A family that rides together stays together, at least if the six families from Wanaka among about 1100 riders on the Danseys Pass trail ride are any guide.
Grant Masters brought sons Jamie and Campbell along on their first trail ride. Third son Thomas, also a keen rider, was playing tennis in Dunedin.
''They were very excited this morning,'' Mr Masters said, not long after they arrived on Saturday to head out.
''They didn't sleep last night, it was bedlam.''
The two boys were riding the peewee track, with Mr Masters on the main rides.
Both boys have been riding motorbikes since before they were 5 years old, at present sharing a Honda CRF 70cc handed down from Thomas.
Jamie has a ''yellow Suzuki'' on his Christmas wish list, which Campbell is hoping he gets because then he has sole charge of the Honda.
Motorcycle madness must have come from the father's side of the family - mother Nicolle is not interested in riding.
But, as one of the organisers of the inaugural Wanaka Primary School's Wanaka Trail Ride on April 26 next year, she was there to pick the brains of the Danseys Pass event organisers.
''I'm scoping it out to get as much information as possible,'' she said.
The Wanaka event will cover trails on Long Gully, Deep Creek and Lindis Peaks Stations.
Next to the Masters' in the car park was an even bigger group from Wanaka - 17 riders from the Blackley, Collett, Heine, Harrington and Tomas families, with friend Nancy Morgan.
The group included eight children - three girls and five boys aged between 10 and 14 years.
The families have been coming to the trail ride for five years.
''They have been riding trail bikes ever since the training wheels came off their bikes,'' the groups appointed communications manager, Libby Blackley, said.
''It's a great family outing. Trail riding is one of the few sports that all the family can be involved in.''
The trail ride, Duntroon School's biggest annual fund-raiser, is over more than 120km of loops, made up of beginner-family, intermediate and advanced loops and, for those looking for a real challenge, an extreme loop.
One of the co-ordinators, Steve Fielding, praised the help of landowners, with trails passing through 22 properties, and the Duntroon and wider community. More than 200 volunteers helped run the event.
Yesterday proceeds were still being tallied to find out how much had been raised, the funds this year going to refurbishment of the school library, new books and a new pool cover.
