zuludog

someone keen to start a petition?

me too! :-)

also waiting with bated breath.

GREAT !! love and passion

when can we ride again?

we did the Epic in 2010. the years have made me forget how hard it was. reading these stories make me remember ! I got into MTB via my partner who then suggested the Epic - I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I soon realised. I guess it is true what they say - the training is the hardest, and it is hard. I did hours on my own on the bike all lonely and suffering at my slow pace - twice round Suikerbos as an example a few times. Long rides in the Graskop/Sabie area also mostly on my own as my partner then lived in Durban. I dont know if it is still the same but in those days they had 100km+ races in Sabie and Barberton which we entered but could only finish the 70km odd races - that led to me in the top 10 for the 100km South African leaderboard as they took my shorter course time as a long course finisher! stage 1 ended with the infamous railway line section - I can tell you we were properly stuffed - we took the view that we are not going to think about things and just do what we need to do. I can tell you if I had to think about it I would not have started stage 2. I bumped into a guy I know at the finish line - he was dazed and confused mumbling that his bike was stolen - he was taken off to the medical tent and treated for electrolyte disturbance ( he overhydrated) and that was the end of his Epic. We started stage 2 and it sort of got easier. we had problems with the bikes and my partner had a mother of a fall - buckled a rim and we had to push to the next waterpoint. but we scraped by and made cut- offs. I had my only fall a few km's from the end at Lourensford - luckily nothing too serious. will I do it again? - not sure I would be able to get so fit again, even if I could I am not too sure. for me that came from nowhere it was great to feel my body adapting to the training and feel you are getting stronger and fitter but hell it is a lot of work and time. what makes the race hard is the climbing - there is a lot of climbing and it is invariably steep and on bad surfaces - you need to be prepared for this and very importantly if you a backmarker hoping to finish - you need luck!

could be neck but more likely carpal tunnel syndrome.

thank you ! I have never been there - could you give me some basic directions from hotel entry? much obliged.

I will be attending a workshop in Hilton during June - staying at the Protea Hotel. Are there nice trails to ride from the hotel ? are they safe to ride alone? worthwhile to bring my bike from Jhb?

what happened to Max?

how cool is that! also see the bridge below the article - if only

the amount of climbing is insane! ( anyone want my entry?)

damm this looks hard! cut-off times??

i think it was an awesome ride and thoroughly enjoyed it. Have to say think the stormwater and tunnel is not such a good idea - saw one oke who probably fractured his hip - a life changing event. It was slippery here and a fall here unpredictable. so hopefully this will be made safer for next year. otherwise an excellent ride. i found all the riders patient and courteous.

what was the control ?( or placebo ) surely they knew they were not wearing a compression garment.

Hi we are looking for a mobile home parking package.

bring it to jhb !!!!

i am all for dogs! ride with mine on the spruit and mpumalanga all the time - great fun. i have a German Shorthaired Pointer and English Pointer.

i live in the area. i will start riding in the mornings ( tues + thurs ) on the spruit from middle sept. will also look at longer rides on the spruit over weekends. i do go quite a bit slower than you though.

:ph34r:

look i know we all are Impey fans and truth can be stranger than fiction - but consider how much probenicid the pharmacist had on his hands , how much of that transferred to the capsules, they are put in a container , transported , opened ,filled, maybe transported again in a container eventualy taken and there still is enough to lead to a detectable blood level - that is hard to believe. go and ask any pharmacist when was the last time he had dispensed probenicid bet you the younger ones would say never. add to this the coincidence that this particular pharmacist was working with a drug that is hardly prescibed anymore at the moment that a professional cyclist requires his services. use ockham's razor.

i used to ride the spruit up and down a-all the way from the top, sometimes to Kyalami and back - on my own. then i lost confidence ( muggings etc ) would like to start again. being realistic ( i know nowere is 100% safe etc) but by and large if i ride on my own is that OK or will it be considered reckless?

say what you like about the Spruit ( note the capitol ) but for many it is the best place to ride - and in my view it is a great place to ride. it has many problems and unfortunately it has to be said chief amongst them are some of the riders. a solution to this is maybe that a magazine that these okes will read ( i suggest bicycling) publish articles re trail etiquete. they all suffer from the delusion that the rider comming down has right of way.

i am with you there i am with you there!