2024 GS Trophy – Preparing to Welcome the Regions

BMW saw it fit to invite the world’s media to Namibia ahead of the competitors to get setup, settled, and vetted. As I looked out the window while our plane descended toward Windhoek, I couldn’t help but to notice the similarity in terrain to the American west. In the shuttle toward camp, the sentiment was the same as we made our way north. We spent the afternoon getting medical checks, receiving on-site gear, and setting up the tents we would be living out of for the duration of the event.

As mentioned, we’d spend the following day making sure we were fit to follow our teams through the challenging terrain Namibia has on offer. With no excuse, given the similarity in terra to my home state, I joined the advanced group and spent the day riding through varying depths of sand, and thoroughly enjoyed my time spent with Australian marshal and off-road coach Miles Davis, Italian journalist Andrea Perfetti, and German journalist Klaus Nennewitz. While it was my first time meeting Miles, it was great to reunite with two friends on another continent to ride challenging terrain. It only started feeling a bit less like home as we rounded the bend to see a herd of wildebeest and oryx crossing our path ahead, shortly followed by a tower of giraffes and a few tribes of baboons.

Really it was the first taste, aside from some quick conversation during travel, to let the international aspect of the event truly set in. Looking at the various flags in our group while teams of other riders went through training in the distance, the true uniqueness of the event was clear. Later, at dinner, journalists around the table represented Japan, China, Italy, Poland, Argentina, Chile, and Germany – and some silly tattooed kid from the USA. I’m very fortunate that English is accepted as an international language around the world, and humbly thanked those who used the language specifically to include me in the conversation. What an incredible experience we were all in for – one that will surely broaden the horizons of all involved.

The Teams Arrive

After a bit of difficulty for one third of Team USA, the guys began to arrive at basecamp after anywhere between 34 and 80 hours of travelling. First up was Captain America, the silver fox, Scott Acheson. At a towering 6’3”, Scott met us off the bus with as much enthusiasm as we had to welcome him. As the excited competitors disembarked, we soon found that both Billy and Scott would be on the following shuttle.

Turns out, Hurricane Francine was about to hammer Texas, so BMW flew Billy out a day early to miss the impending weather. While Billy did indeed miss the weather, he also missed his flight to Africa due to cancellation. Given the current state of affairs, his South African passport would require him to obtain a visa to leave the airport, even to stay in a hotel for the evening. This unfortunate series of events led the former South African to build a shelter out of cots in a long-forgotten portion of the airport to try to get some much-needed rest. After a night in Windhoek, Billy finally made his way to basecamp, flanked by his teammate Kirk, whose travel was long, but thankfully uneventful. 

With Team USA back together, the guys exchanged banter, discussed remedies for jetlag and set up tents… well, Kirk and Billy set up tents. Scott’s bag containing his camping gear conveniently didn’t show up, leaving him to stay in a modest room for his first evening.

The next day, the guys will go through an onslaught of briefings, neck brace fittings, bike set up, and formal welcome ceremonies, before the event kicks off the following morning and we all head into the unknown.

What matters is that the gang’s all here, in good spirits, and ready for the experience of a lifetime, which Namibia is very likely to deliver. Stay tuned!