GoldRiver XXV - The Great Canadian (motorcycle) Roadbook Rally. The preamble…
- Jonathan Binnington
- Jun 24
- 2 min read
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
The grime of the anxious rallyer
It is an ancient Mariner,
It is an ancient rallyeer
And he stoppeth one of three.
And he’s stoppeth by the RCMP
'By thy long grey beard and glittering eye,
“By thy long grey beard and gritted eye,
Now wherefore stopp'st thou me?
but whyfore stoppethest thou me?”
The Bridegroom's doors are opened wide,
The pub doors are open wide
And I am next of kin;
And I’m set to go in
The guests are met, the feast is set:
The times are met, the route is set
May'st hear the merry din?
May’st hear the tap-room din?
Apologies to Samuel Taylor Coleridge
It is now less than a week before The Great Canadian (motorcycle) Roadbook Rally begins in Gold River, in the Strathcona region of Vancouver Island.
There are three day’s of new backcountry gravel routes waiting for riders, 700km, 60 timed sections and 750 route instruction waypoints. If the riders are able to keep to the set average speed there are 17 hours of riding to be done. Make a mistake and it will be more. Make a few mistakes and it could be many more.
The weather forecast is for gentle early-summer weather, promising a comfortable week of outdoors living at the event bivouac. Twenty six riders from Canada, the US and Europe are set to take the start (with the expectation that a further one or two riders may join at the last minute).
The event, the only one of it’s type in the Pacific Northwest (competitive motorcycle backcountry TSD navigation trial), is now in its fourth year. The format is based on the traditional Time Speed Distance rally, requiring riders to navigate courses using a rally roadbook, over rough and sometimes challenging backcountry gravel roads, solo while being timed by a GPS smartphone app.
The event and series winner from 2024, Sasha Sabinin (Kove 450) will face four different categories of riders this year…
His motorcycling chums from Vancouver who have been stalwart supporters of these Vancouver Island events (The Rain City bike crew).
Motorcycle Rallysport regulars of other international motorally events coming to sample Vancouver Island gravel-fare.
Backcountry bike riders crossing over to the Rock and Roll world of motorally from the world of precision, car TSD tarmac rally.
and
MotoRally newcomers, sampling this accessible Motorsport for the first time.
The progress of all will be very interesting…
The event starts Friday evening 27 June with signing on, scrutineering and riders briefing followed by an early breakfast at the Uptown Cappuccino cafe and staggered starts.
The expectation is that the event leaderboard will demonstrate the Probables from the Possibles by the end of day one, with further stratification by the end of day two. The day three route will be provided with only one hour of preparation time and will provide the final clarification on who will take home the 2025 trophy.
Daily event updates will be provided here…
Much more to come!
JDB 24/06/25
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