Anne-Marie’s Adventures – Timber Trail

I was as excited as a kid waking up Christmas morning! Not sure if it was because I was going to ride the Timber Trail (the trail We were trying to get to a couple days ago) or because I was going to do it on my own, or because Barry (the police chief) and his wife were making it possible by driving me there (Thanks again!).

The Timber Trail is well signed.The Timber Trail is well signed.

Kelsey is taking the bus to Wellington to get a follow up appointment for her broken hand and I am getting back on the bike and riding solo. I had initially planned to ride on my own, but having Kelsey’s company made the trip much more fun. The Timber Trail is a remote 84km mountain bike trail — and let’s be honest, I am a chicken! No cell reception, being rescued in the same forest 2 days before, I was a bit nervous.

A muddy Timber Trail.A muddy Timber Trail.

Awesome trail riding! Steep climbs to start, hard and sometime slippery surface on exposed trail, but extremely muddy as soon as I entered the forest or covered sections. Riders I crossed on the trail all had duallys, but seriously, a cross bike works great! My bike is now covered with mud that won’t be shaken off. 🙂 The trail can be ridden in 2 days, with a campsite and a lodge halfway, but doable in one day. After climbing and riding through thick forest forever, I got worried I wouldn’t be able to finish, but the last 20km was just amazing easy singletrack, with breathtaking views. The trail is very well marked, no way I could get lost today! I rolled on many suspended bridges, along ridges and took the time to appreciate the view, it was an amazing day!

A muddy, but happy bike.A muddy, but happy bike.

A few kilometres of road riding to find lodging and some more to get to the train station today. Quite hilly for my muddy bike that won’t shift properly. 😦 Kelsey got the thumbs up from the doctor (still broken, but not getting worse), so back on the road with my one-handed riding partner, taking the ferry from Wellington tomorrow, time to explore the South Island!



Anne-MarieAnne-Marie is the owner of Liv Vancouver, the first female focused bicycle boutique of its kind in Canada. An avid cyclist & bike packer, she has ridden down the coast from Vancouver to San Francisco twice, among other exciting two-wheeled expeditions. She is now on a bicycle tour through New Zealand with her daughter Frederique & colleague Kelsey. Visit Anne-Marie’s personal blog here.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.