Just a bit of a rave here and maybe I know no better being the Rookie and Noobie I am but. A mate and I Have recently started Cycling about 3 month I think, we are both very keen sportsmen and due to this decided what is a sport with out a challenge. So the hunt began to find a race / adventure We were both keen on the Sani2sea but after a lot of searching realised its normally impossible to JUST get a entry to this stage ride. so in a bit of a depressed state I found an entry to the Dusi Mfula for sale in the hub classifieds (Thanks Cranky) Which we just had to buy so with one moth to go and no proper training yet we need to get cracking. We trained but not almost enough In my opinion. the weeks went fast and the training non existent. Friday the 5th June 2009 we drive to PMB and stay in a very nice back packers where the Rats were as tame as the dogs but none the less a bed and a place to sleep the night (nerves have set in proper non stop bathroom visits) 5am awake and off too the start at Bishopstowe yes were are nervouse even more then the prvious night and also very early, But despite our early arrivals we were welcomed and registered as the 1st team to arrive (if only we were batched according to promt arrivals hehehe) 8:30 batch A start about 15minutes later us at the back of the last batch (Batch D) the experinece begins, and well we had 80km of grueling, sick, insane but what a jol amount of riding with some spectacular views amaizing over the rolling hills (looked like mountains to me) the Dusi River its self and rural homes. Awsome super cool decents with very lekker technical single track and as awsome as the decents were, the climbs were killers horrible gradients but what would MTB be with out them right. 6hrs20 we clock in at the Inanda dam all our luggage waiting for us with a decent meal hotish showers and Clean toilets. We moved up a batch (yeeepeee) placed 173 Day two: still nervous but what the hell he done more then half the ride already so we just need to finish it now. Check our equipment realise the rear wheel is not free wheeling at all though it was the disk breaks catching. Wishful thinking rear wheel hub bearing seized, (according to a fellow rider tent neighbour) he tried what he could with what tool we had but not much was solved. I can't give up now. and off we go for a further 40km of what to me was super cool riding I loved all the scenary and vegitation. Burma road Its not a road at all dont let any one ever tell you its a road it was mad this almost sheer incline of something like 1km of walking up. Eventually we see durban Longest 8km ride I have ever done to eventually bring us cross the finish line with a time of 9hrs50 and placed 165 And would I do it again HELL YES if you said I could try it again tomorrow I would and thats no lie i saw places in South Africa (Natal) That only a select few ever get to see was it tuff absolutly tuff but was worth every second and every KM riden Would I suggest you do it as long as I have a place to do it then yes but if you gonna take my place NO. Was it dangerous: besides the stone which some little kid shot at me with a Katty on day one (something I would have done so I deverve that) and the golf ball which almost took my head off n day two crossing the Umgeni Golf course no more dangerous then any other Mountain bike ride just be focused I hope you enjoyed the read and see you at some other events. habib2009-06-08 08:56:33
