The Osseberg Passage: Below is my post from last year regarding the Osseberg, for 2 years now I have suggested that along with with other monuments of the race such as Lehana's Pass and Stettyns Kloof the Osseberg will become one of the hardest obstacles to overcome and it seems to be the case that the legend is building. There is an overwhelming sense of relief as the riders exit there in daylight and return to district roads. With good rains and no human intervention for years now it is returning to its wild roots and becoming less and less a place where you should be burdened with a bicycle. There are still some riders to go through this year, although most seem to be going cautiously - preferring to take at least most of the day to get through. 2013 comments below: "Looking forward to chatting about the Osseberg, seems we might have the first real challenge to the riders – if the foul weather won’t play ball for us sitting at home waiting for some adversity – then maybe this notorious stretch described as Mordor will. I remember mentioning to the race director last year that 30 odd riders a year is not going to keep a path through there – I can almost hear the cursing of the riders now if I sit still. Lets not mention those going through there at night….. " The Osseberg: If you are following the race on twitter or elsewhere, you will hear riders talking about the Osseberg and most of them describing it with some fear or trepidation. The Osseberg is a now disused wagon trail used originally as an alternative route into the famed Baviaanskloof Wilderness Area. It starts on a ridge high above the eventual valley and is flanked by the magnificent Cockscomb Mountains on the one side and your fist view of the ocean since Durban – with a magnificent vista looking toward Jeffery’s Bay. It is here that after riding east for a couple of hours, you make a turn and start riding west again. The Osseberg used to be accessible to 4x4 drivers and was regarded as one of the must do routes in the country for its length, technical challenge and most of all, its views. The route starts off and pretty much descends for the rest of the ride, but it is no easy ride and it is one of the most technical rides you will do on the whole trail, added to this is the fact that it is now severely overgrown and the grass and bushes tug at your handlebars, but there is enough momentum to keep going , so you do, but there are dongas, ruts and ridges which you follow, just hoping you have found the right line and continue with it until it pans out or you need to find a landing place. This is wild country though and these routes belong to porcupines and aardvark (if you must - ant bears), these buggers can dig and they leave craters or rather holes which can swallow you no problem, often they are covered by grass and the only warning you have is the “Faaaark – hole!” from the rider in front of you if you are lucky. But oh the views – they are endless and pristine as you smell fynbos and brake pads. When you eventually reach the river you arrive at a well laid out but overgrown abandoned camp site in a beautiful valley – did I mention overgrown? Well it would take famer Glen and all his resources a day to clear 1km in this place and you still have many km to trek to get to the road and Cambria Support Station. So the trek down the river begins, you walk in it, next to it around it and cross it 11 or so times. The bush is thick if you are on the side of it and the reed almost impenetrable in it, but forward you go. At this stage there are about 50 cyclists going through there each year and they give it a gentle comb or tickle as they pass over it – year after year it gets worse and more overgrown. Alex Harris referred to it as Mordor two years ago when he did it at night after a massive deluge and he fought the night to find the river to cross it as he had to bash through massive bermed debris of acacia thorn trees washed down in the floods of 2011. Few people go in there at night and few if they do, don’t end up spending the night in there as even on the clearest day it is confusing to find your way out. As it is a wilderness area famed for leopards, kudu, warthog etc, you see carcasses and smell dead carrion from time to time, whatever the case you know that you are being watched by animals as you move through with great effort. As a final thorn in the side so to speak, if you try and hack your way through a shortcut, you will discover the thorns or every description, the worst being something like a prickly pear, except it is light, so it sticks and it has barbs so you can’t flick it. It clings and spikes at the same time, almost impossible to get rid of, even with gloves on. So that’s the Osseberg – it is wild, beautiful and majestic – but to get through you need a barbarian mind set and you don’t go timidly, or else it will detain you – perhaps for a night. It is one of the privileges of the Freedom Challenge. Pictures: The start of the Osseberg trail looking down in to the Baviaanskloof Wilderness Area. Wading in the Groot Rivier. Looking back at the valley toward the Cockscomb Mountains in the distance. Attached Images
