In the VINCE 2020 event we finished second using maps and compass with a score of 82 points. The number of competitors was significantly reduced (40 v 90+ for a normal year) due to COVID concerns and travel restrictions. For this reason Austin decided to run the 2020 event again in 2021 – same routes, same CPs – to give those that had missed the original event an opportunity to participate. We entered for the rerun but weren’t officially allowed to compete so we decided to try our luck using GPS instead of maps with the objective of beating last year’s score.
However, we had done no preparation for the rerun so after the Mondo in Spain we decided to head home for some route planning and servicing of the bikes…
I gave mine a wash and it was ready to go again :
Dougie’s Freeride needed a bit of tinkering before it was ready…
It did clean up nicley once he had finished though – only time would tell if it would be reliable…
I did need to do some work on my map board as we were intending to use our phones as GPS units, running an app to give us a track to follow. I wanted it mounted up high so it would be easy to see at a glance when standing up on the bike.
Dougie’s set up had two phones as he likes to use one for tracking the route and the other showing a wider overview of the general area – useful when having to replan the route on the fly.
Although the GPS option is easier to follow when riding, the amount of preparation is very similar and takes hours of work. We had to identify an “optimum” route for each day to accumulate as many points as possible within the time limit (12 hours riding per day). The selected route is then converted into a GPX track which can be validated using Google Earth to make sure the tracks exist and to try and spot any alternatives or short cuts.
One of the difficulties we experienced last time we ran this event was in a large area to the North that consists of endless olive groves. They all look the same on the ground so navigating with a map and compass is really difficult. We were hoping to pick up time here and avoid getting lost. Here is a view of some of the olive groves on Google Earth…
I managed to rustle up a few meals to keep us going – lots of vegetables to make a change from the Mondo menu of meat with extra meat at every meal. I did a stir fry one night but think I might have overdone the Chilli for Dougie’s taste…
We did manage a small amount of local trail riding in between planning sessions. This gave Dougie a chance to use his electric Freeride, but even that had problems and it had to be jump started from my bike every time we stopped !
We did a route that took us down into Prayssac which included the obligatory coffee stop where Dougie was able to have his cake and eat it.
We saw some amazing views when we were in Spain, but the views from the terrace back home aren’t too bad either…
Once we had the bikes fettled, routes plotted and checkpoint cards printed and laminated, we were ready for the off once more..
The location of the VINCE rerun was much further south in Spain and it took all day to get there. When we arrived in the early evening the town of Valderrobres was bathed in a golden glow.
This was a new location for us – last year we stayed in Arnes a few Km away – and we struggled to find the hotel which seemed to be right in the middle of the old town with very narrow streets. Having failed to get the van anywhere near we called the hotel only to be told we had to park outside the town and walk !
The hotel was very old and quite small – the building to the right of the old gate in this picture..
We had a free day before the event and did a test ride and checked out the new walkie talkies we were planning to use – we soon gave up with them as the bike and wind noise made hearing anything very difficult. Dougie discovered a problem with the starter switch/solenoid on his bike, possibly as a result of pressure washing – so it was back to base for more fettling. Fortunately he has spares of almost everything and the solenoid was soon changed.
Day 1
We got away on time and set off on the long road stretch leading to the first trail. I was having trouble with my phone/app as it would not update the GPS location and was telling me I hadn’t left the car park. Fortunately we remembered this route from last year so finding the start of the first trail was no problem and my phone soon sorted itself out. Dougie was having more trouble – the Freeride was misfing along the road stretch and he was afraid this would only get worse along the bumpy trail. I set off to go and get the first checkpoint with Dougie following along behind – it didn’t matter too much if we got separated as we were both following the same GPS track and the app we were using has a useful “Buddy Beacon” feature to show where the other person is (or where they were 5 minutes ago). I got the first CP and waited, but no sign of Dougie. After a while I decided to retrace my steps to see what had happened and came across him at the side of the trail with his bike partially dismantled.
He couldn’t do too much on his own as I was carrying the tools, but soon had the bike completely in bits. It emerged that the starter motor had engaged as he was riding along the trail and had kept on cranking continuously until it flattened the battery. Having stripped and checked everything there was nothing for it but to reassemble and try to get it going again. But the battery was dead flat and the Freeride doesn’t have a kickstarter (weight saving). Trying to bump start the bike on the trail was hard work but at least it was downhill going back the way we had come. It didn’t start…
We eventually made it back down to the road with the Freeride coasting most of the way…
The Freeride battery was completely dead, but we realised it was the same size as the battery on my bike. Not only that, but my KTM does have a kickstart and doesn’t need a battery to run. A battery swap did the trick and we got the Freeride running again, but decided to head back to base for further investigation rather than risk being stranded out in the middle of nowhere.
In the mobile workshop Dougie did have a spare battery, but it too was completely flat. He had brought a new spare battery with him but gave that to a needy friend at the VINCE a couple of weeks ago… Having checked all we could we decided to set off again to try to collect at least some points – crossing our fingers that the Freeride kept going and that mine would continue to be OK on the kick starter only. We managed to collect a few points and did one particularly gnarly goat trail that Austin had warned “no big bikes” and “no novices”..
I dicovered a problem with my setup – the phone wasn’t charging, probably due to the flat battery I was using which was refusing to hold any charge. As we were reliant on the phone for navigation we decided to call it a day and head for home to try to source a new battery for the Freeride to give us a decent shot at Day 2.
Back at base Dougie went to see Austin…
Fortunately he had a battery, but it was attached to his bike so he offered to lend it to Dougie for the day…
A bit of work was required to fit the map board/navigation and charging system to Austin’s bike, but at least it looked like we were in with a chance for Day 2…
Coincidentally Dougie had begun to tire of the Freeride and the constant maintenance and reliability issues and had been hoping to blag a ride on a CRF at some point…
The CRF 250L and Austin’s bike in particular is a very rugged and reliable machine (it’s a Honda!) and Austin had ridden his all the way down from the UK. It is a relatively heavy bike, made even heavier by the accessories and luggage that have been added…
Day 2
With a reliable bike the machine problems were behind us and we could concentrate on following the route we had planned. As with the Vince 2021 we adopted our usual formula – me in front getting to the checkpoints and reading the tags, Dougie following, keeping a check on the route and monitoring the schedule and replanning as required to keep us on track.
Compared to the map and compass approach I found using GPS to be much better. Following a map is fine if your hiking or stationary but doesn’t allow you to glance down while riding to check you are still on track. With a GPS mounted high up on the bike it is possible to ride at a reasonable pace and concentrate more on riding while also being able to check that we are on track. When we did go wrong it was only by 50m or so and mistakes were quickly and esily corrected.
We made great progress and only a couple of minor errors – one place where the road we wanted to access from the trail was fenced off (not shown on the map or Google Earth), so we had to find an alternative route, and another where the trail we had plotted on the GPS didn’t exist – again a work around route was required.
We rode for 11 hours on Day 2 and managed to collect 74 points despite tackling the olive groves. Last year we scored 82 in two 12 hour days – our total this year was 83 so we did meet our objective of beating last year, but not quite in the manner we had expected. If we had managed a full Day 1 we would easily have had the best score in the event, although it would not have been recognised due to our prior knowledge. We arrived back after sunset and didn’t get back to the hotel until after dark…
The next day Dougie gratefully returned Austin’s bike with a “payment” of a new rear tyre…
So what did Dougie do about the Freeride and the Honda v KTM debate ?
Well he made the only sensible choice and flogged the Freeride on ebay and ordered a brand new Honda….
On the GPS v map and compass issue, Dougie has insisted that we continue to go “old school” for next year’s event, so watch this space….