Evan Christenson rides down the street from his childhood home to attend the weeklong race and party series that's historic in the messenger scene. The North American Cycle Courier Championships (NACCC) proves to be a wild ride. Click through for Evan's thoughts on mess life and what they can teach all of us cyclistsThe post Outside: North American Cycle Courier Championships (NACCC) appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

The Brit hopes to score a result at World Champs today, but hinted that racing further afield could be a possibility in future

Textbook race bike with a great build for the money 7/10

Mathieu van der Poel is one of the most talented cyclists on the planet and he has proven that once again today. He has become World Champion in his third discipline. The Dutchman won the Gravel World Championships this Sunday in style and has taken on another rainbow jersey."It was a big goal for...

Dutchman solos to victory after dominant performance in the Flemish Brabant

Christophe Laporte is a top rider but somehow rarely gets big victories. This Sunday this was not the case as Team Visma | Lease a Bike put in the perfect tactics and saw the Frenchman take the victory in a two-up sprint against Mathias Vacek.The French classic was raced under rain and this made th...

Mathieu van der Poel is the reigning cyclocross World Champion and now is also the Gravel World Champion. In Leuven, the Dutchman proved to be the strongest in the race and put in a masterful performance to get a new rainbow jersey in his palmars.The 180-kilometer race had many of the peloton's be...

Marine Lenehan has won Irelands first world title in gravel racing when she triumphed in the amateur womens race at the UCI Gravel World Championships in Belgium. Lenehen, who has won the Gran Fondo European Championships already in her career and is reigning Irish elite criterium champion, took the gold medal after 135.6km of racing. []The post Irelands Lenehan wins gold at amateur World Gravel Champs | Video appeared first on Sticky Bottle.

UPDATED October 6, 2024BY Guest AuthorINTour d'Afrique Cape to Kili no comments When In The Land Of Elephants, Play By The Elephants RulesNick Coe is the Content Creator on the 2024 Cape to Kili Cycling Expedition. He looks back at the tours time in Botswana cycling the aptly named, Elephant Highway.As the Cape to Kili expedition transitioned from Namibia to Botswana, we moved from the Mountains & Dunes section to The Elephant Highway. Crossing the border was like stepping into a new world: the landscape shifted from rolling dunes to flat bushland, gravel roads turned into smooth tarmac, and our roadside attractions transformed into animals.Its a privilege to experience such an incredible environment. Once we crossed into Botswana, we found ourselves in the land of elephants a new and awe-inspiring territory. It quickly became apparent that we were visitors in their domain. Elephants are the largest living land animals so in order to navigate this unique environment safely, TDA has established strict rules to follow. As our tour leader Yanez explains, Elephants are complicated creatures. They have complex relationships with humans, and each one is extremely intelligent.One of the most crucial rules is to always give way to elephants. If you encounter one, remember they have the right of way. The worst thing you can do is separate a family, Yanez cautions. If you find yourself in the middle of the road with an elephant on one side and a baby on the other, just back away. We were advised to keep at least 100 meters from them and to never stop nearby just keep biking. What might simply annoy a human could provoke a 6,000 kg elephant. They can get startled by unexpected noisesringing your bell, flash photography, or yelling. FYI, they can run at 40 km/h, which is faster than you can bike, Yanez adds.As we cycled through elephant country, we learned to recognize signs of their presence. One of our drivers, Noah, pointed out the unusually large dung we encountered daily. If you look at this type of elephant droppings, its quite young. This elephant still has two sets of teeth, which is why the grass is ground up so finely, he explained.Botswana is renowned for its remarkable elephant population, hosting one of the largest concentrations of these majestic creatures in the world. The vast landscapes of Chobe National Park and the Okavango Delta provide ideal habitats, where elephants roam freely across lush grasslands and woodlands.These gentle giants are not just a symbol of Botswanas rich wildlife, they play a crucial role in the ecosystem by helping to maintain the balance of their environment. As they forage for food, elephants shape the landscape, creating pathways and water holes that benefit numerous other species. Their intelligence and complex social structures further highlight the need for conservation efforts, making Botswana a vital sanctuary for these incredible animals. Visitors like us to the region are often struck by the sight of elephants interacting with one another, showcasing their strong familial bonds and the profound connection they have with their habitat.The abundance of elephants in this area is also partly due to government water irrigation. Alongside the roads we cycle, a pipeline supplies farmers and towns. Elephants have learned how to access this water by removing cement doors, which draws them to the roads. Rider Charlotte shared this insight into their daily habits Elephants generally graze for about 20 hours a day. If they stop grazing, it means theyve noticed you. If they cease flapping their ears, stomping their feet, or moving their trunks, its time to turn around and cycle the other way. Despite their size and power, elephants are also gentle giants.While camping at Elephant Sandsa campground surrounding a water hole frequented by wild elephants we had the chance to observe them up close. One night, an elephant wandered through our campsite, weaving between tents and bicycles. Crew member Mic described the experience vividly Its 3 a.m., and I roll over in my tent, open my eyes. Just meters from my head is the foot of a female elephant. She silently navigated through a maze of six bicycles and around a 44, standing in a small gap between my tent and Jasons.Its a privilege to experience such an incredible environment. As our tour leader, Yanez, noted, If we respect the animals, they respect us. While cycling through this stunning region may sound romantic, the wildlife introduces an element of unpredictability. You never know what an animal might do or where it might appear, but you can control your own actions. In 22 years of the Tour dAfrique, weve never had an incident, Yanez assures us, but if you dont use common sense and follow the rules, youre not just jeopardizing your own safety but also ruining it for others who want to cycle through here.RELATEDTOURTour d'Afrique Cape to KiliWith iconic Table Mountain as the backdrop, the cyclists will head north with Mount Kilimanjaro known as the Roof of Africa as their... Related Posts:Leave a Comment for "When In The Land Of Elephants, Play By The Elephants Rules" Cancel reply

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