He's fondly known by his cycling friends as “Sir Coppermine” and for good reason.
Captain Coppermine
Duncan Cunningham, who turns 75 in January 2025, has clocked up more than 200 rides on the Coppermine Trail Great Ride in Nelson.
The Coppermine is an alpine ride that has a consistent climb up to Dun Mountain, reaching the rocky tops of Coppermine Saddle almost 900m above sea level before a downhill through the Maitai Dam and beech forest.
The downhill spin is a technical grade 4, best suited for fit, experienced singletrack riders but having ridden the trail so many times that doesn’t faze Duncan.
“On the Coppermine I get the best of all the worlds – I get the biology, I get the mountainbiking, I get this open beautiful place, plus a whole lot of fitness and health.”
Duncan first tackled the Coppermine in December 2011. He’s logged every ride since.
“When I got to 50 rides I told people I’d do 70 by aged 70 and they said there was no way I’d do more than that. So I set my next goal to do 100 by 70 and now I’ve just clocked up 203 at 74!”
Not bad for a man who medicates for asthma and has not only recovered from a broken neck but has also had two hip replacements.
“Now and then I look into the mirror and think, I’m getting older, but I’m doing okay. The fact that I’m still riding speaks volumes of the value of e-bikes and well-constructed and maintained trails.”
Just before his 50th ride Duncan (pictured above with friend Hugh Norris, right) switched his manual bike for an e-bike and though he got jip for having a “cheat bike” it has enabled him to enjoy riding.
“As e-bikes have become more popular they’ve eased off, in fact younger, fitter riders will often ask me about my very durable e-bike, they understand the importance... they get it.”
Most weeks Duncan rides up to Windy Point, where he researches local flora and fauna for iNaturalist, a social media website for scientists and citizen scientists.
“In some places I just stop and stare and, depending on the light, the landscape is always changing.”
The former Department of Conservation employee and keen biologist describes the Coppermine as a biological wonderland.
“I can’t help but stop and look at stuff, and wander off to the side to see what I can find,” he says.
Duncan not only logs every ride on a spreadsheet that includes route, weather and riding companions, he also uses the Sports Tracker app to upload photos from his rides, stops made and times, and on the iNaturalist app, he uploads his findings.
In recording statistics, he gets to connect with the community he used to work alongside.
“Through iNaturalist I’m reconnecting with old field biologists and making new friends nationally and internationally. It’s a great place to learn and keep the old grey matter working!”
On the Coppermine itself Duncan has noticed changes over the years, especially after the Brook Waimarama Sanctuary was completed with predator-proof fences and mammalian predators were eradicated.
“The bird numbers, particularly robins and tomtits, have gone from almost none to huge.”
It was the region’s “gob-smacking” beauty that saw the former Wellingtonian move to Nelson with wife Rebecca in 2010.
He says he was born with a huge sense of curiosity for the natural world and biology.
“I grew up in St Andrews on the wild east coast of Scotland. I wasn’t interested in school or study but I’ve always had a huge passion for rock pools, streams, ponds and now mountains.”
Approaching age 75 and ride number 203 is some feat, but Duncan is quick to shy away from the “Sir Coppermine” title his friends have given him.
“I’m not sure about ‘Sir’ but Captain Coppermine has a nice, alliterative ring to it,” he laughs.
