Kiwi Brevet 2012

A few more images from out on the course

2012-02-10T20:41:00.006+13:00

A sample from the Molesworth (thanks Dominic) and a couple more pics courtesy of Chris Charles in Nelson.

Images of the early finishers

2012-02-09T22:22:00.009+13:00

Thanks to Dominic for sending these in from Seymour Square, Blenheim.

Some pics from Sunny Nelson

2012-02-08T21:16:00.005+13:00

Thanks to Chris Charles for these shots of Nathan, Thomas and Matt.

Day 5 Preview

2012-02-07T22:44:00.002+13:00

Congratulations to Ollie Whalley for a super-impressive ride through to Blenheim today. He snuck in a few minutes before 9pm, completing the course in 3.5 days. Wow!

My predictions weren't too bad yesterday night it seems, with Lance, Darren, and Geof sure to make Nelson tonight.

Scott might make St Arnaud, but would have to negotiate the steep Porika in the dark to do so.

Despite what we might imagine from watching Ollie's tracker all day, the ride into Blenheim is not a piece of cake. I'd expect those who do get as far as Nelson before 6pm or so will push on up the Maitai Valley, before grovelling up the Maungatapu Track. The climb will have most off their bikes I suspect, at the very least just above the dam, where a steep rocky section had me a little nervous in the opposite direction on my fully a month or so ago.

Beyond that point, the climb isn't as steep, but it is long, and exposed to the heat. At the summit,the views to the north-east are amazing, and well worth stopping to absorb.

The view from the top of the Maungatapu is worth admiring

The descent on the other side should be an absolute blast. It is less steep, and apart from the top, is pretty smooth going. At the bottom of the track, they follow the Pelorus River down to Pelorus Bridge, where if they're early enough, might still have a cafe open.

After Pelorus Bridge, the road is sealed all the way through to Picton, and a little beyond. Supplies are plentiful too, with the Canvastown Trout Hotel, stores and cafes in Havelock and the store at Linkwater all good options.

Riders might feel like they're almost there once they hit Picton, but treating the Port Underwood Road as a done deal would be a terrible mistake. Pat Hogan (now making his way to Springs Junction) only got as far as Picton on Day 1 of the inaugural Kiwi Brevet, such were the climbs, and loose gravel surface. Ollie took almost 4 hours to ride this final section this evening, so those who do make Picton late in the day might well need another night out on course before knocking the bugger off the next morning.

It'll be fascinating to see how the 5th day on course plays out!

* * * * *

I hope y'all have enjoyed the previews, and hope that they've made following the riders on the map a bit more fun with the added context.

My hat's off to all those who lined up for this Kiwi Brevet, and can't wait to start reading some of the blogs about it. Also, a nod of thanks to Pat Hogan and Jeff Lyall who helped Simon out with some key jobs this year!

I can't wait for the 2014 Kiwi Brevet. Will be a hard choice between riding again, or spectating again! Both are great options!

Day 4 Preview

2012-02-06T21:25:00.000+13:00

Day 3 is officially done and dusted at 9am on Tuesday, 72 hours after starting. On the fourth day, Ollie Whalley will finish the 2012 Kiwi Brevet. He'll be in St Arnaud before I drift off to sleep tonight, and my guess is he won't stop there. With a downhill run into Nelson, a tough but manageable 8 hours' riding (or thereabouts) are all that lie between him and the end.

Those in his wake with have to leave the West Coast via Rahu Saddle, a nice sealed climb, before taking a gravel road out of Springs Junction on the western side of the river. A bit more seal, and then a right turn off SH65 and a climb up to Maruia Saddle in some sweet bush.


Simon, at the top of Maruia Saddle

The climb to there last time was tough, so the descent should be awesome. At the bottom they hook into a bridge across the Matakitaki River before heading north on fast gravel roads to Murchison.

They'll eat well at Murchison, before taking the Mangles Valley through to the Braeburn Track. In the opposite direction, this was a highlight of the 2010 event, so should make for a nice mellow climb. After a short descent, they'll be at Lake Rotoroa. Hopefully they'll be feeling good, cos the Porika Track is about to smash the living daylights out of them. It is steep and rough, though the roughness shouldn't bother them too much on foot. I'm sure someone will ride it all, but whether it's worth doing so is another story.

The summit of the Porika is a gold-fossicking area, and hopefully the riders stop to read some of the signage. The descent isn't as steep, and should give them a bit of respite after the brutal climb. There will be a few kilometres on gravel before hooking onto SH63 for the run into St Arnaud. There will be the last shops before Richmond down near Nelson. It's entirely sealed roads to there so the going should be fast.

They're losing a lot of altitude to Nelson, so I wouldn't be surprised to see the guys who make Reefton tonight get to Nelson. There's a large posse building in Blackball, so it may be that those guys are too hungover to ride far. Hopefully the hapless Thomas will have good company and will avoid any further off-course deviations!

Day 3 Preview

2012-02-05T22:30:00.001+13:00

Well I totally suck at this crystal ball-gazing lark. As I type, Ollie is getting pretty damn close to Blackball (not that the course passes through there...).

The crew have had a bit of a shocker with navigation today - the turnoff to MacDonald Downs was an issue for some, and quite a few turned away from the Wharfedale in Lees Valley.

For a large chunk of the field, Day 3 will start from Sheffield or Springfield, followed by a big old sealed climb up to Porters Pass. The traverse to Arthurs Pass is riddled with small climbs, but a big feed, and a huge descent await. The drop down through Otira and to Jacksons should be very fast, and then riders turn off to do a mostly gravel lap out the back of Lake Brunner. Then, they cross the Grey River and make there way north-west to Ikamatua on the unsealed side.

The riders will be stocking up at the Ikamatua store, assuming its open on Waitangi Day. The Waiuta-Big River loop awaits.

Not the Big River hut at Big River

DOC took to it with dynamite since the last Brevet, so it should be a bit less arduous than two years ago. Reefton might be a good place to call it a night for some, though, we'll no doubt see some going over Rahu Saddle to Springs Junction or beyond.

At the rate Ollie's going, I wouldn't be surprised to see him get as far as St Arnaud. Surely Nelson's out of reach, just...

Riders without SPOT trackers

2012-02-05T21:27:00.002+13:00

Just to let Jimmy Finlayson and Michelle Cole & Josh Kench's fans know - they are out there and doing fine. Rather than using a SPOT tracker, they're carrying personal locator beacons.

We'll know when they get to various key locations around the course when they text in (all texts will be forwarded to the Kiwi Brevet twitter feed).

A few Photos from Sunday

2012-02-05T21:23:00.006+13:00

Thanks to Jasper for lurking between Wharfdale Track and Sheffield with his camera today.

Jonty at the top of Wards Pass

2012-02-05T07:31:00.002+13:00

This is the high-point of the Kiwi Brevet course and it looks HOT. Jonty suffered a bit of heat-stroke in Molesworth Station yesterday, but recovered nicely after a rest in the shade.

Photo courtesy of Jeff Lyall.

Pics from the road to Taylors Pass

2012-02-04T21:46:00.007+13:00

Day 2 Preview

2012-02-04T21:15:00.002+13:00

I don't know about y'all, but I'm feeling a little pooped just keeping an eye on the field! What great fun though!

They're about 12 hours in, with:

a large group chilling out at the northern end of the Molesworth getting a great opportunity to compare setups and backgrounds
a few still desperately trying to clear the Molesworth after underestimating the time they'd take to get through
another large group in Hanmer, or about to be,
Thomas, who's just left Hanmer,
and Ollie, who's almost in Hurunui!

Day 2 will take the front runners through MacDonald Downs, Lees Valley and the Wharfedale, and some will make the assault from the East on Porters Pass. There's a long patch with no services from Hurunui through to Sheffield, but at least there are plenty of opportunities to stock up early in the day.

* * * * *

After the riders turn off SH7 at Hurunui, it will be fast travel on gravel roads through to the only private land section on the course. It's a great section from the riders' point of view, as it connects nicely into Lees Valley.

Simon in MacDonald Downs, 2010

I don't have fond memories of Lees Valley itself- while reasonably flat, the loose and rough road surface was energy sapping.

After overcoming that, the riders will be onto the Wharfedale, and some pretty sweet singletrack through beech forest. This will be the first major test of the various gear stowage systems, but will be really enjoyed by the mountainbikers. There will also be a bit of walking - not much fun with a heavily laden bike - so look to those with too much gear to lose a bit of time here.

Soon after the Wharfedale, the riders will hit the seal again, and apart from some short and fast gravel sections, they'll be on sealed roads all the way across the Southern Alps and down to Jacksons.

Food, and perhaps a bed for the night will await at Sheffield, or a bit further down the road, Springfield. Porters Pass will be an intimidating climb, and one which I predict many will save up for the next day. At the rate Ollie and Thomas are going, I wouldn't be surprised to see one or both of them up high for the night, perhaps even at Arthurs Pass. They'd be mad to keep going - apart from the energy involved, I gather the views are off the hook!

http://trackleaders.com/kiwibrevet

More pics - At top Taylor Pass

2012-02-04T21:08:00.012+13:00

Some Photos from the Start

2012-02-04T20:55:00.006+13:00

(above) Seymour Square, Blenheim - 8:50am

(left) Revell, senior and junior.

Blenheim represents!

Day 1 Preview

2012-02-03T16:31:00.003+13:00

When I got home from the inaugural Kiwi Brevet in 2010, it was amazing to see how we'd been "watched" online, and I'm excited to be part of the spectator fleet this time around. It will be interesting to watch the crew's progress knowing at least some of the geographical hurdles they'll face, and all the while wondering how the other aspects of the event are going. What conversations are going down? What photos are being taken? What stories are being earned?

As a KB2010 vet, I hope I'm able to give those who didn't get around the course that time (or this!) some insight into the challenges of the day.

I came totally unstuck at the end of the event in 2010. The day was so simple to describe: "ride to Hanmer Springs [from Culverdon] then through the Molesworth back to Blenheim". When I saw the 1:250000 topo maps laid out in Jonty's shop last night, I was pretty shocked at how far the ride is, even despite having a pretty tough experience through there last time. There's a lot of country to pass through, and while relatively simple riding, it is arduous.

* * * * *

I've no doubt the riders will be totally amped come 9am tomorrow. With luck they'll have enjoyed a good sleep, and start with energy to burn. They'll need it!

The course profile has a distinct upward trend over the first 130km or so, but it amounts to less than 10 vertical metres per kilometre. It is the variation around that trend that will hurt. But, to some extent, that will be minimised by getting it done up front.

The riders have a deadline to meet: they need to clear the southern boundary by the curfew at 7pm. Simon will be advising them at the briefing on Saturday morning, that they shouldn't proceed past the northern boundary after 5pm. So, it will be an early night for some, but one which they should make the most of! There will no doubt be quite a crowd there, and it should make for some great conversation as this part of the field gets to know one another.

Photo: Jeff Lyall, who's out there again

There's not a single shop on course between Blenheim and Hanmer Springs, so no chance to demo time sitting waiting for a plate of scrambled eggs and a latte. Those that manage to knock out the distance in time (managing an average speed of just over 16km/h), should handle the corrugations that await them in the Moleworth with aplomb, and with gravity on their sides, clear the station by 7pm. I'd be surprised to see people stopping at Acheron, and forgoing the amenities of Hanmer Springs for the sake of knocking off an hour or so early.

Those that do reach Hanmer should be satisfied with such a great start, and one which should provide a good platform for Day 2. Riding further would bring the major climb to Porters Pass forward, but at the expense of rest and recovery.

It will be interesting to see if anyone's keen to roll the dice! And ain't it cool that come 0-dark-hundred tomorrow, the trackers will let us know who's pressing on... I'm excited for them, and us!

2012 Start List

2012-01-31T20:20:00.002+13:00

Here it - the start list for 2012. Fifty-seven riders, including 9 women, one tandem and a few guys who will still have crusty butts from last weeks Great Southern Brevet.

Jointly (along with a few hopefulls who have pulled out) they've donated a bit over $3,000 to Project K so that kids less fortunate than us have access to similar character-building experiences. Here's hoping that earns them all the good karma they need to enjoy a great brevet.

If you are wondering who these people are or what gear they are using, check out the profiles at
http://kiwibrevet.blogspot.co.nz/p/rider-profiles-2012.html

Alastair Brown & Martin Harry
Alex Revell
Andrew Carman
Andrew King
Andy Gilbert & Tony Little (tandem)
Andrew King
Andy Reid

Bill Fry
Brenda Clapp & Chris Burr

Charlotte Ireland & Tim Collinson
Christopher Gilbertson
Claude Dabaliz
Craig McGregor

Dan Roberts
Darren Tatom
Dave Sharpe
David Kleinjan
Dean Johansson

Geof Blance
Graeme Head

Hana Black

Jeff Lyall
Jimmy Finlayson
Jo Smith
Joel McFarlane-Roberts & Clair Graydon
John Lubbe
Jonty Ritchie
Julie Williams & Thomas Ekholm

Karin Pehrson

Lance Griffin

Matt Gerstenberger
Matthew Kemp & Kerrie Noonan
Michelle Cole & Joshua Kench
Mick Brown
Mike Revell

Nathan Mawkes

Ollie Whalley
Owen Hughes

Pat Hogan
Paul Becker
Peter Maindonald
Peter McKenzie
Peter Sullivan
Richard Davies

Scott Emmens
Stephen Butterworth

Thomas Lindup
Tor Madsen
~~Troy Szczurkowski~~

Maps, etc

2012-01-28T15:40:00.002+13:00

Navigation is a key skill of a brevet - a challenge not to be underestimated (particularly in the dark, at the end of a long day). The cue sheets that have just been posted are intended to be used with a selection of topomaps and guidebook directions. The altitude graphs are also handy for planning each day.

You can use a GPS, but don't rely on it 100% - take a couple of maps and the cue sheets, too. I recommend making some notes on the cue sheets, chopping them up into sections and then getting them laminated.

Here's what I recommend you take in the way of Topo maps:

1 - Topo250 map 19
2 - Topo50 map BV23 Virginia
3 - Topo50 map BW22 Oxford
4 - Topo250 map 23 (top third only)
5 - Topo250 map 17
6 - Topo50 map BT21 Waiuta
7 - Topo250 map 18
8 - Topo250 map 13 (bottom half only)

We've also suggested taking some directions from Classic NZ Mountain Bikes Rides (7th or 8th edition). These are all written for travel in the reverse direction of the 2012 Kiwi Brevet, but still contain some very useful information about level of difficulty, huts and directions to or from the trailhead.

Cue sheet for 2012 Kiwi Brevet (updated)

2012-01-28T13:59:00.003+13:00

Here's the cue-sheet for the 2012 Kiwi Brevet in Excel format. (And here's the same file on a Google server.)

Rules for 2012

2012-01-26T20:58:00.003+13:00

What is the Kiwi Brevet? What defines it? How does it differ from a race? Can it be won?

The Kiwi Brevet is a cycle touring challenge. It is defined by the course and the event rules. You can complete the course without following the rules, but you will have completed something that is, to some degree, different from the 'Kiwi Brevet'.

In 2010, most riders followed the Kiwi Brevet rules perfectly, but many did not. Some missed parts of the course, some entered Molesworth Station early, some picked up gear that was waiting at private addresses, some rode as domestiques for others. This was disappointing and lead to a complete lack of enthusiasm for finalising finishing results.

After completing the Tawhio o Whanganui last February - a far more relaxed brevet style event - I concluded that results are not important. In fact they can be counter-productive, as they encourage a level of competitive riding which detracts from a truly fine cycle tour.

A really great dirt brevet has a challenging time component, but that is only one small element of what defines success in this event. If there were 'winners' in the inaugural Kiwi Brevet, I would say they were the riders who exceeded their expectations and shared their adventures with others (through photos, blogs, amusing call-ins and articles, etc). If you can meet some of the locals, enjoy some great food and scenery; and finish uninjured with a little bit left in the tank, then you have done very well indeed! And if you enjoy the company of fellow breveteers - deepening old friendships or developing new - you've really hit the jackpot.

The event culture is largely determined by its participants, but the rules lay the groundwork for how the riders tackle the course. With that in mind, here are the rules for 2012.

1. Do it all yourself, under your own steam.

2. Riders must carry all their own gear (i.e. no domestiques, unless you are part of a team).

3. No outside support (deliveries only to public addresses, no support from friends along the way, no support vehicles of any kind meeting you along the way). Prior to the race you may only post supplies to post offices.

4. Follow 100% of the course.

5. Riders must carry a personal locator beacon, and agree to cover the cost of rescue in the event they need to be evacuated.

6. Rider must not complete the course in less than 4 days (This event is not about finding the fastest rider).

7. Riders must finish in under 8 days.

8. Between 9am one day and 9am the next, every rider must spend at least one block of at least six hours not travelling. That is, the maximum time any rider may spend travelling along the course will be 18 hours (between each 9am-to-9am period)."

9. When on public roads, follow the NZ Road Code.

10. Text-ins are to be made from designated towns along the route until you either finish or abandon the brevet.

11. Riders must observe all rules laid down by land mangers along the route (such as the Department of Conservation). Riders must not camp or light fires in the McDonald Downs Station section of the course.

In the event of Molesworth Station being closed to cyclists due to fire risk, riders are to proceed through the Rainbow Station. Note that riders must not be on Molesworth Road between Old Molesworth Homestead and Acheron Accommodation House between 7pm and 7am.

Spot Tracker Batteries & water carrying capacity

2012-01-25T21:59:00.005+13:00

Just a wee note to let you all know that you'll need a couple of lithium AA or AAA batteries for the SPOT trackers. Anything less than a lithium battery will run flat before half-way (and possibly let you down when you need it most). We know from experience that a fresh pair of lithium batteries (like Energiser Lithiums) will last the full 8 days (if you turn the tracker off at night).

If you're not careful, lithium batteries can be bloody expensive. You still have time for a little shopping around. Your local hardware store or Warehouse might have a pair of Energiser Lithium AAs for $10-$20. See Pat's comment below for an indication of which type of battery you'll need.

Another query you might want to consider now is 'How much water will I need to carry?'. I think 4-5 litres is a good minimum. You'll need to drink a lot more before Hanmer if you plan to camp out on day one - purification tablets or a billy & cooker are required. There is some reasonably nice looking water at just one location that I'm aware of between Blenheim and Hanmer - here.

On day one there is a curfew between 7pm and 7am on the road between Molesworth Homestead (at about 130km) and the Acheron Cobb Cottage (about 185km). In order to observe this curfew, you'll need to get beyond Molesworth Homestead (130km) by at least 5pm. If you get there at 5:01pm, you'll need to wait there untill 7am - not the worst thing in the world (if you are prepared for a night out) because you'll start the next day with good legs and a lot of altitude on your side, ready to enjoy a late breakfast in Hanmer.

Good luck with the planning. If you have any questions, post a comment here or on the Vorb Kiwi Brevet thread.

Also, time is running out to get your profile information sent. Please send ASAP to jeff.lyall (at) gmail..com . See the existing profiles here. There is some very useful info in some of these. The original post regarding the details you need to send is here.

Great Southern Brevet underway

2012-01-21T23:21:00.002+13:00

The Great Southern Brevet riders enjoyed picture postcard weather at the start in Tekapo. The riders have SPOT trackers, so you can follow them here

Good luck!

New Altitude Graphs

2012-01-19T21:28:00.005+13:00

Thanks to Nathan for slapping together some fresh altitude graphs. In order to do these, he reversed the course direction (which is, of course, clockwise) so that it looked like this:

http://maps.google.co.nz/maps/ms?msid=210164429420192130959.0004b1851e8718f8ab7f4&msa=0

Looking at this in Map View reminds me of what I love about cycle touring in New Zealand - the variety of landscapes is amazing! There are few places in the world where you can take in the following variety in a week on the bike:

Vineyards outside of Blenheim
Wide open, hill country farmland
Small-town farm country
Oxford Forest (Beech forest)
Korowai Tussockland Park
Craigieburn Forest Park
Arthurs Pass National Park (Alpine scenery)
West Coast farmland and small towns
Victoria Forest Park (dense broadleaf forest and mining relics)
Nelson Lakes National Park
Tasman towns and Nelson city
Richmond Forest Park
Marlborough Sounds

Take a camera and keep it handy!

Google Map of Course Updated

2012-01-18T21:15:00.002+13:00

We've updated the course map a bit (mainly around Wakefield to Nelson) - it is now finalised. In about a week I should have the directions notes sorted and ready to email out. Anybody out there like to do an altitude graph to share?

Have also tweaked the call-in locations (changed Arthurs Pass to Jacksons). We'll try a twitter-in system this time. It's a mystery to me, but Paul reckons it's the way to go. If you don't have a cell phone, we hope you'll be with somebody who does.

Don't forget to check out our new rider profiles. Please send yours in ASAP. to jeff.lyall (at) gmail.com . More details here.

Briefing, Start List and Rider Survey

2012-01-17T21:20:00.006+13:00

The morning of the Kiwi Brevet start we'll meet at Top Town Cinemas, 4 Kinross St, Blenheim for a rider briefing in one of the theatres (thanks again to Duncan for this great venue). Arrive at 7am to meet some of your fellow riders and sign the event waivers. The SPOT tracker allocation and briefing will be at 7:30. After the briefing you'll have about 45 minutes to sort out your final preparations and meet at the start (Seymour Square) for the 9am kick-off.

If you need somewhere to leave a bag during the brevet, head for Cycle World, 58 Charles St, Blenheim (just a block from Seymour Square). If you are hiring a SPOT tracker from Pat, you'll be able to drop it off there after your ride. They'll kindly be opening early on the 4th Feb, so you can get any last minute bike supplies at the same time as you drop off gear.

The Start List post has been updated, with the list being split into confirmed and unconfirmed starters. We're still getting the odd person wanting to sign up, so we need people to confirm (or step back) sooner rather than later, please. It's now only 18 days to the start of the 2012 Kiwi Brevet! If you aren't confirmed by the end of the month, we'll assume you have decided to give it a miss this year.

Kiwi Brevet veteran, Jeff Lyall, has volunteered to carry out this years rider's survey (Thanks Jeff). Some of this information is essential in case of an emergency.

Also, we all put a lot of effort into preparing for this event and it would be great if you were able to share some information about yourself and your set-up. We are looking at making a page on the Kiwi Brevet website for rider profiles.

If you are happy for us to share your answers then please let us know, otherwise we will just keep your info unpublished.

It would be great to have the details from you before the event starts, along with some contact information for during the race. At the end of the event, we'll ask you for a quick summary of how things went, what you wish you'd had, and what you wish you hadn't!

If you could reply to the questions below, via email to jeff.lyall (at) gmail.com that would be much appreciated. A photo of you and/or more importantly, your bike would be really good !

----------------------------------------
Happy for us to publish your details ( yes or no )

Rider name:

Age:

Profession:

Cycling experience (endurance event or touring history):

Bike (make, model and colour):

Bike Age:

Bike setup (racks, modifications, wheel size, tyre size):

Basic Gear list (e.g. camping):

Photo attached: ( yes or no )

Your cell phone during event:

Emergency contact person name and phone number:

Wellington Pre-Brevet Meet - 2nd Feb

2012-01-16T22:35:00.002+13:00

Want to have a chat with some fellow Breveteers before the event? If you're in Wellington, pop into Revolution Bicycles (at the Northland Shops) at 6pm on Thursday the 2nd Feb.

We'll take the opportunity to issue SPOT trackers, cue sheets and liability waivers to whoever turns up, and go over some maps of the course. If you can get these formalities out of the way on the Thursday the 2nd, it'll make the morning of the 4th a bit less stressful. Given this years 9am start (preceeded by the briefing) it will be all go in the 2 hours prior to the start.

There are three pizza shops within skidding distance of Revolution Bicycles - bring an appetite and something to quench your thirst. The veterans from 2010 will bring some tall tales.

Revelate Designs

2012-01-15T22:06:00.002+13:00

Nice to see the long-distance MTB riding scene in NZ has grown large enough to justify an importer bringing in Revelate bags. Their stuff is very highly regarded in the States.

If you're interested, check out http://www.cycletech.co.nz/products/346-revelate_designs.aspx

Sometimes it pays to have a little extra carrying capacity. As I was flying home from Wanaka today, I thought the Great Southern Brevet riders might like to take an extra thermal layer - there's fresh snow down to 1000m! We're highly unlikely to see snow on the Kiwi Brevet, but the southerly that blew through the Molesworth in 2010 saw me donning my balaclava. If you're not taking a sleeping bag, a survival blanket is a wise insurance policy.

Here's the sort of gear I like to take on a long, fast ride like this:
http://greatdividekiwi.blogspot.com/2008_08_01_archive.html
That plus a spot tracker and cell phone. These days I'd consider using a Freeload rack at the back (my home-made contraption was lighter...and more fragile). If I wasn't taking a bunch of sleeping gear, I'd probably use a big under-seat bag like the Revelate one. But next time, some camping under starry skies is on my agenda.

SPOT Tracker Hire

2012-01-06T22:58:00.002+13:00

The organisation of the Kiwi Brevet is a fairly relaxed affair, but we do have standards! Believe it or not we even have a Health and Safety Plan. That plan requires just one bit of compulsory gear - an emergency locator beacon. You must have something capable of calling for a rescue even when you're out of cell phone range.

Like last time, we are getting a bunch of SPOT trackers in from overseas that you can hire. These trackers send a signal to a sattelite every 10 or 15 minutes, which gets forwarded to the SPOT HQ and then displayed on a web site. This is great fun (and peace of mind) for friends and family back home, who can see where you are at throughout the event. With this device you can send an 'OK' signal or a 'Help' signal. The 'OK' signal goes to the website. The 'Help' signal gets forwarded to '111' here in NZ. One rider activated the 'Help' signal at the inaugural Kiwi Brevet and a rescue helicopter arrived at the top of the Big River track quite promptly.

If you prefer to use a traditional emergency locator beacon, you may. If you are registered as a team (which requires you to ride within ear-shot of your partner at all times) you may share a SPOT or emergency locator beacon.

We're getting 50 SPOT trackers. If you want one, please email Pat Hogan
(patjhogan [at] me.com). Pat's a Kiwi Brevet veteran and has kindly agreed to manage the SPOTs this year. They will cost $80 to hire for the duration of the event (and Pat will hand them out immediately before the event briefing, about 2 hours before the start).

If you are using your own SPOT or emergency locator beacon, you'll need to produce it for inspection before the start. If you supply us with the details of your SPOT beforehand, we'll try to get it included on the tracking page for the event.

Randonneuring taking off Down Under

2011-12-16T21:29:00.002+13:00

This is interesting...http://www.kiwirandonneurs.org.nz/ is a website for road brevet type events from 200 to 1200 km. They are run in the same spirit of self-sufficiency as the Kiwi Brevet. No great surprise really, because we're all inspired by the same sort of epic feats of long distance cycling that were taking place a century ago.

There are some differences in style though. In the road riding ultra endurance world the pinnacle events are Paris-Brest-Paris and Race Across America which are much more difficult to qualify for (and expensive to enter) than the off-road equivalents. They tend to be more competitive - you don't get people stopping to take photos all that much. But they have a lot of history and tradition which is fascinating in it's own right. Check out the history page on the Kiwi Randonneurs site.

Off-road ultra endurance events are younger, less organised and, arguably, more adventurous. This will probably change with time as fast riders race harder and harder to better their times (at the expense of the touring element of the ride). I hope the Kiwi Brevet will be an exception...that it will remain relatively uncompetitive...that it will encourage people to explore the mountains, coast and forest (more so than exploring their physical limits). There are plenty of other events which allow a rider to prove how fast they are.

I'll right some more about this when time allows. If you're curious about the early characters who promoted long distance cycle touring, check out this link:
Velocio - Paul de Vivie wrote gems like this:
After a long day on my bicycle, I feel refreshed, cleansed, purified. I feel that I have established contact with my environment and that I am at peace. On days like that I am permeated with a profound gratitude for my bicycle. Even if I did not enjoy riding, I would still do it for my peace of mind. What a wonderful tonic to be exposed to bright sunshine, drenching rain, choking dust, dripping fog, rigid air, punishing winds!

Hand Care

2011-12-12T19:52:00.002+13:00

Looking after your hands is one of the most important things to consider for anybody who likes to use their digits soon after the event. Perhaps you have a job that involves typing or a child who's shoe laces need tying. Maybe you're a bit of a musician or you simply like to be able to use cutlery.

Several very, very long days in the saddle can cause all sorts of nerve damage in your hands. Usually it's temporary, but may last a few months. Here are some tips for minimising the impact of the Kiwi Brevet.

1 - Get some really long rides in during your Christmas break. Of course this will be good for your legs and waistline, but it'll also help to build up the endurance in your arms. If your arms stay strong throughout the Brevet, you'll be able to keep your elbows bent, and absorbing small road shock. When riders get exhausted, they tend to straighten their elbows and bend their wrists - leaving road shock to be absorbed primarily by hands, wrists and neck.

2 - Run low pressures. A fat tyre at 30-40 psi will absorb a helluva lot of shock. If you are riding a touring bike or cyclocross, the fatest tyre you can fit, inflated to the lowest pressures you dare is the way to go (maybe 60 psi, depending on your luck in avoiding snakebites).

3 - Let the bike carry the load. The less weight you have on your back, the less pressure you have on your hands (and butt).

4 - Change positions and stretch every few minutes. If you're running MTB bars, I recommend fitting some aero bars. They're a great way to rest your hands (and a good place to put a map, or hang a small bag). Don't hang onto bar ends for long - while comfortable for your arms, they usually increase the pressure on the nerves at the base of your wrist. If you have dropped bars, add an extra layer of tape or consider having some padding put under the tape in the areas you rest your hands most of the time. Make any changes to your bars now so that you have time to get used to them.

5 - Find some gloves you love. A little bit of padding is a good thing, I believe, but it is a personal choice. I like a little bit of extra padding around the base of my palm (either leather or a little bit of gel). Too much gel padding can result in extra pressure being applied to the centre of your palms - an area not designed to take prolonged pressure.

At the end of each day, give your hands a bit of a rub and maybe take a small dose of anti-inflammatory of some sort. If you are getting pain by the end of day two, consider raising your bars and shortening the distance you try to cover in each of the remaining days.

Firming up the start list

2011-11-29T20:34:00.029+13:00

Lots of donations are going into Project K and the good folk at the Foundation for Youth Development tell me you're being quite generous. Over $3,100 raised so far. Nice one!

Here's a start list in first-name alphabetical order. An asterix means confirmed. We have 57 confirmed starters and 9 unconfirmed (as of 31 Jan). There's room for 80 riders in the 2012 Kiwi Brevet. If you want to confirm your start, but forgot how, check out the details here . We're happy to see new people sign up to the start as a confirmed starter, up until the point that we have 80 confirmed starters - after that, the names of unconfirmed starters will be removed from the start list. The start list will be closed on the 31st of January (based on riders who have confirmed their intentions with a donation to Project K).

Confirmed Starters:

Alastair Brown & Martin Harry*
Alex Revell*
Andrew Carman*
Andrew King*
Andy Gilbert & Tony Little (tandem)*
Andrew King*
Andy Reid*

Bill Fry*
Brenda Clapp & Chris Burr*

Charlotte Ireland & Tim Collinson*
Christopher Gilbertson*
Claude Dabaliz*
Craig McGregor*

Dan Roberts*
Darren Tatom*
Dave Sharpe*
David Kleinjan*
Dean Johansson*

Geof Blance*
Graeme Head*

Hana Black*

Jeff Lyall*
Jimmy Finlayson*
Jo Smith*
Joel McFarlane-Roberts & Clair Graydon*
John Lubbe*
Jonty Ritchie*
Julie Williams & Thomas Ekholm*

Karin Pehrson*

Lance Griffin*

Matt Gerstenberger*
Matthew Kemp & Kerrie Noonan*
Michelle Cole & Joshua Kench*
Mick Brown*
Mike Revell*

Nathan Mawkes*

Ollie Whalley*
Owen Hughes*

Pat Hogan*
Paul Becker*
Peter Maindonald*
Peter McKenzie*
Peter Sullivan*

Richard Davies*

Scott Emmens*
Stephen Butterworth*

Thomas Lindup*
Tor Madsen*
Troy Szczurkowski*

Expressions of interest (unconfirmed):

Adam Basiljet
Andrew Rowe
Christopher Boyle & Mel Boyle
Nathan Versey
Shaun Timberlake
Stan Hancock

Butt Care

2011-11-22T22:33:00.003+13:00

This is the first in a series of short pieces on looking after yourself at the Brevet.

Probably the hardest thing for a fit rider to deal with when doing an ultra-endurance bike ride is butt care. Discomfort and damage fall into five areas:

1 - Numb family jewels.
Solution - tilt your seat down slightly and/or raise your handlebars. Experiment with different saddles long before the ride, and then get used to your preferred choice. Spend time standing on the pedals and/or walking regularly.

2 - Numb or raw 'taint' ('taint' = the area just behind your family jewels. It ain't this and it aint that).
Solution - Similar to above, but also make sure you aren't drifting forward to the narrow part of the saddle too much. Don't carry significant weight on your back. Use chammy cream or talc.

3 - Bruised sit bones and raw skin on buttocks.
Solution - Similar to above, but it may help to lean forwards and put more weight on your taint from time to time. Running tyres at low pressures helps to reduce road shock (my pick is 50mm wide tyres at about 30 psi). Maybe pop a low dose anti-inflammatory pill at the end of each day.

4 - Distressed butt-hole
Solution - Chammy cream is the main fix for this one, followed by some talc at the end of the day. If you are really unlucky you might end up with hemorrhoids. There is some useful information about this topic to be found online, but I recommend avoiding Google Images.
Try to avoid foods which might lead to constipation, throw a packet of prunes into your jersey pockets, and pull back on the number of hours in the saddle. It will pass.

5 - Saddle sores (which can occur on any part of the anatomy previously mentioned).
Solution - Again, start the Brevet with a well worn-in saddle. Wash every day. Use a great pair of cycling shorts (with chammy cream) while riding, and a well-ventilated pair of shorts at the end of the day. Stand on the pedals frequently and walk some of the steeper climbs.

If you are doing really, really long days, you may start to get a bit crusty overnight. Breaking through the crust at the start of the day can be a little painful, but after about 10 minutes you should be back to normal. 'Pain is weakness leaving the body' is a good catch phrase at times like this.

Saddles are a very individual choice - I won't recommend any particular one (other than to say, DON'T try starting with a new leather saddle. Those suckers take a long time to break in).

On the shorts front, I've been very impressed by new Ground Effect Exocets. They have no seam round the edge of the padding, and the padding is thick where it needs to be. If it isn't too warm and problem 3 is your worst, consider wearing two pairs of shorts for some of each day.

Chammy cream is also a personal choice. The last I used was Sweet Cheeks Butt Butter (made by Jennie Taylor who's husband is an ultra-endurance mountain biker). It worked brilliantly. Jennie is extending the same special deal as last year:

$20 for a 200gm pot of Sweet Cheeks Butt Butter + $2.50 shipping anywhere in NZ = $22.50 total.
Usual retail price is $25 + shipping

Contact: sweetcheeksnz@gmail.com or phone: 03443-2002

Le Petit Brevet Underway

2011-11-20T07:59:00.003+13:00

Spare a thought for Le Petit Brevet riders this weekend, touring round the Port Hills and Banks Peninsula for up to 36 hours. They have 8,000m of vertical to tackle over a 230km course - but the scenery, fine food (like chocolate milk) and good company should more than make up for the travails encountered.

If the organiser (Tim Mulliner) isn't totally shattered, we might see some results (and maybe photos) appear on lepetitebrevet.blogspot.com in the next day or two.