Explore Southland
The checkpoint challenge is something I thought up while 20 hours deep into the 2023 Tuatara 1000. I was imagining exploring roads less travelled and sharing an adventure with a community but in a way that can be done at any pace and any time.
Imagine a gravel adventure stage race, just like the Tour of Southland except no timing systems no race rules and no pinning on numbers. With over 800km worth of rides, this challenge is completely designed to be ridden over multiple days, weeks or even months.
Like a tour the "Full Southland checkpoint challenge" is built up of multiple stages of varying distances, mostly around 100km. Each stage has a combination of gravel country roads, rolling Southland countryside and enough tar seal to give the bones a break from the gravel chatter. The way the checkpoint challenge is designed means that you will not know what or where the next stage is until finishing the stage you're currently riding, and that is what makes this event different to others, its the unknown.
At the end of each stage keep an eye out for the QR code on the back side of road signs (mostly give way signs) for the the next stage ;)
For those wanting less of the unknown and more of the plan ahead type adventure, I will be releasing all stage maps for $15 so you can ride it your way.
