2016 Freedom Challenge RASA & RTR Prep

[Shebeen]

Things are a bit quiet on the supporter side. That's a public holiday /weekend for you!

[Shebeen]

so there's been some movings going on, looking at the race for the title.

 

batch G has TimJames, MikeWoolnough and Liehann Loots gunning it.

batch H started a day later and has TheovanDyk, TimDeane and BruceHughes klapping mud.

 

As of last night (going back in order of position on the road), TJ was at stormberg somewhere, MW was at Brosterlea, LL TvD at kranskop, BH TD at moordenaarspoort.

 

If we project where the three riders in BatchH will end up tonight, they should all be ahead of where TimJames slept at stormberg. so here's my leaderboard 

 

TvD

BH

TD

TJ

MW

LL

[Marnitz Nienaber]

so there's been some movings going on, looking at the race for the title.

 

batch G has TimJames, MikeWoolnough and Liehann Loots gunning it.

batch H started a day later and has TheovanDyk, TimDeane and BruceHughes klapping mud.

 

As of last night (going back in order of position on the road), TJ was at stormberg somewhere, MW was at Brosterlea, LL TvD at kranskop, BH TD at moordenaarspoort.

 

If we project where the three riders in BatchH will end up tonight, they should all be ahead of where TimJames slept at stormberg. so here's my leaderboard 

 

TvD

BH

TD

TJ

MW

LL

My Question is, how is it going to play in reaching Cambria ? The decisive point ???

[Headshot]

I am intrigued by the navigational difficulties, even during the day, some people seem to suffer on this event. What do the maps and instructions look like? Are they proper 1:50k trig survey maps? Do riders have to show any capacity to navigate or have map reading skills? I bet that being on a bike  makes navigating harder than hiking for instance. If you  go off course on a bike you will do so faster and further than when on foot and its not as easy to check the map while riding along.

 

Any insights and pics of the maps would be appreciated...

[Eddie Stafford]

The maps are the latest 1:25000, for R2R there are 18 and I think for RASA there are 64.

[Eddie Stafford]

The maps are the latest 1:25000, for R2R there are 18 and I think for RASA there are 64.

Sorry the maps are 1:50000,  You will notice that the co-ordinates have been removed.

 

The older guys (like me) who spent time in the army will argue that it should be straight forward to navigate with the maps, but what you find is that the situation on the ground often differs from what is shown on the maps.  This is because large parts of the route follow cattle tracks and wattle drag lines that differs from year to year and is not shown on the maps. 

 

I would say the majority of people get lost when their progress were slowed down for some or other reason and they are caught out by the dark.  It is difficult to navigate at night when one cannot see the surrounding mountains and contour lines.

 

I will urge anyone with a sense of adventure to give R2R a try, you don’t need to be the strongest rider to finish the event.  I stage races I always finish in the last 30% of the field.

[MTBeer]

I am intrigued by the navigational difficulties, even during the day, some people seem to suffer on this event. What do the maps and instructions look like? Are they proper 1:50k trig survey maps? Do riders have to show any capacity to navigate or have map reading skills? I bet that being on a bike  makes navigating harder than hiking for instance. If you  go off course on a bike you will do so faster and further than when on foot and its not as easy to check the map while riding along.

 

Any insights and pics of the maps would be appreciated...

the problem with the navigation is that you are often not following a road or even a path - just bundu bashing in the approximate direction you need to go. If you are a few hundred meters off course you might hit a cliff or donga or something that can't be overcome. Then the decisions start - which way do we go now? Sometimes the narration will tell you to take a path to the left after a specific landmark, but there might be 2 paths going to the left.

 

Not simple at all.

[Marnitz Nienaber]

I am intrigued by the navigational difficulties, even during the day, some people seem to suffer on this event. What do the maps and instructions look like? Are they proper 1:50k trig survey maps? Do riders have to show any capacity to navigate or have map reading skills? I bet that being on a bike  makes navigating harder than hiking for instance. If you  go off course on a bike you will do so faster and further than when on foot and its not as easy to check the map while riding along.

 

Any insights and pics of the maps would be appreciated...

The main reason is in every other race you only follow the arrows or your GPS, in this case no arrows no GPS = Lost most of the time.

 

Maps NEVER lie, but you need to be able to understand maps and be able to spot landmarks, to spot landmarks at night or in bad conditions can be difficult and that's why you need a compass, but then you need to start on the correct spot and be able to measure distance.

 

Everybody gets lost or take an alternative route, even I still make mistakes, but the main reason behind our mistakes is because we think we know the route and thus race without maps or narratives.....

 

:devil:

[Shebeen]

My Question is, how is it going to play in reaching Cambria ? The decisive point ???

what's the water level like anyone been in mordor recently?

 

About 2/3 days from baviaanskloof so there's an opportunity for someone to do two really big days and get a real gap.

[Marnitz Nienaber]

what's the water level like anyone been in mordor recently?

 

About 2/3 days from baviaanskloof so there's an opportunity for someone to do two really big days and get a real gap.

Really don't know, but with the resent good rains it might be good.

[Marnitz Nienaber]

I will attempt a Race Report Day 17.

 

The Picasso of the day belongs to Fanus,Greg, Huges and Richard on top of Aasvoëlberg where they painted the perfect vulcture on to of the mountain, Fanus went high and explore some of the snow I presume on to of the mountain, while Greg, Huges and Richard did some ice skating ion a dam in the valley below. Luckily they spotted each other and then met each other on the preferred route to Hofmeyer.

 

I must say the straight line dot of the day also belong to the same group where they nailed Elandsberg portage in race pace time, some 2H45 with minutes to spare, must have been scared by the wide open doors of the Elandsberg Bush Hotel, they raced into Elandsberg just after 18H00 Werner, Greg and Leon could have made a wonderful artwork on their way up the Bontehoek portage, unfortunately for us the committed tracker observers they didn't take the plunge into the valley far below and ended up at Kranzkop just after 18H00 Caren and Tony had a steady day from Rhodes to Slaapkranz without any wandering incidents.

 

Tim had another bush sleep in the Stormberg region, while Mike opted for the warmth of Brostelea, The saw each other for the first time at Romansfontein, Tim on his way out and Mike on his way in for a cup of magic tea, the elastic was stretched between them till Hofmeyer where they joined again and tackled Elandsberg in the dark without any incident ending up at Newlands at 1H00

 

Jacques Tattersal made a serious move to Moordenaarspoort and end his day also in the early morning hours, if he continues his momentum he should catch Werner & Co on their way to Romansfontein and maybe opt to go to Hofmeyer.

 

Theo, Bruce and Tim had an early start and raced through the portages and valleys, Tim is having a Freedom Challenge chest infection, commonly caused by the very icy air inhaled and chose to fall back.

 

Theo streched the elastic and made good ground, he caught up with Liehann on Aasvoëlberg and they rode together to Hoffmeyer where they settled just after 21H00. Theo is currently on par with Martin Dreyers rekord of 2012, the elastic have now switched between Mike&Tim and Theo, the ever stretching will continue up to Cambria, where the winners of this years race would be decided.....

[tubed]

I will attempt a Race Report Day 17.

 

The Picasso of the day belongs to Fanus,Greg, Huges and Richard on top of Aasvoëlberg where they painted the perfect vulcture on to of the mountain, Fanus went high and explore some of the snow I presume on to of the mountain, while Greg, Huges and Richard did some ice skating ion a dam in the valley below. Luckily they spotted each other and then met each other on the preferred route to Hofmeyer.

 

I must say the straight line dot of the day also belong to the same group where they nailed Elandsberg portage in race pace time, some 2H45 with minutes to spare, must have been scared by the wide open doors of the Elandsberg Bush Hotel, they raced into Elandsberg just after 18H00 Werner, Greg and Leon could have made a wonderful artwork on their way up the Bontehoek portage, unfortunately for us the committed tracker observers they didn't take the plunge into the valley far below and ended up at Kranzkop just after 18H00 Caren and Tony had a steady day from Rhodes to Slaapkranz without any wandering incidents.

 

Tim had another bush sleep in the Stormberg region, while Mike opted for the warmth of Brostelea, The saw each other for the first time at Romansfontein, Tim on his way out and Mike on his way in for a cup of magic tea, the elastic was stretched between them till Hofmeyer where they joined again and tackled Elandsberg in the dark without any incident ending up at Newlands at 1H00

 

Jacques Tattersal made a serious move to Moordenaarspoort and end his day also in the early morning hours, if he continues his momentum he should catch Werner & Co on their way to Romansfontein and maybe opt to go to Hofmeyer.

 

Theo, Bruce and Tim had an early start and raced through the portages and valleys, Tim is having a Freedom Challenge chest infection, commonly caused by the very icy air inhaled and chose to fall back.

 

Theo streched the elastic and made good ground, he caught up with Liehann on Aasvoëlberg and they rode together to Hoffmeyer where they settled just after 21H00. Theo is currently on par with Martin Dreyers rekord of 2012, the elastic have now switched between Mike&Tim and Theo, the ever stretching will continue up to Cambria, where the winners of this years race would be decided.....

good summary Marnitz - nice for us to have you here and not there - although we know where you want to be - boet is doing well

[Dusty]

Batch A goes into Mordor today. A lot of experience there, but the first batch through will always have a more difficult task than the rest. They'll have to bend the reeds and bushwhack the path. All the best to Morrie and Co

[Headshot]

Batch A goes into Mordor today. A lot of experience there, but the first batch through will always have a more difficult task than the rest. They'll have to bend the reeds and bushwhack the path. All the best to Morrie and Co

 

I presume Mordor is not an easy section :-) Where is it exactly?

 

The latest cold front has just passed CT - I wonder if it will impact the riders?

[Shebeen]

I presume Mordor is not an easy section :-) Where is it exactly?

 

The latest cold front has just passed CT - I wonder if it will impact the riders?

osseberg jeep track - was the most highly rated hardcore 4x4 trails, until it was deemed undriveable a few years back. it descends into the Grootriver valley, where there is a rough path that crosses the river in 11 places.

 

a more general answer - Baviaanskloof (near Patensie)

[Headshot]

osseberg jeep track - was the most highly rated hardcore 4x4 trails, until it was deemed undriveable a few years back. it descends into the Grootriver valley, where there is a rough path that crosses the river in 11 places.

 

a more general answer - Baviaanskloof (near Patensie)

Aha - I rode the Baviaans a good few years ago now and drove it in a normal car. I believe its deteriorated somewhat since...