zappa

😄5 is as good as it gets for me, have to scrape the barrel for more mates.

Morning. Looking for trails or routes for a 4-5 day cycle in Namibia. A group of 4-5 riders. Any suggestions most welcome.

Hello Ivan. I have it, will contact you. Hope you enjoyed our event.

Unfortunately with all the COVID uncertainty with border crossings and all that stuff, we have cancelled our annual Zim Bots bike tour. Instead we'll explore the Northern Cape region, maybe up to the Richterveld. 3 Bikes, one backup vehicle, all camping, early August. Any suggestions welcome as I have absolutely no clue about that area.

Good Day We have unfortunately had to make a call regarding the Euro Steel Drak Descent and Euro Steel Run the Rivers events. The risks currently with the spread of this virus far outweighs any fun to be had. As per our first newsletter, if the event was cancelled due to Covid-19, we would have a 100% refund policy. Please follow the link above to select your options. Stay safe. The Sani Spoors Team

Euro Steel Drak Descent Dear Participant We thank you so much for your entry into our event, we are very grateful for your support. It is really disappointing and sad that we had to make the call to cancel the Euro Steel Drak Descent and Run The Rivers for 2021, but our Newsletter clearly outlines our reasoning behind this tough decision. As per our very first newsletter where we committed to refund the entry fee for the race should the race be cancelled due to a Covid related lockdown, we would like to give you a few choices, as some of our entrants have indicated that they wish to donate their entry fee to the event. Please could you make your choice by clicking on the link provided below, completing your details and selecting your option. CLICK HERE TO SELECT YOUR OPTION You will have until 31 January 2021 to select an option. Regards The Sani Spoors Team Drak Descent Social Email - drakdescent@sanispoors.co.za Website - www.drakdescent.co.za Run the Rivers Social Email - drakdescent@sanispoors.co.za Website - www.runtherivers.co.za To unsubscribe Click Here

2021 Drak Descent is cancelled Underberg – As the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to strike communities and families across South Africa, the organisers of the popular annual FNB Drak Adventure Weekend have agreed to cancel the three sporting events and the music concert that made up the popular family weekend in Underberg. The Euro Steel Drak Descent, together with the N3TC Drak Challenge canoe marathon, the Euro Steel Run the Rivers trail run, and the FNB Drak Music Experience concert have all been called off as the respective organisers agree that hosting several thousand athletes and their families cannot be justified under the prevailing pandemic. “It is really disappointing and sad that we had to make the call to cancel the Euro Steel Drak Descent and Run The Rivers for 2021,” said Derek Christie of the Sani Spoors organising committee. “We had prepared some exciting new trails for the riders and the runners and were looking forward to sharing these. “We looked seriously at all the options, including postponing, but in consultation with our sponsor Euro Steel we feel it would be irresponsible and morally incorrect under the current conditions to stage an event that could potentially lead to a further spread of infection. “We do not want, directly or indirectly, to be the cause of any of our participants, helpers or the community being infected due to us hosting an event that brings a couple of thousand visitors to the area,” he added. “It is sad that the charities and the community organisations that benefit from our events will suffer, but we are looking at ways to keep supporting them before we come back with a bigger and better event next year,” said Christie. The KZN Canoe Union tried to accommodate the paddlers by moving the date of the N3TC Drak Challenge five weeks later in the calendar, but the host club Canyon Kayak Club felt the risks were too great. “We appreciate the efforts of Canoeing SA and the KZN Canoe Union in doing everything possible to keep the major events alive, but on overall assessment we all agreed that the risks heavily outweighed the benefits, and we need to be responsible and safeguard everyone’s health,” said Drak Challenge race committee head Mark Willment. “We had flexible plans in place to ensure social distancing and full compliance at the race, but the reality is that almost everyone travels a long way to Underberg for the weekend and books into local accommodation, and the risk of creating a new super-spreader event was real,” he said. He added that all the events were gravely concerned that the overburdened hospitals compromised the ability to offer professional medical care should a serious injury occur. “We have top class medics on duty, but they are hours from the nearest hospital and the reality is that there are no beds available at many of these hospitals and patients needing care are being turned away and sent to find alternate hospitals. We can’t responsibly stage an adventure sport with that risk,” he added. Athletes who have already entered the events will be given the option to either carry their entry over to the 2022 events, to donate their entry to the charities that normally benefit from the event, or to apply for a refund. The now well-established Saturday evening FNB Drak Music Experience concert has also been cancelled.

Hey DD Hope to see you on the trails at Drak Descent.

After a year of uncertainty and upset where we never knew what the next day could bring, the Spoors Team are able to offer some stability…The now famous Euro Steel Drak Descent MTB & Run the Rivers Trail Run, will be held on the 30th and 31st of January 2021. We are thrilled to bring you even more improvements, new energy & excitement in our 2021 edition of this iconic Southern Drakensberg event at exactly the same price as we did in 2020. Our events form part of the growing FNB Drak Adventure Weekend, which will include the N3TC Drak Challenge and FNB Music Experience. As a result of an overwhelming number of requests coming in from potential entrants for the Drak Descent and Run the Rivers, we would first like to offer our faithful previous entrants a preferential entry period. To those of you that have heard the hype, but have not had an opportunity to enter in the past, never fear, there may still be a spot or two available when the entries open to the public. Jump in and enter in order to be placed onto the waiting list for entry allocation once the preferential entries close! In order to ensure that you receive what we have always strived to provide – “value for money” – the Spoors Team will guarantee a 100% refund should the event be cancelled due to another COVID19 Lockdown situation. Remember, with regards to the MTB, while called the Descent, it is not an easy ride – and to our surprise, that is what most riders of reasonable fitness and skill really enjoy. They have called it “real mountain biking”. We hope that the date gives you adequate weeks of riding to work off the Christmas and New Years’ excesses and be in better shape for our event. We are happy to announce that for 2021 our founding sponsor Euro Steel is again involved with the MTB race and the Trail Run Entries will open on 6 October to all previous years’ participants and entries to the general public will open on 1 November. For 2021, payment for the race must be made upon registration. We no longer have a register now and pay later option. Due to our event having a limited number of participants, we cannot hold entries indefinitely. We will allow previous years’ participants to register and pay up until 30 November 2020. Euro Steel Drak Descent & MTB Challenge: Drak Descent Team - R1600 Drak Descent Solo - R800 Euro Steel MTB Challenge - R500 (substitutions at a cost of R200) Approximate Distances: Drak Descent Day 1 = 42km Day 2 = 45km MTB Challenge Day 1 = 25km Day 2 = 18km The Euro Steel Drak Descent is classified as a Mini Stage Race and therefore riders of the age 15+ in December are allowed to ride. Euro Steel will continue to support the Run the Rivers Trail Run 2021. What more could organisers ask for from a sponsor when they just continue to do more, give more and add such value to our event? We are ever grateful to Colin and his team and all at Euro Steel who make this possible. Euro Steel Run the Rivers Trail Run & Lite: Trail Run & Lite – R500 (substitutions at a cost of R200) Approximate Distances: Trail Run Day 1 = 25km Day 2 = 16km Lite Day 1 = 12km Day 2 = 8km Riders and Runners who enter either the Euro Steel MTB Challenge or one of the Euro Steel Run the Rivers Trail Runs, have to ENTER FOR BOTH DAYS (i.e. you cannot enter for only one of the days, but you can run or ride only one day if you so wish). TO ENTER: For the MTB event click here or for the Trail Run click here (as of 6th October) which will take you to the specific event. Ride and Run safely through 2020! The Sani Spoors Team is really looking forward to hosting you all again at the Euro Steel Drak Descent, MTB Challenge and Euro Steel Run the Rivers Trail Run in 2021! Drak Descent Social Email - drakdescent@sanispoors.co.za Website - www.drakdescent.co.za Run the Rivers Social Email - drakdescent@sanispoors.co.za Website - www.runtherivers.co.za To unsubscribe Click Here

Event Name: Euro Steel Drak Descent When: 30 January 2021 - 31 January 2021 Where: Sani Spoors, Kwazulu-Natal Category: MTB Euro Steel Drak Descent and Run the Rivers 30 and 31 January 2021 After a year of uncertainty and upset where we never knew what the next day could bring, the Spoors Team are able to offer some stability…The now famous Euro Steel Drak Descent MTB & Run the Rivers Trail Run, will be held on the 30th and 31st of January 2021. We are thrilled to bring you even more improvements, new energy & excitement in our 2021 edition of this iconic Southern Drakensberg event at exactly the same price as we did in 2020. Our events form part of the growing FNB Drak Adventure Weekend, which will include the N3TC Drak Challenge and FNB Music Experience. As a result of an overwhelming number of requests coming in from potential entrants for the Drak Descent and Run the Rivers, we would first like to offer our faithful previous entrants a preferential entry period. To those of you that have heard the hype, but have not had an opportunity to enter in the past, never fear, there may still be a spot or two available when the entries open to the public. Jump in and enter in order to be placed onto the waiting list for entry allocation once the preferential entries close! In order to ensure that you receive what we have always strived to provide – “value for money” – the Spoors Team will guarantee a 100% refund should the event be cancelled due to another COVID19 Lockdown situation. Remember, with regards to the MTB, while called the Descent, it is not an easy ride – and to our surprise, that is what most riders of reasonable fitness and skill really enjoy. They have called it “real mountain biking”. We hope that the date gives you adequate weeks of riding to work off the Christmas and New Years’ excesses and be in better shape for our event. We are happy to announce that for 2021 our founding sponsor Euro Steel is again involved with the MTB race and the Trail Run Entries will open on 6 October to all previous years’ participants and entries to the general public will open on 1 November. For 2021, payment for the race must be made upon registration. We no longer have a register now and pay later option. Due to our event having a limited number of participants, we cannot hold entries indefinitely. We will allow previous years’ participants to register and pay up until 30 November 2020. Euro Steel Drak Descent & MTB Challenge: Drak Descent Team - R1600 Drak Descent Solo - R800 Euro Steel MTB Challenge - R500 (substitutions at a cost of R200) Approximate Distances: Drak Descent Day 1 = 42km Day 2 = 45km MTB Challenge Day 1 = 25km Day 2 = 18km The Euro Steel Drak Descent is classified as a Mini Stage Race and therefore riders of the age 15+ in December are allowed to ride. Euro Steel will continue to support the Run the Rivers Trail Run 2021. What more could organisers ask for from a sponsor when they just continue to do more, give more and add such value to our event? We are ever grateful to Colin and his team and all at Euro Steel who make this possible. Euro Steel Run the Rivers Trail Run & Lite: Trail Run & Lite – R500 (substitutions at a cost of R200) Approximate Distances: Trail Run Day 1 = 25km Day 2 = 16km Lite Day 1 = 12km Day 2 = 8km Riders and Runners who enter either the Euro Steel MTB Challenge or one of the Euro Steel Run the Rivers Trail Runs, have to ENTER FOR BOTH DAYS (i.e. you cannot enter for only one of the days, but you can run or ride only one day if you so wish). TO ENTER: For the MTB event click here or for the Trail Run click here (as of 6th October) which will take you to the specific event. Ride and Run safely through 2020! The Sani Spoors Team is really looking forward to hosting you all again at the Euro Steel Drak Descent, MTB Challenge and Euro Steel Run the Rivers Trail Run in 2021! Go to Event Page

Good Morning. I am looking for an entry into the two day event, Any cancellations and or swap for the Eurosteel Drak Descent in January.

Hi Perczn. Hope you enjoyed the trails! Perfect weather for once.

Drak Descent Newsletter No. 3 – 05th January 2017 Hello Again to all Euro Steel Drak Descent Riders, GWK Challenge MTB riders and Trail Runners, From the Sani Spoors Team a hearty, healthy Compliments of the Season to all of you. We trust that you have enjoyed a wonderful Festive Season that allowed you time to spend with your families and cycling and running the backroads of our beautiful country… The Spoors Team have been working furiously on the Drak Descent route for 2017, including new single track that is sure to challenge and thrill the most widely travelled cyclist. This is real Mountain Biking – while the distances of the days are not huge, the Single Track will traverse terrain that is spectacular and challenging! You are guaranteed to feel a sense of accomplishment when you reach the finish! We are very happy to say that the Eurosteel Drak Descent has reached the 400-rider cap and entries are now closed. Anyone entering now will go onto a waitlist and should any cancellations be received we will release riders off the waitlist. With respect to the shorter GWK Challenge MTB ride and trail run there are still entries available. Sponsors Our principal sponsors, Eurosteel have been absolutely amazing in their support of this event – and thus mountain biking in general in our area. We as the Sani Spoors team and the Euro Steel organising committee would really like again thank Colin and David Wilson for assisting us in making this event a possibility. To all our other sponsors, we would like to thank the following: -GWK for their involvement in the shorter MTB race and the trail run as well for all the wine for the riders, - Spar – Assistance with the coke and water for the water tables, - Dairy Day (Honeydew Dairy) – Sponsorship of Milk and Chocolate milks at end of the each days riding, - Goodersons Leisure – Sponsoring Teams and accommodation prizes - Kalbo – Prizes - Holdfast – Prizes - Pyga – Roving Mechanics - Ola Ice creams – Sponsorship of Ice cream for all competitors at end of day 1. Some important news regarding the 2017 Drak Descent: Race Information Registration: Friday 20 January at the Olde Duck Café (1 Km along the Drakensberg Gardens Road) 12:00 – 20:00 This will be followed a meet and greet with local landowners at the Olde Duck – Braai packs and bar facilities will be available 18h00 Emergency Registration – if you just could not make it! Saturday 21 January at Restmount Children’s Home (23 Km along the Drak Gardens Road) 05:30 Eurosteel Drak Descent MTB: Day 1 Start: Restmount (23 Km along the Drak Gardens Road) Finish at the R617, Swartberg Bridge at the Drak Gardens turn off. 07:30 Day 2 Start: Olde Duck Café (1 Km along the Drakensberg Gardens Road) Finish at Early Mist Farm along the second Coleford Road. 07:30 Sani Spoors GWK MTB Challenge: Day 1 Start: Restmount (23 Km along the Drak Gardens Road). Finish at the R617, Swartberg Bridge at the Drak Gardens turn off. 09:00 Day 2 Start: Glenhaven Camp along the first Coleford Road. Finish at Early Mist Farm along the second Coleford Road. 07:30 Sani Spoors GWK Trail Run: Day 1 Start: Restmount (23 Km along the Drak Gardens Road). Finish at the R617, Swartberg Bridge at the Drak Gardens turn off. 06:00 Day 2 Start: Glenhaven Camp along the first Coleford Road. Finish at Early Mist Farm along the second Coleford Road. 06:00 Cut – Offs: 12.00 Cut off for day 1 will be at 12.00 at Ekerolds water table at the Eurosteels waltzing bridge and at Glenhaven on day 2 at the GWK water table. We request that riders who are stopped or redirected onto the shorter course respect the decisions made. It will be for your own health and safety. Ian Kynoch Sprint To add a bit of a difference and excitement to the race we will be having a seeded sprint over a kilometre with a timing mat at either end as part of the day two race. This sprint is in memory of Ian Kynoch one of our Sani Spoors members who sadly passed away whilst cycling last year. More details to follow! Friday 20th January – 6.00pm: “Meet the Sponsors” and Landowners Evening “Meet the Sponsors and Landowners” evening will be held at Sani Spoors (2kms on the Drak Gardens road) on Friday 20th Jan at around 6.00pm. It is hoped that after Registration which is at the same venue riders and runners will stay and mingle with our sponsors, landowners and other riders and runners and enjoy a few drinks and food that will be for sale at the Olde Ducke Restaurant. You will be able to select your meat from our local butchery, Underberg Meat Supplies who will be present and then braai it yourself on the fires provided. Batching: S A Seeding will be doing the batching for Day 1. It is for this reason that we encourage all entrants to make sure that if you have changed or plan to change your partner that the substitution is completed by midnight on the 15th January 2017 Batches will go off at 5 minute intervals. Should you feel that you are batched incorrectly please will you bring proof to substantiate your claim, to the registration on Friday so we can consider your concern. NO changes will be made on race day. Any rider moving up a batch without prior approval will have a 1(one) hour time penalty added to their team time. Late Substitutions. Substitutions after close of entries at midnight on the 15th will cost R 200.These will be entertained from 16h00 on the day of registration. It is critical that should you change your partner that the substitution is done on the system as the full race entry file containing Medical and Ice numbers are given to the medical team. Medical and Safety IPSS under Doctor Grant Lindsay will be handling any medical issues. ICE arm bands with contact telephone numbers will be issued to all competitors at registration. We must stress that the race is challenging and technical in nature and we request that riders ride at speeds suitable to their capabilities. We really want to avoid any accidents. MySOS We would like to request that you all install the mySOS app onto your phones so that in case of emergency, whether it is for yourself, your partner or fellow participant assistance can be called. Links to install the MySOS will be forwarded to you shortly For any further details or queries please contact: support@mysos.co.za or Elja Van Urk on 0828570085 Administration Issues Unfortunately, as with most matters in life, there are the inevitable admin issues to be handled :- Cycling SA - Day LicensesAs the Drak Descent is a Cycling SA sanctioned event there is a legal requirement on Sani Spoors, as the race organisers, to collect CSA Day Licenses at R35 per day (or R70 for the event) from anyone who is not licensed with Cycling SA for 2017 It is up to each rider to be able to prove at Registration that they have purchased a 2017 Cycling SA license – or they will have to pay the R70 prior to us being able to issue them with a race number board. Prizes and Prize Sponsors As advised on the Sani Spoors webpage there will be no cash prizes awarded. There will however be product prizes handed out at the end of day 2 for the top Men’s, Women’s, Mixed and junior winners, second and third positions. Sani Spoors is also sponsoring product prizes on both Day 1 and Day 2 - to the first three men and women in both the Fun Ride and the Trail Run. Two exciting lucky dip prizes will be drawn registration and at prize giving on Day 2 - from all the stage race and the MTB challenge and trail run entries Emergency Spares and Bike Repairs Good news is that Howick Cycle and Gear, represented by Travis Boden (076 913 3879) and Sean Symons (072 454 7689), will be present at Sani Spoors from Friday afternoon/evening to assist you with minor bike maintenance and repairs. Howick Cycles will be providing the chain lube for the water tables. Farm Equipment and Garden Centre (033 - 701 1119) in Underberg (next to the Shell Garage and KFC) also stock basic cycle spares and equipment. Water Tables We will have two water tables on day 1 and two on day 2 as well as the river along a large portion of the route. This is a lot for the distances but once again we must stress it is a challenging route. We do warn that we have been experiencing days of extreme heat and request that riders and runners take their own liquid and not to rely solely on the water tables. The river is also a real option for filling up water bottles if desperate, but a real way to cool down if you feel you are overheating. (Just watch out for canoeists who definitely have the right of way in the river) Vehicle Shuttles Please consider We would like to encourage riders to make use of the Shuttle Service offered by Underberg Education Academy. It alleviates traffic and contributes to the bursary fund for less privileged Learners that attend the School. Alien Plants The Sani Spoors team would like to thank all competitors who have made a contribution towards eradicating alien plants along the route. We would also like to thank Mike Streetfield at Farmers Agricare for the chemicals he has donated URGENT APPEAL: The Eurosteel organising committee would like to appeal to all riders / runners to refrain from riding or running on any of the route other than the tracks forming part of Sani Spoors. We have got permission from landowners along the route to use the tracks on the race days only and persons using the tracks illegally are putting the whole race in jeopardy. In conclusion Thanks to you all for the wonderful response to the Euro steel Drak Descent. Interest in the ride has been fantastic and we are sure that all will be in for a great two days of riding, running and fun. If you hear that your team mate has not received an email Newsletter please ask him/her to email me their correct email address. We have had a fair amount of difficulty with some of the emails coming back “Undelivered”. Otherwise, 16 days to go (no festive season excuses anymore!!) and watch your emails and Facebook for more updates. We are looking really forward to hosting you in Underberg for a ride that promises to be challenging, exciting and beautiful. Our target at the start of preparation for this year’s route was to prepare a route that we felt 90% of riders would be able to ride 90% of the way. We think we are achieving this. Derek Christie and the Sani Spoors Team `````````````````````

Eurosteel Drak Descent is fully booked! Please enter The GWK Challenge for a great weekend of riding.

8 December 16 “Do the Descent Thing!” Dear Drak MTB Descent, GWK MTB Challenge and Trail Run Entrants, Entries for the 2017 races are rapidly approaching the full mark – there are currently only 34 entries available for the Drak Descent, as at 16h00. (In order to keep it exclusive entries are limited to 400 riders!). If you would like to try to enter, we would encourage you to go online right now – www.sanispoors.co.za - and click on the race entry logo relative to the event that you wish to enter for. If the Descent is full, try the GWK Challenge. To the many that have already entered, you are in for a phenomenal treat as the Spoors Team are continually preparing new tracks and improving the ones previously ridden. Start Times: Start times are as follows for 2017: · Eurosteel Drak Descent – Day 1 & 2 07h30 (Entry R1100 per Team; Solo R 600 - substitutions at a cost of R100) · GWK Challenge – Day 1 09h00 Day 2 07h30 · GWK Trail Run – Day 1 & 2 06h00 (Cost for this event is R160 for both days.
 Riders who enter the GWK race or run can only enter for both days (i.e. can’t enter for one day or the other)
There is currently no closing date for the GWK Challenge and trail run at this stage. Venues and distances to be confirmed as soon as we learn how Strava or GPS works! Vehicle shuttles: We would like to encourage riders to make use of the Shuttle Service offered by Underberg Education Academy. It alleviates traffic and contributes to the the bursary fund for less privileged Learners that attend the School. Registration and Meet and Greet – Sponsors and Land Owners: On Friday, 21 January, in keeping with the country bumkin, laid back, hillbilly approach the Spoors Team pride themselves in, we will once again be hosting the registration and opportunity to mingle with the locals and sponsors at the Olde Duck Café. We are very fortunate to have Eurosteel as principle sponsor again in 2017 as well as the following sponsors: GWK, Spar, Gooderson Leisure, Kalbo designs and Ekerold Plant Hire, Pyga Cycles and Holdfast. We would like to wish all entrants and their cheerleaders a blessed Christmas and Prosperous New Year. We look forward to seeing all of you on our trails in 2017. Kind regards, The Spoors Team Sani Spoors encourages our cyclists to make a donation to the Restmount Children's Home in Underberg. The Home provides opportunities for less fortunate children to spend time in the Southern Drakensberg. Many of the children have never been on a holiday. Please make donations directly to Restmount using the Account details below. Reference all donations as Drak Descent with your name. DURBAN MOUNTAIN HOMESTEAD ASSOCIATION (RESTMOUNT) STANDARD BANK KINGSMEAD BRANCH ACCOUNT NO. 051072807