[Event] Swartberg100 Gran Fondo

[Underachiever]

https://instagram.com/p/BEwHA4QBYdl/

Aaah Swartberg Hotel stoep!!

[eddy]

I am in Oudtshoorn having driven down from Johannesburg to ride.

 

I have just been told by the doctor that I have a choice. Either I see my Daughters again or I start the race.

 

Apparently I will finish myself off before I finish the race.

 

I picked up a sore throat on Monday and by yesterday I started coughing up green phlegm.

 

Oh well. At least I can start drinking today. It works well with the cough muti I have been swigging.

[Sepia]

Flip it.  That is really bad luck Eddy!

 

On second thoughts, could your daughters have seen enough of you by now?  Weddings sorted.

Ride?

Just saying

[eddy]

Flip it.  That is really bad luck Eddy!

 

On second thoughts, could your daughters have seen enough of you by now?  Weddings sorted.

Ride?

 

Just saying

One wedding done, two to go.

 

I dragged your saddle bag along the stretch through Meirings Poort , de Rust and over the pass to PA on the second day of my tour in December.

 

I am having trouble walking up the stairs today, so regrettably NO riding.

[DJR]

I am in Oudtshoorn having driven down from Johannesburg to ride.

 

I have just been told by the doctor that I have a choice. Either I see my Daughters again or I start the race.

 

Apparently I will finish myself off before I finish the race.

 

I picked up a sore throat on Monday and by yesterday I started coughing up green phlegm.

 

Oh well. At least I can start drinking today. It works well with the cough muti I have been swigging.

Terrible, I feel for you. Pulling the plug on a race is a difficult thing to do. Normally "doing the right thing" feels good, but not this !

[milky4130]

Just recce'd the first climb in my car on the way to my accommodation in Klaarstroom, it's going to be a nice "warmup" climb

[DJR]

Just recce'd the first climb in my car on the way to my accommodation in Klaarstroom, it's going to be a nice "warmup" climb

A somewhat undiscovered gem that place. My grandfather was the schoolmaster there in the 1920s and 30s. Hope you have a great stay!   

[Skubarra]

A somewhat undiscovered gem that place. My grandfather was the schoolmaster there in the 1920s and 30s. Hope you have a great stay!

That old little grocery store from yesteryear is awesome. They shot an old movie in klaarstroom - Faan se trein - i think?

[milky4130]

That old little grocery store from yesteryear is awesome. They shot an old movie in klaarstroom - Faan se trein - i think?

the owner of the guest house is actually busy building a movie set at the church down the road.

[Skubarra]

Double post

Edited April 29, 2016 by Skubarra

[milky4130]

Well That was tough. At 100km mark my brake pads starting Rubing against the disk. Not realizing that I tried to sit 3 wheels but kept being dropped. Stopped to take a piss & decided to position the wheel off center which did the trick but the damage was done. Kruiped home after that 7:09

[AJG]

Well That was tough. At 100km mark my brake pads starting Rubing against the disk. Not realizing that I tried to sit 3 wheels but kept being dropped. Stopped to take a piss & decided to position the wheel off center which did the trick but the damage was done. Kruiped home after that 7:09

 

Good event? Keen to hear details of what kind of turn out they got the route etc. If anyone did it on a cross or road bike also like to hear about how that was.

[Links MTB]

Yikes this was a tough one and a proper test! Starting the Swartberg Pass with 140km in the legs is no joke! In my books much tougher than the Amarider! I measured 170,4km with 2778m ascent. Well done Milky on catching me right at the top of the pass - you must have been flying up there! Overall an awesome event - Kudos to the organisers! No issues with route markers, great water points, more than enough marshalls especially coming down the pass! I can see this becoming a huge event in years to come, especially for the cyclo-cross chaps!

[milky4130]

Yikes this was a tough one and a proper test! Starting the Swartberg Pass with 140km in the legs is no joke! In my books much tougher than the Amarider! I measured 170,4km with 2778m ascent. Well done Milky on catching me right at the top of the pass - you must have been flying up there! Overall an awesome event - Kudos to the organisers! No issues with route markers, great water points, more than enough marshalls especially coming down the pass! I can see this becoming a huge event in years to come, especially for the cyclo-cross chaps!

thanks Links, you were the monster doing it on Full Sus with knobblies, kudos man. I was literally crawling up Swartberg until i saw you that's when I put in a monster effort. Had I known there was another waterpoint after the pass I probably would not have taken so much on board at Kobus Se Gat, that would've made me climb the pass at least half a kilo lighter.

I'm not going to discredited Amarider 100 miler as all of that is off road with the exception of a small part on tar. I'd say equally tough. I got the exact same distance of 170,4km. A race over this distance, every extra & unnecessary centimeter can break you mentally of course. But it was great fun nonetheless as I knew exactly where we were & how much further to go to get to the finish. So no train smash there with the extra miles, I pretty much prepared myself from the half way mark already that we are doing an extra 10kms but deep down I was hoping that one of the markers was misplaced.

[milky4130]

Good event? Keen to hear details of what kind of turn out they got the route etc. If anyone did it on a cross or road bike also like to hear about how that was.

great event. Well organized, fully stocked Wp, marshals was where they were supposed to be, route was clearly marked. Turnout was much bigger than the organizer anticipated that was his words at prize giving. By the looks of it, was a good turnout. I'd estimate about +50in the long route & probably the same in the shorter route.

I was on a gravel bike, the winner was on a cyclocross bike with slick Roubaix tires 25mm I think he said it was. At no point did I feel uncomfortable going up or downhill on that gravel bike & I'm running 33cc tires on normal 29er rims & rigid fork. I saw a guy on a full old steel road bike bike. On each sharp corner on the descent of Swartberg Pass there was a Marshall stationed.

[nathrix]

Fantastic event, friendly people and beautiful town. Good air-conditioning provided on route, with some mistyfiers provided through Middelwater & Meiringspoort, some strong winds to blow you dry + extra 10km as a bonus which we didn't need to pay extra on our entry fees. Had to stay in the bundles to save energy. No legs after 140km. Poep soup provided at the final two waterpoints helped me to the top of Swartberg and the finish in Prince Albert. Riders on cyclocross bikes definately had an advantage, bliksems. A must do event, again and again and again, well organised and well worth the 1165km x 2 trip. This event is going to get big! Perhaps hold the Medio Fondo on the Sunday so we can ride both

https://www.strava.com/segments/11952158

Edited May 2, 2016 by nathrix ® ©™