13 years ago, I was climbing mountains, sailing oceans, and mountain biking any chance I could get. I was a stereotypical New Zealander, happiest when I was chasing the next hit of adrenaline.
That all changed when I broke my back, becoming a T10 paraplegic.
A defining part of my rehabilitation was learning how to return to the activities I once loved just in a different way.
I decided to focus on what I could do, and without realising it at the time, began to adapt, defy, and eventually thrive. That decision led me to the Old Ghost Road.
What is the Old Ghost Road?
The Old Ghost Road is an 85km trail through the remote Mokihinui-Lyell backcountry on New Zealand's South Island.
It follows an unfinished 19th-century gold miners' route, a track that was abandoned for over a century before volunteers spent years carving it back out of the wilderness.
It's one of New Zealand's Great Rides. Breathtaking in places. Narrow in others. With drop-offs that'll make your heart rate spike.
Adaptation becomes freedom.
My Bowhead Reach adaptive mountain bike has taken me on some incredible adventures.
I’ve customised a rack on the back to take my wheelchair with me. It opens up terrain that most people assume is off the table for wheelchair users.This journey has topped them all.
As far as I know, I'm the first wheelchair user to complete the Old Ghost Road without being airlifted up. And honestly, it tested me in ways I didn't anticipate.
Day one: brake failure, and cliff edges
We started at Lyell, heading for Lyell Saddle Hut for the night.
Six kilometres in, my brakes failed. I nearly turned around. I’m glad I didn't.
The track narrows in places that made my heart rate spike. The track has very tight paths that hug the cliff edges. We navigated it slowly and carefully.
Rolling into Lyell Saddle Hut that night was a huge relief.
The hut wasn't wheelchair accessible, so I needed to be either carried into the hut or shuffle on my butt. But that's not a complaint; it’s the reality of taking a wheelchair somewhere it was never designed to go. It's part of what made it feel like an achievement.
Day two: the summit.
We left my wheelchair at the hut and pushed to the summit.
It was as beautiful as New Zealand gets. We were surrounded by untouched native forest.
We were lucky to see some of New Zealand's spectacular bird life, a weka and her chicks.
The volunteers who built this track did an amazing job. The fact that I can access this kind of terrain on wheels is something I don't take for granted.
Standing at the summit, well, sitting at the summit, was one of those moments. Every challenge, every detour, every close call is absolutely worth it. I reckon I'm the first wheelchair user to take on this trek, and I'm stoked I was able to defy every challenge it threw at me.
Live a greater-than-life.
To anyone reading this who thinks adventure ended when your wheels started, it didn't. It just changed shape.
When it feels too hard, you're likely on an existing path.
I am a T10 complete paraplegic and acknowledge that not everyone has the function I do. Do your best with what you've got and continually look to improve your skills.
Have questions about adaptive mountain biking or wheelchair adventure travel? Drop them in the comments below.
Happy Adaptdefying. Mike
Trail info: oldghostroad.org.nz
Bike: Bowhead Reach adaptive mountain bike with a modified rack to carry my wheelchair.
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