Bikepacking New Zealand: Gisborne’s Hidden Gems, Māori Culture & Gravel Adventures - Part 1

Life in the Peloton, presented by MAAP

Life in the Peloton is proudly brought to you by MAAP

G’day guys, I’m back with another ep of Life In The Peloton; and this one’s a little bit different. Earlier this month, I was invited out to a little town called Gisborne over on the East Coast of New Zealand’s North Island for a bikepacking adventure.

Gisborne Tourism gave me a call and wanted to see if I’d come over for 5 days of bike riding, soaking in the Māori culture, and - of course - enjoying a few cleansing ales with some local legends and finding out more about the region; naturally, I jumped at the chance and hopped on a plane over to NZ.

This hidden gem is on the South East coast of the North Island, and loosely follows the infamous Highway 35. Gisborne is a pretty remote area. It’s raw, and refreshing - really back to basics. There are a lot of indigenous Māori living off the land out there respecting the natural environment just like their ancestors have done for generations. It’s totally different to anywhere I’ve been before, and it was really powerful and inspiring to learn more about their culture and experience the landscape by bike.

550km over 5 days, this trip was hard enough without being too hard, if you know what I mean. We cruised on the bikes and took in all the sights, sounds, and smells of Gisborne along the way. We checked out some super cool spots; including the Eastwoodhill National Arboretum, some ridiculous beautiful waterfalls and wild swimming spots, and - of course - some world class gravel riding.

I couldn’t turn down this opportunity - to be invited out to a place I’ve always wanted to explore was too good to miss. This ep is actually part 1 of a 2 parter - so much happened on the trip I couldn’t contain it into 1 episode, so I’m treating you guys to a double! Keep your eyes peeled for episode 2 dropping at the end of this week.

If you want to read more about my trip, check out this cracking feature by our friends at FLOW MOUNTAIN BIKE.

Cheers!

Mitch

Chapters

• 00:00:00 - Introduction & Setting the Scene
• 00:02:15 - Flying into Gisborne & First Impressions
• 00:07:30 - The Māori Connection & Cultural Insights
• 00:18:10 - The Bikepacking Route & The First Ride
• 00:25:05 - Eastwoodhill Arboretum: A Hidden Gem
• 00:39:06 - Waterfalls & Wild Swimming
• 00:42:00 - Arrival in Motu: End of Day 1
• 00:46:00 - Looking Ahead to Day 2

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