MANIFESTO

'Heading SouthWest' is an adventure cycling and bikepacking experience. The seek for the true essence of cycling. We believe that the self-supported approach fits perfectly with the adventure cycling spirit. This isn't about how far you can go, but how deep your experience is. Instead of rules, we prefer a agreement among participants, our manifesto:

#1 | RESPECT THE LOCAL TRAFFIC RULES, THE COMMUNITIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT

We are a community who wants to build a positive legacy. The way you behave will shape how society and institutions will look to ultracycling and long-distance cyclists. Be kind with the people you will meet along the journey, be quiet and discreet in inhabited areas during the night. In off-road rural areas with cattle, whenever a door/gate is closed, you must open it, pass through and close it again. Respect the environment and leave no trace.

#2 | RIDE THE ROUTE, RIDE SAFE & ENJOY

The routes were designed to tell a story across the landscape and you are the main actor. Trust the script and let yourself go. You can leave the route temporarily (for accommodation, resupplying, tourism, etc) by your own, but then you must return in the same exact point. The GPS live tracking shows your geographical position on the route and your tracker should always be on.

3 | NO THIRD-PARTY SUPPORT

This is about your personal experience and challenging your own limits. So make no sense to receive help from your family, friends, coaches/sport teams and local inhabitants with resupplying, accommodation, transportation and mechanical support. Sum up, you should only use the commercial services available for all riders. If you have a mechanical problem you should solve it by your own. If you can’t solve it, you can use the commercial mechanical services available. The main aim of the self-supported/unsupported approach is to ensure a level playing field for all participants and to recreate the purity of the bikepacking experience.

#4 | NO DRAFTING

You can't follow other participants, cyclists or vehicles for aerodynamic advantages. 

#5 | USE YOUR OWN ENERGY

Just you and your bicycle - the greatest transport invention of all time (no e-bikes and no illegal doping).