Adventure Tour Patches

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Adventure Tour Patches

To our list of patch categories, currently "Best Roads" and "Challenges", we will add "Adventure Tours". The rationale is that Best Roads only addresses tours within the USA; and Challenges focuses on demonstrations of skill, endurance and preparation that reflect road-riding conditions within the USA. It is time to encourage members to expand their horizons and recognize those who do. This by definition an adventure-tour takes place out-side the contiguous USA. (However, for those members who live outside the USA another definition would apply, but we can address that on a case by case basis as those individuals come forward.) An adventure tour must by definition demonstrate some level of adventure, that is it takes the participant out-side of the usual comfort zone and off the beaten path; and it must be a tour. By tour we mean something more than an afternoon jaunt, but rather something that involves at least two days of riding with an overnight stay somewhere. Mileage should not be imposed on every patch on the list, due to varying conditions, though a mileage requirement will be appropriate for some patches. The minimum mileage of a qualifying adventure tour should be appropriate to at least two full days of riding under local conditions. So to re-cap the minimum underlying requirements for any Adventure Tour patch are the following:
1. Outside the lower 48 (for US members).
2. Minimum of two days (outside the USA) with overnight stay.
3. Mileage appropriate to two full days of riding under local conditions.
4. Demonstrates a spirit of adventure in unfamiliar territory.

To start our list of patches I propose three:

A. The Exotic Places Patch. An unusual destination outside the contiguous USA. Must be a noteworthy place with some unique quality, such as HIGHEST, LOWEST , FARTHEST, DEEPEST, BIGGEST, etc. Thus "Croesen' " would earn a patch for traveling to Ushuia, the southernmost city in the world. To qualify the rider must submit a photo (to be posted on the web site) of himself and the RIDE logo at the location, and the location must be approved by two Doctors other than the rider. No limit on the number of Exotic Places patches that can be earned per trip.

B. The Outback Patch. A trip of at least 1000 miles/1500Km on unimproved road (outside the USA). Only one patch allowed per trip. Maximum of two patches allowed per continent. Rider must submit map of the route, one photo, and be approved by two Doctors other than the rider.

C. The Distant Lands Patch. A trip of at least 1000 miles/ 1500Km on any road (outside the USA) that takes the rider at least 3000 miles/ 5000Km from their place of residence. Only one patch allowed per trip, only two allowed per continent. The rider must submit a map of the route, one photo, and be approved by two Doctors other than the rider.

All three patches as listed above could possibly be earned for the same trip. All patches issued would also identify where the patch was earned; for example "Exotic Places - Ushuia" and "Distant Lands - Tierra del Fuego" and "Outback - Patagonia".

Potential future patches under the Adventure Tour category could recognize achievements for endurance, distance, speed or racing, great hardship, great ingenuity, and other special achievements.