Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
A decade after she first toed the line of the inaugural Tour Aotearoa bikepacking event in New Zealand, Hana Black returned for another go at what she calls “an exercise in self-propelled relentless forward momentum.” In this look back, she eschews the traditional recap format and instead takes a poetic approach to summarizing her experience…
Words and photos by Hana Black
So many keen riders gather in the gloom
Sun rising at seven as we start rolling south
Stirling Point our far-off goal
Soon we’ll be thinking of nothing else
Stick to the rules and stay on the course
Six hours stopped every day is a must
Sneaks and short-cutters scratched from MAProgress
A sense of urgency—swiftly spinning the cranks
A series of stages: 4 Squares, cafés, places to sleep
Some strategic short days, some push the body too far
Study the map to see what’s ahead
Survey the contours, silently curse the route setter
Slog up steep climbs, keep ahead of the snail
Sweat stinging your eyes, salty stains on your kit
Sore bum, quads, knees—and more
Summon the strength to settle back on the saddle
Swooping down switchbacks, smiles galore
Snap a shot at the controls—all 29 points
Spectacular kauri, suspended bridges, giant kiwi
Sailing on harbours, speed down a river then across Cook Strait
Sometimes in the dark—though the view’s not so great
Sit up, spine straight, shoulders slack, relax
Squeeze your glutes tight, and
Switch on your core
Scroll through your mantras as you sweep with your feet
Slow, steady, slow, steady
Smooth, smooth, strong
Sugar and carbs are essential fuel
Snack and sip at steady intervals
Stay hydrated to avoid gastric upset
Stomach issues problematic—if you forget
Salty chips, a pie and another flat white
Sit down and devour a pub meal with a shandy
Celebrate the stoke with treats and candy
Secretly wishing Bluff wasn’t suddenly there
Smiles spread wide under the sign at the end
Standing tall, satisfied, lifting your bike overhead
Starting to scheme—maybe do it again?
Switch the bike, new shoes, more comfortable shorts
Something to aspire to in another ten years
Summer 2036—set it in the calendar now!
Further Reading
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