sias Posted October 17, 2014 Posted October 17, 2014 GlockFor the Bryton I would suggest something like a Powermonkey or any of the batterypack/chargers available on the market. I used the seperate batterypack for the Garmin 800 on the 36One to charge it and the left it in the box for the last stage. I don't know if Bryton has something similar, but any external batterypack will do as long as the connectors fit on the unit.For the lights i'm afraid only a second battery will do. Depending on how fast you go, you will need your lights at the middle/end of stage 2 or the beginning/middle of stage 3. I have three batteries - I carry the first one from the start and then change at CP3 and CP4. Maybe borrow some batteries from friends with the same lights?
chim50 Posted October 17, 2014 Posted October 17, 2014 Lets hope the weather plays ball this year. The head wind for 175kms last year was not fun.I had to pull out. All i can say is keep training.
sias Posted October 17, 2014 Posted October 17, 2014 Weather for the last 5 years was the same: very hot at the start with a headwind that only gets less in the early morning hours.Manage the first 3 stages and you should be fine on the last three.
GlockG4 Posted October 18, 2014 Posted October 18, 2014 I heard that the dust is a KILLER. I am thinking of carrying eye drops with or something to rinse my eyes out, anyone have any suggestions/experience with this sort of thing?
sias Posted October 20, 2014 Posted October 20, 2014 Dust is a bit of an issue, but there is much less than in the past. Stage 1 has no dust as all the cars are waiting at CP 1. Stage 2 and 3 has a lot of dust, but less than in the past as all the solo riders' cars are at CP3. Stage 4 has no dust as the cars take another route to CP4. Stage five has some dust up to the pipe line section but from there it's clear. Stage 6 has no dust as the cars take another route again.I use a buff over my nose and mouth when it gets really bad and my riding glasses cover my eyes pretty well, but I also have drops or saline solution in the car to rinse my eyes out at the checkpoint.Most of the cars are very considerate and slow down when they pass you to minimise the dust. Some drivers will also pass you on the down-wind side so you don't get caught in their dust.
GlockG4 Posted November 2, 2014 Posted November 2, 2014 What sort of food is available at the waterpoints? I want to train with the stuff that I will be using in the race, also what do you guys recomend eating, I heard everything from soup to boerewors rolls?
sias Posted November 3, 2014 Posted November 3, 2014 It's the usual stuff at the checkpoints - water, coke, powerade/energade, potatoes, biltong, sandwiches etc.... Waterpoints have some fruit and water/juice.Stick to eating what you eat during training otherwise you might end up in the desert with an upset stomach and no bushes to hide behind!I try and get in some pasta, low GI bread with cheese and ham, chocolate milk and coffee. Remember that you only have to go through CP 2 where you have to eat their food, from CP 3 you eat what your seconding team prepares for you.On the bike I carry my drinks, gels and bars.
Warthog whisperer Posted November 4, 2014 Posted November 4, 2014 Yea, dust on stage 3 is the worst, have good glasses, Buff, and drops handy. Sometimes there will be 10 cars passing you one behind the other, some with trailers, and they will have a very slow speed, so they stay in font of you for a long time, and you will sit in their dust for a wile......not lekker!
GLuvsMtb Posted November 4, 2014 Posted November 4, 2014 ...Good music for 3am in the middle of nowhere when you are at your most vulnerable.... A few years ago we had a guy playing music during the Baviaans. He (and his teammate) got culled from the bunch very quickly. If you absolutely HAVE to ride with music, just pack your earphones and stay off any bunches. Just know that you will be oblivious to any danger outside of your peripheral vision and at night you rely on hearing more than your eyes to navigate and keep your bearings. An alternative to music is to have the odd chat with the guys in the bunch.
sias Posted November 4, 2014 Posted November 4, 2014 An alternative to music is to have the odd chat with the guys in the bunch. Haha, bunches on the Dash? Hahaha... If you're lucky you will ride with one other guy to the next water point or checkpoint. I rode most (98%) of the route alone... People playing music over the phone speakers for everyone else to hear p1sses everyone else off. Ride with earphones, but not so loud that you can't hear anything else.As far as music and your peripheral vision and navigating and bearings go - there is only one road and there is nothing to see in the desert at night! You can see the cars coming from the back as their headlights light up everything around you.Again, there will be very few bunches on the Dash and those that DO form mostly consist of 2-4 riders...
Warthog whisperer Posted November 4, 2014 Posted November 4, 2014 Haha, bunches on the Dash? Hahaha... If you're lucky you will ride with one other guy to the next water point or checkpoint. I rode most (98%) of the route alone... People playing music over the phone speakers for everyone else to hear p1sses everyone else off. Ride with earphones, but not so loud that you can't hear anything else.As far as music and your peripheral vision and navigating and bearings go - there is only one road and there is nothing to see in the desert at night! You can see the cars coming from the back as their headlights light up everything around you.Again, there will be very few bunches on the Dash and those that DO form mostly consist of 2-4 riders...The only bunch you get is when the 2 man and 4 man teams hook on to you as a solo rider....
GlockG4 Posted November 4, 2014 Posted November 4, 2014 Sorry for all the questions, but I have never done anything even remotely like this. How big of an issue is the heat? Should I do the majority of my training during the heat of the day, and would this help, or should I just man up? I start getting hot and sweaty when the temperature goes above 26 and I have a 2l camelbak, should I consider getting a 3l?
Warthog whisperer Posted November 4, 2014 Posted November 4, 2014 Sorry for all the questions, but I have never done anything even remotely like this. How big of an issue is the heat? Should I do the majority of my training during the heat of the day, and would this help, or should I just man up? I start getting hot and sweaty when the temperature goes above 26 and I have a 2l camelbak, should I consider getting a 3l?Do you do solo?
Warthog whisperer Posted November 4, 2014 Posted November 4, 2014 Sorry for all the questions, but I have never done anything even remotely like this. How big of an issue is the heat? Should I do the majority of my training during the heat of the day, and would this help, or should I just man up? I start getting hot and sweaty when the temperature goes above 26 and I have a 2l camelbak, should I consider getting a 3l?Start the temp will be between 35 and 38 Deg, and yes, would be great if you can train in the heat of the day with lots of wind. Rather have enough to drink on the bike, but there is a water point at every +_35km, so you will know yourself how much you will drink. The first 2 stages is very hot, lots of wind, so it will be slower stages, plan for that.
sias Posted November 4, 2014 Posted November 4, 2014 Glock - the heat is an issue during stage 1 and part of stage 2. Last year we started in 35°C + and it only got cooler at about 17H00.I take 1 bottle filled with ice and water for the 1st stage. It should not take you longer than 2 hours to get to CP1 and you can the fill up everything. Also remember that the waterpoints are spaced at roughly every 30km so you shouldn't run out of water. I try and stay as light as possible for the first three stages as that is where all the climbing is...What I also do is to soak my buff in cold water and put it around my neck and on my head to keep cool at the start.
GlockG4 Posted November 6, 2014 Posted November 6, 2014 Where am I supposed to be in my training more or less? I am planning a long ride, like 200km starting midnight at the end of december.
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