The team behind the Trans Savoie and Enduro2 events has been working on the far side of the globe to pull together the NZ MTB Rally, a multi-day endur …

By stwhannah

Get the full story here:

https://singletrackworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/nz-mtb-rally-a-proper-kiwi-backcountry-enduro-adventure/

It does look genuinely amazing but for me it’s like looking at million quid houses on Rightmove. Never gonna happen.

Trip of a lifetime for under £4K. I hate to be that guy, but that doesn’t strike me as wildly unobtainable. I mean sure it’s a massive amount of money, but in comparison to some of these sorts of things that land in my email-inbox, it’s pretty reasonable.

But look at it, it’s the stuff of dreams

 

That looks absolutely awesome!

But look at it, it’s the stuff of dreams

Indeed it is….

My eldest has worked on the Alps version of this event, and said it was utterly superb. Most folk were doing it as a ‘once in a lifetime’ event.

I wanna know more about these “uplift boats”.
I know the jetboats are powerful, but that is nuts!

I am actually quite frightened of helicopters, but I think I could try and be brave if needed. £4k is in the unobtainium world for me, but there are an awful lot of people buying trips to the Maldives for about that price (and more). Lying in the sun and floating about in the sea for £4k, or riding downhill every day and also lying in the sun and floating in the sea for £4k? If I had that kind of money I know where I’d rather spend it!

Nah, looks awful! ;-)

Wonder how much training this 60 year old will need to be in with a chance of completing it.

A helicopter burns 85l/km? Is that right?

I loved biking in NZ, but I reckon this is a bit too full on for an ancient woos like me. 40% black diamond and 10% double black. Eek. Does sound lovely if I were less old and creaky.

Make it for an ageing XC-wheels-on-the-ground type like me and I might try and scrape the money together.  Actually, many years ago i did one day heli-biking in the Remarkables above Queenstown and it was a fantastic experience.

85l/km is a typo. It’s supposed to read 85l / 100km.   Thats an average figure quoted by the manufacturer of a typical helicopter used of this kind of exercise.

I think 4k is a generous budget.  It’s £2k to enter and that is 100% all inclusive, even beer.  So all you need is flights, and if you are lucky they can be found for around 1000 GBP return, but certainly way less than 1.5k.

However the problem then is, if you’re going all the way to NZ, are you really gonna turn around and fly home again after only a week….or try and add on some bonus trips while you’re there?  That’s when the budget starts to spiral a little!

Bugger, i’ve got a wedding of a good friend in Tasmania that clashes with that otherwise I might have had a very small possibility of robbing money from my ‘take the kids travelling mountain biking in Europe’/divorce fund.

Probably worth mentioning there’s already a TranNZ Enduro event that’s pretty popular: https://www.transnz.com/
And a Tassie version https://www.transtasmaniamtb.com/

I’ve known a few people that have done both and they are well recommended.