Information for Riders #

All of our events are designed to help newcomers discover the joys of bikepacking, as well as exploring the countryside around Rotorua. In our events everyone camps together each night, so you can share stories, see what others have done in terms of camping, cooking and bike setup, and learn from each other. It’s “social bikepacking” at its best.

These events are run by volunteers, there are no entry fees or prize money, and you participate at your own risk. I hope you’ll have fun, but of course I can’t guarantee the weather. While the organised events are certain dates, you can also choose to ride them by yourself, at whatever date suits you. These events only ever use publicly-accessible roads and tracks, so you can ride the course at any time.

Registration #

There’s no formal registration or entry fee for these events; just turn up on the day and come for a ride.

We may set up a Facebook event for the ride, so you can share with others what you’re doing, but you’re not required to mark yourself as “going” on these events. The Geyserland events are deliberately very low-key; basically we’re a group of friends going for a ride together.

The Start #

We always start and finish the rides outside the Rotorua Museum. The ride briefing, 15 minutes before the start of the ride, is on the grass by the picnic table on the northern side of the museum:

The Course #

Each day, there are at least two options you can take: the “regular” option which will get you to your destination, and a “hard” option with extra climbing and distance for those who want a real challenge. Don’t be fooled, though…even the regular course isn’t easy, and you will need a fair bit of fitness under your belt.

Downloading GPX Files #

The course maps are stored on RideWithGPS, and if you have a RideWithGPS account you can just import them directly into the app on your phone. Alternatively, you can download the GPX file for each day’s course and install it onto your cycle computer.

To download the GPX files is a little confusing, but you don’t need a RideWithGPS account to do it. Just go to the RideWithGPS web page for the course you want, and click or tap on the three dots beside the “Send to Device” button:

Choose “More Export Options”, and a window will pop up allowing you to export the file in various formats. Most likely you’ll want to use the “GPX Track” format as that’s the format used by Garmin and most other cycle computers. Save the file to your computer, and then you can copy it to your cycle computer in the usual way.