Trans Baviaans 2013 Report - sorry about spelling

[Ikomafrank]

My first Trans and it was cold. Very cold, all the time !



Ibs my riding buddy and I drove up to the farm with my boet Karl on Friday. We stopped in Styetlerville for Lunch at the hotel which was great and the food was Yummy. The farm is only 10 km from the town and once we got there and unpacked Ibs and I drove to Willowmore and registered for the race. Williowmore is a funny town in the sense that when you enter you can’t see much of it so you don’t really get an idea of the size of the place. At Registration we were given our 3 boxes where you can pack supplies for checkpoints 2,3 and 4. We took all the stuff and headed back to the farm.

 

At the farm we packed all out stuff in the boxes. Spare clothes, chocolates, energy bars, spare bottles, tubes lights etc.... and then lay around on the couch till 5 when I started cooking Dinner. Karl went hunting in the afternoon and blasted a few Bokkies so all 3 of us were in pretty good spirits once Dinner was ready.

 

The other team staying at the farmhouse arrived just after we finished, a Guy and his lady partner and their driver. They both have done multiple Ironman’s so they didn’t look too stressed. At this point I was getting a little nervous. We all went to be at about 9 and I woke up at about 2:30 and rolled around till about 6 when I got up and started getting everything ready. By 7:30 we were all done and headed out to Willowmore. We got there at about 8:30 and quickly took out the 3 boxed to the trucks that depart for checkpoints 2, 3 and 4 as the trucks leave at 8:45. We then just sat in the car till 9:30 as you have to be on the start line at 9:45 for the race briefing.

 

At 9:30 we got on our Bikes and went to the start line. This is where the race began with a big reality check.

 

The temperature was 8, the wind was blowing at about 30kmph and it was drizzling. From 9:30 – the start at 10:00 were we so cold we were shacking standing holding our Bikes. Ibs said he would pay me back half the entrance fee if I agreed to just get back in the car now 

 

Then it began, with a slow roll out of Willowmore, a few km of tar, about 10 km of jeep track behind the town to the main district rd and then a slow climb to the highest point ( the Roof ) in the race at just over 30 km. You are fresh at this point so the route is not that bad. But it was cold, we had decided to wear out windbreakers from the start and not leave them in any of the boxes for riding at night which was a good idea. But it was cold, can’t feel your fingers cold right from the start. Luckily the wind was from behind us so the flats were much easier.

 

From the Roof you turn to a more westerly direction and start the long descent to checkpoint 1 at 53km. We got to the checkpoint and had a few roosterbroods and refilled out bottles. Ibs was tired but said he could continue. We left after only a few minutes and headed up a short climb and then started the next long descent to checkpoint 2 at 105 km. At about 80 km Ibs was finished. But he kept it together and we actually made good time to checkpoint 2 where we got out first Box. This checkpoint had bananas and marshmallows . We got some supplies in the box, mainly just energy bars. Ibs said he could not continue so we went to the marshal and reported that he was going to call it a day. There were a few water crossing on this part but it has not rained much in the last few months so they were low.

 

I left checkpoint 2 quite quick as we had left out lights at checkpoint 3 and I needed to make sure I could get there before Dark. I also knew that from here the route gets much more difficult. Straight out of the checkpoint is a small climb then a few km of flat before you get to the first real challenge of the race, Baviaans Back, a steep climb of about 5 km and then a descent down to checkpoint 3. The climb was no joke, I was relieved when I got to the top, I was pretty sweaty though, so I became an ice cube on the way down as the temperature was probably single digits by now and the Wind chill was horrible , the water crossings were also deeper now and I had to ride a few and get my shoes wet. So as you can imagine my feet were a little cold 

 

Checkpoint 3 arrived with cooked potatoes, bread and wors, I had a bit but by this stage after 125 km you can’t eat much. I got box # 2 and put the lights on my bike, restocked my bars and bottles, ate a few potatoes and a bite of wors. I did leave extra socks in each box so I at least changes my socks as my feet were freezing.

 

Straight out of checkpoint 3 was a long river crossing with lots of rocks which was difficult. So my feet were dry for all of about 3 minutes before they were soaked again !, that was not good and knowing what was coming I was not starting to get worried that I would get too cold to continue. Checkpoint 4 is at 142 km and is at the top of the biggest climb of the day, ( M.A.C. ) fondly referred to as the Mother of all Climbs. You go over 2 steep climbs called the fangs first and then you start slowing going up hill until you are just going up the side of the valley on a very bad road which seems to go on forever. I can’t explain this climb, but if you have ridden a bike before, I was in Granny gear for an hour and a half. And it was cold !, half way up the sun set and I turned my lights on. I looked back only once and could see bike lights like a string of stars glimmering down to the foot of the mountain. It was beautiful, but it was cold.

 

At the top of the climb is checkpoint 4 and your last box. They served hot soup and bread but I couldn’t eat. I was exhausted and so sweaty. The wind was howling at the top of the mountain and I went from being clod to being frozen again. I had some milo and had a bite of a roll. Got my box and lucking Ibs and I has left some clothes there. I put on every item of clothing in the box and pulled my wind breaker over them. This probably saved my race as had I continued in sweaty clothing I would have not been able to finish.

Checkoing 5 is Komdomo and I knew that Maryke and Tolla would meet me there. It is pretty much all downhill with a few short ups but by this stage just the thought of seeing her at the checkpoint was keeping my spirits up. The decent is called Big Dipper as is a bit scary at night but I got down fine. 10 km before Komdomo I got a flat tyre and had to change my Tube. Which at night with a headlight can be rather tricky , Pulling into Komdomo seeing my Bokkie was such a high, can’t really explain. I sat down and she brought my bag. She took my wet shoes and socks off ( remember those ) I stopped feeling my feet hours back. She dried my feet and put a new pair of socks on and my spare shoes which she brought with.

 

I had Milo, a bite of a chip roll and put a few snickers bars in my pocket. I also took another spare tube which I had asked her to bring and I was off for the last major climb of the day, the never Ender. It feels like it goes on forever, and ever, and ever Amen. With no Amen. It was now starting to get windy again and was about 10:30 at night. So as you can imagine it was cold 

 

I got the unmanned checkpoint 6 ( 195 km ) at about 11:15 ish and got my sticker and then headed the last few Km to checkpoint 7 the last one at about 11:30. Here they served Jaffels but I was not really interested, I had a Milo and filed my one bottle with Coke. I called Maryke and she had smsed me but I was bit demekaar so didn’t really know what was going on. Maryke didn’t make it to the checkpoint as she has to wait for Ibs to be transported to Komdomo where she would then take him and meet me at the finish.

 

When I left checkpoint 7 I knew I only had about 30 km to go. One climb and then I would be in J-Bay. It was nearly midnight and was Cold, as you can imagine . As I pulled out of the checkpoint it started to rain, the last 20 km before you hit the Tar road of J-Bay went OK surprisingly, but once we hit the Tar the rain became much harder and the last 7 km was not fun at all.

 

And then all of a sudden you pull into the Mall, and you get off your Bike, it’s now 1 O’clock on Sunday and it’s all over. A weird surreal feeling of relief and happiness.

Maryke got to the finish about 5 min after I was there and we went straight back to the house where I had a long hot shower. The best shower ever.

Then Sleep,

 

It is difficult to sum up the race, it is an amazingly beautiful area, the climbs are huge and demanding. Riding through the valley at night with nothing but a bike light is cool.

But it was cold, all the time. Everywhere. So cold !

 

Would I do it again, ja, but I need better leg warmers and another pair of shoes at checkpoint 4 !

[fabes]

Well done

[fabes]

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/127323-2013-trans-baviaans-24-hour-questions/

 

The guys are discussing their races on this thread

[Mary Ann]

How can one find out how many people bailed and what the age of the eldest female competitor (rookie) was for this year 2013?

[Wil6]

How can one find out how many people bailed and what the age of the eldest female competitor (rookie) was for this year 2013?

I don't know about oldest female but I think the oldest male is a oom that rides with us here in Bloem, he's about 72 years old

[scottie 29]

Thanks very good report, can relate to it all: we must have finished about the same time as you mate ; the worst was the last 10 or so km