cecil King's Hut in Kahurangi NP
Chris and Edwina Dyson and Rachel Jones walked to Boyle Flats Hut
Emma Freeman and her granddad soaked in the hot tub at Mt Lyford Mountain Village
Take better outdoor photos
42 september 2013
Wild photography
Further your photoraphy with these top tips from outdoor photographer Mark Watson
Wilderness magazine readers visit some beautiful and remote places and have a chance to capture unique landscapes and situations in the outdoors. If you’ve ever felt like your shot fell short and you could have expressed a scene better, or you want to start to capture images with a view to submitting to Wilderness, this article’s for you. The following tips are written to help you take your photography further and to help you creatively capture the amazing moments you see in the outdoors.
www.wildernessmag.co.nz
43
On your bike for a 2000km
backcountry ride
There has never been a better time to take an off-road cycling holiday in New Zealand, discovers Edith Leigh
Crossing a long suspension bridge on the Timber Trail in the central North Island
52 september 2013
JONATHAN KENNETT
ycling in New Zealand has hit boom time. Cyclists are so spoiled for choice when it comes to cycle trails says the man who knows all of our off-road trails inside out, that the face of cycling in New Zealand has changed forever. Avid cyclist and guide book author Jonathan Kennet says a $50 million investment by the government to create new cycle trails around the country, has transformed cycle holidays in this country. Known as Nga Haerenga, or the New Zealand Cycle Trail, the government millions have directly contributed to 19 new cycle trails built in the north and south islands in the past five years. “It’s absolutely transformed New Zealand cycling holidays,” Kennett says. “In the past, someone thinking of going on a cycling holiday didn’t have a lot of options for a multi-day trip. That’s not the case anymore.
“All of a sudden, the number of options has boomed. It’s created a lot of interest in cycling, especially at the easier end of the spectrum.” The demand for off-road cycle trails and cycling holidays is a global trend, Kennett says. While we’re not world leaders when it comes to catering for cyclists, Kennett believes we have outstripped our Australian neighbours and it’s attracting more Australians to cross the ditch. After Kiwis, Australian tourists are the second biggest group of riders on our trails, says Kennett, who is also a project manager for Nga Haerenga. The cycle trail project was born in 2009 when Prime Minister John Key’s jobs summit spawned the idea of building a cycle trail the length of the country. Heady ideas of a continuous trail from Cape Reinga to Bluff were soon abandoned, but the government pledged $50 million to create a series of ‘great rides’ around the country, in the hope it would bring jobs, stimulate regional economies and enhance New Zealand’s competitiveness as a tourism destination.
The grand plan is for 21 great rides, of which 13 are now fully open – including the Otago Central Rail Trail and the Queen Charlotte Track which have since come under the New Zealand Cycle Trail banner. The remainder are partially open, with most expected to be completed by the end of the year. Only one has yet to begin construction, however tenders for Southland’s Around the Mountains Trail have been called for and work is expected to begin soon. For off-road cyclists, this means a bonanza of 2000km of trails to choose from. Project manager John Dunn says 600km of existing trails were incorporated into the Nga Haerenga network, but the $50 million investment, plus a further $30 million of community fundraising has seen 1000km of new off-road trails constructed, with another 400km still to come. “I have been lucky enough to ride all of them and I get pretty excited every time I jump on one of them,” Dunn says.
www.wildernessmag.co.nz
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Keen Men Marshall Mid WP $299.99
Use Hiking Upper Waterproof closed mesh Construction KEEN.DRY waterproof breathable membrane, synthetic overlays, high-rebound PU midsole, EVA midsole, TPU stability shank, contoured heel lock for customised fit Outsole Non marking rubber with 4mm multi directional lugs Weight 868g.
Keen Wmns Marshall Mid WP $299.99
Use Hiking Upper Waterproof closed mesh Upper Construction KEEN.DRY waterproof breathable membrane, synthetic overlays, high-rebound PU midsole, EVA midsole, TPU stability shank, contoured heel lock for customised fit Outsole Non marking rubber with 4mm multi directional lugs Weight 760g.
Ahnu Mendocino $299.95
Use Tramping Upper Full grain leather Construction eVent lining, gusseted tongue, rubber toe rand, Numentum technology. Outsole Rubber Weight 1106g.
Ahnu Wmns Montara $299.95
Use Tramping Upper Nubuck leather Construction eVent lining, rubber toe rand, padded collar, Numentum Hike technology Outsole Vibram Weight 776g.
Kathmandu Terania Mid $299.98
Use Hiking Upper Wolverine and Scotchgard leather, mesh panels Construction Phylon midsole, NGX waterproof/breathable membrane, rubber toe bumper Outsole Vibram rubber Weight 1040g (m); 920g (w).
Teva Kimtah Mid WP Leather $299.90
Use Tramping Upper Waterproof leather Construction T.I.D.E. Seal waterproof membrane, full grain leather lining, Mush insole, ShocPad heel Outsole Spider365 Rubber Weight 1020g.
72 september 2013
Merrell Chameleon Arc 2 Rival Waterproof $299
Use Tramping Upper Waterproof full grain and nubuck leather Construction Waterproof/ breathable lining, EVA foot frame, moulded nylon arch shank, Merrell Q-form midsole, air cushion heel Outsole Vibram Chameleon Arc 2 Weight 964g.
shop
window
Three-four
season boots The do-it-all boots for the serious tramper, three to four season boots can handle all terrain types and provide an excellent platform for those multiday trips where you’ve seemingly packed everything including the kitchen sink. - Paul King Tongue
The tongue extends up the shin and has gussets to protect the ankle and lower leg, as well as to keep water and debris out of the boot. Tongues on one-piece leather boots are either sewn in or folded from the one piece of leather to improve water resistance and reduce snags and corners where detritus can gather.
Protection
The boot will usually have a toe bumper and rubberised protection across the vamp (the upper part of the boot over the forefoot) and a rand running around the outside to protect the boot against roots and rocks.
Hardware Toe box
When fitted correctly, the toe box should be roomy enough to wiggle toes – even on a hot day – without touching the end of the boot. Synthetic or rubberised materials protect the toe box.
Durable bronze or steel eyelets and lugs are common. The laces should flow smoothly through them to provide even tension all around the foot and prevent it sliding forward on downhills. A lace-locking lug allows the wearer to fine-tune lace tensions across the foot and around the ankle.
Boot care
Outsole
Deep, multi-directional lugs and a sticky compound work together to grip any terrain, and quickly shed mud. The outsole has sharper edges than a three-season boot to dig into loose and slippery surfaces, making traversing steeper slopes and mossy logs easier.
Midsole
Construction materials will be either EVA or PU (polyurethane) housing an anatomical three-quarter or full-length shank. PU is heavier but more durable over the long term, while EVA has greater shock absorbency. A medial post for stability and to control twisting in the length of the boot is also found here. Flexible crampons can be attached for above the snowline adventures.
Upper
Leather thickness varies from 2.2 to 2.8mm for the exceptional support and structural integrity of the boot’s upper. Some extra break-in time may be required with these boots, but if cared for appropriately the leather will mould to your foot for long-term comfort and performance. The leather used around the ankle is lighter than the rest of the upper to reduce pressure on your Achilles tendon.
Throwing your boots into the cupboard without cleaning them after a tramp is the correct way to wreck your investment. Give them a scrub as soon as you get home, making sure you rinse the inside with fresh water and dissolved natural soap to wash away perspiration and body oils. Allow the boots to dry naturally –not in front of an open fire, in the hot water cupboard or direct sunlight. Once dry, warm them up to open the leather’s pores and apply a conditioner recommended by the manufacturer. These steps only take a short while to ensure your boots give you years of supple, crack-free service.
Featured boot: Lowa Camino GTX WXL ($599). Distributed by Beattie Matheson Ltd, Auckland. www.lowa.co.nz. www.wildernessmag.co.nz
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98 september 2013
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