Mr Legs

Grumps Are you familiar with Rouleur ?

A coach at an American college once said:"It is not the sex the night before, but the staying up all night looking for it, that fatigues the athlete"

I remember the (good old !) days when the gravelled section was from Adderley to the top of Malanshoogte.

I would have preferred it to stay gravel, there are more than enough tarred roads. Next thing they tar Spes Bona. A step backwards.

Chris I don't think it is the distance that creates the problem, it is the pace. My suggestion would be for both groups to do the same route, one just at a slower pace than the other. A 30-35 km is a bit too short, 50-60 seems more like it. I will pop in later today to speak face to face, maybe you can fix my speedometer while we chat!

I noticed last night that there were a few riders that simply disappeared before we reached Spes Bona for the first time. This is not surprising as I was doing 45-50k's /h between the Boland/ Lubbe st robot and the Graanendal robot, just to keep up. Maybe we should consider having three groups, the first group will be the young, slim and superfit, the second group the normal guys, who can easily do 50-70kms, but not at an ave of +30km/h, and then an absolute beginners group. In this last group some of the experienced and fitter riders can take turns each week to act as group leader and guardian.In this group nobody will be dropped and the the group agrees to ride at the pace of the slowest. This will encourage riders who are not sure of their abilities or who are simply not fit enough to join a group with the assurance that they will not be left behind in the dark. I am sure that there are many riders who would like to experience the joys of night riding, but perhaps need some sort of guarrantee that they will be looked after. I am sure this will introduce many more riders to the group and many of them will quickly progress to the faster groups.

I struggled to keep up last night, but watch me next week!

Silver B I did the Burger race last year and would strongly advise to include hill training and single track riding (and lots of both, probably a bit to late at this stage)in your preparation, last nights trip was too flat and too smooth for proper off road race training.

Let me just add my bit of advice to those of you who feel slightly intimidated to join the group, I am nearly 50 years old, weigh 93kg and I manage to keep up, not with the faster guys, but with the second group. There are usually two groups and even when that is not the case, like last night, they wait for the slower riders. There is also a following vehicle to look after you. And night riding is big fun.

Wannabe, I'll be away for the next three weeks, Mrs Legs arranged a visit to the Kruger and Sabie and has kindly invited me along.

I was brave and took a left at the T at the end of Malanshoogte. Could not keep up with the younger / thinner kids, but manage to join a nice group and we worked hard back to D'ville.

For those of you who considered joining, but are not as full of testostorone as the Hubbers who posted above, do not fear, there are riders of various levels of fitness, you will find a few riders of your level and there are two vehicles to look after you. You will not be left behind in the dark.

I plan to join the slower group tomorrow, that should bring the ave speed down a few km/h.

I also remember the sign next to the concrete rd, in the vicinity of the metal grill. Did a trip up to the dams and the Waterworks Museum, was late on a cold Saturday and we did not see another soul.

Phone them and pay the late entry fee,.

Escape from the rat race, pressures of society, play like a child. Going down a hill, slightly out of control. Get fit, challenge yourself, measure yourself against your mates or that hill that beat you last time. See places you would never see sitting behind the wheel of your car, literally go off the beaten track.

Here is a link to a piccie of the ride: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24636984@N03/4612588308/ I could not load the image in the usual manner, the "browse" facility does not come up when one clicks on the insert image icon.

Bring back Phil and Paul! At least they don't uhmm and ahh... I will write a note to Supersport and see if they respond.

Directions to Cape Garden Centre: Take N1 direction Paarl. Take Joostenbergvlakte turnoff (After the R300 bridges you get the Okavango turnoff, then Kraaifontein and then comes Joostenberg) Go left from the off ramp in a northerly direction for about 100m, take first road to your right, a gravel road. Now for the important part, do not go into the second property on the left, but take the first entrance to your right into the parking area of the Cape Garden Centre. Why not the second gate on the left?, not because it is a house of ill repute, but simply because they are closed on weekends, or so I've heard.Mr Legs2010-05-13 15:09:14

Yip, still on, weathers going to be great. 08h00 depart from parking area of Cape Garden Centre, I'll be next to my white Colt D/C bakkie. Giant Alliance. About 60 km, easy route, no hills, non technical farm roads, a bit of tar, worse you will get is some corrugations. We wait for back markers, if you want to go ahead you can. Ave speed will be about 22-23km, so it will not be a race. If you want to race do a second lap with me.

Tuesday morning bump