2024 GS Trophy Day 4 – A Saving Grace

In an interesting turn of events, Team USA has been reinstated to the competition, only losing the chance to score points on the day the MRP rode with them. Likewise, the two teams from Benelux have now joined together to create a co-ed team with the remaining female competitor joining the two men to round out the team. Despite being down a day’s worth of points, our good ol boys hit the ground running on their way out of Spitzkoppe toward the first special test of the day, the Advantec Pull Challenge.

Once the show was back on the road, Team USA and Mexico navigated the wide-open desert, a stretch of asphalt, and a desolate lunar landscape en route to the Khan River Valley for another long stretch in the sand. An 80-kilometer stretch of sand, narrow slot canyons, and chewed up mining roads would lead the teams to their next challenge, as if the Khan weren’t enough on its own. The Khan River Valley is a popular destination for tourists and filmmakers alike, with Mad Max Fury Road being filmed in various parts of the canyon. A beautiful yet unforgiving place where throttle control, balance, and aggression all combine to help riders navigate the challenging terrain. As it sometimes goes on 500-plus pound adventure bikes, we continued to hear about the carnage that unfolded during the team’s attempt on the Khan.

Our guys made it through fairly easily with Graydon dropping his machine once, and Acheson and Billy making a few dabs to get to the finish and were rewarded with a fourth place result. This potential reignited the fire within Team USA’s belly, which was good, because we ended our day in the cool, coastal town of Swakopmund.

Swakopmund, or “Mouth of the Swakop” refers to the Swakop River, of which the Khan is a tributary, was a major port city in the days of German South West Africa. Rolling into the city, the travelling circus was greeted by a temperature swing of 20 C as the cool air from the ocean is trapped by the coastline, soaking it in completely in heavy mist – a stark contrast to the days spent in central Namibia.