Sondela 2016

[Danie Taljaard]

Thanks you bmw1za, will be there in the morning

[Grondpad]

Its my fist time doing this race. How big is the field usually? Big enough to sit in the pack and just chill (I did Sani last week and am not in the mood for to gooi mielies)? Just there to make up the back of the pack.

[Escapee..]

Its my fist time doing this race. How big is the field usually? Big enough to sit in the pack and just chill (I did Sani last week and am not in the mood for to gooi mielies)? Just there to make up the back of the pack.

 

Did it two years ago after Sani.

Its flat and fast so I sat at the back and enjoyed the ride. Bunch stayed together all the way.

 

According to Racetec results 400+ riders, around 90 per bunch (If I 

 

Elites

Tandems

AL

BL

CL

[Procrates]

Hi People 

 

Just heard that that steers restaurant roof gave in that goes over the highway from someone in the office. Monitor and plan accordingly

 

http://rekordeast.co.za/93877/breaking-news-restaurant-roof-collapses-in-pta/

[bmw1za]

Did it two years ago after Sani.

Its flat and fast so I sat at the back and enjoyed the ride. Bunch stayed together all the way.

 

According to Racetec results 400+ riders, around 90 per bunch (If I 

 

Elites

Tandems

AL

BL

CL

groups by age not seeding.. 

[Grondpad]

^{What a terrible weekend I had…….}

 

^{First it was the mayhem with the traffic on the N1 getting to Klein Kariba where we stayed.}

^{Then we loaded the road bikes on the back of my brother in law’s car and as we left the car rolled back into another car. This cracked his fork and bent his front wheel. Lucky (if you can call it that) only my back wheel got smashed. The skewer got bent in such a way that it has to be sawn off. The rim is buggered and the spokes broken. I can’t see any cracks in my frame but It will take it to the bike shop anyway to have a look.}

^{Then as we got back to Klein Kariba the Sunday after the MTB event (my wife did the event while a looked after my little dude), the arm holding her bike upright on the back of my Menabo Winny 3 broke and the handlebar dented my boot and scratched the paint off.}

^{I had to load 3 bikes in my car. In the process my road bike’s crank touched the rood inside and that is now fully of crease/lube.}

 

^{This weekend was an expensive one. I still need to contact the insurance. I know they will fix the car. My whole bike is insured but I don’t know if they will fix /replace the wheel. Then the carrier is another story. I have no idea if there is a guarantee (even if there is I think its older than 3 years anyway) and I don’t think the insurance will replace that. Aai aai}

[Belgarath]

Eish Grondpad, sal my maak gaan huil in die hoek...

 

The seeding/no seeding on the MTB was a little irritating to me, as I continually got stuck behind slower okes on the single track. Had two punctures as well.

 

That being said, I had a blast. Was fun just to chuck the bike into the corners at speed.

 

One oke got shoulder charged by an Impala ram, AKA Butch James. Where's the GoPro when you need it...

[Escapee..]

not lekker Grondpad, hope it gets sorted!

 

We stayed at Sondela for the weekend.

 

Road on Saturday was fast and flat. 30 - 39 group was flying!

 

MTB on Sunday was more of the same. 1h35 for the 40km. 

 

Music, Cold Beer and Food available after the race. Youngsters working at Sondela also extremely friendly and helpful.

 

Will definitely be there for the next one.

 

Took my racetec chip with but it was Championchip, I am hoping they will accept the times from my Garmin.

[Spinnekop]

Yo Yo Yo Grondpad.
What an experience.

 

 

[2wieltjies]

all in all good racing

 

managed 2h50 on 108km

and 1:27 on 45km mtb

 

and luckily I new the area in Pretoria with that traffic jam so went past Roodeplaat dam and missed that traffic

[RFC311]

Traffic was a nightmare on friday but got there not too late.

 

Stayed at sondela so for both races got there 15mins before time. Road was a boring race(felt like a 3hr spin class) but mtb definitely made up for it.

 

Pity about the attitude of some of the okes there at the mtb event looked at us like we were  aliens(lol) one oke actually came to us and said "hows you Afrikaans coming along" so we politely answered back in his mother language!

 

but overall a wonderfull weekend

[bmw1za]

Lots of drama but well done to you guys for sticking out there , Grondpad : Ek se maar net eina !!

 

Only did the road race, drove through at 3am, it was a breeze and got there early for lekke coffee and pancakes (the whole reason I trek through every year), plus all the K@Kpraat is fun as well.

 

I almost crashed up to the start pen (shocker), handlebar was loose, hit the brakes..it flipped forward and down almost on to the front wheel... I almost went over the bars(needless to say I was awake after that ). Thanks to the guy in the bunch for the multitool... sorted the bars out and a quick chase got me onto the bunch again .

 

Rode 41 to 50 , survived the first half,  sacrificed for the team to chase the 2 guys in the break and ended up riding back with lekke cramps with the chase bunch 2h59 .. a whole 5 seconds faster than last year . unfortunately out sprinter punctured at the 72km mark, so our race was over

 

Lots of twitchy wheels and clowns that overlapped but nothing dramatic

 

See you guys next year !