Mountain biking - The Old Ghost Road
7 tips for beginners wanting to do The Old Ghost Road.
Recently, I took to the Old Ghosty with a mountain bike for a project with Luxury Magazine. My buddy Chris Brinlee Jr had organised the trip and bought me along as the talent for the shoot. Little did he know I had next to no experience on a mountain bike and had never been on a trail before! I got through all it in one piece and loved every moment but it was definitely a dive into the deep end. I have put together a few things that I learnt along the way. It is aimed at beginners but if its your first time on this track i’m sure you’ll pick up something too.
1. Do your research - the track is difficult in some places and a fall could be very serious. Look into it and decide whether it’s for you or not. There is a strong emphasis on the high risk of the track and the technical difficulty and if you appear really inexperienced there’s a chance you may not be able to rent a bike or even get on the track. Also the story behind the track is incredible and reading the book beforehand will bring the trail to life.
2. Book in advance - especially over summer. This is New Zealand’s premiere multi-day bike track and sells out extremely quick! There is only so many bunks in each hut and the track has a fixed rate so no matter how many nights you stay everyone pays the same amount. There is also accommodation available once you finish the ride. The Rough & Tumble Lodge is nestled in the bush on the western end of the track and I highly recommend it. It is a little pricey but after the long ride there is nothing better than relaxing in an authentic WestCoast setting and getting looked after by the wonderful, local staff.
3. Padded Shorts - I was lucky enough to have been put on to these little life savers before the trip. If you are a true beginner one full day of riding is gonna kill your tushy. Three days will have you sitting on one of those padded arse donuts for a week. A pair of shorts is around $40 or so but I just borrowed a pair off a friend (who took pity when he realised I wasn’t planning to wear padded shorts.
4. You can always walk - and I did for some sections. I found most of the track was fairly friendly and I was able to fly through the down hill without much skill but after Ghost Lake hut there is a series of exposed switchbacks that I couldn’t quite get the hang of. To solve that problem was pretty simple really. I just hopped off and walked for the next ten minutes - easy. Obviously you don’t want to spend the whole trip walking your bike so again, make sure the track is suited to you but if there’s just one or two sections you are worried about knowing there isn’t any commitment might help.
5. Pack Light - dehydrated food, a micro sleeping bag for the warm huts and lightweight layers will help not only for the first day of uphill but also your downhill ability too. The well equipped huts and warmer climate there make it an easy trip to pack for. Be a little disciplined with how many items you carry and you’ll be thankful once you are three hours into the track and sweating buckets trying to pedal uphill. As I always pack warm clothing anyway I figured I could get away with only bringing my sleeping bag liner for my nights in the hut. Worked a charm. Also the huts have gas stoves so you won’t need to take one!
6. Bug Spray - enough said really. Sandlfies suck.
7. Fitness - chances are if you’re looking at doing this track you’re an active person already but making sure you are physically ready for 2-3 days of pushing pedals is not a bad idea.
