Two Passes (TdB Stage 2 I think) CT

['Dale]

"I need a spare wheel before I descend down Bains... beeeg please, H Q ..."

[NeverEnder]

Thanks for the ride and company on what is definitly one of my favorite routes.

 

Hope to see you in league next year TinyK ? - and bring Mr Dale along. He was looking very frisky up Bainskloof.

[Tubehunter]

Yep a lekka day out for sure! Shot ous, what a day and route to spend in the saddle! (Oh and thanks for the wheelsuck home when the legs aborted the ride...)

[Tiny K]

Thanks for the ride and company on what is definitly one of my favorite routes.

 

Hope to see you in league next year TinyK ? - and bring Mr Dale along. He was looking very frisky up Bainskloof.

 

 

Yep a lekka day out for sure! Shot ous, what a day and route to spend in the saddle! (Oh and thanks for the wheelsuck home when the legs aborted the ride...)

 

@Neverender - Yeah, if all goes well, spring 2012 will see me making my debut into the league arena. Mt 'Dale is sure to follow if his work travelling allows it.

 

@Tubehunter - it was a pleasure man. It was my first ride out from Die Burger, and after your 7Km run a day or two ago, heavy legs on such a long ride would be expected.

 

@'dale and wannabe (and the rest of you really), thanks for making the effort to come join the ride. The weather was magnificent and the landscape of the Slanghoek Valley were awesome! Thanks Seabee for that detour recommendation

 

Edit: typo

Edited December 23, 2011 by Tiny K

[Tiny K]

"I need a spare wheel before I descend down Bains... beeeg please, H Q ..."

No one that didn't do the ride will know what really went down with / post that phone call hey

[Wannabe]

No one that didn't do the ride will know what really went down with / post that phone call hey

Don't worry. it happens to all of us sometime or other. But we'll keep the reason for that specific call between us.

['Dale]

No one that didn't do the ride will know what really went down with / post that phone call hey

What happens on the ride, stays on the ride...

 

[Wannabe]

What happens on the ride, stays on the ride...

 

[SeaBee]

We are fortunate that our area is littered with good rides, but that one will always remain riiight up there! Glad you guys had a good time out!

 

Sorry TinyK - I never saw your message until now! I run my browser windowed and the notification bar does not move along and gets cut off...

['Dale]

We are fortunate that our area is littered with good rides, but that one will always remain riiight up there! Glad you guys had a good time out!

 

Sorry TinyK - I never saw your message until now! I run my browser windowed and the notification bar does not move along and gets cut off...

@Seabee,

 

Using your wisdom as a local,

Can this route be done with Bains first, then du Toits?

Or is it better to ascend du Toits early on?

 

Just thinking of exposure to cars on the N1 strip and then up du Toits...

[SeaBee]

Hey Dale - sorry, been off the radar a bit!

 

We actually used to do it that way mostly, till earlier this year the Worcester side of Bains became a bit... "interesting" to descent due to roadworks and loose gravel, you get the picture. Of the two, it is Bains I am more "worried" about to get behind me before traffics starts, due to it's narrowness. That said, I was on Du Toits over the weekend in the car and saw a truck coming hurtling down there and was thinking to myself it's a good thing I'm not sharing the road by bike with that guy. But at least in Du Toits you have some space, there are the odd double lane area and not as many blind turns.

 

Other advantages of doing it Bains first - you get a nice extra little climb before Slanghoek (as you did it, the descend down to the river - low water bridge). You also get to face the South-Easter *evil grin* a bit more. Climbing up Du Toit from that side, on the heat of the day, is also mentally a bit of a killer, so it's very good to do. Last time we did it, I stuck my hand into my back pocket just before the tunnel to grab some jelly babies - just got a hand full of goo - all jelly babies melted!

 

That all said, I much prefer descending on the Worcester side of both passes for some weird reason. (But that counts for just-about nothing, since I am the world's second-worst - I manage to beat my one buddy... - descender!) Both descends on Paarl/Wellington side is very bumpy and I just don't go down there well at all and coming down Du Toits on Paarl side is generally very gusty - another pet hate of mine.

 

In short - either way is a great ride!

['Dale]

Thanx for that detailed note, Seabee!