Goosebay

For those holidaying in the Hermanus Stanford Gansbaai (Overstrand area) just a heads up of what is available: In Hermanus you have the urban trail and Hemel and Aarde trails - highly recommended and well known. Signage good Wildekrans near Botriver Stanford has some trails as well as Beloftebos nearby Gansbaai has some trails that start from the Lomond Wine Estate tasting rooms (open everyday ) If you want to suffer do the full Klipspringer, but the fun trails are the red at Lomond and the blues on Boesmans - if you link the 2 you can have up to 25km of fun track. Boesmans is having an opening day :http://www.bikehub.co.za/events/event/3390-boesmansrivier-open-dayfun-ride/ If you want to look at some basic maps of the trails near Gansbaai go here: http://mysite.mweb.co.za/residents/jcl/rides%20to%20do.html What the trails are looking like now - pincushions in their prime and loads of colour - with the concomitant birds

The vibe is generally quite chilled so not sure if it will be a problem or not. The race is 20km longer than the route and includes at least one fun downhill not on the klipspringer, and you have waterpoints . The fun route (red) should be open from lunch time or so. You can also chat to Noami and just ask Saturday will be less of a problem but Sunday you will be riding against the flow of the race.

Yes White stone cycles (BMT) - Paul Hermanus Cycles (??) - Leon Eoudia

Do the Funky on Saturday - Lomond Wine Estate. You won't be disappointed

We won't be visiting the tower this year for safety reasons - downhill still very good !

Further up

View near the top of the new single track climb, looking back to 215 and Lomond Wine Estate, Franskraal in the distance.

One week to go New stuff

Long term weather looks good, we have had lots and lots of good rains, so the tracks are looking very good. Soos in die vorige voorspelling gemeld... bly dit droog tot die 15de maar 'n trog van lae druk in die bolug wat op die 16de uit die weste oor die land inkom kan verandering bring. Reënerigheid daaruit kan tot die 17de hou waarna nog 'n front op die 19de inkom... die Winter is dus nog nie verby nie.... (Volgende Voorspelling :- Donderdag 21h00) ... Vrae of kommentaar... weather@twk.co.za.

Some more photos of the red route

Hi Tim You know the Gansbaai trails well, but the Bredasdorp trails are also well worth it. The one that runs to the Preekstoel has nice climbs and descents. As Philip says Naas is the guy to chat to - he also organises the races from Napier to Struisbaai. Contact him though the Southernmost Foundation or pm me for his cell. He has unfortunately closed his shop. Beloftebos near Stanford also has trails (short) and you can also cycle into the old Salmonsdam reserve - nothing is happening there. Take the road up to the tower - long climb and awesome descent.

Quite a few folk seem to miss this bench - if you are having a rustige ride have a seat and enjoy the view. At the top of the 12km loop......

Rode the new section this last weekend - still needs a bit of work but pretty sure it will be ready for the Funky. Will be quite a nice surprise for those use to the open slog up 215. I think we will call it tunnel vision

some of the flowervalley track

one of the water points

an overview of the valley you will spend quite a bit of time riding in, around and over

Since then quite a lot has happened - two new sections of single track has been built. The first is a 10km loop you will do as you leave Lomond - a long single track climb that will surprise you every now and then with fun little sections and switchbacks. The views are also sublime. The downhill is fun, and if you are a little daring even more so. The second klipspringer loop (with some fun bits added) will hopefully also have some single track added, but the new piece we did last year are the Goedvertrouw switchbacks which replaces a long steep hill. Fun and with some easier sections. I'll see if I can dig up some photos The proteas and pincushions are in full bloom, and the heather has also made an early appearance with all the concomitant birds.

The Funky festival should be a lekka weekend of really awesome riding combined with loads of fun. The way I understand it is that the main event is a 2 day stage race, day one being the great white route and day two having fun on some of day one's climbs. There will be loads of other events (trails run, fishing, swimming etc) as well as some lap racing (still to be finalised). The new single track is pretty awesome and we hope to add some more before September. I reckon this ride will be very good prep for the Eselfontein 2 day event. Feedback from the great white was that it was a tough but very good day on the bike - a true all mountain experience. Good climbs with some fast techy downhills. I hope to get some more info re the accommodation planned and will post as soon as I get it. There is a little home made video that shows the new 12km loop from Lomond. An incredible climb and super fun downhill - check it out here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-isCVezVI8

Thanks Esel - proper mountainbiking. That downhill from WP2 to shapiro's drop is just sublime . Day 3 what can you say - just awesome!

Whoooppppiiieee

Hallo!, Is daai kaartjie nog beskikbaar! Ek antwoord

This is the 16km route - the start and finish is to the right of the dam wall, then up the road on the left and down the jeep track we are on. Almost continuous climb up and then almost continuous down . A good ride for the not so fit, but also a fun ride for the more adventurous - the downs can get very fast!

ROUTE DESCRIPTIONS 45km - For the fit and technically proficient mountain biker, if not it will be a long but beautiful day in the mountains. Long climbs, exhilarating downhills and purpose built single track. After a brief warm up you will climbing for about 10km, the last few hundred meters being quite steep. Once you have reached the tower on Perdeberg you would have climbed almost 500m! You are then rewarded with a 4km downhill that starts off steep and rocky, then fast through sweeping fynbos jeeptrack before you reach a slight climb and the rest of the downhill down a fun little kloof. Can be tricky so stay alert! Next is a straight forward jeep track climb to the dam and first waterpoint at 17km, shared with the other routes. You also share a short downhill section with the short route before they split off, and you continue to bomb down a very fast jeep track for about 2.5km, followed by a fun kloof section with a 1.5km climb with a short technical section at the end. A 3km down section takes you to the road before you start a long, hard climb of about 4km to the Helderfontein beacon. Then mostly down to the Witfoetskloof waterpoint at 32km. A tough climb will take you onto the Swartkransberg side. You will encounter some sand here, but the fit should manage - the rest should enjoy the views and pincushions visited by the orange-breasted and malachite sunbirds during the brief dismounts. It is an undulating ride until you get to the Witkransberg where a 3km fast and furious downhill awaits you, the last 1km through tunnel like shrub and trees, swooping left and right until you reach Flowervalley. Watch out for the moleheaps and narrow bridge! A short 2km climb will take you alongside Windheuwel to the Lomond downhill, with swooping berms, pump berms, flow berms and some fun little tables and a few gap jumps (all have chicken runs) until you reach the end at Lomond. 27km - For the fit and keen mountain biker. Long climbs, exhilarating downhills and purposebuilt single track. After the brief warmup you will climb 7.5km to the first waterpoint along farm road and jeep track. On the Koudeberg the route splits from the others at the dam and you will follow a mostly downhill track to the Avoca road. Then a long, hard and tough 4km climb to the Helderfontein beacon where you can enjoy the inspiring views before you drop down to the Witfoetskloof waterpoint. Here and there short little climbs. After the waterpoint a tough 1.5km climb before you bomb down to Flowervalley along a fast jeep farm road. It has rain humps that can catch the wary, but give airtime to the adventurers. A short 2km climb will take you alongside Windheuwel to the Lomond downhill, with swooping berms, pump berms, flow berms and some fun little tables and a few gap jumps (all have chicken runs) until you reach the end at Lomond.

215 reservoir water point

Another view taken from the tower descent