Just entered the Spring Polaris in the Welsh Borders.
Done 2 day trailquests before, but not with the self-sufficient camping bit.
So, what tips have you got kit wise (especially regarding water at the overnight camp) and whats the riding like round there?
Cheers
I did the Polaris a couple of years ago at the Lake District (when it was being run by Detail Events) and thought it was great. I'm considering another one, but it's a bit of a trek down to Wales for me.
When I did it they had some sort of tap for water at the camp.
Don't really have any special recommendations, go light but make sure you have plenty clothes, it can get pretty cold. I had borrowed an early rab quantum top but hadn't sorted out a proper mat so had a chilly time that night.
Foil take away cartons were popular for cooking on.
Having done several Polaris events in the past we have built up a stack of lightweight kit. We use a small lightweight tent that packs down small - terranova. Take warm clothing for the camp. Water is available and they used to cans of beer for a pound. We usually use freeze dried food - we found some pasta meals that actually taste ok. For longs we carry waterproof trousers. Try to get a map holder so that navigation is easy on the move. I think that we may enter the spring event as well. Good to see Polaris back again.
Don't carry lots of gear - look at the required kit list as a sensible minimum with additional things added pertinent to your own requirements. At the camp site get your tent up straight away and then get food going. We've tended to use a combination of dry and moist food - get a pan of water on the boil and put 2 sachets of moist camp food in. When the water is boiling take the sachets out and use the boiling water to make up the dry food - eat one, then the other.
Don't do what the two guys at Salisbury Plain did in 06 and make a massive fuss about their tent leaking and how the organisers were at fault for not having base camping just like every other event.
work out how to split resposibilities between you and have a good idea as to what your limits are as it can be quite tough to blow up about 5km from the finish and lose all your points.
Errr....... have fun?
Glad to see that Polaris is back, am assuming that mid Wales probably
means south of Newtown?
Done loads me!
As above really, travel light & be prepared to be uncomortable, travel heavy & be prepared to be uncomortable! It's worth noting that the guys who win carry all their gear on their backs, I don't think there's many who use racks. As for food, all we used was dried pasta, Batchelors tomato & herb etc etc plus your usual chewy/energy stuff for while your'e riding. Another thing which will help you is this, weeks before the event, pack your sack with whatever you intend to take & do a 7 hour ride. When you get home, leave the bag packed then sit on your bike with the sack on your back next morning. This will indicate how your ar$e is gonna feel on the Sunday morning of the event!
See if you can get hold of some Polycarbonate sheet(not Perspex, it shatters easily) about 25cm square for a map board & fasten it to your bars with cable ties through the holes you'll drill through. Those 'Map Traps' that Polaris sell are crap, when your'e hossin down a rocky descent at daft mph, the map WILL fly away. Fasten your map to the board with a clip from a clip board & relocated to the Poly sheet & a big fat elastic band at the bottom. Get a waterproof map, don't use a paper map in a bag, it'll end in tears (Pun!)
By Saturday night you'll have learned a lot!
Enjoy & have fun.
Cheers guys.
I've got a map board I've used before on day-long trailquests. I suppose we need to work out what level of comfort we want! What do you do regarding clothing at the night stop? Just wear what you rode in? Would be nice to have a change. What sort of pack size is best? 30ltr?
I suppose the food has the danger of taking loads of room if you get it wrong - will have to put some thoughts into this. Supernoodles?!
Stuff like this, and this.
You really don't want to be carrying a bag of pasta and sauce and cooking it - you can always tell those who have done as their's usually a massive turd of pasta next to their tent in the morning. we quite often have a similar meal in the morning as its easy and means that your pack is that much lighter for the second day and also easier to pack too.
Use energy bars for everything else - remember that you must have a minimum amount of emergency food as they random kit check and will DQ you if you don't comply with the minimum kit/equipment list.
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