WIN: Entries to the 2014 Trans Karoo up for grabs

[LePops]

 

I had tears streaming down my face reading this. Well you didn't get the kiss, but she will remember you for the rest of her life.

This guys has GOT to get an entry

 

Couldn't agree more, I read it twice and couldn't stop laughing!

[liebenw]

Well, I was not on the bicycle when it happened. There I was doing the biathlon at Clanwilliam dam. I forget the events name. I was there for the weekend more as a camping trip for the family and watch my buddy do the triathlon.

 

Anyway, after I had completed the cycling leg there was about 150 run to the finish line. I guy with a TV camera came running next to me for an interview whilst I was running to the end. I still remember his question, "I guess this beats a day in the office?" I replied, office work is certainly a lot easier and then it happened, lost my footing and fell face first into loose gravel. All I could think of was, pleeeease do not show this on TV if you ever broadcast the event. Thankfully my prayers were answered.

 

The two families still laugh about the incident regularly especially when at camp. Funny how the wife always brings up the incident around the camp fire a few years on.

[Rata Del Spruit]

 

Well you didn't get the kiss, but she will remember you for the rest of her life.

 

Yeah, I'm in my mid thirties and I still cringe when I remember it. I do have to laugh when I imagine how it must have looked from their angle, though.

[Wendy]

Yeah, I'm in my mid thirties and I still cringe when I remember it. I do have to laugh when I imagine how it must have looked from their angle, though.

 

No man I have just read it again, and I am still laughing, if you don't win a spot in this MTB race, I will eat my socks.

[Johan Malherbe]

My first MTB competition was in Greyton, and I did not know how the whole starting procedure worked with everybody cramming up for the startline. (this was in fact the elite bunch) Nonchalantly decided I'll join the front group and rode round the front without realising I picked up the danger tape whilst trying to get to the front!! The stuff started bundling up on my casette and I grinded to a cleated wipe out in front of everybody!! red faced I had to clear the mess and see the whole start leave without the newbe. ai.

[Mondre]

We were a bunch of guys who rode the Cape Argus last year. We decided to ride for a charity which means we had to wear their clothes. So the evening before the race we all went out to "carbo load". So the next morning just before the race I developed this huge pee which took me about 5 minutes to unload. Our pants were bright green, and as you all know Newton's 5th law states "The last 3 drops will always end up in your pants". So there I was with this big dark patch on this bright green pants between thousands of people and everyone knew exactly what happened!

[Sarnicoview]

Sani2c, day 2 Trail... we have whooped our way down into the valley, and suckered all the way back up... got to the end and found the pub (as one does).

 

By 8pm have been fed, masseused, and into or luxury tent. Not 30 minutes later, do I hear many profanities and banging of tents for the guy next to us to to STOP SNORING. So it continues... and (as a snorer after some vino)... I shout out in sympathy, "leave the poor guy alone! He cannot help it"

 

When 3 replies of ''Shut up... YOU are snoring!"

 

And my darling husband gently touches my arm and says... "just sleep on your tummy, love"

[taito]

2 years ago I decide to do the Kenton ON Sea race near Port Alfred.So I load bike ride the 150k there early in the morning from PE.

 

After finding the start I begin to wonder wheres all the riders???

Go onto internet on the phone to find out its the

 

next weekend.DAHHHHH

[Hot_Fuzz1]

Something I would never live down... I rode my first Berg and Bush back in 2012. I was racing for a team back then (Not naming them) for obviuos reasons....

It was day 1, I had changed wheels with a fellow racer who was aimimg to win the Mixed Cat. So after fixing the puncture my tream mate and I paced to regain our place in the race.

At the 50km (or so) mark decending Bezuidenhouds Pass at 65km/h, thinking im "THE MAN" I hit a rock... Needless to say I do not remember anything after that. I woke up 15mins later in serious agony. I had broken 3 fingers, fractured my wrist and whiplashed my head so hard my helmet was trashed.....So it goes to prove, even if your a sponsored athlete, rocks will still ambush you when you least expect it. Team mate never lets me forget it.

[Mr Winter]

I bought a new bike rack for my car and was very excited to use it, so the next Saturday morning my buddy got to my house ( I was running very late) and I was busy putting the bike on the bike rack for the first time.

 

I thought I knew what I was doing and was satisfied that I had secured my bike to the rack, so we set off for our ride at Groenkloof. Normally on a Saturday morning outside my estate there are a lot of guys and girls standing outside hoping to get a days work.

 

As I pulled away from the booms I hit the first traffic circle my bike disappear from view and I heard some scrapping sounds. I pulled over trying not to disrupt the morning traffic to find my bike hanging from the rack from its wheels. Feeling like a complete idiot I quickly secured the bike properly to the bike rack and rode off.

 

To this day I still take that traffic circle slowly even if I don't have the bikes on the back

[Ikomafrank]

First time I rode with clip in pedals I forget to clip out and fell over. Down a hill, while still clipped in, ended up on my back with my bike in the air above me next to a group of passers by.

 

And I still didn't know how to unclip.

 

Who would have known you pull to the side ? they should have put that on the side of the box ! seriously !

[Matt]

Thanks for all the amusing and entertaining entries so far. The Trans Karoo team from Fluency had a tough time narrowing it down to just two.

 

Here are their picks for the first week's winners....

 

Solo Entry Winner: 69ER

 

Years ago, I went on a mtb weekend with the GF and some buddies. Unpacked the car and loosely put the front wheel back in my bike (Outeniqua steel bike - who remember those?) with the intention to tighten up later (axle nuts -no QR). Being all mtb bedonnerd we could not wait to go for a sunset ride. A kilometre down the tar road I hauled the bike up for a spectacular hi speed wheelie. Only to be cruelly reminded that I never tightened that damn front wheel....it fell out of the fork and for a considerable time actually ran next to me. One huge face-plant – on tar – and a bent front fork later, my weekend was over before it began…

 

 

Team Entry Winner: BIG Mac

 

So we're always a bunch of roadie friends hitting MTB races for a bit of fun. There was 6 of us doing the Vineyard MTB Classic at Laurensford Wine Estate, culminating the end of the ABSA Cape Epic. We're always giving each other a hard time if either of us takes a fall...usually resulting in an embarrassing picture of the 'victim' on all 4's in the mud, bushes and even rivers. During the race coming down a longish decent, I was out front and struck a tree root wrong and came down tumbling over the bars. In an attempt to avoid any further embarrassment, I jumped up as soon as I could, got on my bike and off I went before the 1st of my friends managed to see me. As I was descending, they obviously had now caught up to me because of my incident, the gradient increased quite a bit and a rocky river crossing approached us swiftly. Reaching for my brakes, I realised that my handlebar had swivelled 180 degrees and my brakes were suddenly on the inside which I had overlooked during my hasty recovery from the 1st fall...and of course I took a massive tumble hitting the boulders and losing control with all my buddies as witness. I still haven't heard the end of that 1. My pride took a hit that day and I've learnt a lesson or two in the process...rather bring up the rear

 

Congrats!

(Now to start training if you haven't already)

 

 

The final draw takes place next week:

 

Draw #2: 1 x Solo Entry, 1 x Team Entry

Closes Wednesday, 26 February 2014 @ 17h00

 

Winners will be announced on Thursday, 27 February 2014

[Trans Karoo]

Congratulations to 69ER and BIG MAC - looking forward to seeing you on the start line in Ceres.

[igknot]

I was in the second line of riders in the start chute telling a friend how much better cycling is with cleats. As the race briefing starts I shift my weight to the other foot that is still clipped in. I took four other rider on the line with me to ground as I fell flailing like a fish out of water . Luckily no one was hurt (Ego) excluded , but the mc made sure that every one knew what happend. And told everyone to beware of race number xxx. If you pass, Pass wide. The whole ride riders were sure to rmind me to unclipp at the water points.

[Skubarra]

oops, my bad

Edited February 24, 2014 by Skubarra

[MTB hooligan]

At the last Hakahana I had broken away from the guys I had been riding with from almost the start to go for a strong finish alone and try make up a few places in the last 5km or so. Well, the break away was good and I started hauling in quite a large group which meant better SASeeding for 2014 (yay) if I could pull in a few more places. So I pulled all the pace I could managed, passed the group reasonably easy and kept on my crazy pace on a flat, straight single track, note flat ......... a simple round flat rock that lay in my path that a 16" wouldn't struggle to roll over with ease, ended my reckless pace with a gentle twist to my handle bars with a laps of concentration. I ended up doing a half pirouette to bum slide tuck and finished the move off with a whip lash to the rear of my thinking side back flip into the dirt a few meters off to the right and the bike off to the left like a bucking bronco pony. Needless to say I got all the "Are you alright?" through more laugh than concern and all my hard effort and ego lay on that single track and part of my helmet. Note to self ....... rubber side down, thinking side up ........... Safe riding