Culture
Far Beyond: Gravel Burn
Our latest film follows Lachlan Morton and Alison Jackson on an unforgettable journey into the Great Karoo as they take on South Africa’s Gravel Burn
December 1, 2025
This fall, Lachlan Morton and Alison Jackson traveled to South Africa for Gravel Burn, cycling’s hottest new off-road stage race.
Our new film tracking their trip is now streaming on the Far Beyond YouTube channel.
For seven days, Lachlan and Alison raced out of their comfort zones and into the Great Karoo, a wild tract of arid bush that ripples across the South African interior. By day, they knocked elbows and handlebars with the fastest gravel specialists in the sport, sprinting into dusty, rocky climbs with new friends and old ones, before pelting down steep descents. Undaunted by the heat of the competition or the freezing storms that blasted across the desert, they chucked themselves into every stage of the high-speed 800-kilometer contest with their eyes peeled for elephants, rhinos, buffalo, leopards, and lions. In the afternoons, they practiced their cricket bowls and Døds dives, before gathering around campfires to play Uno and swap stories about their day’s adventures with all of the other competitors.
“I made the most of the week, across the board,” Lachlan said. “I had fun racing, but also enjoyed some down time. It was something I was really glad to be able to go and do. I feel really lucky to have these experiences. This was another one that will stick with me for a long time.”
Alison couldn’t agree more.
“Gravel Burn racing was a good time,” she said. “It was a big adventure with friends, meeting new friends, keeping the camp life alive and well.”
That is the spirit that the race’s organizers set out to create for the first edition of Gravel Burn. Watch our Far Beyond film now and if you want to join in the fun, registrations for next year’s race open in February.
