Prep for 2015 Freedom Challenge / Race to Rhodes

[Marnitz Nienaber]

I print maps on normal A3 paper and narratives on A4, keep it in a zip lock bag to prevent the rain from smushing it and the wind from blowing it away.

[dirtrider]

I am not sure if the maps on the web site are the final ones . Will start printing maps after the information session here in JHB . Will take it to print shop to print and they do have paper that's "water proof".

[The Crazy German]

I am not sure if the maps on the web site are the final ones . Will start printing maps after the information session here in JHB . Will take it to print shop to print and they do have paper that's "water proof".

Freedom challenge is gonna offer the maps as a packet. I have seen the quality and it looks like nice weather resistant up till some point. I am sure Meryl will give you a cost idea at the info session its most likely the best choice if you don't want customized maps.

 

Myself if I actually get my head round to entering will most likely customise my maps.

 

As said higher by i believe Liehan A3 for maps A4 for narrative and maps in coulour.

[Shebeen]

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

 

 

sounds about right. i know guys quite crazy portage statistics. it's a bike race!

[Marnitz Nienaber]

sounds about right. i know guys quite crazy portage statistics. it's a bike race!

 

Must I get myself a fatbike and chop 2 days or more of my PB ?

[dirtrider]

I am not really to worried about the amount of portages as long as I don't hike for 2300km !! I am preparing myself for a lot anyway , no ways I can cycle up a 16% hill on the SS .

[Marnitz Nienaber]

 no ways I can cycle up a 16% hill on the SS .

 

I struggle on a bike with gears, Klerksdorp is fat, it should have been part of the flat Freestate.

 

Nowadays I even struggle to get up to train......getting properly rested for next year......

 

   

[The Crazy German]

Must I get myself a fatbike and chop 2 days or more of my PB ?

It depends Marnitz, if you are a strong walker/runner. The Fatbike won't give you an advantage. If like me you are not a good hiker and don't like to walk its the way too go.

 

I don't think a fatbike is the fastest bike for the trail, I have never thought that anyway, but it won't be much of a disadvantage and a lot more fun then a lightweight carbon on too small tires IMO.

 

I like to ride, if I make a mistake I like to ride out not hike down the scary slope. If I get bored of reading the naratives I take my compass bike some kind of feature and just straight line the fatbike is ideal for that though following the proper route might be faster.

[Jilleo]

Liehann just sent me a link to this thread. I only read through the past couple of pages but smiled at the fat bike report. I used to ride my Surly Pugsley across muskeg (a northern word for a brushy, boggy swamp) in Juneau, Alaska. Fat bikes are so stable that they do pretty well in off-trail situations, but you still need a pretty big engine to make it happen at anything faster than a very slow walking speed, and even then ...

 

Would I take a fat bike on the Freedom Trail? No. But a strong rider who had enough upper-body strength to lift that beast up and over game fences could have some fun. 

 

I'm posting on this forum because I'm curious if anyone knows whether the route has ever been officially completed on foot on one go, and what the fastest time might be. I've been tracking the "Freedom Runners" — http://trackaphone.co.uk/callback/publish/mimi — two women who are en route to a thirty-ish-day finish. They just arrived in Rhodes after seven days. Theirs is a supported run, and that might be the only way to reasonably run the route (some long sections between water.) But I'm just curious what's been done in the past. 

[tombeej]

Welcome Jill

 

I read your entire blog of your FC2014 journey. Really enjoyed it, and great photos too.

[Marnitz Nienaber]

David Waddilove the father and creator of the Freedom Challenge did it on foot I think in 2003, mostly exploring the route, I think it was done in 30 Days +

 

The a guy named the Professor did some of the route this year supported just to get a feel of it, it took a lot of hard work and I think he say it wasn't designed for a fat bike.

 

Fat bikes were designed for Alaska snow riding, also compatible with desert sand, the manufactures turned it into a new craze, and who knows in a couple of years we might all be racing the Freedom Challenge on fat bikes. First it was 26" then 29" and now 27.5" and the fat bikes are lurking on the horizon......  

 

Still it's not the bike, it is the engine on the bike that determines the final result.

 

      

[Marnitz Nienaber]

[Marnitz Nienaber]

Interesting bike and I don't know who the rider is, could probably figure it out by elimination.

Here is the slightly controversial game fence pic again, (ie how not to stand on a fence), but here is that bike again, no wonder it needs two people to haul it up and over.

The guy giving instructions with his back to us is the owner.

 

[Shebeen]

if memory serves me correct, this guy was touring the route..he had a blog somewhere.

 

 

I'm posting on this forum because I'm curious if anyone knows whether the route has ever been officially completed on foot on one go, and what the fastest time might be. I've been tracking the "Freedom Runners" — http://trackaphone.co.uk/callback/publish/mimi — two women who are en route to a thirty-ish-day finish. They just arrived in Rhodes after seven days. Theirs is a supported run, and that might be the only way to reasonably run the route (some long sections between water.) But I'm just curious what's been done in the past. 

Jill, good to see you here - loved reading your reports, you join a select group of FC riders who actually have books about riding published. I'm just a mere hack.

 

Marnitz is half right, David did it when he got bored of comrades training! took 42 days.

The next year the first ever triathlon was done(he did that one too). He's done it every year since, normally behind the wheel of a toyota.

 

The entire trip is here, and the route is surprisingly similar to what it has now evolved into. the main difference is that this is a 'backwards' one, ending in maritzburg. 

http://www.freedomchallenge.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=886&Itemid=100165

[Marnitz Nienaber]

 

Marnitz is half right, David did it when he got bored of comrades training! took 42 days.

The next year the first ever triathlon was done(he did that one too). 

 

 

The 2004 birth of the Freedom Challenge, was done by David, his brother Rob and Andrew King, David said they nearly strangled him in Stetteyns, might be because they lost their humor or David convincing them it's going to be far easier than they experienced......

 

David's preparation this year will be the same as in 2003, run to PMB, cycle back and paddle the Berg.

 

There will to be a few privileged  riders joining him at a cost, the excess money on the inflated entry fee will be donated to the Scholarship fund. You can contact the race office if you want to join David, he will have the ultimate decision in who will be riding with him.

 

Johann Rissik the coffee man from Prince Albert will be joining David as his hands on mechanic.

 

I still don't know if I must join David and experience his sufferings hands on      ,

or tour the route as the new coffee man ????     

[Shebeen]

The 2004 birth of the Freedom Challenge, was done by David, his brother Rob and Andrew King, David said they nearly strangled him in Stetteyns, might be because they lost their humor or David to them it going to be far easier than they experienced......

 

 

According to my source he hadn't scouted the valley we don't mention, and had thumbsucked 2hours to do the 8km. it took them way longer! and obviously being the last day and out of reception meant they were very very late for their own welcome party.