BP = birthday party/bikepacking/me – take your pick. I needed a tag anyway for over a week of leisurely touring up the West Coast’s long mountain bike trails – Paparoa, Old Ghost Road and Heaphy – so that will do. Lucking out with grand late-winter weather meant that Pete’s plan came off well and all the contingencies were not needed. The clearest day of the trip coincided with the part of the route that was new to me – Denniston to Lyell; a real treat for exploring somewhere new.

• A40BPT1 - Hokitika to Ces Clark hut (Paparoa)
• A40BPT2 - Ces Clark hut to Westport (Paparoa)
• A40BPT3 - Westport to Lyell via Denniston
• A40BPT4 - Lyell to Mokihinui (Old Ghost Road)
• A40BPT5 - Mokihinui to Karamea
• A40BPT6 - Karamea to James Mackay hut
• A40BPT7 - James Mackay to Perry Saddle
• A40BPT8 - Perry Saddle to Rameka