Bigfoot Magazine Issue 1

issue1/dec13

: k r a P l l e b p m a C t s e B s ’ i a h w a g n a M t e r c e S t Kep

Tree Adventures Launches New Safety System Mobile Rock Wall: The Perfect Addition to your Next Gala Day Keen Mountain Bikers: Big foot takes a close look at the new 65 0b wheel Bigfoot strikes Excelle nce: Outdoor Organisation of the Year

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MEET THE TEAM: Meet Rob Storey

CAMP PROFILE: Campbell Park Camp — Mangawhai’s best kept secret

BIGFOOT ACTIVITIES IN ACTION: Photo Gallery

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PROVIDER PROFILE: Tree Adventures launches new safety system

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BIGFOOT ACTIVITY PROFILE: The Mobile Rock Wall — the perfect addition to your next Gala Day

GEAR REVIEW: Keen Mountain Bikers — Bigfoot takes a close look at the new 650b wheel

IN THE NEWS: Bigfoot strikes excellence — Outdoor organisation of the year

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About Bigfoot Adventures new e-mag showcases how we help you to have the time of your life, and introduces you to some great facilities, activities, cool new outdoor equipment and relevant industry news.

Editorial Content: Francesca Marcellino Contact Francesca on 0800 Bigfoot or (09) 444 1446 or email francesca@bigfootadventures.co.nz Address: Bigfoot Adventures Ltd Private Box 302 265, North Harbour, Auckland, NZ www.bigfootadventures.co.nz Art Director: Jodi Olsson Publisher: Espire Media Po Box 137162, Parnell, Auckland 1151 Enquiries: Phone Richard on (09) 522 7257 or email richardl@espiremedia.com Cover photo: Kids enjoying Campbell Park Christian Camp This is a GREEN MAG, created and distributed without the use of paper so it's environmentally friendly. Please think before you print. Thank you!

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from theeditorM w

Welcome to our first issue of our Bigfoot Emag, I hope you find it informative and get some great ideas for your next activity, camp or your own adventures.

We have great relationships with a number of providers and we aim to show case some of the facilities and activities of these awesome organisations in each issue of our magazine. In this issue we catch up with Jimmy from Tree Adventures at Woodhill Forest, and Dave and Robyn from Campbell Park Christian Camp in Mangawhai.

It is nearly time for us to give back our ‘Outdoor Excellence Award’ for Organisation of the Year 2012–2013 from

Outdoors New Zealand. It was a great privilege to be awarded this and I am still amazed and very humbled that we were awarded such a prestigious award. I’d like to thank our amazing team again for their hard work and effort over the last 13 years, this award is really a tribute to you guys so thank you and let’s see if we can be the first organisation to win it twice.

I recently organised a trip on the Heaphy Track for a group of friends and work mates to mountain bike the track over two days. We had an amazing time surrounded by beautiful scenery and ever changing rock terrain, it was just magic!

DOC opened the track up to

mountain bikers a few years ago on a trial and it looks set to continue so if you get the opportunity jump at it! Feel free to contact me if you want any ideas or suggestions on organising a trip.

I can hardly believe that we are counting down to Christmas already and am amazed at how fast this year has gone. If you are still looking for some end of year activities for your students we still have a few spots left and equally if you are planning for Term One please get in touch soon as the days are booking up fast.

Thanks for taking the time to read our new Emag, I hope you enjoy it. Have a great summer!

Kris Bartley 4

www.bigfootadventures.co.nz

MEET the team

i

“Heels down

chin up” -Rob Storey

ROBstorey

by Bella Silva

In February this year we welcomed Rob Storey to the team at Bigfoot Adventures.

Bella managed to steal a few moments of his time and here’s what she found out about our latest recruit: HOMETOWN Rob was born in a suburb of London called Richmond. He ran out of “the big smoke” at the age of 18 and travelled to Wales, England, Corsica and Slovenia gaining an intriguing and unidentified accent.

“don’t eat

Yellow snow

-Rob Storey

CAREER Rob started riding his bike delivering packages in London at the age of 20. Later he worked in New York and Dublin winning five medals in the “cycle messenger” world championships. The reason for moving to Dublin was uncertain until he found out about the Outdoor Adventure Management course.

On completing this course he achieved instructorship in sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, mountain biking and tramping. Rob excelled in this course, and it was here that he realised his heart was in the outdoors industry. He has trained young adults to be instructors, and also dealt with special needs groups, prisoners and international sporting teams.

ROLE AT BIGFOOT Rob has become a crucial staff member at Bigfoot Adventures. He is our warehouse guru (Manager) and a key mountain bike, kayak and team games instructor.

INTERESTS Sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, mountain biking and tramping are some of the pursuits he loves and instructs, but Rob has a passion for reading novels.

But most of all coffee takes the number one priority in his life. He loves jumping off high things particularly onto rocky surfaces and into shallow waters.

FAVOURITE MEAL Struggling to answer my question, he decided to put Asian food at the top of the list. Since being in NZ, he has explored Asian food and is a regular customer of the Glenfield Mall Sunday evening markets.

“Never miss Friday after work

DRINKS

-Rob Storey

From a young age, Rob has gained battle scars to prove his dedication to numerous Jackass stunts.

www.bigfootadventures.co.nz

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campprofile

CAMPBELLPARKCAMP:

mangawhai’s

BESTkept

6

Secret

www.bigfootadventures.co.nz

camp

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Situated in the centre of Mangawhai Heads village, and only a stones’ throw away from the picturesque Managwhai estuary, is the Campbell Park Christian Camp. Managed by Dave and Robyn Osborne for the past four years, this camp is your ideal school camp venue.

The camp offers beds for up to 76 people with a combination of bunk rooms, single bedrooms and one cabin has a combination of both. Every bunk room has its own en-suite facilities. There is also plenty of room to pitch tents and park caravans.

The commercial kitchen provides all you need for on site cooking, plus there is a communal dining area, two lounges and a hall.

Bigfoot Adventures has been running activities here for a few years with various school groups. Ideal activities for the camp include mountain biking on our portable skills course and around the camps grounds, kayaking and raft survivor in the estuary, survivor challenge, rock climbing on our mobile wall, archery, orienteering, The Pancake Race, and Top Team events.

Combine this with some of the on site activities on offer

like the flying fox, table tennis and the waterslide, and the result is a fun, action packed, activity filled school camp guaranteed to put a smile on your student’s faces.

Particularly for Auckland schools, this camp is far enough away from Auckland that participants feel like they are really away on camp, but it’s only an easy 1.5 hour drive from Auckland city.

In addition to all that Mangawhai has to offer, Te Arai Pt, Langs Beach and Waipu are only 20-30 minutes drive away.

This opens up opportunities for Bigfoot to take your students walking along the Coastal walkway from Langs to Waipu Cove, caving, abseiling

and climbing in the Waipu Caves and surf lifesaving and swimming at any one of the many local beaches.

Have I inspired you to look them up yet? It will be well worth the phone call. Even better, give Bigfoot a call and let them do the booking and coordination for you. Bigfoot

can arrange everything from start to finish including activities, instruction, transport, catering, safety documentation and other paperwork.

So what are you waiting for? Come and enjoy Mangawhai’s best kept secret. To find out more, visit www.campbellpark.org.nz

www.bigfootadventures.co.nz

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Bigfoot Holiday Programmes are crazy fun

bigfoot activities

IN ACTION underground beauty room makeup

Beautiful evening

BUGGER

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www.bigfootadventures.co.nz

White water rafting on the Tongariro

FREEZE! The hills are alive‌

tree adventures fun Bumper boats

PHOTO ETITION COMP Send us your activity photos - the winner for the best action photo will receive

a $100 Bigfoot voucher. Competition entry closes on Friday 28th Feb 2014, and the winner will be announced in our next issue.

Winter Holiday

Programmes

Mountain BIkingmadness We also run Winter trips

www.bigfootadventures.co.nz

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providerprofile

tree ADVEN TURES t launches NEW safety system Tree Adventures

by Hayley Dorward

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www.bigfootadventures.co.nz

This morning I travelled 40 km west of Auckland and found Jimmy, the Director of Tree Adventures.

Set amidst the beautiful Woodhill Forest, Jimmy describes Tree Adventures as “an adventure wonderland waiting to be conquered.” So what is this wonderland all about?

Established in 2004, Tree Adventures is New Zealand’s largest forest adventure park high wire challenge course.

With 10 different courses ranging from 3 to 14 metres above the ground, there’s something for everyone.

Each course has a series of fun and challenging activities including high wire challenges, obstacles, balance bridges and suspended nets that wind their way through the treetops, ending with an exhilarating

flying fox ride to bring you swiftly back down to earth.

Tree Adventures caters for anyone aged five and above but is ideal for Intermediate and Secondary school children or family groups. There are height and age recommendations for each course available. A minimum height of 1.1m is required to participate.

Bigfoot Adventures has been taking groups through Tree Adventures for the past nine years and feedback from teachers, parents and Principals has been outstanding. As the accounts person for the company, I am normally found behind my desk, so visiting the park was a new experience for me. As a parent and staff member, I was particularly interested in the changes at the park since the unfortunate tragedy that occurred back in March this year.

What I encountered was an owner/operator, Jimmy, who was passionate about what Tree Adventures has to offer, but equally passionate about making sure safety standards at the park are top notch and adhered to at all times.

Under their own steam, Tree Adventures have adopted a new safety system.

It is a “smart belay” system developed in France called “Clic-it”. It means that at any given time on your journey through the trees you cannot disconnect both carabiners at the same time. If the system registers that one carabiner has unclipped, it will lock down the other until the unclipped carabiner is reconnected.

Jimmy says “Clic-it allows Tree Adventures to improve the safety of climbers further by safeguarding against accidental disconnection from the safety lines at all times. These ‘smart’ carabiners guarantee your complete safety so you can make the most of your time in the treetops.”

Prior to your climb, Tree Adventures staff set up the courses that you intend to climb.

A daily safety inspection is made before any of the courses are opened to the public. You will be given a safety briefing by a Tree Adventures instructor and personally fitted for a harness.

While you move your way through the treetops on their many challenges, you can rest assured there will be Tree Adventures Instructors on the ground to assist you with your climb. In the event you decide you want to stop and get down, rescue instructors will lower you to the ground at any point

in the course. In addition to this great new technology and their thorough daily protocols Tree Adventures have strong safety management plans that identify hazards, and do intensive staff training with regular competency reassessment.

They ensure equipment is kept in top condition with regular inspections and well maintained structures that have been designed to ergonomically suit various ages and abilities.

Safety within the park is in line with international best practice.

There is an annual inspection of the course and integral safety cables by a third party along with an annual tree health and safety inspection.

So what are you waiting for? Personally I have been left in no doubt that Tree Adventures offers an exciting, challenging, rewarding and SAFE opportunity for our kids, students, families and friends.

Seize the day and book your students a Tree Adventures experience, or incorporate it into your Bigfoot Adventures EOTC program.

It’s a great program that compliments the other activities that Woodhill Forest has to offer.

Bigfoot Adventures regularly takes groups on a half day mountain biking combined with a half day at Tree Adventures trip. We have incorporated rock climbing on our mobile wall, orienteering, outdoor first aid, bush craft, archery and disc golf as other options in the forest for your EOTC programs.

For more information visit the Tree Adventures website www.treeadventures.co.nzor our own Bigfoot Adventures website www.bigfootadventures.co.nz.

You won’t regret it!

bigfootactivityprofile

the

Mobile ROCK WALL The perfect addition to your next Gala Day

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www.bigfootadventures.co.nz

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Our mobile rock wall is a

It operates on a manual

As an example of how we

hugely popular option for

belay system, which means

can run the Rock Wall, we

an on site activity day, gala,

parents and teachers can

often combine it with 2-3

school fair or as part of your

be assistants on the activity.

other activities on site such

school camp trip.

Standing 7.2 metres high, it

as mountain biking on our

can challenge even the most

portable

confident students.

orienteering and team games.

Suitable for Primary age

kids right through to adults,

course,

archery,

it provides a challenging and

Feedback from numerous

We can put your students into

rewarding climbing experience,

gala days makes mention that

groups of 10-12 and have them

with climbs ranging from easy

the Rock Wall was the hit of

rotate around the activities

through to difficult.

the day, and with three climbs

with each session running for

The beauty of it being

available, it can be run with

1-1.5 hours, depending on

mobile is that we can bring

many participants with minimal

the student numbers and the

our Rock Wall to almost any

queues. To make things very

number of days the activities

location, and it can be setup

easy for your school or group,

are to run.

on any flat surface such as

Bigfoot Adventures will drop

This type of activity day

grass, concrete and tar seal. In

off, setup and pack down the

is often set up on the school

order to get our truck on site

Rock Wall. We will provide

field and in and around the

and to allocate a climbing safe

instruction

related

school grounds, meaning you

zone, we require an area of

equipment, so all you need to

have reduced transport costs

approximately 10m by 25m to

do is provide the flat surface

and the students still get a

run this activity.

and the keen climbers.

rewarding day of activities.

and

Feedback from numerous gala days makes mention that the Rock Wall was the hit of the day, and with three climbs available,

it can be run with many participants with

minimal queues.

www.bigfootadventures.co.nz

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GEAR review Johnny Moncur rates the equipment

thegamechanger

t

650b Mountain Bike Wheel

This truly seems like the next

big thing in mountain biking.

The 650b (27.5 inch) mountain bike wheel has emerged as a big player in the mountain bike market this season and has big plans to take over the knobbly tyre world

thelowdown

What the heck are we talking about? The term 650b originates from French tyre sizing. To put it simply the wheel has a 27.5 inch

thoughts

So what do people think?

durability

Some

and

faster

have

sworn

that

acceleration. This was the

650b wheels fell from the

founding

of

heavens as a gift from god

mountain biking and has been

(much like the introduction

around for donkeys years!

of 29 inch wheels a number

wheel

size

A 29” wheel offers better

of years ago).

rolling speed, momentum and

Others have claimed that

rolls over roots/bumps more

the 650b wheel is the “Jack

effectively. The 29er wheel

of all trades but master of

emerged a few years ago and

none.” Even stating that,

was all the rage during the first

it is nothing but a half-pie

couple of years on the market.

inbetweener wheel created

A 27.5” wheel equals the

for no reason other than to

best of both worlds! This

generate another wheel size

and 29 inch options already

could really be the wheel of

related sales spike. Ouch!

available. So what does each

choice for those wanting more

wheel size have to offer?

versatility from their bike.

diameter which is right smack in the middle of the 26 inch

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thebenefits

A 26” wheel offers strength,

www.bigfootadventures.co.nz

Though it seems like this revolution has appeared out

The 650b is never going to match the

rolling speed of

the 29er or the strength of the 26er but to be honest it gets pretty darn close in both departments! of nowhere the 650b wheel has actually been around since the beginning of time. It has been the lack of compatible components like forks, frames & tyres that have kept its growth at bay.

Take a look at the 2014 product line-up and you will struggle to find a major bike manufacturer who hasn’t jumped on the 650b band wagon.

Quality components are already available through all the large bike component manufacturers so whether you like it or not the 650b wheel is here to stay.

toomuch?

Three’s a crowd? With three wheel sizes now readily available is it sustainable for companies to continue producing frames, forks, tyres and tubes for all three? Or is extinction looming for the crusty old 26 inch wheel, the originator of mountain biking as we know it?

Don’t stress out you 26er warriors; I don’t think you’ll see 26ers wiped out by a catastrophic meteor event (much like the dinosaurs). There are far too many quality frames and components available.

Not to mention there are millions of people out there

still riding 26 inch wheels who will demand replacement parts for years to come. However, watch out 29er lovers, cross country whippets far and wide are already making the move to 650b.

conclusion

A number of the Bigfoot Adventures crew are riding 650b and loving it! Some of us began riding 650b last season when some of the first models were released by major bike brand Scott.

It’s great to see that the world has followed our lead, and now 650b models are emerging from major bike brands all over the

globe! In our opinion, it allows a longer travel bike (for all mountain riding) to be built with bigger wheels without compromising the geometry of the bike or the strength of the wheels. If you are a cross country racer through and through you may still go for the momentum carrying characteristics of the 29er.

Alternatively if you are a downhill racer and strength is your bottom line then 26 may still be the one for you. In terms of a fantastic bike designed to do everything we would recommend the 650b. We’re all for it! Get out there and give one a go

in the

NEWS

Bigfoot Strikes Excellence OutdoorOrganisationoftheYear That’s us!

i

we

our achievement in gaining

were all pretty excited and

OutdoorsMark accreditation,

proud to hear that Bigfoot

our

Adventures had won the

record and our drive to be

Outdoors

Zealand

a leader in providing safe,

Organisation

fun and challenging outdoor

of the Year” award. This

experiences. We were very

significant award recognises

honoured to receive this

the

prestigious award.

In December 2012,

New

“Outdoors

continuous

and

passionate hard work being

impeccable

The

safety

2013

award

put in by the Bigfoot team

nominations are coming up

each and every year.

again, boy doesn’t a year

Currently we work with

pass in a flash these days?

around 150 schools within

Despite having already won

the Greater Auckland area

this award in the past, Bigfoot

including the Waikato and

Adventures

Whangarei regions.

strive to “do better” in all

We

offer

instruction,

facilitation and management of

adventure

for

these

programs

schools

and

continues

to

aspects of the business.

We

are

constantly

upgrading our equipment, making adjustments to our

have also established a

policies

comprehensive cycle safety

tweaking existing programs

program funded through

and

Auckland

innovative outdoor programs

Transport

and

Hamilton City Councils.

and

procedures,

creating

new

and

for our customers.

In addition to schools we

We are confident we can

offer the same adventure

benefit your school, company

programs to corporate and

or social group and look

social groups, individuals and

forward to meeting you in

community groups.

the future.

The

award

recognises

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www.bigfootadventures.co.nz

Kris Bartley with Garth Dawson,

CEO of Outdoors NZ

“

“

It is not

the mountain

we conquer. but

ourselves - Sir Edmund Hillary

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