Prep for 2015 Freedom Challenge / Race to Rhodes

[The Crazy German]

I've raced before with Joe "The Professor" Cruz, 2012 White Mountains 100 in Alaska. He's strong on that Pugsley. I never liked Pugsley's handling; it was like driving a bus with a flat tire.

 

I agree that there are many models of more modern fat bikes that are well designed for trail riding. My boyfriend owns a titanium soft-tail fat bike with a unique front shock that is incredibly fun and fast to ride in every situation I've tried it, from mixed trail and pavement riding to 100 miles of snow. My original comment was more in reference to the diminishing returns of pedaling over marginal terrain versus pushing. I frequently go through this debate with myself in my winter biking efforts ... "I can ride through this fluff at 3 mph at 90 percent effort, or walk at 2.5 mph at 70 percent effort ... how far can I get before I melt down entirely?"

 

As Marnitz pointed out, it always comes down to the size of the engine in the end. If you have the strength, enjoy the effort, and can manage the obstacles, there's no reason not to ride a fat bike in the FC. My opinion, as an individual and knowing my own abilities, is I wouldn't take a fat bike because for every segment of technical trail I would be able to ride marginally faster, I'd lose many times over while riding slower on the long dirt road sections and pushing and lifting a heavier bike on the technical sections that are still beyond my skill set. (And my fat bike set-up would inevitably be heavier than my mountain-bike set-up.) 

 

 

I can agree with most of this for me its so much more fun though to ride where (most others can't)

 

I am racing it on dirt roads in a week lets see if I still like it afterwards. It got me to Rhodes fine in any case. Otherwise its about abilities and how you are build and although we have never met I assume we are quite different in that aspect which account for our different opinions and experience on a fatbike. I like the rough terrain, I understood from tour blog that technical is less your cup of tea but that on dirt roads you and Liehann made strong progress through the pack. MyselfI am over 6 feet I used to be 15 stone now more 14 I guess you have more of a climber build then my just power it through build.

 

I have not yet committed to doing the full distance on it. And if so it would be to finish in a reasonable time not to race. I know I am to far of sleep deprivation strangth and route knowledge of Marnitz Glen and the Dreyers to come even close.

 

Game fences are another issue with my old shoulder issue that actually made me retire from competitive racing long ago. Maybe I should pick up on the revalidation program that I quit almost 10 years ago to have two arms again.

 

The Osseberg gods made me turn around very early today long even before entering this famous section. I spend quite some time to fix the bike. We have another go tomorrow, not sure maybe I turn around If I see the actual thing in front of my rubber.

[Marnitz Nienaber]

 You'd definitely have to plan differently than simply organizing supplies under the current support station-to-support station set up. Not that I'm actually considering it ... just a fun thought exercise. 

 

It all start with a wondering, then dreaming, planning, organizing and executing !!!

 

When can we expect  to see you running ???

[The Crazy German]

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.

 

So I felt that this pic insulted all fatbikes. I went to look for this fence and today around lunchtime about 7 hours into my legstretcher I found it. I had never scaled a fence higher then 1m50 except the one with the easy stiles at Ntsikeni. So I had a go, remember my left shoulder has been stukkend for about ten years now. So i just hooked the saddle of the ridicolously heavy bike on my shoulder next to the ten kg back back and just over two minutes later I rode off on the other side Fatbike honour saved. So please stop sharing this pic

[Marnitz Nienaber]

So I felt that this pic insulted all fatbikes. I went to look for this fence and today around lunchtime about 7 hours into my legstretcher I found it. I had never scaled a fence higher then 1m50 except the one with the easy stiles at Ntsikeni. So I had a go, remember my left shoulder has been stukkend for about ten years now. So i just hooked the saddle of the ridicolously heavy bike on my shoulder next to the ten kg back back and just over two minutes later I rode off on the other side Fatbike honour saved. So please stop sharing this pic

 Got some new pic's  

 

 My light loaded GT 2011

 

Tim James doing it on his own.

 

Sometimes you don't even have to climb the gate, you can just open the special door in the gate, like the one at Grootdam, many a challenger have scaled the game gate just to realize on the other side that they build a special bike gate just for us. 

[Dusty]

Better?

[Marnitz Nienaber]

But then there is / was the 2m high electric gate in the Hell, it gave me a real shocker in 2013, just after the battle of Ketoorskop.

 

The shock seem to open my brain waves and then I only realized that it was unlocked, I just need to open it !!!!

 

   

[Shebeen]

I don't really remember fences/gates being that much of an issue.

 

only two that stand out as a bit of a hassle were

the game fence about halfway between vd venterskraal and toekomst

the other game fence at the grootrivier/cambria (bavianskloof) - which was unlocked.

 

maybe okes have started locking things up more but it wasn't such a big deal for me, everything else could just easily pass a bike over, and i do remember these sort of things. 

[Marnitz Nienaber]

I don't really remember fences/gates being that much of an issue. It's time to race again !!!

 

only two that stand out as a bit of a hassle were

the game fence about halfway between vd venterskraal and toekomst - Koedoeskop Tim James pic

the other game fence at the grootrivier/cambria (bavianskloof) - which was unlocked.- Now Locked

 

 

They have erected a couple of new 3m Game gates since the last time you've raced.

 

3m Game gates :

 

• New entrance at Spekboomberg turnoff, if you find yourself at the gate after hours...
• Grootdam - if you missed the special gate......
• Tollie's Safari's
• Koedoeskop - Between Gegun & Toekomst
• Gwaas valley
• Grootrivier
• Die Hell - If the Battle of ketoorskop loose the fight.....
• BIG 5m gates of Hell at the Stetteyns exit onto the N1 - Liehann & Jill just made it this year, Charles Mansfield had to dismantle his bike 14km from the finish.........

 

I will be erecting thorn bush gates of hell in the Osseberg area, just for the fun of it, if I'm not riding, mind you, there are a couple already.......

 

   

[The Crazy German]

 

I will be erecting thorn bush gates of hell in the Osseberg area, just for the fun of it, if I'm not riding, mind you, there are a couple already.......

 

   

The crazy German on his fatbike tractor has just been through so there is now a clear path.

After sunday's failure in the first 5k a disk brake giving up, punture and a bent disk rotor I delayed to monday. The entrance of the osseberg was quite far so I left at sunset and after almost 3 hours I got to the no entry gate. So Obviously my english and afrikaans is so bad so we quickly got over. I found not much fire damaged some slightly singed but not real through an through burnt. Though road most of the 10k till the first river crossing. One steep rutted climb was walked just over an hour and some picture stops I got to swim. By this time it was already 30 degrees.

 

Got across fine and picked up the track quickly(I did have a gps file of th route). I actually found those river crossings quite enjoyable. I had gone to the entrance full of fear and worry. But I liked all the wildlife the feeling of likely beiing the only human to pass there this mont. Track was still quite clear so most was spend riding. The refresment of river crossings was often welcome and I did clear some thorny gates. I actually made good progress till I got to the spot with the shack building and the plastic portaloo. From there on it became push a bike it lasted for over a k. But by then I had ridden most of the kloof and done most of my swimming. Some picture stops a chat with a massive baboon and a Big Kudu jumping across the track later I got to the open veld. Three hours after the first river crossing I scaled the big fence in now more then 40 degrees. So 4 hours top gate to game fence. I will be flamed but I actually thouroughly liked it. If i would just be able to be dropped of again at the entrance gate I would go again tomorrow.

 

Had a nap and some fresh water at the visitors centre. After that it was 4( degree heat for the pedal back to my Patensie hideout. The Osseberg I look foreward to do it again. 

 

Should be done gate to gate in 3h30 for a big 25k. well I believe with some more effort and route knowledge this place of bliss can be conquerred in less than three.

 

Looking forward to going there again.

[Dusty]

 

• Gwaas valley

 

Have a look under the rock on the right hand side. Please all put it back and lock it when you have finished  

[Marnitz Nienaber]

Have a look under the rock on the right hand side. Please all put it back and lock it when you have finished

 Now you tell me   I had a nasty fall this year, the top gate collapsed, maybe I'm to heavy.....

 

Glenn had an even worse fall, injured his knee and had to quit in Willomore.

 

I don't mind climbing gates, is't just need to be proper gates     

 

Looks like the Crazy German bull dozed a clear path through Osseberg, maybe we must motivate him to do it another 100 times and make it easy on Lehana.

[The Crazy German]

 

double post

[The Crazy German]

 Now you tell me   I had a nasty fall this year, the top gate collapsed, maybe I'm to heavy.....

 

Glenn had an even worse fall, injured his knee and had to quit in Willomore.

 

I don't mind climbing gates, is't just need to be proper gates     

 

Looks like the Crazy German bull dozed a clear path through Osseberg, maybe we must motivate him to do it another 100 times and make it easy on Lehana.

If someone can shuttle me to the entrance of Osseberg I will do it ten times with a smile should be able to get three runs in in a day.

 

Lehana's you go round I got to the bottom 10 minutes ahead of Glen I got to Rhodes 20 min earlier, ok he might have gone for coffee at Tina Head. No seriously I even made a mistake and went to wide I believe for someone like me the penalty for going round is 30 min max an hour and its more enjoyable so I will always go round unless they give a fierce headwind on the plateau.

[Shebeen]

They have erected a couple of new 3m Game gates since the last time you've raced.

 

3m Game gates :

 

• New entrance at Spekboomberg turnoff, if you find yourself at the gate after hours...NEW
• Grootdam - if you missed the special gate......NEW route
• Tollie's Safari'sNEW route
• Koedoeskop - Between Gegun & ToekomstThats was there in 2008
• Gwaas valleyNEW
• GrootrivierThat was there in 2008
• Die Hell - If the Battle of ketoorskop loose the fight.....NEW
• BIG 5m gates of Hell at the Stetteyns exit onto the N1 - Liehann & Jill just made it this year, Charles Mansfield had to dismantle his bike 14km from the finish.........NEW

 

looks like they've been putting big gates up. but i'm becoming a serious whenwe storyteller

[dirtrider]

Ok I have done this a few times so climbing big fences and gates should not be a problem . I however always hoist my bike over the game fences I need to cross . 

[Marnitz Nienaber]

looks like they've been putting big gates up. but i'm becoming a serious whenwe storyteller

 

When was the last time you ride 2007 or 2008 ?

 

You should seriously concern about riding again, Lehana could do with a whenwe story teller.

   He always tell me back in the days  whenthey did it, it was far worse than now..........

 

The big 5m gates have always been there, we just had a time gate to enter Stetteyns which was dismantled in 2010, now you can enter the beloved Stetteyns any time of day or night.