Dawid Godziek and the boys return to the road for the second instalment of their NZ wanderings.
The second part of our BMX road trip across New Zealand starts in the harbour city of Picton. Being a gateway to the Southern Island, Picton greets newcomers with small-town sightseeing and a straight road to the closest riding gem: Reefton’s skatepark.
Waves of concrete flow around the park and, as with everywhere we visited, we were treated with great hospitality by the locals who were eager to find out where else we'd ridden.
Watch the video in the player above and scroll down to get the lowdown of where to ride and what not to miss.
By locals, we don’t just mean a couple of teenagers waxing rails either, but whole generations of people taking care of the park and having fun watching riders — in some cases half their age!
The park hosts night sessions underneath the floodlights, but we'd recommend doing your research first as sometimes it's closed for after-hours maintenance. Oh, and don’t miss the local BBQ spot next to the park — the food will boost you higher than Reefton’s bowl! After a solid dinner it was time to go to Greymouth.
On the way to Greymouth’s infamous bowl, you can step off the beaten track and head to the coastal beaches. Sandy dunes with huge rock towers stand against the ocean’s waves. They're so impressive that they'll probably gain you a few followers on Instagram, as this place is a photographer's dreamland! Miles of smooth sand flowing next to rocky pillars and caves are a great way to stretch your muscles and quiet your mind after a long day of riding.
Andy’s Skatepark is another riding spot on New Zealand’s bucket list. Andy’s has a brand new bowl and an old section for your jibbing friends, stacked with grindable obstacles. If you bring some good tricks with you then you have a great chance to meet the city president, who knows how important riders are to spreading the good word around the globe. It’s fascinating that such a small region really lives through riding and smiling. Keep up the good work, Kiwis!
It’s time to get deeper inside the South Island along its coastal road, which will leave you speechless. Despite breathtaking scenery, keep your eyes peeled for waterfall signs. They're not that rare and each of them requires a diving trip! They're a good way to keep your head cool after so much awesomeness packed into one day of travel.
How do you find balance between riding and chilling? Plan your day to start and end on a coastal beach. Trust us, each sunset will be worth the extra miles driven and the smooth melody of waves will keep your sleep game on point.
To keep your blood running, mark the Farm Jam date in your calendar too.
This family-driven "riders meeting" contest is held every two years by a couple of brothers that love two wheels of all kinds. With the best dirt riders in the world and FMX starts, it will get you pumped to get extra steez on your moves! Keep the locals happy and get sideways in the middle of nowhere. Another great place for your photography friends to shoot to the Milky Way over a sea of grass!
