Prep for 2015 Freedom Challenge / Race to Rhodes

[Marnitz Nienaber]

I am not keen to beat Marnitz his times I am crazy but not that crazy.

 

Point taken what % distance wise did you hike in your race to Rhodes?

 

 

It's easy to beat my time, you just have to lighten the load and come more prepared, take a look at what Martin and the crowd is doing.....

 

30% walk a bike

[Potgiem]

Where are you based?

Hillcrest in KZN.

[Marnitz Nienaber]

I have done Sani Pass on my enduro bike and I walked a total of 250m(length that is not altitude gain).

 

 

If you have walked a total of 250m on the Sani Pass, then you will definitely walk most of the portages.

 

Sani Pass is an excellent gravel road compared to any portage in the Freedom Challenge.

 

But then I haven't done any riding on a fat bike, in my mind portages remain mostly not ride able, but you may surprise most of us, people also believed it was impossible to travel to the moon.

[Marnitz Nienaber]

There's a Huge fire in the Elands river area, 80 000ha burnt already. As far as I can make out from the satellite pics, it looks like it had burnt as far as the Groot River by this afternoon, which should make the Osseberg? a bit easier next year.

 

edit River name wrong

 

It could only be David making it easier for himself :devil: someone heard my prayers !!!!

 

If he burn Stetteyns I will consider riding again next year !!!! :eek:

[Marnitz Nienaber]

A short section of a portage....

 

[Liehann]

You can complete the route quite comfortably in 20 - 22 days. We did it in just under 22 and there were two easy days where we could've pushed on without to much risk (ie. navigating in the dark).

 

You will spend a lot of time hiking. When I tell people about the route now I call it an adventure MTB race, not a MTB race. You can't approach it in the same mindset as even a 6 hour per day stage race.

 

I put together a spreadsheet of our daily distance and travel times. Feel free to take a look. For some context - we portaged slowly but were ok on the riding days. I think we were only 2 hours slower than Graeme and Marnitz to Prince Albert (160km of headwind - fun). On the flip side Gawie reached Diemersfontein at 2pm - we got there at 10pm.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YflYLUnxUcPiyqSjq3HWqwIqYO3KBYSJBHHjhPpnkCI/edit?usp=sharing

 

 

I would echo the suggestion to approach the first time as a tour especially if you can't scout the route before hand. You'll spend a lot of time stopping for navigation and you never ride at "race pace". Zone 2 all the way. Unless your race plan includes a lot of night navigation an hour here or there doesn't make much difference. There's no point in reaching the support station two hours faster if you're going to sleep there anyway and be screwed the next day from the extra effort. Of course there is benefit to beating the light.

 

To finish in 20 days go day-by-day until Elandsberg then double up:

Elandsberg - Grootdam (day 11)

Grootdam - Toekomst (day 12)

Cambria - Willowmore (day 15)

Prince Albert - Rouxpos (day 17)

Montagu - Trouthaven (day 19)

We lost days stopping at Gegun and Good Hope. On the plus side it made Hadley to Cambria much easier. If you go from Bucklands leave very early in the morning.

[tubed]

Very chuffed to see how useful this thread is, hopefully it results in the percentage of riders completing the race being higher. The better the preparation the more likely that is to be.

 

What's also great is to see the guys with local knowledge from the regions coming in with advice, such as Deanbean on whats happening in the EC at the moment. Johann R has always owned anything south of Willowmore and perhaps even higher up. With Ryan and Bruce now firmly on board in Pmb we can hopefully see less guys wandering around Allendale, Boshelweni etc.

 

I was lucky enough to have Trevor give up some of his time when I prepared (although not on nav issues!), you guys are very lucky to have Marnitz, Gaeren, Liehann et al sharing.

[The Crazy German]

It could only be David making it easier for himself :devil: someone heard my prayers !!!!

 

If he burn Stetteyns I will consider riding again next year !!!! :eek:

 

I have a set of matches wanna make a plan?

[The Crazy German]

A short section of a portage....

 

 

I know guys to ride this but it ain't me. Though my sick mind sees a line on the left of the big rock. I ll probably spend half an hour trying ten times to finally makes it while you hiked pas in under 5 on the right

[The Crazy German]

You can complete the route quite comfortably in 20 - 22 days. We did it in just under 22 and there were two easy days where we could've pushed on without to much risk (ie. navigating in the dark).

 

You will spend a lot of time hiking. When I tell people about the route now I call it an adventure MTB race, not a MTB race. You can't approach it in the same mindset as even a 6 hour per day stage race.

 

I put together a spreadsheet of our daily distance and travel times. Feel free to take a look. For some context - we portaged slowly but were ok on the riding days. I think we were only 2 hours slower than Graeme and Marnitz to Prince Albert (160km of headwind - fun). On the flip side Gawie reached Diemersfontein at 2pm - we got there at 10pm.

https://docs.google....dit?usp=sharing

 

 

I would echo the suggestion to approach the first time as a tour especially if you can't scout the route before hand. You'll spend a lot of time stopping for navigation and you never ride at "race pace". Zone 2 all the way. Unless your race plan includes a lot of night navigation an hour here or there doesn't make much difference. There's no point in reaching the support station two hours faster if you're going to sleep there anyway and be screwed the next day from the extra effort. Of course there is benefit to beating the light.

 

To finish in 20 days go day-by-day until Elandsberg then double up:

Elandsberg - Grootdam (day 11)

Grootdam - Toekomst (day 12)

Cambria - Willowmore (day 15)

Prince Albert - Rouxpos (day 17)

Montagu - Trouthaven (day 19)

We lost days stopping at Gegun and Good Hope. On the plus side it made Hadley to Cambria much easier. If you go from Bucklands leave very early in the morning.

 

Great stuff not sure its intended in general or specific to me.

 

I intend to ride it if I actually enter I intend to challenge myself but I am realistic enough to know the first 5 spots is impossible for me and after that an extra day doesn't mather. I had the pleasure to ride with mrs Dreyer long ago when I was fitter and healthier I know what's she's capable of and I would rather set myself a challenge of her time + another week for myself. aprat from that conditions differ that much that one year from another can already just mean days difference time whise it seems.

[MTBeer]

I know guys to ride this but it ain't me. Though my sick mind sees a line on the left of the big rock. I ll probably spend half an hour trying ten times to finally makes it while you hiked pas in under 5 on the right

that's an uphill portage not downhill. I'd like to see someone ride that.

[Marnitz Nienaber]

I have a set of matches wanna make a plan?

 

Don't burn anything yet, I want to enjoy David's sufferings..........

 

We are organizing a touring bus for previous finishers to support David......

 

:clap:

[Marnitz Nienaber]

that's an uphill portage not downhill. I'd like to see someone ride that.

 

It could get very messy on a motorbike, the problem is to haul 270kg + over a gate, but maybe worth the try.....That is maybe what I must do next year, the coffee mechanical bike.......

:w00t:

 

I know Andrew King once tried it on a 650, he avoided all portages..... :cursing:

[G.S.W]

Don't burn anything yet, I want to enjoy David's sufferings..........

 

We are organizing a touring bus for previous finishers to support David......

 

:clap:

 

Please book a seat for me. Would love to see David Wadi(no-love) riding the trail.

[The Crazy German]

that's an uphill portage not downhill. I'd like to see someone ride that.

 

I would actually ride it down i was commenting upwards.

 

http://i59.tinypic.com/vct8bb.jpg

 

Acttually need to zoom out to properly judge

 

I would say red the power line

Blue the moderate traverse

Green the Marnitz line??

 

Blue and Red should be doable though it might not be smart revving the engine that high whilst on a 12 hour ride.

 

I have actually seen guys do stuff like the Marnitz line on a bike(up) but thats definitely out of my league

[MTBeer]

I would actually ride it down i was commenting upwards.

 

http://i59.tinypic.com/vct8bb.jpg

 

Acttually need to zoom out to properly judge

 

I would say red the power line

Blue the moderate traverse

Green the Marnitz line??

 

Blue and Red should be doable though it might not be smart revving the engine that high whilst on a 12 hour ride.

 

I have actually seen guys do stuff like the Marnitz line on a bike(up) but thats definitely out of my league

ja ok cool it is rideable. good luck.