TRAVERSING UNKNOWN TERRAIN AT SPEED

THE KAROO ROADBOOK CAMP

- Willem Avenant

At the end of April 2022, I arranged the third-ever Karoo Roadbook Camp in the Karoo, a vast semi-desert region South Africa. This event has become the training and proving ground for Dakar hopefuls and veterans alike. Here is my firsthand account of how things went.

The Karoo Roadbook Camp was born out of a training weekend put together for the KTM Cape Town Rally team in preparation for the Kalahari Rally that had been canceled due to COVID in 2020. Starting out as a small group of riders wanting to hone their navigational skills, it developed into an event that introduces new riders to roadbook riding. It also gives veteran navigators a chance to practice their skills in a new and unique environment.

The 2022 edition was an interesting gathering, a truly international event with riders from India, the U.K., Zambia, the U.S., and South Africa.

Stuart Gregory (three-time Malle Moto Dakar competitor) and Charan Moore (Dakar rookie) joined in the fun to share their experiences. Mark Johnston, Kalahari Malle Moto winner 2021 and bike builder extraordinaire, was also present. It was a mix of rally newbies and veterans, all hungry and excited to ride some roadbooks.

The end of April is a great shoulder season for traveling central South Africa. The weather is perfect, and the trees are just starting to turn. With daytime temps not too hot or cold, and with little chance of rain, the only drawback is the cold nights, which occasionally drop below freezing.

The event is based in the small rural town of Murraysburg in the northwestern-most corner of the Western Cape, in the Great Karoo.