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00:00My name's Rob Warner.
00:02Don't get this back home.
00:04On a quest to ride the world's greatest trails.
00:07Never had myself down as an Attenborough type.
00:10And meet the people who live in some of the wildest places on Earth.
00:14Hello mate, how are you doing? Alright?
00:16As a downhill World Cup winner, I've had a lifetime of competition.
00:21But no chance to enjoy the ride.
00:26Oh, for f***ing sake.
00:30So I'm taking the best young athletes to seek out epic trails.
00:34Let's get in amongst the wildlife.
00:36And to make sure they don't miss out on the wilder side of the world.
00:41This time I'm in New Zealand with slopestyle genius Matt Jones.
00:46That's a cool view.
00:48Matt broke into the international dirt jump scene while still at school.
00:52And is one of the world's top competitive riders.
00:56Together, we're exploring South Island's vast mountain wilderness.
01:01Well, good trail, isn't it?
01:03It's wild eating.
01:04It's possum. It's possum. You're eating a possum.
01:07Wild waters.
01:08It's like the Niagara bloody falls rolling up on you.
01:11And wild riding in some of the most remote, most epic trails in the Southern Hemisphere.
01:17Well, thanks Rob. I'm not here to hurt you.
01:31What do you reckon, Matt? New Zealand?
01:33Mate, it's iconic.
01:34All I know is there's more sheep than people.
01:37Honestly, it's going to be a trip you won't forget.
01:40We're on New Zealand's South Island.
01:42Starting in the adventure capital, Queenstown.
01:47Before heading deep into the untouched wilderness of the mighty Lyle Mountains.
01:54Our plan is to ride the country's longest and most remote single track.
02:01We're going to be covering a lot of distance, so comfort is key.
02:06Somewhere around is our motor home, Winnie Bago.
02:09What do you mean?
02:10We've got a luxury camper for the trip.
02:12You've been in a posh camper, they're well nice.
02:14It's a bit of a weird old place for a camper hire.
02:17Is that it?
02:18No, I'm not... No, there's no way.
02:21Yeah, that's it, mate.
02:23What?
02:24I know that's not a camper van.
02:31Wipe sheet, wipe down sheets.
02:32Yeah, easy wipe.
02:33Camping chair.
02:35Sink.
02:37Oh, it's got a portal, Lou.
02:41Told you it'd be an adventure.
02:49Can you dig it?
02:50What are we doing?
02:52It's only done 340,000 kilometres.
02:54I know.
02:56It all works.
03:02Getting into the camper now, aren't you?
03:04Yeah.
03:04See why I've done it?
03:05It's a laugh.
03:06Even the weather's not going to bother us.
03:08Tonight, I've actually sorted us out a really nice campsite.
03:11They're going to let us in, isn't it?
03:13Yeah, of course they will.
03:15Before we go properly, Bush, I want to try out some local trails.
03:19Bowen Peak Towers over Queenstown.
03:22But getting to the trailhead is going to be tough.
03:26So that, my friend, over there, is our campsite for the night.
03:39You choose a spot, Matt, what do you reckon, here?
03:41What, just go anywhere?
03:49Oh, boy.
03:51Here we are.
03:55Lovely spot, Matt, isn't it?
03:57Are we calling this home?
03:59Yep.
04:00Bowen Peak is over 1,600 metres high, with trails that have barely been touched.
04:07Almost complete and utter silence.
04:09Where else have you experienced that?
04:12Oh, look at that, you can see the bottom of the lake, it's so clean.
04:14Let's get the bikes out, set camp up, Matt.
04:18Basically, you just get it out and give it a shake, and it just appears, I think.
04:21I still feel like you're winding me up with all this.
04:24I've never been more real. There's your, there is your...
04:27Hang on, no, don't drag it along the floor.
04:29I found the poles.
04:30Get the poles out.
04:32I'll put your, I'll put your ground sheet down.
04:34Do you reckon the poles are the same length?
04:36Hey?
04:37Dude, when you wake up at 4am, with light pouring in, you can just unzip the end and enjoy the
04:42view until 8, 9 o'clock when I get up.
04:45Perfect.
04:47Is that it?
04:50It's brighter in here than it is outdoors.
04:52That is nice, isn't it, mate?
04:55We've set up our post-ride base camp, but we still need to charm the guy who owns Bowen Peak
05:00and get our ticket to ride.
05:03So this is the farmer who owns Bowen Peak, and if there's one thing I know about New Zealand, the
05:08currency is beer.
05:10Hello, mate. Are you the farmer?
05:13We are indeed.
05:14I'm Matt.
05:14How are you going, Matt?
05:15I'm Rob, mate. How are you? Nice to meet you.
05:17We brought you some beer so we can ride Bowen Peak.
05:20Well, very appreciated.
05:22You've got the right sort of label too, space.
05:24Yeah.
05:24Is that a good one? Perfect.
05:26Absolutely perfect.
05:26So I imagine your name is Mr Bowen?
05:29It's not.
05:30Right.
05:31OK, but you do own Bowen Peak.
05:33Yeah.
05:34And can we ride it on our bikes, please?
05:36That's quite serious.
05:37You're not going to go up there for nothing.
05:39Farmer John has 6,500 merino sheep on the mountain, and their wool is worth a fortune.
05:46To earn our right to ride, we're going to have to help with the shearing.
05:50Is sheep clever or stupid?
05:52Clever.
05:53What, dog level?
05:54No, no, no, he's slightly above you.
05:59Look at him.
05:59Wow.
06:00Hello, mate.
06:01Hello.
06:02He's like a person.
06:04Hello.
06:04Can I touch him?
06:05No.
06:06No.
06:07Of course you can.
06:08Hello.
06:09Hello, mate.
06:10Look inside.
06:11Yeah.
06:11No way.
06:12Look, they've even got sideburns.
06:15Merino's lived twice as long as an eat sheep, because they're just here for wool production.
06:19The wool is so valuable, a single ram once sold for almost half a million Australian dollars.
06:26It's incredible.
06:27It's incredible.
06:28I didn't realise how nice sheep are, so I got this close to one.
06:31Yeah.
06:32Beautiful creature.
06:33They've got the face of a camel.
06:35Oh, yeah, look.
06:36There you go.
06:37Dude, look at it come off her head.
06:39Number two at the barber's.
06:40You've got yourself a nice rug there, mate.
06:42I'll have that for in front of the fire.
06:44Look at that.
06:45That's unbelievable, that, isn't it?
06:47Right, who wants to have a go?
06:50You just come round here and hold the hand, please.
06:52So when you do it, you've got to keep the left hand tooth on the skin, so I'll hold it
06:58with you.
06:58This one?
06:59Yep.
07:00Hang on tight.
07:05Go on, mate.
07:06You have to drive it through quite hard.
07:08Yep.
07:09Okay, there you go.
07:10Go on, you have a go.
07:10You're full of the action.
07:12Go on, mate.
07:13Woof.
07:15Look how high you've gone, you see?
07:17Yeah, I don't want to hurt the sheep, do I?
07:18No, no, you're hurting the wool.
07:20See, that stuff here is not worth very much because it's too short.
07:23Am I costing you money here?
07:24You are.
07:28Goes in hard, doesn't he?
07:29The wizard.
07:30Ready for magic?
07:31Yeah, let's see it.
07:31Stand clear.
07:32This is magic.
07:33Sorry.
07:33That's right, Rob.
07:35No way.
07:36We wouldn't have done that.
07:37Is that where his head was?
07:38No, it's where you saw it.
07:40That's really where me and Rob ruined it.
07:42Dude, that didn't come off that bloody sheep.
07:45That is incredible.
07:47No way, dude.
07:48That's not its head hole.
07:50No, no, no, that's where you chopped it up.
07:57Relax.
07:59Well done, Matt, well done.
08:03My name's Rob.
08:04I'm not here to hurt you.
08:07There.
08:08Go on, mate.
08:09Off you go.
08:12You're just so relaxed in my presence, aren't you, mate?
08:17We've done enough to tackle Bowen's Peak.
08:19We were pretty awesome sheep handlers.
08:20That was good.
08:21That was really good.
08:21Have you got any advice for us?
08:22You have an awesome ride.
08:23Give us a ring when you get off.
08:24All right.
08:25No, you're off and tell us what it's like.
08:26All right.
08:26Do that.
08:27Let's do that, dude.
08:29Thanks.
08:30We've got this.
08:32There are no roads to Bowen Peak.
08:34The quickest way up is a heli.
08:37Have you got any interest in hiking for like half a day?
08:40When you can do it in about three minutes straight up?
08:43No more than you have.
08:43Visibility isn't great and they do crash a lot.
08:45But other than that, it's going to be perfect.
08:48Sit.
08:52Stay down.
08:54Stay a bit lower.
09:07Something's wobbling around all right.
09:08What's going on?
09:12No, why, dude!
09:14And where are you going to land exactly?
09:16Look at that!
09:17Oh, my God!
09:18You're tripping!
09:20What a place to drop into all bikes.
09:22Can you imagine?
09:25This is so exposed.
09:27Look how high we are.
09:28Like, look at the descent.
09:35We are on top of the world, innit?
09:37Yeah.
09:38I'll tell you what.
09:39Have you looked off this edge?
09:40It is breathtaking.
09:52Let's do it.
09:53Let's go, mate.
09:58Let's do it.
10:14Let's go, mate.
10:14Let's go, mate.
10:14Look at that.
10:23Wow, look down there.
10:25Whoo!
10:26Dude, how good is that?
10:28That's sick, isn't it?
10:28Yeah, we look!
10:29Sick, isn't it?
10:36Let's go.
11:09The trail's taken us straight into Queenstown's epic bike park.
11:29We've got one last night in camp before we head north.
11:33I got overtaken by a buggy.
11:35Tomorrow, we'll be leaving for some serious wilderness.
11:39Every time I ride, I feel like I might be getting a bit better.
11:42I'll be a bit more confident and just a bit less self-conscious,
11:46you know what I mean?
11:47Because it's been a long time since I've been on treaders like this.
11:49So I'm really looking forward to riding,
11:52and I really hope I get a good night's sleep.
12:01Listen to that. That's really nice.
12:03She's singing, mate. She is singing.
12:05That's a cool view.
12:06That is beautiful, isn't it?
12:12It's not about the destination. It's about the journey.
12:15We're heading to ride the remote mountain trails of the mighty Southern Alps.
12:21The Old Ghost Road is the country's longest and most remote single track,
12:25cut by gold prospectors 150 years ago.
12:29But to get there, we're leaving the road behind.
12:33Our local bush guide Josh reckons we'll be getting wet before we get to ride.
12:39Matt, nice to meet you.
12:40Give me a masculine one.
12:41Nice. Cheers.
12:43Josh has spent his whole life in the New Zealand wilderness,
12:47learning how to live off the land.
12:49The most logical form of travel is using the river.
12:52Never.
12:53And the pack rafts.
12:54So we're going to throw your bikes onto the pack rafts.
12:56Bikes in the rafts?
12:57Bikes on the rafts, yep.
12:58That's cool, isn't it?
12:59It is pretty cool.
13:00And then we're going to negotiate our way downstream.
13:02We do have some pretty big and chunky rapids to negotiate.
13:05The river dictates where we go.
13:07There's quite a few hazards to get, you know,
13:09we've got big rocks and logs and massive holes that we need to get around.
13:12Is it safe?
13:13It's coming out of summer now.
13:14We've just had a really heavy rainfall come through.
13:17The water was up above our heads two days ago.
13:20That's how high it was.
13:21Never.
13:21All these rocks, yep, unbelievable.
13:23One cubic metre of water weighs one tonne,
13:25so there's a lot of power in that water.
13:26But essentially, we're not getting out of here unless we go rafting.
13:31This is your skirt, mate.
13:32When was the last time you wore a skirt?
13:34Three nights ago.
13:36Yeah, I don't know if you got that really, Matt.
13:38Absolutely no way are we having a bike on here.
13:40Josh has promised to teach us the ways of the wilderness
13:43on the way to the old ghost road.
13:46If we make it down river and survive a night in the bush,
13:49we'll ride at first light tomorrow.
13:52Is this it, like that?
13:53Yeah, it's a bit like getting into a coffin.
13:56Josh claims the water can turn from flat carb
13:59to a raging torrent in seconds.
14:02That's it, and then go one corner at the front,
14:04then the other corner.
14:06Boy, I'm quite good at this.
14:09Straighten her up.
14:11Sweet!
14:11Now we're going the same speed as the current.
14:14We're going now.
14:15We're motoring.
14:17We're really motoring here.
14:21Straighten her up.
14:22Come down.
14:23This way.
14:23This way.
14:25If you can't see rapids below the horizon line,
14:27it means it's going to be a big rapid.
14:29Go on, Ron!
14:30Jesus!
14:31Keep paddling, Ron.
14:33Keep paddling.
14:34Keep paddling.
14:35Keep paddling.
14:36No way!
14:38Look out, Ron!
14:44Keep paddling.
14:47Keep paddling.
14:50Ha, ha, ha, ha!
14:52Look out, Ron!
14:58Keep paddling.
14:59Keep paddling.
15:00Where?
15:01Woof!
15:03Keep going, Ron!
15:05Keep going that way!
15:08Ah!
15:11I thought I was going drowned!
15:13Woof!
15:14Ha, ha, ha!
15:15Are we stopping here?!
15:17That was gnarly, mate!
15:19We'll set up camp while there's still some light,
15:21then heli up to the trail head in the morning.
15:25Made it.
15:26Here we are.
15:27Home for the night.
15:28One thing that's going to be really epic about this spot
15:32is the sound of the river.
15:34Yeah, it's quite nice, isn't it?
15:36Yeah.
15:37Some might describe it as deafening.
15:39Temperatures can drop quickly overnight,
15:41and I don't plan on freezing.
15:43We need a big pile of wood about this big.
15:46Shall we do the fire?
15:46Look at that!
15:49It is one of the most picturesque,
15:52beautiful, weird places you'll ever camp,
15:54so let's get involved, innit?
15:56On one, we're going to drop at three.
15:58Two, one.
15:59How well did I get that fire going, mate?
16:02Mate, that's right on top, bro.
16:04On top?
16:05Yeah, right on top.
16:06It's the upside down fire.
16:07Mate, we're away.
16:09She's a humdinger.
16:10Lovely, doubly.
16:13Mate, look, I've over-dried my socks by the fire.
16:15Look.
16:16What is that?
16:18What is that, dude?
16:19Is that a possum?
16:20It's a possum.
16:21Is it like a wild cat?
16:22Kind of.
16:23Look at his bloody claws, mate.
16:25You boys are going to skin it,
16:26and then we're going to eat it.
16:27What?
16:28Possums were introduced to New Zealand
16:30for their fur almost 200 years ago.
16:33With no natural predators,
16:35their population has boomed,
16:37decimating local plants and birds.
16:40Bizarre-looking thing.
16:41Put a cut all the way across the front of its legs
16:44from wrist to wrist.
16:45New Zealand, a possum is considered a pest.
16:48They do a huge amount of damage to our native forest.
16:51We're doing our part for the environment
16:53by eating the little bugger.
17:02Yeah, I did that.
17:06How's that possum looking there, Josh?
17:09Almost looks good enough to eat.
17:11It smells good.
17:16Look at him.
17:17Look at him, dude!
17:19It's really good.
17:20It's just chicken.
17:22No, it's not.
17:23It's tree rat.
17:23No, it's not tree rat.
17:24It's tree rat.
17:25It's possum.
17:26It's possum.
17:27You're eating a possum.
17:28You are eating a possum.
17:30I've certainly not chicken.
17:33It's like the healthiest animal I've probably ever eaten.
17:35Yeah, mate, berries and trees is what these things live off.
17:37Yeah, yeah.
17:38I have to be honest, it's not very nice, but we're out...
17:41It's delicious!
17:42What are you talking about?
17:43It's the only...
17:44Yeah, because you live in the jungle.
17:46Of course you think it's delicious.
17:47I reckon if I had cooked this
17:48and served it to you on a plate at a restaurant
17:51without you seeing the whole process and what it was,
17:53you'd tuck into it
17:55and you'd probably think it was pretty damn good.
17:57It's like pulling the rubber off a windscreen wiper with your teeth.
18:00All of a sudden, though, I feel really full.
18:02It's very filling, isn't it?
18:04It's very filling.
18:05Very, very filling.
18:06It's very, very, very filling.
18:09Dinner was delicious, but next time it's on me.
18:14I'm nervous for the fact that we're so far from any towns or other people,
18:21but also that brings me a lot of kind of a sense of adventure
18:24and a sense of achievement
18:26that we've paddled so far away from anything.
18:31It's really cool.
18:37It's first light and almost time to ride.
18:40Are you guys ready for a helicopter to come in
18:43and boost you right up to the top of that mountain?
18:45Oh, my God.
18:45Yeah, slightly worried, but, yeah.
18:47We've got to get the stuff in the nets,
18:49pull the ropes tight, get them ready,
18:51clear the landing zone,
18:52and then he'll just come roaring on in.
18:57Thanks for looking after us.
18:59Appreciate it.
19:00It's been amazing, mate.
19:03Goodbye.
19:03Cheers, dude.
19:05Cheers.
19:10One of New Zealand's most remote,
19:13most epic trails is just minutes away.
19:17See you later on, Robinson Crusoe.
19:20Literally flying up a river.
19:22Look at this tree's just outside the chopper.
19:26Madness.
19:29This is one of the most insane things I've ever done.
19:32Look at it.
19:33Get rid of it.
19:34Get off.
19:34It's magic.
19:35The trail looks incredible.
19:37We landed there.
19:38Nice feeling, isn't it?
19:47Another one survived.
19:50How good is this?
19:52Right, let's do it.
19:53Drop it in.
19:59What a bit of trail.
20:01Woo!
20:21Well, good trail, isn't it?
20:50Let's do it.
20:59Kids.
21:22All right, look at this section.
21:37Yes, Sam!
21:38Whoo-hoo!
21:58Good skills, mate!
22:01That was good, really good.
22:04The trails here are truly epic,
22:07and I want to make sure I never, ever forget the Southern Alps.
22:11Hey, nice to meet you.
22:13Gordon Toi is an expert in Maori body art.
22:17Tattooing is highly sacred to the Maori people
22:19who settled in New Zealand nearly 700 years ago.
22:23I think you can give me a proper memory of this place, right?
22:27One that'll be on me forever.
22:28That's my job.
22:29That's your job!
22:30This traditional Maori, that's absolutely traditional.
22:33Yeah, yeah.
22:33That's amazing.
22:34So those are warrior markings.
22:35We've been carrying these stories, these designs,
22:38for thousands of years.
22:39And that's because it goes back generations.
22:41It's incredible.
22:42Yeah.
22:43So you've got a few interesting tattoos there, I mean, you know.
22:46Pretty bad, yeah.
22:48Well, I wouldn't say that, but...
22:50No, no, no, they're quite good.
22:51That's my personal favourite.
22:53Yeah, that's...
22:54Darth Vader.
22:54Darth Vader riding the Seals.
22:55Yeah.
23:00This is about as freehand as it gets.
23:03How's that feel, Rob?
23:06Try to take care of your family,
23:07and the reasons why you're doing it.
23:12It looks cool now, it's all coming off.
23:14Is it finished?
23:19No way, dude.
23:20You did not do that in that time.
23:24That's a beautiful reminder of this trip, mate, that is.
23:27That is legit.
23:28You did not do it.
23:30You did not do it.
23:31You did not do it.
23:31You did not do it.
23:32You did not do it.
23:33You did not do it.
23:34You did not do it.
23:43You did not do it.
23:45You did not do it.
23:47You did not do it.
23:48You did not do it.
23:50You did not do it.
23:50You did not do it.
23:50You did not do it.
23:50You did not do it.
23:50You did not do it.
23:50You did not do it.
23:51You did not do it.
23:52You did not do it.
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