'It's not the destination, it's the journey.' As quotes go, it's an oldie but a goodie. As riders, we know that sometimes the hard training camps before the big event can be just as memorable as race day. And when preparing for Badlands, one of the most challenging bike races in the world, you need to train somewhere that not only tests the legs, but the mind and spirit too. In his home country of New Zealand, Steve Willis did just that.

Now, Steve is not your average cyclist. He's a man on a mission, gearing up for one of the wildest gravel races on European soil. Few tests come tougher than Badlands, as 800 km up and down Spain's mountain ranges will prove. Setting out a training course over 1,000km from Christchurch down to Queenstown, linking some of New Zealand's most well-known trails, was the best way to put some endurance in the tank. The task for Steve was set: "With all roads leading to Badlands in September, it seemed like the perfect time to push the boundaries and find out just what I'm in for."

Distance: 1,095km
Elevation: +10,000m
Highest Climb: Nevis Road 1,300m
Temperature Range: 10°C - 0°C

Steve shared the following extracts from his diary entries from the ‘gram after each epic day of riding. Documenting the highs, the lows, and the epic scenery he experienced along the way. Route links are included for you to follow at your own discretion! Warning - on this ride you may encounter side effects including euphoria, sheer exhaustion and questioning your own reality… 

“The journey commenced and was relatively smooth. Conditions were gray and overcast, not higher than 6-9 degrees for the entirety of the day. I got the jump and pedaled off at 5:30am with the plan of 10 hours on the bike. Ride time was spot on; some slight adversity had me hitting stop on the Hammerhead at 12 hours and 30 mins just after 6pm. A shame to miss out on viewing Mt Hutt and the snowy peaks of Mt Dobson, but the vibes were high, legs felt good and mentally I was there. Couldn’t help thinking “Is this what Unbound is like?”. Avoiding the main roads meant long stretches of dead straight gravel as far as the eye can see, turn, do it all again. Next up day two, Alps to Ocean.”

"Alps to Ocean” is one that's been on the list for a while. A slight mishap at breakfast - forgot the oats - led to a strange combo, plain pasta with a side of peaches, peanut butter and coffee. My body pulled up well, and I was surprised to only see myself slightly in the red on Whoop. This joy was met with annoyance as I began to roll at 6:30am and noticed the rain and fog. A bucket list item was missed, as I have yet to see Mount Cook in person. Ticked off the dark hour and then Twizel for coffee and scone at 55 kms.

The first error of the day not following the actual trail and thinking I had found a gravel backroad. It was a river bed; I spent the next 15 km very unhappy. This played with the mind as I saw average speed drop, the goal was sub 12 hours and 14 total. There was some work to be done. After pulling my head back around, I was met with the biggest climb of the day to 900 m above sea level. To be honest, I love climbing, but due to fog and the fact it was rocky, unable to get consistency on it was one to throw out. Lunch at 135 km, and then the mind switched; let's bang this out! Part of this trip is to find limits; whether that helps for 4 days begs the question, but I need to know these things.

Some incredible views along the river for endless KMs. This helped as the inclines became shorter but much more aggressive. It was up, down, up, down. My view on km 130 to 180, I hope you like climbing and dams as you will get several of these. Hammer was down, KOMs were achieved. Final stop, coke and sparkling water top ups and then it was back on the pedals. I thought this was gonna be a smooth, slightly downhill into Oamaru. I was wrong; some pinches, cross/headwind. AirPods got louder, Justice - A Cross the Universe. The last hour was spent on an empty single track in the dark. A strange feeling. The target for ride time came in 10 mins under, the total was over by 13 mins, but this seems like nothing over 285 kms.”

“Today was up and over, around and into Central Otago, a place that always brings excitement. After a late night of bike-washing and getting things sorted, the morning was a little slower. Not from my body not wanting to ride but from the efforts of making breakfast, packing bags, and thinking about the day ahead. These days don't feel long, which is weird, but the stress of getting in, eating, sleeping, shower, washing my bike, and packing bags again seems to only bring stress and anxiety - always trying to do it faster. The reality is it always takes the same time. You just have to try and enjoy the process.

This morning, I got a real 'this is why I am here moment', riding along Oamaru's coastline, watching the sunrise, waves crashing in and empty roads. This section will go down as one of the best of the trip. Some back roads into Palmerston, and suddenly, I was at what I thought was the biggest task of the day - 9 km at 6-7% to get up and over to Middlemarch. Roads turned to gravel, the views got higher and the mood was good. Reality then came crashing back to earth as I started the Otago Rail Trail, what I thought would be 150 km of flat, easy, fast riding. It was not. A 40km cross/head wind for the first 100 had me spinning. The views were great; the hands were starting to hate how tightly I was holding my bars as I negotiated the crosswinds.

Honestly, the last 50 kms, I was just staring at the gravel, watching things go by with no real focus on what was happening. The brain was empty, and emotions seemed gone. Suddenly, the high of rolling into Clyde kicked in with 5 kms to go. I managed to push through and hold a nice pace to have ticked off the 283 km in under 14 hours total. Limiting pause time has been the focus since day 1, and it's only getting better…”

“The day I was most anxious about when planning this trip. Climbing over NZ's highest public road, Nevis Road, is something I wanted to say I have done. This meant trying to squeeze Lake Dunstan, Nevis Road, and Around the Mountain all in with a ferry cutoff into QT at 8:15pm. I had an alternate route out after the Nevis if needed. Stress levels were high, sleeping through the 4am alarm to wake at 4:30am and realizing I was already behind plan. After a furious quick setup, I was onto Lake Dunstan trail in the pitch black, trying to make up time here, which wasn't a risk worth taking. With sheer cliff faces to one side and loose gravel underneath, I stepped it off the pace. Anxiety was high, but I could only control what I could – not crashing.

into gravel, but this time, smooth switchbacks were in front of me. After 30 minutes, now deep into the clouds, the temperature hit zero, and the fog got thicker, but the climb was done, and the famous sign was seen. Happy, I wrapped up for the descent (extremely fun) and made my way into section 2. Honestly, the next 3 hours would go down as one of the least exciting/fun I have ever had on my bike. 4WD roads with endless mud and rivers. The gravel between was rocky, lumpy and not fun! HikeaBike became frequent, river after river was crossed, and the rain got heavier.

40 kms in 3 hours and the reality that the alternative route would be in play. A reset was needed in Garston; I was down, feeling lost; these things happen, but as silly as it sounds, I was stuck looking at it as if I had failed; struggle street. I pulled out the alt route, the Devil's Staircase, my favorite loop around Arrowtown, before coming back into QT to finish. Music came on, the sun came out and being on the familiar trail I love, the vibe lifted, and I started to think of what had been done. Sun setting, I enjoyed the final few kms. Falling just short of 1100 kms, I was still proud, those 30 kms may haunt me for a while!”

Steve's epic journey covered some of New Zealand's most iconic trails, offering both breathtaking views and grueling challenges to overcome. "People ask where I've come from and where I'm going, and you see them doing the math. They often can't believe the distances I'm covering."

Stopping at remote convenience stores also led to some funny moments. "I'd walk out with a Coke, water, and Powerade, and people would just look at me strangely," he shares. "They're thinking, 'What the hell are you doing?'"

Cyclists on similar routes often share the same sense of camaraderie, even if the scope of their goals differ. "On the Alps to Ocean, many people are doing it for fun and they're excited to talk. They ask, 'What day are you on?' and I'm like, 'All the way through today.' It's a shared experience, but we're on completely different missions."

Celebrating milestones is essential for Steve, who recounts his relief after finishing the significant ride. "Yeah, definitely; there was a pint of Guinness with my name on it in Queenstown, which was more than nice. I had a wedding the next day at three o'clock, so I had no time to soak it all in! I got into Queenstown at about 8:30 pm, met my wife, had dinner at the pub, and was up the next day and ready to go."

Looking back on the experience, Steve feels he's ultimately gained what he set out to achieve, building some much needed confidence before Badlands. "The training here has cemented that all the work I've put in is worth it. I know now that I can handle the distances and time on the bike."

With Christchurch to Queenstown ride under his belt, Steve's about to head to Europe for several weeks as he continues to get ready for race day. The chance to take in some of Europe's best rides as an extension of his training program is a welcome opportunity, with an itinerary that includes Girona, Nice, and parts of the Tour de France route, among other iconic cycling spots on the schedule.

Done, but not yet dusted, New Zealand has been the perfect proving ground for preparing Steve physically and mentally for the unknown challenges that await in Almería. "In the back of my mind, I know that Badlands will be tougher," he admits. But I'm ready to accept whatever comes my way."

You can follow the rest of Steve’s journey to Badlands on the ‘gram @stvvvnwlllls. For your own adventure, you can shop the best bikepacking gear with the MAAP Alt_Road collection here.