The Route
Once a destination has been decided on, then an interesting route is created using Garmin Mapsource with Tracks4Africa maps. A database of all known mountain passes and river passes is used to try to include interesting sections in the route. These are colour-coded according to surface type (Tar, gravel/dirt, and mixed surface).
We try to include as many non-tar roads as is practical. We aim at approximately 300km per day wherever possible, though some might be a bit longer or shorter as the road network dictates.
Distances between fuel stops is also taken into consideration.
These “Routes” are then converted into “Tracks” in order to avoid the problems associated with different GPS /Navigation Apps selecting different roads to connect the Via Points which make up a GPS Route. A track is a collection of many thousands of breadcrumbs following the intended course, and cannot be changed by different navigation devices, which ensures that everyone follows the same course.
A Google Map is then created from this, showing the course we will follow, usually colour-coded a different colour per day, along with Points Of Interest (POI) such as refuel or refreshment stops, mountain or river passes, etc. See an example at: http://bit.ly/Apollo6Mar2020 (opens in new Tab).
A GPX file is also made available to all participants of the tour, to copy to your navigation device.
Joining a tour
A date for the tour is decided on, then an invitation is sent out to the WhatApp Group, “Adventure Xplorer“, which is not a discussion group, as only Admins can post. Any questions can be sent directly to the originator of the post. If the question might be of interest to everyone on the group, then it will be forwarded to the group along with its reply. This keeps the chatter down to an absolute minimum.
A maximum number of participants will be decided on, based on the available accommodation and other factors.
Members of the “Adventure Xplorer” WhatsApp group get first option for these tours. A certain date is put aside for them to confirm, after which any available vacancies on the tour is advertised on our larger “Relaxed Adventure Rides” group, and after a while on several other groups in order to fill the tour.
A deposit payment (usually 50%) is required as confirmation of your commitment to participate, as we often need to pay for the accommodation and meals well before the event. The balance of payment can follow closer to the tour start date.
Anyone may join these groups by sending a WhatsApp message or SMS to Keith on 0824148448 or email keith@xplorer.co.za
Note 1: The group, “Adventure Xplorer” is for those that are keen to join our multi-day tours (usually 2 or 3 days but occasionally longer).
Note 2: The group, “Relaxed Adventure Rides” is a wider group for day rides and to discuss venues, roads, routes, adventure bikes, events, etc
WhatsApp Group for the event
A temporary WhatsApp group is then created for the tour. As each person confirms they wish to participate, they are then added to the specific group for that tour, where discussions may take place in order to inform, co-ordinate, plan and debate issues.
During the actual tour, members may use the WhatsApp group (when they have mobile signal or WiFi), to share their best photos and for general chat. We keep the WhatsApp group live for about a week after the tour ends, in order to give everyone time to post their best photos, and to download those from the group that they wish to keep. A warning is sent out a day before the WhatsApp group is deleted.
Life360 App
Shortly before the start of the tour, we create a temporary group (called a “Circle”) on Life360 with all the participants invited to join. This is a free app for both IOS and Android phones, that allows us to keep track of the participants during the tour (where mobile signal is available), especially on the first day when we all get together at the initial meeting point. There is usually someone running late whom we cannot reach on the phone because he has no bluetooth intercom on his helmet, so this app allows us to know how long we need to wait before we start the ride.
The Life360 app uses minimal data, and only while someone in the group has the app on-screen and that particular group/circle is selected and visible onscreen. This has also helped us locate riders who got lost or missed a turnoff despite best efforts to follow group-riding protocols.
Each person may remove themselves from the Life360 circle after the tour completes.
Please install the free Life360 app and get to know how it works, well before you join a tour.
Note: You need to give the app permission to always have access to your location, not only while the app is open. This is very important. Make sure you have this set correctly, otherwise you will not be trackable during the tour.
Group riding protocols
During the ride, please follow group riding protocols and be considerate to the other participants. When we stop for a break, the smokers should light up immediately and not when we are about to depart. Likewise, at stops for lunch or refreshments, get your orders for food or drinks in as soon as possible, not when everyone else is already eating. It would be unfair and totally inconsiderate for everyone to wait for you to get your food and watch you eat, when everyone else is ready to ride again.
Please make sure you read this article on group riding protocols at https://adventure.xplorer.co.za/blog/?p=5 (opens in new Tab)
Communication
Communication before as well as during the tour is essential to keep everyone informed.
We strongly encourage riders to acquire a decent intercom for their helmet, as this makes the ride far less stressful if you can be kept in the loop, and it can be a major safety benefit to get early warning from riders ahead about obstacles or problems with the road.
If you do not yet have an intercom, seriously consider one of the Sena models that offer Mesh Network in addition to Bluetooth intercom. This eliminates all the problems associated with Bluetooth connectivity such as pairing sequence and inter-brand connection problems. At the time of writing (Feb 2020), the Sena 30K is the recommended model. They can run both a Mesh Network intercom as well as Bluetooth intercom simultaneously, to include non-mesh units into the network.
Whichever intercom you have make sure that you know the procedure to pair it to other intercoms. If it has a “Universal Intercom” mode or “Universal Bluetooth” mode, make sure you know how to access this, which allows it to pair with other brands. It is also useful to know the rated communications range in meters for your intercom. This gives you an idea of how close you need to ride near the other person you are paired to.
Note: The advantage of Mesh Networking over Bluetooth is that it eliminates the painful and often frustrating procedure of Bluetooth pairing intercoms and then trying to remain within range of the specific person you paired to. A Mesh Network works on a Broadcast system and continuously adapts and optimises relaying sequences between units. Bluetooth works like a daisy-chain. If someone in the middle drops out (flat battery or out of range or out of sequence), the chain gets broken.