Maps & Cue Sheets & Stuff

Maps & Cue Sheets
Finding your way is a key skill of a brevet. There are 4 items that will help you along the way (aside from a GPS). Topomaps, Google maps with directions, guidebook directions (CNZMBR - 7th ed), and cue sheets. In addition, altitude graphs can be handy and Hamish Seaton has almost finished a very accurate set which we'll email out next week.

Here's what I recommend you take, in the order that you'll need it. If it's not in bold, that's cause I'm not taking it (because I've ridden there in the last couple of years):
1 - Cue sheet to get from Blenheim to Rarangi (and keep an eye on the locals)
2 - Google directions to Pelorous Bridge
3 - CNZMBR Maungatapu ride
4 - Topo250 map 13 (bottom half only)
5 - Street map for Nelson (Google) and Nelson Cycleway map
http://www.nelsoncitycouncil.co.nz/assets/Leisure/Downloads/cycleway-map-A4.pdf
6 - Nelson cue sheet
7 - Topo250 map 18
8 - CNZMBR Pioneer Heritage Trail
9 - CNZMBR Big river - Waiuta
10 - Topo50 map BT21 Waiuta
11 - Topo250 map 17
12 - Google directions for Waiuta to start of Wharfedale Track
13 - Topo250 map 23 (top third only)
14 - CNZMBR Wharfedale Track
15 - Topo50 map BW22 Oxford
16 - Topo50 map BV23 Virginia
17 - Cue sheet through private land after Lees Valley (to be distributed at briefing)
18 - Google directions to Hanmer
19 - CNZMBR Molesworth
20 - Topo250 map 19
21 - Cue sheet for final leg into Blenheim

I'll also take the full cue sheets that outline the services on route.
Don't forget to set up a mapboard so you can read your cue-sheets without stopping.
This might seem like a lot to carry, but the new maps are relatively small and you can post them home along the way.

If you are in Wellington and looking for a good price on Topo maps, they are $6.90 at Bivouac (a couple of bucks less than most other places).

Spot Trackers
We'll have a briefing at a central location at 10am (somewhere with food). This will be when the SPOTs will be issued (and you'll need to sign for yours). If we are short on Spots, we'll have personal locator beacons for the last few people who signed up.
Note that the trackers need to be at the top of your load. If they have more than two layers of material between them and the sky they will not function properly.
At the briefing we'll also pass the hat round for some koha for the Kiwi Recovery programme. The Brevet course passes through a couple of kiwi habitat areas - supporting our national bird gives you the good kharma you need to finish something like this in style.

Call-ins
We'd like to hear from you along the ride and will hand out an 0800 number at the briefing. There are nine designated call-in locations. These are now shown on the Brevet Googlemap with phone symbols. We'll expect the call to be limited to a couple of minutes - maybe longer if you are calling in on behalf of a group.

Gear Storage
There will be a garage available to store gear at during the event (about 3 km south of the Blenheim CBD). The same address has room across the road to park a few vehicles. We'll give you the address closer to the time.