your_name_here

Where the hell did you get a Cove from? Is there a local distributor? I'm asking cos I am in love with the Shocker. ITO doing Switzerland. I'm looking at going to France. Morzine, Les Gets, Chatel. My mate Vince went last year and reckons if you go with a crew and stay away from the bars & restaurants you can do the whole trip for 15k. Gonna have to be next year tho. Cash is tight right now.

Yes. get it Angus. it really is. so nice.

OK OK. 2 nights. She's not gonna be happy tho. Jees.

Hey Arno. I'll trade you my Jackal, Izimu and a night with my wife for that.

15k is a bargain for that bike. I have seen it up close and can vouch for the quality. no expense has been spared.

Yoh Arno. Why the hell do you want to sell that? I've told my mate Deon about it. If anyone will buy it it will be him. You getting a glory hey.

Dirtopia. You've GOT to go. please. promise me you will go. It's such good fun. The track isn't that challenging but it's loads of fun and the freeride, DJ's and night duel are just awesome. The urban track is always open. there's 3 variants of it as far as i know. They all start on the fire road on the lions rump road 1. The old course. Proper urban with loads of steps. it end's on the green steps on wale street. Watch out for old ladies and kids on the stairs. 2. the track that was raced. you can't ride the school section 3. i've never ridden this one but it aparently turns off the fire road where the red bull arch was at the race. There's also another track on the other side. it's on the road on the way up to the cable station. Some people dig it but i think it's lame.

Oh. And don't be intimidated. The only difference between the race you did on the weekend and the nationals is the Natal crew will be there with their shiny kit and pimped out bikes. The same dude is gonna win and you will have just as much fun.

Hey man. When we go back to slop. (*** funny acronym) you are deff on the invite list. I saw Rika the other day at the spar and she is keen too. It's all good with the shuttle thing. Why do you think I bought a double cab? The shuttle day is next Sunday. Argus day. 14/03/2010. I think Angus and I are talking about the same thing. Let's see George... Well. the sart of the track is 5 rock gardens. Or 1 really long one. Depends on your pint of view. It's not hard but hard to go fast up there. then it gets really flowy and fast. into the forest its slow and hard to carry speed. Then it's gets steep. there's a rock shute like Tokai but longer and faster. then you drop in to the bottom of the track. 2 *** big doubles. 3 of the sickest berms ever and a table to finish. The nationals are cool cos you get to practice for 2 days before the race. practice starts at 1 on the friday. the whole of saturday and till 10 on Sunday. there is a fun class for kooks like me so you won't have Pottie chasing you down or anything scary like that.

Hey man. The race is being hosted by www.dirtopia.co.za Sorry. I tried to copy the url from my browser and it screwed up my post. It's on the 3rd and 4th of April. I think it's on their new track out a Contemans Kloof. But don't quote me on that. There's also a shuttle day next Sunday at Paarl. R100 for the day and you can ride any of the 3 tracks. Remember it's Argus day so if you coming from the South or the city bowl you need to plan your routes and timing very well. On the May Day weekend is the Dirtopia festival in Greyton. Sick fun. My accomodation is already booked. I ain't a camping type of person. 2 weeks thereafter is the national in George. The George track is amazing and TOTALLY different to anything we have here. The 2 most popular places to stay are the pine lodge. perfectly fine if you plan to bring the wife or have germ issues. And the George tourist resort. NOT great but cheap. 4 people in a rondawel. double bunks. But on the up side the skate park is right across the road so bring the hard tail too. your_name_here2010-03-04 02:18:31

Theres a DH race in Durbanville on the 3rd and 4th of April. Check out < ="-" ="text/; =utf-8">< name="ProgId" ="Word.">< name="Generator" ="Microsoft Word 12">< name="Originator" ="Microsoft Word 12"><> www.dirtopia.co.za. I don't know any of the details. Just got the info from the dirtopia newsletter. Should be interesting.

The guy that owns the farm that dirtopia is on (delvera) also owns Delheim.I think if there was an opportunity Muerant would have exploited it already. Craig Marshall approached Lourensford when he was trying to set up the bike park and was turned down.

Ja for sure. NSRMTB. I reckon that is the one. The guys that run it are JHB based but so what. Tom Roodt is part of the crank team and he is a downhiller. (2010 Glory Giro remedy helmet) I always describe people by their rides and or helmets lol. I'll ask Vince how Chris did out of the the race and maybe suggest helping out a little. but in reality that is not the solution. Attendance is. At the build days and the races. It's like sex. Always more fun in a crowd. I'm stoked you have said you will attend and help build. One at a time. That's how we grow this thing. Their are plans for a series. Olympic cycles, Mongoose and bicycling mag have all expressed an interest and Chris has been in talks with them. But once again, 45 people at a race doesn't exactly strengthen out case. I agree that we have enough tracks for a series. 3 at Paarl, Sir Lowry's, Durbanville, Jonkers, Eden. Tokai is a problem cos the guys that run the forest don't want races to be held there as a general rule. Around 1000 rider descend on tokai per day on the weekends and they don't want us shuttling up and down the road and taking up parking spaces that they can use for people who ride up downhill tracks. Fair enough i guess. There are serious plans for a race in April tho. It fell through last year. Hopefully it wont this year. But don't wait for a race at your local track. Go to the other tracks and become a local there. Eden is f**ked. Heavy winds from a few months ago blew down a LOT of trees. We could go in there and build around the trees but when they are eventually cleared our efforts will be in vain. Best to wait that one out. The Durbanville track is a problem in that the owners don't want us using the quarry road for access and shuttling as it is LANK dangerous. The farmer next door will have someone knocking on his door soon tho. The playground area at Paarl is in the process of being paved so we will probably be barred from riding from the top. your_name_here2010-03-02 03:34:55

Ja i have to agree with you on the Capetonian thing. I also have the whole family commitment thing and I know it's tough to balance the 2 things. I opted out of the Prime Circle concert. That went down like a lead donut with the wife. Perhaps just come for the practice sessions. I've done that myself before. You get the benefit of the shuttles without the angst of the race itself. A DH website. that's what we need to get the message out maybe

Some guy that owned that flashy hotel on the hill came and moaned at us for shuttling on "his" road. Dick. the road is a servitude and is public land. And to top it all the bastard isn't even South African. Damn Germans. Hehe. The problem with using the road is the gate is usually locked. you can use sir Lowrys to shuttle. you come in at the first road gap. the problem is that there is still a massive push to the top. I've also got some unfinished business there. I plan to go back there in 2 weeks time and try come in from the other side. I.e. drive further up the pass to where the railway line is close to the road and walk from there. You are welcome to join. We can fit 5 bikes on my truck. i have to say that I absolutely love that track. It's just so action packed at the top.

To all the guys in this thread that could have ridden but didn't. There were only 45 riders at the race which is pathetic considering the fact that many guys put in many hours prepping and sorting the track out. You cannot bitch about the lack of variety and tracks if you weren't at the race as this was a perfect opportunity to try out a new and different track. Vince and Chris spent multiple days going out there and working. Riaan Bosman worked through the night one night. I took a day of leave last Thursday to help finish the track. Last weekend guys spent the whole of Sunday in blistering heat to finish the track. For you! Also. Chris has to pay for drivers, timing etc out of his own pocket hoping that enough people show so he doesn't lose money. The break even point is about 60 people so he probably lost money. If he puts on another race i will be very surprised. Also. How many sponsors are going to want to get involved in a sport where only 45 people compete. The cross country folk get 1000 people showing up for a race. Us? 45. The races drive the track building process so if there are no races expect the tracks to slowly disintegrate and eventually disappear. YOU HAVE ZERO RIGHT TO BITCH ABOUT THE STATE OF TRACKS, LACK OF VARIETY ETC. IF YOU DON'T PUT ANYTHING IN TO OUR SPORT. And for you to put something in is easy. show up for the races, get shuttled to the top of the track as many times as you want, have fun, talk sh*t with your mates, make new friends, learn from the fast guys and at the end of the day ride down the hill twice. That's it! You don't even have to do that last bit if you don't want to. I welcome counter arguments and excuses but the fact remains. You weren't there when it counted. your_name_here2010-03-01 03:09:58

Hey Man. Shot for coming to the race. I really hope the bug has bitten. We need you there dude. Angus had a *** first run but did a 3.03 on his 2nd run. pretty good considering his *** bike. I reckon a decent rig is worth 5 seconds on that track. As for me. My headset broke before my first run so i couldn't steer. dnf Loubser had spares for my headset in the pit area so he helped me out there. 2nd run i was trying too hard and making mistakes everywhere. then just before the double rock drop i got a stick in my brake rotor. Had to stop and take it out. i then didnt have enough speed for the double drop and crashed. PROPERLY. dnf.

You break you buy.

You can borrow my hard tail if you want. Full stumps tho.

the biggest drop is about 1.5m the one that goes in to the berm. But don't stess. The alternate line (we don't call it a chicken line) is right next to the drop and you will lose very little if any time. You will fall in love with the track. Trust me.

ja. Chris Nixon

I don't know. Vince and Chris negotiated with him.

The big one is about 1 1/2 m.