[Event] Piket-Bo-Berg Cycle Challenge & Trail Run

[MTBeer]

Another excellent day well spent on oodles of single track. I wasn't in best shape but no matter the suffering the trails and views more than make up for it.

It is a real pity access is so restricted. I would love to drive up, camp and ride the trails over a weekend. Rickus - PLS PLS consider. Of course we will pay accordingly. Maybe open only once every month or less. Just saying. Not sure many would actually make a 2h trek to PBB anyway - too far is a common word used by many a Capetonian - and this in reference of having to drive 5km down the road haha

 

Anyway: i forgot to start my garmin and only realised about 13km into ride (head was up trying to breathe and soak in views) - so has anyone got an accurate km distance and elevation for the 63km?? Thx

I got 62.8km & 1432m

[Rouxenator]

1600m climbing on sports-tracker : http://www.sports-tracker.com/workout/rouxenator/59b614c6c3d639467eb314f0

 

1770m on strava : https://www.strava.com/activities/1175364905

 

It certainly was a lot.

[Sidmouth]

This race was without doubt the best ST ever, so well organised, kudos to the organisation, from the toilets to the water point, this race will sell out next year, I hope as returners we will get first option.

Did anyone get caught out by that see saw bridge, 

[T-Bag68]

Morning guys... This is my 3rd time out there, first time on the 63km (61.2km and 1535 on Polar ) So glad i did as I got to ride more of that treasure of a trail.. One word.. AWESOMENESS..!!! The trail, views, water tables, Vibe, Registration, Goodie Bag, T-Shirt... Great training ride for the W2W. Thanks to all involved and sponsors 

 

AWESOMENESS ..!!!

[Sidmouth]

Does anyone have any photos, I did not stop to take any, regrettably, that ST on the ledge with the dam below was amazing, sitting behind my desk now on a Monday I kinda reliving that ride, I have never know such friendly dudes at the water point, I thought I was winning the race the way they were cheering us on. looking forward to the U, that was one seriously tough 63Km, I got a total of 1440 meters, 

[Eddy Gordo]

Another excellent day well spent on oodles of single track. I wasn't in best shape but no matter the suffering the trails and views more than make up for it.

It is a real pity access is so restricted. I would love to drive up, camp and ride the trails over a weekend. Rickus - PLS PLS consider. Of course we will pay accordingly. Maybe open only once every month or less. Just saying. Not sure many would actually make a 2h trek to PBB anyway - too far is a common word used by many a Capetonian - and this in reference of having to drive 5km down the road haha

 

Anyway: i forgot to start my garmin and only realised about 13km into ride (head was up trying to breathe and soak in views) - so has anyone got an accurate km distance and elevation for the 63km?? Thx

I would like to go out for the weekend there. As for entering the event, well I am just too unfit. Maybe one day I will enter.

[Chingy182]

How did anyone manage to take photos, except at the start?

I think I managed to look up once to take in the beautiful scenery and almost crashed off the side of the mountain...last time I took my eyes off the terrain 

 

But seriously, this was an amazing event and very well organised from parking to ride.

I appreciate the extra effort to clean the loo's after every person who goes in there too.

 

Maybe one concern, and this is partially due to my own fault, but consider having a mobile ATM or more card paying facilities available next year. I ran out of money and still wanted to buy an event t-shirt.

 

I'll be back next year for sure!!

[Sparki 1]

61.9km and 1675m climbing (garmin)

[Jewbacca]

I would like to go out for the weekend there. As for entering the event, well I am just too unfit. Maybe one day I will enter.

umm... as the sweepers we were out there for seven and a half hours.... there is NO ways you would take that long. 

 

Some of the guys I helped were well over 130kg and in no great shape. 

 

They finished in 6 and a half hours... I am almost 100% sure you would be fine fine, just fine....

[Eddy Gordo]

umm... as the sweepers we were out there for seven and a half hours.... there is NO ways you would take that long. 

 

Some of the guys I helped were well over 130kg and in no great shape. 

 

They finished in 6 and a half hours... I am almost 100% sure you would be fine fine, just fine....

Yeah, that does sound like I will def make it with plenty of time to spare.

[Matchstix]

I got 62.5km 1442m on suunto

[Bikes]

Very scenic...beautiful...part of the world. Truly an adventure trail. Well done to the organisers. It was an event marked with excellence. Well at least to me.

 

It was one tough 63 km race! Tough on the mind...tough on the body and tough on the bike. It was my first time and although I was told that it is technical and mostly single track, I didn't expect what I experienced. Still I live to tell the tale. Saw many falls, near falls as handle bars clip rocks and boulders. Fortunately no injuries to the unlucky once I witnessed going down.

 

Admittedly, battling up the last climb I started to wonder "if mountain biking is really for me or not...it is too expensive...my body wont take this abuse much longer...I am spending too much time away from the important stuff in life...perhaps I should stick to road biking and running...maybe I such take up dancing" Now being out of that furnace of suffering, I am silently chuckling  "that was such  a hilariously ridiculous thought."  I could not enjoy the last descent as fatigue claimed all my focus, enthusiasm and fun.

 

Now that the memory of the pain, torment and suffering is slowly loosening its grip, I am hoping that  come next year I would be able to line up at that start again.

[Flowspeed]

Another excellent day well spent on oodles of single track. I wasn't in best shape but no matter the suffering the trails and views more than make up for it.

It is a real pity access is so restricted. I would love to drive up, camp and ride the trails over a weekend. Rickus - PLS PLS consider. Of course we will pay accordingly. Maybe open only once every month or less. Just saying. Not sure many would actually make a 2h trek to PBB anyway - too far is a common word used by many a Capetonian - and this in reference of having to drive 5km down the road haha

 

Anyway: i forgot to start my garmin and only realised about 13km into ride (head was up trying to breathe and soak in views) - so has anyone got an accurate km distance and elevation for the 63km?? Thx

I got 62,4km and 1403m elevation

[Sparki 1]

Very scenic...beautiful...part of the world. Truly an adventure trail. Well done to the organisers. It was an event marked with excellence. Well at least to me.

 

It was one tough 63 km race! Tough on the mind...tough on the body and tough on the bike. It was my first time and although I was told that it is technical and mostly single track, I didn't expect what I experienced. Still I live to tell the tale. Saw many falls, near falls as handle bars clip rocks and boulders. Fortunately no injuries to the unlucky once I witnessed going down.

 

Admittedly, battling up the last climb I started to wonder "if mountain biking is really for me or not...it is too expensive...my body wont take this abuse much longer...I am spending too much time away from the important stuff in life...perhaps I should stick to road biking and running...maybe I such take up dancing" Now being out of that furnace of suffering, I am silently chuckling  "that was such  a hilariously ridiculous thought."  I could not enjoy the last descent as fatigue claimed all my focus, enthusiasm and fun.

 

Now that the memory of the pain, torment and suffering is slowly loosening its grip, I am hoping that  come next year I would be able to line up at that start again.

that's the spirit boet. I hope you get you race time issue sorted out.

[Shebeen]

A certain well known local photog likes to rate this as the race of the year. I wish he would shut up from now on please, there's only so much singletrack to go around!

 

I actually broke my 'no race rule' and entered the day it opened, booked accomodation on the mountain(not easy) but then found out about 2 months later that we had ignored one of those 'save the date' wedding things. 

 

I was bummed. couldn't even find someone to take over my entry. but then i came round about two weeks ago, and just decided i could wake up *** early, drive to PBB, do the 63km, have a beer, jump in a farm dam and put on a shirt and jacket in time for the bride in s-west by 4pm. uh mean she'll probably be a bit late anyway!

 

fast forward to the end of the Yellow cliff road. i had just taken the non wuss option at the 37/63km route split, on the premise that i could peel off if time got tight. Time was getting tight, and I hadn't studied the map and it seemed like there was no real shortcut coming up. Looking across the valley i could see riders on the monster final downhill. Now it really sucks riding down a jeep track(concrete strips) when you have just missioned up, but weighing up the nuclear fallout from my mtb excursion messing up future pink tickets i took the quick turn around. Or, as the glass is half full side of me will say - unfinished business for 2018!

 

Having done the 37 last year, the first section was similar. AKA flippen amazing. The mind boggles how all that singletrack got there, the rumours of a dedicated team of zimbos toiling in the buchu fields sounds plausible but I think it's been put there by aliens at night with a clear agenda - peace on earth is possible with more singletrack.

 

My only gripe is the congestion, and this is really becoming a victim of your own success. I feel for the 37km hotshots who must have basically spent their entire race shouting track. There are very few passing opportunities, and it basically becomes a procession. I'm ok with that, you just need to embrace the fact that you are only going to go as fast as the okie in front of you, until a possible opening comes. I do think some well marked dual tracks would be handy, and maybe a longer startloop to spread things out. OR maybe even some seeding batches for the routes with more than 150 riders...the race snakes can go off at 7:30!

 

The organisation itself was 100% tip top. I spoke with one of the long time sponsors over a boerie roll on my way out, and he is absolutely overjoyed with what they get from the event. Well done Delanie, Rickus and team.

 

ps. I was still in sweaty cycling kit 25mins before the wedding, but i found a shower and just beat the bride..bring on PBB 2018!

[Bikes]

that's the spirit boet. I hope you get you race time issue sorted out.

Thanks Sparki. It is sorted.