2013 Freedom Challenge Updates

[tubed]

Weather is turning nasty in CT at the moment.

 

I reckon things are going to get chilly for the blokes coming through Prince Albert over the next few days.

 

http://stormchasing.co.za/forums/cold-fronts-and-winter-weather/9198-cold-fronts-a-possible-snow-18-26-jun-2013?limit=10&start=10#9223

 

the weather gurus aren't getting overly excited about these two fronts - maybe some cold air and a bit of rain - but SW Cape mainly

[tubed]

I'm in prince albert at the moment, had a visit from the village headman last night - AKA johan the local bike mechanic. work got me to the karoo at a nice time, but i'm a bit too early to see any racers. went up the pass yesterday and it looks much better from the car in daylight than 4am from a bike!

 

I'm currently parking off at coffee shop in the shade with t-shirt and shorts, this is HEAVENLY weather for this time of year. and that's one thing that could really spur on the dreyers...they could end up klapping the record and keeping it for a while as they have definitely had the best conditions in the history of the event so far.

 

i am very sorry to see andrew GI king have to pull out. I was in contact with him to bounce ideas around for his strategy, and an eye on the weather. He is not the type of guy to throw in the towel just like that, he's done the comrades in jeans and walked kilimanjaro barefoot. last year he portaged the entire dusi, during the race with a k2. all for charity. he had some bad issues with his bike - broke a few spokes on day 1 (i reckon that's maybe from the air transit) and lost neg pressure in the fork. he only got this fork sorted in rhodes once he got hold of a shock pump, but by then the wrist was stukkend. andrew is the brains behind D4 productions, famous for the well worth watching mtb/adventure shows such as the berg and bush.

 

otherwise the race is not really over. scott has been riding damn well under the radar. and whilst he's now 'with the dreyer's it's going to be hard to take a day off them. BUT anything can happen. there's still a long way to go and he would be well aware of this.

 

nice office you have - envious

 

Scott is def flying under the radar - this race sure is not over

[Shebeen]

nice office you have - envious

 

Scott is def flying under the radar - this race sure is not over

yup, got this one right for once. but had to turn down the dieks bru craft beer for lunch because i have to go talk shop with municipality guys and it is monday. this was me being silly bugger at the swartberg pass memorial yesterday

https://twitter.com/sburnettza/status/348863565656109058/photo/1

[smara]

It's also bloody freezing that part of the world, forget sutherland molteno holds the sa record. Walking out of the warm farmhouse door at 4am is like stepping into a blast freezer. I hated it. Serious HTFU cowboys don't cry conditions. If you've put the right layers on,15 mins of riding can warm you up!

 

What are the best and right layers?

[callyh]

What is the Dreyers' TOTAL TIME so far? how much better than Martin's 2012 equivalent time?

[tubed]

Looking forward to chatting about the Osseberg, seems we might have the first real challenge to the riders – if the foul weather won’t play ball for us sitting at home waiting for some adversity – then maybe this notorious stretch described as Mordor will.

 

I remember mentioning to the race director last year that 30 odd riders a year is not going to keep a path through there – I can almost hear the cursing of the riders now if I sit still.

 

Lets not mention those going through there at night…..

[Thug]

Thanks for the updates tubed and everyone else.

[tubed]

What are the best and right layers?

 

Good base layer essential - maybe even wool. Thereafter as many layers as you need to keep warm, with a 100% waterproof and windproof on top of all of that.

 

Some considerations:

• 
  front pockets are great - you can get stuff out of them
  
• 
  back pockets and those located where your backpack straps or waistband are - these are useless as the straps sit close to them
  
• 
  sealskinz socks and gloves - the absolute warmest you can find
  
• 
  buffs and balaclavas - the thermal ones
  

 

to test - put your hand in a freezer for 5 mins, then try and put the gloves on quickly and take them off quickly and put them on again, then try and thread anything like a lace or a strap through a buckle or if you really want to be silly try and use your cellphone - you should then have a good idea of your capability and kit needs.

Edited June 24, 2013 by tubed

[tubed]

Day 16

Please find the link below to Glenns race daily update – he is much closer to the riders and describes well the groups they have settled into and some of the interesting tales emerging from those groups.

http://glennharrisonsa.blogspot.com/

 

While the weather remains almost ideal, there are some extremes too, the one group was reporting 31 degrees going into the Support Station near Somerset East, another group reported starting off in -12 and hitting a daytime high of 24. Reports too of sunburn – although I think this may be one of the few things riders are worrying less about.

 

More concerning is the incidence of stomach trouble this year, with regular reports of a number of members of a group being “runners” rather than riders, what this is attributable to will probably remain in the arena of speculation, but it is likely to be exacerbated by the fact that riders have been on the go for two weeks or more, with no rest days. They are riding from pre-dawn to dusk and have eaten a diet very different from what they are used to. Add to this the lack of sleep and it’s no wonder that immune systems are vulnerable.

Lastly on this note – even though you may not want to see food or fluid when you are sick, you know that you have to eat for the next day, so it is a case of as soon as you can get something down – down it goes. As a reassurance – the support stations will generally offer you pretty standard and safe fare, such as pasta, meat, veggies, soups etc. You won’t be offered fish or anything too rich.

 

The Osseberg:

 

If you are following the race on twitter or elsewhere, you will hear riders talking about the Osseberg and most of them describing it with some fear or trepidation. The Osseberg is a now disused wagon trail used originally as an alternative route into the famed Baviaanskloof Wilderness Area. It starts on a ridge high above the eventual valley and is flanked by the magnificent Cockscomb Mountains on the one side and your fist view of the ocean since Durban – with a magnificent vista looking toward Jeffery’s Bay. It is here that after riding east for a couple of hours, you make a turn and start riding west again.

 

The Osseberg used to be accessible to 4x4 drivers and was regarded as one of the must do routes in the country for its length, technical challenge and most of all, its views. The route starts off and pretty much descends for the rest of the ride, but it is no easy ride and it is one of the most technical rides you will do on the whole trail, added to this is the fact that it is now severely overgrown and the grass and bushes tug at your handlebars, but there is enough momentum to keep going , so you do, but there are dongas, ruts and ridges which you follow, just hoping you have found the right line and continue with it until it pans out or you need to find a landing place. This is wild country though and these routes belong to porcupines and aardvark (if you must - ant bears), these buggers can dig and they leave craters or rather holes which can swallow you no problem, often they are covered by grass and the only warning you have is the “Faaaark – hole!” from the rider in front of you if you are lucky. But oh the views – they are endless and pristine as you smell fynbos and brake pads.

 

When you eventually reach the river you arrive at a well laid out but overgrown abandoned camp site in a beautiful valley – did I mention overgrown? Well it would take famer Glen and all his resources a day to clear 1km in this place and you still have many km to trek to get to the road and Cambria Support Station. So the trek down the river begins, you walk in it, next to it around it and cross it 11 or so times. The bush is thick if you are on the side of it and the reed almost impenetrable in it, but forward you go. At this stage there are about 50 cyclists going through there each year and they give it a gentle comb or tickle as they pass over it – year after year it gets worse and more overgrown.

Alex Harris referred to it as Mordor two years ago when he did it at night after a massive deluge and he fought the night to find the river to cross it as he had to bash through massive bermed debris of acacia thorn trees washed down in the floods of 2011. Few people go in there at night and few if they do, don’t end up spending the night in there as even on the clearest day it is confusing to find your way out.

 

As it is a wilderness area famed for leopards, kudu, warthog etc, you see carcasses and smell dead carrion from time to time, whatever the case you know that you are being watched by animals as you move through with great effort. As a final thorn in the side so to speak, if you try and hack your way through a shortcut, you will discover the thorns or every description, the worst being something like a prickly pear, except it is light, so it sticks and it has barbs so you can’t flick it. It clings and spikes at the same time, almost impossible to get rid of, even with gloves on.

 

So that’s the Osseberg – it is wild, beautiful and majestic – but to get through you need a barbarian mind set and you don’t go timidly, or else it will detain you – perhaps for a night. It is one of the privileges of the Freedom Challenge.

 

Pictures:

 

The start of the Osseberg trail looking down in to the Baviaanskloof Wilderness Area.

Wading in the Groot Rivier.

Looking back at the valley toward the Cockscomb Mountains in the distance.

[Kranky]

Just a quick shot of Guy on his single speed:

 

[tubed]

Just a quick shot of Guy on his single speed:

 

brilliant - thats Elandsberg - looks like Jasper the hound is chasing him

[tubed]

It may be a bit early but it does seem like the Osseberg, Groot Rivier and the Baviaans is having its way with the leaders.

 

Reports of the Dreyers exhausted arrival at Dam se Drif (that is halfway through the Baviaans to Willowmore).

 

Behind them by an hour at the same place arrive Christo, Charles and Scott.

 

A good couple of hours back having exited the river is Marnitz speaking of being "moertoe" and needing rest at Cambria.

 

So even though they are separated by their start days, they are all out of the the Osseberg and onto the district roads headed for Willowmore - but all at various states of exhaustion.

 

What is notable from here is that there are no more navigation issues to speak of, its district roads and speed. The next thing they will encounter though is the famous headwind that is bloc in your face from Willowmore to Prince Albert and if you were in Cape Town last night you will know that it was quite woes. (Shebeen/ Johann how is the wind in your area?)

 

Could be an interesting 48hrs.

Edited June 25, 2013 by tubed

[johannrissik]

It may be a bit early but it does seem like the Osseberg, Groot Rivier and the Baviaans is having its way with the leaders.

 

Reports of the Dreyers exhausted arrival at Dam se Drif (that is halfway through the Baviaans to Willowmore).

 

Behind them by an hour at the same place arrive Christo, Charles and Scott.

 

A good couple of hours back having exited the river is Marnitz speaking of being "moertoe" and needing rest at Cambria.

 

So even though they are separated by their start days, they are all out of the the Osseberg and onto the district roads headed for Willowmore - but all at various states of exhaustion.

 

What is notable from here is that there are no more navigation issues to speak of, its district roads and speed. The next thing they will encounter though is the famous headwind that is bloc in your face from Willowmore to Prince Albert and if you were in Cape Town last night you will know that it was quite woes. (Shebeen/ Johann how is the wind in your area?)

 

Could be an interesting 48hrs.

 

Howling, no rain and not too cold, but h o w l i n g. Eina.

 

Edit =Rethink

 

Would be a great day to ride TO WilleMoere.

Edited June 25, 2013 by johannrissik

[dirtrider]

So what would the budget be for this event ?

[tubed]

Quick answer: Probably in the region of the following

 

Entry 20k

Bike equipment and specialist kit 10k

Flights 4k

 

Probably in the region of 30-35k, maybe less

 

Oh and nearly all your leave for the year.....

Its a big commitment - a selfish one at that because your family cant come along.

 

Race2Rhodes will become more popular I expect as a result of this.

[dirtrider]

Quick answer: Probably in the region of the following

 

Entry 20k

Bike equipment and specialist kit 10k

Flights 4k

 

Probably in the region of 30-35k, maybe less

 

Oh and nearly all your leave for the year.....

Its a big commitment - a selfish one at that because your family cant come along.

 

Race2Rhodes will become more popular I expect as a result of this.

 

Thanks sounds like a bargain .