Mamba

Don from Johannesburg Mountainbike club has posted a map of the area with the various routes marked on it at: http://www.jmbc.org.za/images/RideImages/emmerentia.jpg It'll give you a good idea of where Alberts farm is relative to everything else. The Thug is like Superman. He's here, he's there, he's everywhere. I also bumped into him. On the very top of Alberts farm. Who should come Thugling up the hill but The Thug himself. Last week-end I bumped into him running. Let this be an example to you all of what too many energy bars can do to you. No wonder he is so darn fit. So we start at the Bosmont shopping centre then?

Hi All, I'm in, barring something happening like being bitten by a spider again. In fact I did the ride from Conrad Drive to Alberts and back this Sunday with Stevo. Bloody slavedriver! The Swamp Dogs (about 15 of the furry little woofers) were starting from the same point at the same time. They park at Fratellis as there is a parking place and car guard/guards. But this is my end of the trail and I know Mampara is keen to start on that end for a change. In fact the Johannesburg Mountain Bike Club also started from there on Friday night. They had a night ride and were gathering in numbers when I got back from my ride up and down the Spriut. What a nice way to end the week! The up-side of starting at Emmarentia is its kind of in the middle and people know where to find it. I'll start from anywhere, just say where. It's nice to have you back Mampara. MichH, you'll have to tell us all about the week-end. Hope it was great. We'll get to the start a little early so you can tell us about it.

I'm not saying who, but someone is going to be VERY humble by Sunday night. But I hope she enjoys it. That part of the world is fabulous. Wish I knew what a Knobbly Camp was!

I hadn't been to the Groenkloof Nature reserve so I looked it up on the internet. There is some very interesting historical stuff on: http://www.tshwane.gov.za/groenkloof.cfm Seems like one of those places that one can spend the entire day at. I feel so bad about letting you guys down last Saturday that I'm not even going to say that I'm going to pitch. If I'm there I'm there. I'm also not sure what MichH is planning for Sunday. I'll do one or the other. At least I'm over the spider bite by now. By the way, you mentioned Dirt Rider. You may want to have a look at the other thread about him and his family being held up on Saturday morning.

Hi DR. We are all thinking of you and your family. Wish there was more that we could do.

Hi Saffa G. It looks like I'm going to have to bail on this one. Got a monster spider bite. I'm supposed to be hospitalised but I'm not feeling THAT bad. It would be silly of me to do a full-on ride. Heart beat is going crazy at the moment and the head is not too far behind. IF I do anything tomorrow it is going to be very very slow and in granny gear. If I do anything at all. I'll see how I feel. Sorry to let you down. I was looking forward to it. Bloody spiders!!

Gee you guys are early starters. 6am in Pretoria!! If I fall off it'll be because I'm asleep. I'm keen on anything new so I'll be there if I can. Stevo won't be because he is in Sabie as well otherwise he would be there. Perhaps we need to start another topic? Saffa G will you do that? You'll need to give us directions etc. I presume that we are talking Sunday? Saffa G I'm glad to see you're ok after your fall. For a while you had us worried. I stopped on the very last root before the river. I could have done a glorious pike and half turn into the river all done while sitting on my bike of course if it wasn't for that root. It was very very close. Glad no one noticed it, they were all looking at you. You did a wonderful and elaborate dismount and I feel that you should be given the award for "Most elaborate dismount of the day" although others did their best to take the award away from you.

That was my first time at North Farm and I thoroughly enjoyed it. What a nice bunch of people. It was a nice change from the Spruit with its wheel eating single track. It was also nice to be able to ride side by side with someone and to chat while riding. (Even if they had a screw loose and I didn't know it at the time.) Scary, very scary. 6 hours sounds too much for me for next week end. If someone else is doing something a lot shorter I'll be in. Any suggestions?