Every so often, I get the itch. An itch to get away from society – its comforts, its routine, and its relentless pace. Sometimes, I just want to be alone, embrace the present moment, and do something out of my comfort zone. When I saw Matt Quirk had developed a new brevet route starting and finishing in Wanaka, I jumped at the chance. It was called The Reset, and that was exactly what I needed.

With a 7am Saturday morning start, my friend Olly Manson and I loosely decided to complete the 550 km route with 9,300m of elevation gain over three days. The excitement was tangible as I rolled out my front door. With coffee, chocolate buns, and excitement among the riders, we were all eager to start. The day was crisp, no wind, and a clear sky. Bikes heavy, legs fresh, the first 55 km flew by. In our sights was Cluden Hill, with its hike-a-bike sections and relentless gravel. We were getting what we came for.

After checking the maps, we knew a big climb was ahead – the high point at 1644m. An hour later we crested the ridge, relatively shagged. Lunch time. Mt Aspiring to the west, the Ida Valley to the east, and the sun overhead – no sign of the fast-paced routine here. After the summit, an 1100m descent led us to St Bathans for a refuel. Nine hours in, we arrived only to find the kitchen closed. A jug of Coke and a sausage roll later, we were back on the road.

Omarama Saddle stood at the far end of the West Manuherikia Valley. After skirting Falls Dam and tackling river crossings, we reached the base of the saddle at 7:45pm. As darkness fell, we crested the saddle into a cold wind from the SW. With the road to Omarama slightly downhill and a roaring tailwind, we flew into town, ending our 16-hour day at the Omarama Pub with an ice-cream.

Day two started slower. We fired down the Alps to Ocean trail, skirting Lake Benmore and discovering new landscapes. Otematata, Kurow, and Duntroon featured on our hit list before tackling Danseys Pass. With a blazing sun and little water, we battled through, rolling into the historic Danseys Pass Hotel, a welcome stop. But with Naseby still ahead, the final six km into town came with a headwind and uphill grind. A fried chicken burger rewarded us at the end.

Day three had us navigating Poolburn Reservoir and the Old Dunstan Road – a landscape once traversed by gold miners. But the weather dealt us a challenge: the infamous Norwester, roaring through Thompson’s Gorge. Progress was slow. Exiting the gorge after 85 km in 8.5 hours, we faced more climbs up Grandview Ridge. By 5:30pm, dark clouds loomed, and we made the tough call to abandon the last section for safety.

Sodden, battered, and smiling, we rolled into home after 141 km and 2135m of climbing that final day. Despite abandoning the last section, we got what we came for: an old-fashioned adventure with good mates. That was a good reset. Work tomorrow.

This is an edited version of an article that first appeared in the NZ Cycling Journal. Read the full piece here.

All photos: Sam Baker