Mamil

Ahem - so Munga 24 is back on for me. I get queasy and that strange feeling when the testes retract a little bit thinking about it. How's everyone's preparation going?

Let's *** a pool on how much a solo entry will be at the inaugural edition. I'll run it and abscond with the cash to fund my entry. I don't think it's whataboutism or unfounded negativity. I like the events dryland offer but I don't believe that a 6 day event like this can be offered at a price point that is affordable to average middle class, middle of the pack, middle aged blokes who like to ride these long distances.

I would love to ride this but if entry fee is what I imagine it will be it will be impossible

They are marked. I don't know the condition if wolwefontein after the rains but Kwa is on higher ground oand probably in good nick. Not much else around there that I know of.

Someone mentioned me? This mamil's only stripes are my cyclist's tan which makes me look like a neopolitan ice cream. First off - you okes should be grateful to mamils - we buy the bikes and the sports nutrition that keeps the LBS going and second I AM actually fueling for a munga. Also - you can tell if it's a world champ by the curvature of the rainbow - on MvdP and Alan and that ilk it's a straight line - on a mamil it's a wavy lumpy voluptuous curve

Oh well I'm an extra large - I've entered anyway.

I see Matt Beers posted his ride to Strava - with power data - 366 average power - which I note coincidentally is 2 watts LOWER than the VO2 max 1 minute interval that spices my 6 minutes of sweet spot tomorrow evening ..........

What size is the bike I wonder?

Not sure I see the problem with that. It's the braking in corners that causes the problems. We all accelerate out of corners, this is just someone with nino schurter watts inntje legs.

Accelerating out of turns I imagine. Those 4 or 5 powerful pedal strokes as you come out of a sharp corner or feature to get back up to speed. If you've got an extra 250 watts in a 3 or 4 second burst it will make all the difference. I can see the appeal of it but I just can't help my prejudiced judgements of some of the e-bikers. "they don't understand the terrain" I tell myself as I toil up spykers, "they're not as fit as I am" I mutter into the wind as one wrhrrr whrrr whyrrs away from me on the conties climb ....

That's frightful. Yet another hit and run I imagine. Every strength to the man and those who know him.

May we ask what happened?

I stopped at the dairy shed for the first time in a while on Sunday and was struck by how many cars there were in the parking - the trails are busier than they were for sure and also just how many e-bikes there were. A rough tally of the 10 or 12 bikes lying around was roughly 60 / 40 in favour of the assisted variety.

Can someone please buy however many of these they have left so I can stop thinking about it. https://www.cyclelab.com/product/3006882-gps-bike-comp-garmin-edge-1040-solar I DO NOT need a new head unit.

I rode up through the Hillcrest climb having got on the network at the Protea hotel - the mud there had one really bad spot where I put my foot down and sunk to my ankle. I did Supertubes and it was fine of course - Cheeky corners was closed so went around and joined happy hops at the bottom. Was headed through rather than around so didn't do the rest of the network - After what's happening today and tomorrow weather wise I expect the whole network will be slosh and not rideable.

3 fans in summer because I am a prodigious sweater. Towel on handlebar, wahoo top tube protector and another towel wrapped around seat post and tucked under saddle and there's still a puddle when I'm finished. One day someone will take a photo of me on the trainer and disabuse me of the fantasy movie playing in my head while I try and drop some other Hungarian mamil on the Alp.

Budget is key - IF you can lay down some cash a wheel off trainer is the way to go - just note you need to protect your frame, BB and pivots from the sweat that rolls off. Will solve your neighbour problem and make your indoor experience much more entertaining than the rollers. I do a lot of my midweek rides on the indoor trainer, structured workouts and races - an hour at a time and it's big bang for less time investment. If however, the indoor trainer is not an important part of your training and you have budget, then a second bike - a gravel one for commuting would be very nice to have too and would save your main bike from the corrosive sweating issue that indoor training brings.

As @Skubarrasays - take a long weekend or even a whole week - use PA as a base and there's a proper cycling holiday possible. Unique geology gives stunning landscapes - very few cars to hassle a rider and a ton of lovely routes, proper climbs etc....

I saw this but have non bicycle commitments that weekend - next year I'm in.

The email more or less explicitly says that it is more lucrative for the organiser to focus on their 3 day organised rides of 60km per day with restaurants, wine and group social activities. That's a completely different market to the one I represent. As a dyed in the wool extreme introvert I can think of nothing worse than that. It's a real loss to the calendar that this event is no more. I was already hoping that my second attempt at grit tankwa wouldn't clash with it next year. Anyway me and a few mates (even hardcore introverts have mates) are already talking about a trip to PA to ride the granfondo route and tack on a descent into die hel too.

I must say I'm very disappointed that this event will be no more.

Jedi light sabres are OK but only if they have dropper posts

Much cheaper. Shot!

https://www.dischem.co.za/nature-s-choice-fructose-500g-786 https://www.takealot.com/npl-maltodextrin-1-5kg/PLID46977504 Nice men on motorbikes deliver it.

The hammer gel flasks stay closed, bite and pull to open, good flow through nozzle, bottle is slightly squeezable, push back closed, back in pocket. 40 bucks each on takealot.