first met Dave McLeod a couple of years ago when he was setting up the Kohatu Motorcycle Centre near Tapawera in the Top of the South. Dave was just starting to develop an adventure skills riding area in local forestry, but with an eye to introducing some organised adventure rides in the region that offered the bonus of private land access. I joined Dave on a track scouting mission in the lead up to his inaugural Nelson Tasman Motorcycle Festival back in 2024 and could see he was keen to offer something different

to local riders, and included a section of riding up to the Centre of New Zealand( organised through Nelson District Council). Fast forward to now and Dave has been busy, impressing riders from across the region with his organised rides and great land access. A buddy and I joined him for his‘ Lake Matiri with a Tractor’ ride, started in Nelson, winding its way to the Lake Matiri power station outlet on DOC land near Murchison, taking in two private stations either side of the Matakitaki Valley with a crossing of the river along with way( either

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