Prep for 2015 Freedom Challenge / Race to Rhodes

[Trackz]

From Moordenaars 247km to Hofmeyr.

 

Moordenaars-Krantzkop-Brosterlea-Romans is a big day. 175km/2500m ascent. Too much for P?

Romans-Hofmeyer. Agree. Aasvoel not too difficult then pretty much downhill/flat into Hofmeyr.

 

Option B?

Tonight. Push through to Krantzkop tonight, flat 45km (4hrs for P), easy nav. Arrive 22h00.

Tomorrow. Leave early 5h00. 130km day to Kranz-Romans. Flatish. Only tricky portage Vegkoppies/pivots.

Sat. As per yours.

 

Just read he's pushing through to Krantzkop. Go Pierre!

[tubed]

Dirtrider from page 1 of this thread a year ago:

 

" we are talking about somebody here that most probably will wanna take 26 days to do the ride"

 

Respect to him, it is so easy to quit this race, that never seems to have entered his mind. Still lots to happen, lets hope he sticks with it and most of all he is enjoying himself.

 

There is a group of guys in the middle who are fascinating me riding on their own or sometimes together and they seem to have no problem riding into the night. Andrew Hunt is a case in point tonight as Ray has said it is likely to be at least minus 10 where he is now and he is pushing on, albeit a bit off the route, but damn that takes balls to do alone.

[Guest notmyname]

Im loving this thread. Hard people these. Good golly.

[tubed]

I see Andy and a bunch of others are exploring the tributaries of the Tina River in the Vuvu valley, he did the same thing with us in 2011, we skulked into Vuvu in the sleet well after 12. Hopefully they see Tim James's lights coming up behind them and hop on that bus. Otherwise its another long cold wet feet night. 

[Trackz]

Riding at night is perhaps an acquired taste. At R2C this year I wanted push through the night from Stuttgart to the finish for a sub-3 day finish. I was riding with Coen (3x RASA) so I waited till late afternoon near Stuttgart to break the news. It meant riding into the night and into a very electric storm over the Schurfteberg. I was game to even go alone until he gave me one look and a few choice words. Settled that. We stayed over for a great evening of hospitality and cruised the last bit the next morning. I agree, takes a lot of guts to head out into the cold & dark and ride alone. You can see the pattern, its fine riding into the night or starting early but riding through the night is a big ask. Big respect!

[tubed]

oops seems I spoke to soon and its the blind leading the blind, Tim has taken an even more radical line up the wrong flank on the wrong side of the river!!

 

there is zero reception down there, so they are going to have to figure it out for themselves, ai ai

 

[tubed]

Riding at night is perhaps an acquired taste. At R2C this year I wanted push through the night from Stuttgart to the finish for a sub-3 day finish. I was riding with Coen (3x RASA) so I waited till late afternoon near Stuttgart to break the news. It meant riding into the night and into a very electric storm over the Schurfteberg. I was game to even go alone until he gave me one look and a few choice words. Settled that. We stayed over for a great evening of hospitality and cruised the last bit the next morning. I agree, takes a lot of guts to head out into the cold & dark and ride alone. You can see the pattern, its fine riding into the night or starting early but riding through the night is a big ask. Big respect!

there is  lot to be said for that approach, Gawie is one of the guys that can ride into the night, but he too mostly rides during the day and rests/ drinks at night, but he  really blitzes during the day, and seems to catch Tim.

 

if you look at Tim's tracks last night and tonight he is (in my very very humble opinion) wasting quite a bit of time with small turns off the track

 

once one is past Cambria its pretty straight forward and like Mike Woolnough did you can just keep going

[tubed]

ok this is priceless - they dont have a clue where they are, it could be a looooong night, lets see if Tim can complete his circle

 

[Ryanpmb]

Looks like they've all got into that early bend on the Tina river and taken it for where the Tina joins the Vuvu from the left, crossed and headed up... too early.

 

It's easy to get Vuvu confused in the day. Can only imagine at night.

 

Apparently the mast light is out too so they wouldn't even eventually see that to get a bearing.

[cat-i]

Tonight. Push through to Krantzkop tonight, flat 45km (4hrs for P), easy nav. Arrive 22h00.

Tomorrow. Leave early 5h00. 130km day to Kranz-Romans. Flatish. Only tricky portage Vegkoppies/pivots.

Sat. As per yours.

 

Pierre in at Kranskop 

[Ryanpmb]

They're going to hit the road and turn right... noooo...

 

The Mike, Nico, Andy group...

[TrailWarrior]

I took this clip on Mpharane Ridge 2014 in the strong wind. They do lift a bit in the beginning to show how the wind floats the bike and then further you can see how the wind side swipes the bike. The actress is Janine who this morning became 2nd lady to make Ntsikeni in less than a day and according to Mike W one of less than 10 ever to do it in a day.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhFxhrCj4UA&feature=youtu.be

 

Wind was hectic last year 2014. I posted this clip en-route to Masakala before heading out to the old abandoned farmhouse....(turn sound on)

[Shebeen]

Looks like they've all got into that early bend on the Tina river and taken it for where the Tina joins the Vuvu from the left, crossed and headed up... too early.

 

It's easy to get Vuvu confused in the day. Can only imagine at night.

 

Apparently the mast light is out too so they wouldn't even eventually see that to get a bearing.

ja, that makes sense. couldn't work out why they had gone up on the wrong side of the river. but surely the tina is much bigger than the vuvu. but it's a group of 6. can often just confuse things to the max.

 

reckon they also managed to confuse Tim. agree with tubed, tim has burnt a lot of matches already and doesn't have much to show for it vs andrew who has already rested plenty(maybe he's still getting in the groove). i don't think it was ever in doubt, but the record looks pretty safe for another year. by this time today Martin was already in rhodes (and then he pushed on to chesney wold!)

[Shebeen]

They're going to hit the road and turn right... noooo...

 

The Mike, Nico, Andy group...

or they're going to go left and put pressure on Glenn as race director to do time penalties.

[Ryanpmb]

ja, that makes sense. couldn't work out why they had gone up on the wrong side of the river. but surely the tina is much bigger than the vuvu. but it's a group of 6. can often just confuse things to the max.

 

 

Did think about the river being bigger but there could be a fair bit of water in either from all the snow...? I agree - probably not the best decisions being made with such a big group. I would've thought that when they started climbing so soon after crossing the Tina they would've realised it was the wrong spot.

[Ryanpmb]

or they're going to go left and put pressure on Glenn as race director to do time penalties.

Surely they would've penalised themselves enough...