Hell and Back

[milky4130]

Hi Milky,

 

I'm looking for sharing a lift me too. Are u still interested?

yes i pm'd you.

[milky4130]

my fixing fee will be 1 Windhoek Lager each (or a tot of OBS each if its cold)

 

hope you two get sorted, see you saturday

done deal, but now she has vanished.

[Cacher]

So it looks like we are going to have a duathlon.....Anybody included a proper amount of cross training by swimming?

[milky4130]

can someone give us an indication what the route will be like, rocky descents, jeep track, single track, farm roads, district roads?

[Da Vinci]

All of the above except single track. From what I remember last year and it really wasn't all that traumatic was an initial rough route through some farms before the smooth Swartberg Climb which goes on and on. Then u reach De Top. U drop down for a short time - tights bends and not as smooth as the ascent was. U them turn off left to Gamkaskloof and travel along for 40 odd kms of up and down - the downs were fun with lots of rollers which one could get over with initial momentum. Then u hit Heart Break hill a looooong ass climb and by that stage it is hot out ( maybe not this year) at least was a well maintained road - I walked much of it.

Then u drop 1000m in 5kms - rough zig zaggy track - not un rideable by any means - quite fun but we were warned to take it easy and hold our lines. .

 

The next day u do it in reverse - u start with that 5km straight up climb - staying in the chalets or second camp had its advantages as the legs got a warm up before. Then race down heart break - caution tho someone wiped out nastily on one of the bends.

Then the rollers in reverse - not as much fun backwards no. Finally u make it out to the main drag ( last year the mercury hit 36) and that short zig zag up to De Top and then 20kms of sweeping downhill. They don't close the road to cars but we didn't see many last year - still just be aware. Finally u turn on to the tar and sight de Hoek - sting in the tail is the climb to the finish but the have a pool u can cool off in

[Kranswurm]

can someone give us an indication what the route will be like, rocky descents, jeep track, single track, farm roads, district roads?

 

In the following order

 

Single track about 500m

Gravel road

Jeep track

 

Then in reverse

Jeep track

Gravel road

Single track

[Skubarra]

All of the above except single track. From what I remember last year and it really wasn't all that traumatic was an initial

x snip x

 

+1

 

I think what makes this race relatively tough despite being all district roads is that there are virtually no "free" kilometers or flat sections to get into some kind of rhythm. You are either crawling up a steep climb or bombing down a treacherous steep descent with loose gravel and a sharp turn at the bottom, everything tires you out!

[GLuvsMtb]

They don't close the road to cars but we didn't see many last year - still just be aware.

It is quite daunting to pass Landrovers and Fortuners on your way down as your speed on the bike is faster than that of a car with the multitude of tight turns. It is advisable to pass with caution, especially just after Die Top. Many cars do not expect mountain bikers in their multitudes to come swooshing past. After the initial few turns most cars would be expecting mountain bikes to come through and in general they pull over / slow down to let you come through. Just do so with care as vehicles coming up might get in the way while you try and carve your way down the pass.

[fanievb]

It is quite daunting to pass Landrovers and Fortuners on your way down as your speed on the bike is faster than that of a car with the multitude of tight turns. It is advisable to pass with caution, especially just after Die Top. Many cars do not expect mountain bikers in their multitudes to come swooshing past. After the initial few turns most cars would be expecting mountain bikes to come through and in general they pull over / slow down to let you come through. Just do so with care as vehicles coming up might get in the way while you try and carve your way down the pass.

 

vehicles coming up the pass have right of way

[milky4130]

It is quite daunting to pass Landrovers and Fortuners on your way down as your speed on the bike is faster than that of a car with the multitude of tight turns. It is advisable to pass with caution, especially just after Die Top. Many cars do not expect mountain bikers in their multitudes to come swooshing past. After the initial few turns most cars would be expecting mountain bikes to come through and in general they pull over / slow down to let you come through. Just do so with care as vehicles coming up might get in the way while you try and carve your way down the pass.

are there at least signs saying sharp right or left ahead?

[fanievb]

are there at least signs saying sharp right or left ahead?

 

nope

[DJR]

It is quite daunting to pass Landrovers and Fortuners on your way down as your speed on the bike is faster than that of a car with the multitude of tight turns. It is advisable to pass with caution, especially just after Die Top. Many cars do not expect mountain bikers in their multitudes to come swooshing past. After the initial few turns most cars would be expecting mountain bikes to come through and in general they pull over / slow down to let you come through. Just do so with care as vehicles coming up might get in the way while you try and carve your way down the pass.

vehicles coming up the pass have right of way

 

Right, both of you. I can see you know the place.

 

A lot of the corners are very sharp and totally blind. Especially around those, try keep as far left as you can and not cut the apex. Slowing down also helps, but I hate doing that. Having said that, sometimes you can look way ahead and you'll see a car coming from a long way off, at least then you'll know to be cautious. As a child I was tought to use the hooter before a blind corner to warn a possible driver coming from the opposite side. So, if you think someone is hooting at you, it might just be a local doing the right thing. Don't give him the middle finger.

[flymango]

HKGK!!

 

I'm in Mossel Bay on business, and there are weather warnings of extreme downpours and flash flooding in the Western Cape for Friday and Saturday. Somebody even told me they are forecasting half the annual average rainfall over the next four days. Definitely don't want to create mass hysteria or panic, but those river crossing could become interesting, not to mention the continuous rain for two days.

[Dicky DQ]

Ecobound will make a call on Saturday at 07:00 to can or not. If the weather is too bad they won't be able to get the trucks in to get the tents and kit there etc. here's holding thumbs for you.

[milky4130]

I'm Going to be so cheesed off if they cancel this event, more because I'll have driven all the way from Cape Town

[Jaco-fiets]

Would be sad to go through the expense only to be a no go.