[glow=red,2,300]Preparation and participation guide[/glow]
This guide is to ensure that you get maximum enjoyment from the Challenge, so please read it carefully.
WHERE IS THE VENUE?
The GS Challenge 2007 will be held at Papkuilsfontein near Nieuwoudtville in the Northern Cape. The GPS coordinates of Papkuilsfontein are S31 32.943 E19 09.497. (Website: http://www.papkuilsfontein.com)
HOW DO I GET TO PAPKUILSFONTEIN?
Important: Recommended routes: Please use the following routes to get to Papkuilsfontein. In addition to being the fastest, safest and easiest route, you will ensure that you don’t spoil your future fun, as some other potential roads are part of the Challenge routes.
From the north: We recommend the route over Kimberley, Britstown, Carnavon and Calvinia – then take the R27 to Nieuwoudtville. Turn left, off the R27, into – and through – Nieuwoudtville. Follow this road out of town, and for 20 kms. Turn right at the GS Challenge signs, and follow the signs to the venue.
From the south: Ride to Vanrhynsdorp on the N7, and then follow the R27 to Nieuwoudtville. Turn left, off the R27, into – and through – Nieuwoudtville. Follow this road out of town, and for 20 kms. Turn right at the GS Challenge signs, and follow the signs to the venue.
From the East: Your best bet would probably be Bethlehem, Bloemfontein to Britstown, Carnavon and Calvinia – then take the R27 to Nieuwoudtville. Turn left, off the R27, into – and through – Nieuwoudtville. Follow this road out of town, and for 20 kms. Turn right at the GS Challenge signs, and follow the signs to the venue.
Other alternative: For those coming from George or Port Elizabeth. A route over Sutherland and the R354 to Calvinia would make sense. Then take the R27 to Nieuwoudtville. Turn left, off the R27, into – and through – Nieuwoudtville. Follow this road out of town, and for 20 kms. Turn right at the GS Challenge signs, and follow the signs to the venue.
BOOK DRIVE FOR CHARITY
We would like to assist one of the less privileged school’s in the area by providing them with books for their school as we have done in previous years. We would like all riders to bring one book along to the event as their donation towards this cause.
It does not have to be brand new and your children’s old books are more than welcome. We are trying to target the age group 4 -12 years. We had a wonderful response last year and we hope we will be able to achieve the same this year.
CAN I TRAILER THE BIKE DOWN?
Sorry, no trailers will be allowed at the venue, and no arrangements have been made to accommodate trailers near or around the venue.
WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING AGAIN?
For the famous, comprehensive and complete Bones Hewitt guide, please visit
www.gagsc.com/GAGSC%202007/preparation_kit.htmlThis is a rough guide to ensure that you don’t forget the most important stuff. Please note that you do not need to bring any cooking, eating or drinking utensils, as we will provide it all.
Also, no four-wheeled vehicles will be allowed anywhere near the venue, so what you bring must fit on your motorcycle:
• A small tent (maximum size is three-man tent).
• Sleeping bag (or bedding) and an optional mattress and pillow.
• Torch.
• Bath / shower towel.
• Toiletries: The usual toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo and shaving kit.
• Rider gear in good repair – including cold weather gear. Dual-purpose or off-road boots are recommended. The average late September temperatures for the Eastern Northern Cape are mild, but there is always the off-chance of a wandering, late cold front which might make things chilly for a night or two.
• Rain protection for the rides. Although the weather report for the period is looking good, there is an outside chance of late winter drizzle in the area.
• Casual clothing for the evenings, including something warm.
• A small rucksack / back pack / camel back to carry your lunch during the route riding. (For Red Route participants, we highly recommend a camel back, as you will get pretty thirsty).
• Cash. The petrol at some gas stations can only be bought with cash. In addition, there will be a cash bar for the duration of the event. Bring as much cash as you anticipate spending on fuel and drinks.
• Tyre repair kit. Please ensure that you carry everything you need to fix a puncture during the routes. (Also see “Emergency Tyre Support” below).
• A Camera. There will once again be a photography competition with great prizes after the event, so make sure you capture the moments.
• Optional:
o If you have a tank bag with a map window, bring it along.
o GPS
GPS – DO I NEED ONE?
A GPS is highly recommended. It will enable you to enjoy the event to a considerably higher degree – but please ensure that you know how to operate your GPS unit prior to arrival.
HOW WILL I NAVIGATE WITHOUT A GPS?
Every evening, you will receive a full briefing on the next day’s route. You will also receive a navigation pack for the next day’s route, a rain-proof transparent holder, and duct tape to fasten the nav pack to your tank.
This nav pack will include turn-by-turn instructions, including information on the length of every leg on the route, the signage available at every turn, and maps of the whole route, as well as every leg.
All the route options have special stages, which will have GAGSC signage to show the route.
I DO HAVE A GPS. HOW DO I DOWNLOAD THE ROUTES?
The GPS routes (in track and route format) will be available for download at
www.gagsc.com/gps2007.html – but only from 18 September 2007.
Why only then? Because we think it would be unfair if an over-eager participant got hold of the routes before the Challenge, and went scouting …
The GPS tracks will be available in three sizes: Max. 700 waypoints. Max, 256 waypoints and max 128 waypoints. Make sure you know your GPS unit’s capacity, and load the right track. (If it reacts with a “track truncated” error message, you must use a smaller track version).
Before you leave for the GS Challenge venue, please download the routes at:
www.gagsc.com/gps2007.htmlDownloads will also be available at the Challenge itself. Please note: The routes are in Garmin .gdb format. Please make sure you have downloaded the latest software from
www.garmin.comRIDING WITH A BUDDY
We strongly recommend that you ride with a route buddy every day, as off-road riding is like scuba diving: You never do it alone.
If you do not know anybody who is participating, please talk to us at the GAGSC registration, and we will organise you a riding buddy.
ARE THE ROUTES SUPPORTED?
Yes. We have emergency medical and mechanical support. As usual, every participant will automatically be a marshal as well – in the spirit of co-operation and support so unique to motorcycling.
WHAT TIME CAN I ARRIVE AT PAPKUILSFONTEIN ON TUESDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER?
We will be ready for you from 14:00. Our advice is to arrive between 14:00 and 15:30. No formal lunch will be available, but boerewors rolls and cold drinks will be on sale.
WHAT DO I DO WHEN I ARRIVE AT PAPKUILSFONTEIN ON TUESDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER?
Please report to registration. If you have ordered clothing, you will receive it there, as well as instructions on where to pitch your tent, etc.
HOW DO I KNOW I WILL BE ABLE TO DO THE RED ROUTES?
The Red Route Special Stages will all be of an extreme nature this year.
You will be able to ride all three red routes if you have completed the official Advanced BMW Off-Road training, or are a highly experienced and competent off-road rider. If you are unsure, please talk to Jan du Toit or Deon Meyer after registration.
CAN I CHANGE MY MIND ABOUT THE RED, ORANGE OR GREEN ROUTES?
Of course you can – at any time during the event. But keep in mind that:
• You have to inform registration formally about a change.
• You can only qualify for Red Route completion if you do all three Red Routes.
• You can qualify for Orange by doing all three Orange, or mixing only Orange and Red.
• You can qualify for Green by doing all three Green, or mixing Red, Orange and Green Routes – as long as you complete three different routes in three days.
IF I MIX, WHICH RED ROUTE SHOULD I DO?
Don’t mix. All Red Routes are extreme, very difficult and require an excellent standard of riding.
If you are aiming at getting a Green or Orange Route badge, we very strongly recommend that you do all three the Green or Orange Routes. This year, they have their own special stages, they are truly spectacular, and were chosen to show you very different parts of the Northern Cape.
• If you absolutely have to do one Red Route, take your pick – they are all equally technical.
ARE YOU SURE THE GREEN ROUTES ARE EASY?
Yes, they are still roads you can ride with a sedan. And if you ride responsibly, you will have no problems, even if you have only done the Introductory Off-Road Course, or have equivalent experience.
What do we mean by “responsibly”? Keep your speed to within your capabilities. The Green Routes do have corners, of course – some of them quite sharp. There are a few technical bits, some potholes, and there will be farm traffic. But if you ride at the appropriate speed, there is little danger.
CAN I BE DISQUALIFIED?
Yes. It is a measure necessitated by the huge growth in numbers, the many private farm roads we will use, and the high level of eco-awareness amongst farmers whose land we will cross.
But fear not, avoiding disqualification is easy. All you have to do is:
• Make sure you close all farm gates you found in that condition. (We had to promise a number of Northern Cape farmers to absolutely respect this. They can lose hundreds of thousands of rands worth of game and livestock if we don’t deliver on the promise.)
• Stick to the road or track. Don’t ride in / across the veldt. Don’t look for short cuts, or detours around mud, sand, rocks or any other obstacle. Please respect the environment, and enjoy!
• Respect all participants by thoroughly enjoying yourself, without spoiling the experience for others.
DANGERS AND HAZARDS ON THE ROUTES
Please keep in mind that we will not have exclusive use of all the roads during the event – and the usual hazards of riding in Africa exist. So please ride with extreme caution, keeping the following in mind:
• Virtually all accidents and spills at previous GS Challenge events were caused by excessive speed, unsuitable to the conditions.
• There will be local agricultural traffic on many of the roads. This means bakkies driving at high speeds or very slow and unpredictable tractor traffic. Please follow the bikers’ dictum that “if that tractor can swerve in front of me, it will”.
• Please be extremely careful when approaching blind corners and / or blind heights. During the route recce’s, we often found other traffic on the wrong side of the road when cresting a hill, or going around a corner.
• Rural roads lack vital signage. Cross-roads don’t have stop signs; sharp curves do not have warning signs. Local traffic does not stop at cross-roads.
• Stray animals. During the route recce’s some weeks ago, we encountered abundant game on the roads, as well as sheep and cattle – often when we least expected it. Please be very, very aware of this hazard.
RED AND ORANGE ROUTES AND KNOBBLY TYRES
If you are planning on doing a Red or Orange Route, knobblies are essential.
If you already have knobblies on your motorcycle, please ensure that they are in very good condition before arriving at the GAGSC.
THE SKILLS CHALLENGE: IMPORTANT NOTICE
We are delighted that such an unexpectedly high percentage of you entered for the Skills Challenge – especially with a motorcycle as first prize.
However, the high number of entrants does have consequences. Because we are concerned about the safety of participants, we will again have to reduce their number as the Skills Challenge develops.
Only 20 finalists will survive Day 1, and only 10 will go trough to the final on Day 3.
EMERGENCY TECHNICAL SUPPORT ONLY
Having mechanical trouble during the Challenge can really spoil the event for you.
Although we will have mechanical support at the venue, it is for emergency use only, in case of a break-down or damage sustained during the event. Please do yourself a favour and have your motorcycle checked by a BMW dealer before departure. Should it be due for a major service, we highly recommend that you have the service done before attending.
Because of the much higher number of participants this year, the technical support teams simply won’t be able to tune, adjust or service motorcycles at all.
EMERGENCY TYRE SUPPORT
Please check your motorcycle’s rubber carefully before you go. You should have enough tread to get to the GS Challenge venue, enjoy the event, and return home.
If this is not the case, please have new tyres fitted early enough in order to run them in.
Although we will have all tyres available at the venue to fit all GS’s, it is an emergency service only, should your rubber be irreparably damaged on your way to Papkuilsfontein, or during the event.
Limited flat tyre recovery: Our technical support and recovery services at the GS Challenge will be comprehensive, and well-geared for emergencies. But we do have to draw the line somewhere, in order not to over-extend these resources. We believe in Africa every GS rider should be able to fix a simple puncture in a matter of minutes, and will not send technical support or a recovery vehicle in case of a fixable flat tyre.
In the unlikely event of your tyre being irreparably damaged, we will gladly send help.
So please ensure that you carry everything you need to fix that puncture.
FUEL AT THE GAGSC
Every day, your route will run past petrol stops. We highly recommend that you fuel up at every opportunity.
However, some of the legs will be longer than the tank range of an HP2 or X-Challenge. If you plan to participate on either of these, please ensure that that you are able to carry at least 5 litres of fuel with you.
Please fill your tank in Nieuwoudtville on Tuesday, 25 September, before you ride to Papkuilsfontein.
CELL PHONE RECEPTION
Please note that there is only Vodacom reception at the venue (thanks to a special mast supplied by Vodacom for the duration of the Challenge), and it might be wise to get a temporary Vodacom starter pack for the duration of the event to stay in contact.
CONTACTS
Should you have questions in the week before the Challenge, please contact Nadia Fredericks at 083 9555 071.
During the event itself, the GAGSC contact number is 079 868 1283
