Nancy Drew

Thanks - post edited

for logistical purposes, please let me know which distance you would be interested in if you're attending. Also let's start a name list so that I know how many kettles I need to boil on the morning So far: 57kms Nancy Drew mons100 Zoe Little Straw Christine Jenny Dian Etienne Charl B Charl Jakes (might upgrade) 68kms IanJ (on SS) Sean N Sean N's other half Smolster (Maybe 90kms) John (Maybe 90kms) Ken (Maybe 90kms) Hilton Katy Catatonic_Joe 90kms jcza FLX1 Andre77 jaapter Ross Winckworth Paulst12 Ikonic Stefanh Chopper Clayton Sydney Gregan Pending Pink Slip NotSoBigBen (surely this must be approved by now?!!!)

Back by popular demand :) Date: Saturday 29 September 2012 Time: 6h30 to ride at 7h00 Approximate Distance(s): 57km 640m ascent or 68km 985m ascent or 90km 1290m ascent The route is 'out and back' so at any point anyone can turn around and head back if they're struggling/having sense of humour failure Entry Fee: Tin/packet of dog/cat food to donate to FORA (I will ask Amateur if she will kindly co-ordinate this again - even if she can't make the ride) Facilities: Showers & Toilet facilities & pool (please rinse all your Breedts dust off before swimming) Coffee & Muffins will be served before the ride. Boerie Rolls & colddrinks will be on sale after the ride. Directions: From Joburg South take the N1 North and exit at the 14th Avenue offramp, turn left at the offramp and at the 2nd set of traffic lights turn right onto Hendrik Potgieter. From Joburg North take the N1 South and exit at the 14th Avenue offramp, turn right at the offramp and at the 3rd set of traffic lights turn right onto Hendrik Potgieter. From Pretoria take the R28/N14 towards Krugersdorp. At the traffic lights just before Krugersdorp hill, turn right onto the N14 towards Ventersdorp Now we should all be on the same road: Continue on this road until T-Junction @ R563; turn right towards Hekpoort. Keep right at the Ventersdorp split and continue for +-20kms. Next T-Junction turn right towards Hartebeespoort (R560/R563) (27d 36' 39" E, 25d 53'13"S) (This is where you would normally turn left to go to the petrol station). Keep on this road for +-2kms until you see a Hartebeesfontein sign turn left onto the dirt road (27d 37' 17" E, 25d 52' 51"S) Carry on for a further +-100m turn right into the first road - the sign says Bultfontein (27d 37' 13" E, 25d 52' 40" S) and carry on for a further +-500/600m. The entrance is on the RHS (look out for the blue HP6 sign) (27d 37' 26" E, 25d 52' 13"). There will be someone to show you where to park when you arrive There are ablution facilities (toilets and hot showers 3 ladies/3 mens) available

Not that I'm thinking about doing this or anything......... But I'm curious about what the total ascent is. Nothing mentioned on the website

Well done to all that finished..... those conditions were really tough. It's the first time I've come back from a MTB event where my arms/shoulders are more sore than my legs. Carrying my bike over that water crossing just after Hadleigh just about finished me off.... Great experience all round though :-)

What happened to "never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever again..... unless they tar the whole &^%$*$# thing"???

You became the teamleader when you started training more than me.... not to worry, my sheer will not to let you down will see me through to the end ;-)

Oi vey.... I'm hoping that by some miracle, the icy cold weather will subside by the time we get to Willowmore. I've never felt more unprepared and anxious about an event before..

Oh well.... this time next week it'll all be over until 2013

I guess I'll go back to my own version of socks.... Nancyskinz™ 2 pairs of socks with a plastic bag (the sandwich variety) in between Has worked for me before....

From the Sealskinz SA website: PLEASE NOTE: SEALSKINZ SOCKS OFFICES ARE CLOSED FROM 4 AUGUST 2012 TO 26 AUGUST 2012. ALL SEALSKINZ SOCKS ORDERS PLACED DURING THIS PERIOD WILL ONLY BE DISPATCHED AFTER THIS TIME PERIOD. It is best to order sealskinz socks after the 26 August 2012. That sucks.... I was going to try and get some this week

I agree. IMO it would be more difficult getting support on the 'Langs' route than through a few knee-high water crossings. Personally I'm feeling rather relieved at this news... The Youtube video did scare me though

Thanks awesme! PM sent

Very good training for TransBaviaans partner.......

Does anyone perhaps have a Garmin route map of this route? also.... what is the actual distance? Is there a different route back..... because as far as I can tell 35+35 = 70

Milko Balm / Milking Balm - with the animal 'stuff' in Dischem

Agree.. go out slow and then ride slower if your aim is to finish. At some point it becomes more mental than physical and you have to hope that your mental 'slump' never coincides with your team mates because then it can be easy to call it a day

Yep - Just like Sani2C, there's no climbing at all..... I mean, we DO start above sea level and end up at sea level after all. Must be downhill

It's this different.... Much more undulating.... the descent to checkpoint 3 was treacherous (IMO) and the climb up to checkpoint 3 was no joke. To carry on climbing for another 15-20kays after checkpoint 3 was very disheartening. It took me 3 hours longer than the other route. I'm probably not the best example though because I'm a back-of-the-packer ;-)

Have a look here: https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/117444-sealskinz-socks/

Please keep the rest of us posted!! The thought of LangsBaviaans again doesn't give me that warm fuzzy feeling...

Funny that he is trying to get rid of his mtb to make way for a cheaper mtb..... because he seems to be selling his cheaper mtb too Oh well, since he does "more road than mtb" it makes perfect sense that he's the owner of 2 mtbs

Assuming nobody has sent this to you yet, you can PM me your e-mail address and I'll send it to you

It's a recent conversion.... I've also started wearing tie dye Peace bro

aaaahh..... therein lies my misunderstanding, I'm never high up enough in the field to see these types of riders. Where I stand they're normally wearing baggies and t-shirts and generally have hairy legs.... some of them are even smoking a joint before we start rolling