Left Coast Brevet

Hokitika – 8 day Brevet

A MicroAdventure – a dirty weekender, an overnighter, another opportunity to use your kit instead of letting it get dusty

This ride is aimed at introducing people to the “type2 fun” of self-supported multi-day navigation that are Brevets.
It’s a no-frills “you are on your own” self-supported type affair.

Details
There is one official ride – the Brevet, but remember you can do as much as you want.
Yes really.
We kick off at 8am.
We don’t have minimum numbers, and we don’t cancel if it it’s raining and/or cold, so enter early!

Registration
You must register. Click on this link http://register.trackme.bike
Everyone must register but you can share one tracker between up to three team members, however you must ride together.
The Team Captain does a full registration and the other team members need to follow the team registration details carefully.

SPOTs (or InReachs) and tracking are compulsory – for your safety – and for friends, family and the flahute to stalk you!
There is a special deal through TrackMe for these rides if you need to hire a tracker, or you can bring your own.

An electronic map in a number of formats, cue sheets and a ride guide will be emailed out to you on receipt of your registration, no greater than 30 days prior to the event.

This will help the planners relax and if you register early, to get great rates on accommodation.
You will need to prepare everything else – your legs, your bike, your kit, food, maps, backup, transport, you name it.
It is highly recommended that you have a physical map as a backup. Your device will run out of batteries at some point.

Registration closes the Tuesday evening before the ride.

If you withdraw after the Wednesday or don’t turn up on the day, there will be no refunds. There is some room for movement at our discretion.

The Rules
Stolen largely from the Kiwi Brevet – www.kiwibrevet.blogspot.co.nz.
The main thing is to complete the course under your own steam, without a support crew or ANY outside assistance (other than what is commercially available to every participant).
Text-ins (via the SPOT/inReach) are to be made from designated locations along the route until you either finish or abandon the brevet.
1. Do it all yourself, under your own steam.
2. Riders must carry all their own gear.
3. You must carry a SPOT (or InReach) and agree to cover the cost of rescue in the event they need to be evacuated.
4. Riders must finish by 9pm on the last day.
5. When on public roads, follow the NZ Road Code.
6. Riders must observe all rules laid down by land managers along the route.

The Course

The Brevet
Distance > 930.6km
Elevation > +16.067m
Categorised Climb/s > (38)
Surfaces (approx.):
Paved – 54%
Unpaved – 46%

Left Coast Brevet
Left Coast Brevet

Difficulty Rating
Ok so this is more of a challenge – both in terms of length and technicality. This is an outside category ♦♦♦♦ (difficulty out of three) 8 day long brevet ride.

It is possible to ride in a day (if you have the mettle) or you can chill and take two or do the Taster or do whatever you want!

Just a few things to note:

  • As it is an epic ride, the distance markers aren’t showing in the map (above) so here is a very casual ride order: Hoki > Ross > WWT > Kumara > Lake Brunner > Paparoa > Runanga > Waiuta/Big River > Reefton > Westport > OGR > Westport > Coast > Paparoa > Greymouth > Kumara > Hoki.
  • good navigation skills required (plenty of aka “tricky” Flahute loops in there)
  • moderate resupply options
  • weather and conditions can change very quickly, especially rivers
  • rivers can rise very rapidly, do NOT attempt to cross any river that is/or forecast to be swift, high or in flood, wait or re-route
  • consider lighting options, you may run out of daylight
  • magical terrain and views
  • nice mix of gravel, seal and a lots of singletrack
  • a higher level of technical singletrack (Waiuta track, Paparoa Track (x2,) The Old Ghost Road and a couple of other tracks.)
  • it will be cold and/or wet
  • it’s hilly, like really really hilly, ok its pretty much just hills
  • at higher elevation, you can expect wild weather (extreme cold/wind/heat/snow) at any time and all of them in the same day
  • don’t f*ck around with West Coast rivers, if they are up or it’s been raining heavily, then don’t do it > factor time delays into any planning
  • DOC states that the Point Elizabeth Walkway should only be used during hours of daylight
So plan well, be prepared for anything and loads of Type-2 fun, but hey you’re in the driver’s seat….
Enjoy it, it is an adventure more than anything else.
That’s probably enough for now!
Feel free to post up any questions that you may have.
Thanks
Shailer & Candice