Prep for 2015 Freedom Challenge / Race to Rhodes

[dirtrider]

Sure you also find it funny looking at it now . Most probably was not at the time .

[Ryanpmb]

Rode out with the first Spring Ride to Rhodes batch this morning...

 

http://fb.me/4b93xhVes

 

Good to be back out on the trail. Good luck to all riding. Enjoy.

 

[dirtrider]

Did you miss the batch this morning ? 

[Ryanpmb]

Did you miss the batch this morning ?

Had breakfast with my two year old instead. As awesome!

[tombeej]

This past weekend I spent 2 days hiking in the Berg in the Injisuthi area. 

 

My legs (especially calves) are buggered. Finding it a challenge to ride a bike at the moment. I am cycling fit, but clearly not hiking fit.

 

After this experience I can see that a rider will need to be very running/hiking fit for this thing, otherwise you're gonna catch a cropper. Be sure of it!

[Marnitz Nienaber]

For the Freedom Challenge I run twice a week, start with a hour and work it up to 2 hours nearer to the race. That will do it.

[Dusty]

First Spring Ride to Rhodes batch going up Lehanah's Pass today and it looks like it's going to be a wet portage for them 

[Marnitz Nienaber]

First Spring Ride to Rhodes batch going up Lehanah's Pass today and it looks like it's going to be a wet portage for them 

 

Even worse tomorrow, how is the Crazy German doing on the portages ?

 

Wanted to pay the guys & girls a coffee visit on top of Lehana's, but the bad weather is keeping me of the GS and in the house.

 

All the best with the last bit.

 

   

[Ryanpmb]

Even worse tomorrow, how is the Crazy German doing on the portages ?

 

Wanted to pay the guys & girls a coffee visit on top of Lehana's, but the bad weather is keeping me of the GS and in the house.

 

All the best with the last bit.

 

   

Hmmm... lots of interest in how the Mukluk is working out for The Crazy German hey Marnitz... #justsaying

[M Hickley]

Don't know if I missed it on here , but who entered already ?

I made use of the early bird entries. Great thread.

[The Crazy German]

Even worse tomorrow, how is the Crazy German doing on the portages ?

 

Wanted to pay the guys & girls a coffee visit on top of Lehana's, but the bad weather is keeping me of the GS and in the house.

 

All the best with the last bit.

 

   

I will make a portage reporter later not sure if it will be today. I must say I actually did'nt see many portages on the route but I'll suppl more detail later.

[Marnitz Nienaber]

Think I must get myself a Fatbike..........

 

 

 

for the Iditarod Invitational 350 Mile 1200 Dollar or 1000 Mile 1400 Dollar, real 10 - 28 Day Fatbike race.

Will give the 4500 Euro 4 day Snow Epic a skip.

 

Now to start training and get organised.

 

   

[M Hickley]

What arm/leg warmers are suitable for this race? I guess you get different grades of thermal.

[Marnitz Nienaber]

I use Assos, they work fine.

 

I aslo use Assos bibs, learned this year that you need two different patterns  inserts to vary the pressure points.

[The Crazy German]

So lets go first some general information on me for others to place it and on portages.

 

Portages for me is where you need to push your bike for more then 5 minutes at a time or rather even carry. A quick on of as you hit a rock or made a small error is not a portage neither a river crossing.

 

My preparation I have been riding quite a bite I consider my fitness as good but not top(long ago I was quite a bit stronger). I was lacking sleep before I left europe, 26 hours travel To harrismith and then Race Dirty Harry instead of sleep and seeing out the sunday bunch on the bike instead of sleep had not really improved that.

 

Technically I wouldd say good(but there are definitely more skilled around) Downhill lets say good skills and a bit Crazy.

 

Bike preparation lets say poor the poor thing was less than a week old when it left Pietermaritzburg and had been ridden 4 times for a total of around 100K A rohloff needs several 1000's to be run in and be at its best. Setup wasbasic not finetuned. Weight 16 kg with full bottles 18.5 backpack was around 10 kg(so no cheating here). Total rider bike pack weight 115kg most likely

 

What started the discussion several quoted 20, 30 or even higher parts of the route as Portage or unridable I didn't want to believe that so here is the review Pietermmaritzburg To Rhodes.

 

Day one Pietermaritzburg Allendale Farm 110km 3000m under 8 hours(riding time) pushed reasonably hard as i was Guiding the machines

 

up to Minerva walked twice 15m up to the mast, afternoon about 5 short scrambles between 2 and at most 50m in the Umkomaas Valley.

 

Portage 0%

 

Day Two Allendale to Ntsikeni 95 km 2500m 7h 30 more relaxed intensity as the machines had got hold of a set of maps

 

I took the hike option early on of say a good minute or two but you can ride around and those who did this where as fast/slow afternoon I made a small technicaal mistake up Ntsikeni which resulted in 10m walking just ofter the turnoff a bit further on I walked about Two minutes after another mistake. Must say the guy with me walked about as fast as I rode but then he has Hiked up the seven sumits. Climb over the stiles no issues after this all ridable to the lodge.

 

Portage  0-1%

 

Day three Ntsikeni to Masakala 100km 2000m 8h

 

Morning Politique rode to top note there is an easier option now then the old scramble. River crossing push under two min, ride middle section, carry 3 min to get to road then ride all the way to Glen edwards.

 

I hiked down to the river in under two minutes over boulders saw a ridable line from the bottom lesson learned.

Afternoon my first hike but then that was as I cut a corner to Shenxa if you aim for the yellow house you can just ride out. I just wanted to feel what portage is actually about. 15 min say 2/3 push carry one third ride. After Heilbron I got my navigation wrong and just cut straight compass line to Masakala had to hike out at least 5 dry riverbeds(al just short scrambles) if you just take the road as supposed to portage 0

 

Portage done 3-4% needed 0-1%

 

day 4 Masakala to Ogeluks nek 60K 5h 1000m

 

I didn't sleep too well so started a bit week

 

You quickly get into a sandy riverbed The fatbike showed it strength and I quickly pulled ahead. a big mistake while i wnet ahead Glen Harrison as usally cut on my left side and just rode out I went too far and got stuck in the bog. Lesson learned cut early or leave early in winter when its all frozen over. 5 to 10 min bog trotting fouly smelling shoes and I am now apparently little shrek.

 

Some short little scrambles after Gladstone farm As I took another straight compass line to the donga not more then 2 min total go the official way and ride it all but then I was to focussed on undercutting glenn to the all important coffe stop with Meryl.

 

Portage 0-1% all avoidable.

 

Day 5 Ongeluksnek to Vuvu 71k 2000m 7h30

 

I slept only four hours and then went too watch the stars, they are really beautifull but I felt crap.

 

Occasionally a food down around Black fountain. Some scrambles to Tinana mission as obviously there was coffe waiting so it was glens tiger line against My kompass line. Go the offcial way round and ride it al. take the short cut and make some 30 sec or 1min scrambles behind your bike that you just chuked 2-4m lower.

 

Out of tinana Mission its hard to say I got lost almost immediately you need to aim for the Wattle trees, I sadly don't know how a wattle tree looks like id did a 20 min section 75% push and portage. Again look up Wattle Donga Spur and other iteresting words in a the Narrative that are meaningless to me. I joined the route after some compass bearings and a detour on the gravel climb towards vuvu valley. Vuvu Valley i opted for the low line this was for me 80-90% ridable this might give you very cold feet in winter though. To get out of the valley I hiked a big half an hour the road is ridable. but short night, heat and some mistakes ment I was spend and preferred to slowly walk considerable parts of it.

 

Portage 10-15% get fit, know more about English or maps then me you can get it down to 5%

 

Day 6 vuvu to Rhodes with the Lehana's option. 87k(yes 87 read later) 7h and 2300m

 

The famous day was not looking forward to this day after my off day the day before and the Famous VuVu facilities. There are two options hike across Lehanas or go round going round and ride or walk up Naudes Nek is according to the Naratives 13k longer. Had a chat woth Glenn Harrison and he estimated it at 2 hours slower.

 

Was undecided when we left Glen had kindly offered to carry my farm truck up Lehana's. I left with the machines and got to the bottom 5-10 minutes ahead of the main group, my back was a bit sore. As I didn't want to be a burden and rain was predicted I went for the long way round. Be carefull this is a long way the 13k are not correct the map and narrative are not the same route. You need to get up to the spur i took half an hour in aftersight a shorter route is there. I did actually portage. Didn't carry the bike across the shoulders as i couldn't get that to work by myself I went for a double contact point approach and was pleased with the result. 25 min push and portage. Get to the top and follow the jeep track. I never found the jeep track, I never really looked there is plenty smooth fast roling cattle tracks just take your compass and pick a tree or hut to aim for. You will get to Philipsrust(there I saw the jeep track is really there) get and easy road and get to Naudes nek. Naudes nek is all ridable in good conditions. Well but good conditions are rare. I was blown of the road twice. So I walked the last couple of hundred meters. I was marginally faster then thos who hiked but then they stopped longer at Tinahead for shelter then I had stopped for naps and chats to passing drivers. I would say its about an hour slower at most for a good rider, but a lot more enjoyable there are wonderfull views as well. Are you a hiker take Lehana's.

 

Portage 10%, be brave and make it 30-50%

 

 

I still believe my monster is the best bike for me.

 

I have learned that reading the narratives beforehand and familiarising youself with the vocabulary will help.

 

To not take a brand new bike, do definitely not take a sub 200 gram brand new saddle. Test your saddle with TITS make sure its the right mix between soft and sturdy.

 

So the final verdict 95% or more is ridable though it it might be faster to walk certain bits. It is definitely advisable to walk more if going all the way to slaapstad. You will use other muscles and our butt will be gratefull.

 

Cheers the Crazy German

[M Hickley]

What paper should be used to print the maps on and where can I get some?