WANDR Riders' Info and Updates
If You've Just Signed Up...
If you're new, here's a YouTube video of reactions of previous participants.
Here is some essential info to make it an even better experience:
- If you're a solo rider or part of a team that's looking for additional riders, then join the WANDR-Find-a-Team Facebook Group to connect with other riders and form teams.
- Join the WANDURO Enduro Adventuring Facebook Group to connect with your tribe.
- Follow the WANDURO Community Page to see the latest updates from WANDURO.
If you have any questions, please email us at info@yugenex.com
Event Onsite Sign-in Procedures
To sign in, come to the Canal Flats Civic Centre at 8911 Dunn Street in Canal Flats. Sign-in opens at 3pm to 9pm on Thursday and is also open 10am to 9pm on Friday. For those that arrive after 9pm Friday, there will be a signing desk open from 7am to 8:30 am on Saturday. You can park in the adjacent parking lot. You'll receive your attendee kit and if you're the first one in your rider-group to sign in, you'll also get the group kit. Once signed in, we'll direct you to where you can camp on the grounds nearby.
Wanduro App User Guide
Here's an App user guide. It's basically lifted from the Friday Evening presentation at the WANDR.
It is in PDF format and you can download it here.
Smartphones for the Wanduro App
Devices
In order to participate in the WANDR, each team must have at least one smartphone capable of running the WANDURO APP. But we HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you have more than one. That way two or more people can be helping with the navigation at the same time and in case a device dies, you've got others as a backup.
As far as we know, most iPhones will work, but we haven't tested it with really old ones.
Most half-decent Android phones will also work as long as they have GPS and magnetic compass functionality. A good way to test this on your Android phone is to download the GPS Test app.
We recommend the Android Version over the iPhone version as on some iPhones, the app starts to slow down over the course of a day.
If your phone has a GPS, the GPS Test app will tell you the accuracy. And if it has a magnetic compass, you can tap on the little compass arrow at the bottom of the app and a magnetic compass will pop up.
Data
Before the event starts, everyone will have the opportunity to download the Event Quest Package from our server over WiFi.
Although a cellular data plan is not required, we advise that you have one in so you can receive any last minute updates and changes that we may send out based upon changing conditions.
If you are coming from the USA or overseas and want to have cellular data, make sure you have an adequate data plan that will work in Canada.
It is amazing how much some cellular providers will charge for international data. But most of them have some sort of a short-term international top-up option that you can buy from them that makes it more reasonable. Check it out before you come.
Keeping Your Phone Charged
Background
When riding the WANDR – your phone will be on GPS constantly with the screen on most of the time. This is tough on batteries.
From what we’ve tested, about 4 hours was achievable with all our phones, but for sure not 8 to 10 hours. So, part of your planning should be to deal with this!
Most phones charge fast on 2.0Amp charging ports, some will ‘fast charge’ on 2.4Amp charging ports.
Recent models of phones will charge fully in about 1-1.5 hours, so if you charge during a break and lunch you should be able to gain quite some battery life. Don't bother with the 1.0 amp chargers.
Fast 12 Volt Chargers
Here’s an example of a dual port 2.4A charger that plugs into a standard 12Volt cigarette lighter plug. We've plugged our phones directly into these while riding, but are concerned that a bad yank on the cable could wreck the USB port on the phone. Although by tying the cable around something before it gets to the phone, you can mitigate this risk somewhat.
Battery packs and Boosters
Another option is to carry a battery pack with 2.4Amp charging ports on it; here are some examples:
Charge While Riding
The weak link of keeping your phone plugged in while riding is the USB port. It can be quite easily damaged by a yank on the usb cable. And if you're riding through willows or you wipe out in the bush, that is a very real possibility.
Fortunately, we've found a solution. Magnetic USB connectors. One side of it plugs into your phone's USB port, and the other side plugs into the end of your USB cable. Then a small but powerful magnet holds the two together.
If the cable gets pulled, the magnet just separates and there's no damage. Here are a couple links:
Wireless Charging
Another way to charge while riding is to use a wireless charger (if your phone is capable of it).
Wireless chargers are quite affordable and you can probably figure out a way to put that in your mount behind your phone. We actually bought a few of them and we’ll test how it works once riding seasons starts again – we’ll keep you posted!
Be aware, most charge pads need a high-Amp input from the cable, so you’ll need the fast charge plug on your bike!
Here are a couple examples of wireless charging pads:
Phone Mounts
Quad Lock Mount
I've switched from the Ram X-Grip mount to the Quad Lock mount. It is more robust and compact and easier to mount and dismount your phone from. It also has an available Ram mount adapter. The only thing is that you need to make sure that it is clicked in correctly when you mount your phone.
Here are a couple Amazon links:
CAN
USA
Ram X-Grip Mount
We use Ram X-mounts now, which are awesome; we have simply not been able to loose or drop a phone yet out of the mount! Free shipping and lifetime warranty.
Tip: do get (and use!) the rubber flap-thing to secure your phone; it also keeps it from rattling and moving about.
The only caution we have about the X-mount is that the arms are a bit easy to bend. But they're also easy to bend back!
Here are a couple Amazon links:
CAN:
USA:
Bear Safety
The WANDR takes place in grizzly and black bear habitat. That's why it is mandatory for each team to have at least one can of bear spray.
Although once in a while we see a black bear scampering into the woods, it's rare that we ever see a grizzly. They hear us coming from far away and are way too smart to hang around.
That being said, it's best to err on the side of caution.
Studies of bear encounters have concluded that bear spray is the surest way to avoid human injury in a bear attack. It is cheap insurance.
Trent has been training wilderness workers in bear safety since 1995. If you have any questions or concerns, he'd be happy to answer them.
If you are coming from the USA, you can now legally bring your bear spray with you, as long as it is clearly marked by the manufacturer as bear spray. Please see Page 11 of this CBSA Memorandum for more details. (Thanks for this update Cassidy!)
Bear spray is widely available in Canada with most outdoor stores having it in stock.
Canadian Tire sells it for C$46-$55 and most larger towns have one.
In the USA, bear spray is also available at outdoor stores.
Amazon USA also sells it here.
Maps and Navigation
Although Garmin GPS topo maps are OK, they are missing much of the detail of back country roads and trails.
Other solutions such as offline Google Maps or Open Street Maps have even less detail.
If you're a GPS navigator, a much better solution is the Backroads Mapbooks GPS map of the area. It will run on Garmin units as well as any smarphone-based navigation app that reads Garmin files.
The paper map that we'll be giving every team is also from Backroads Mapbooks and has the same information that their GPS maps have.
Here's a link to the Backroads Mapbooks GPS maps. Not exactly cheap, but very nice if you're navigating via GPS. (You'll want to get the British Columbia map)
Ride more before/after the event:
Let us know if you have holiday plans before/after the WANDR event and want to experience more of the amazing Rocky Mountains - we'll be more than happy to give you some tips for nice rides all over the area.