[Event] The MTB Challenge

[dev null]

Me and the wife are doing the 30, while my son will be doing the 60.

 

I am still recovering from my long injury vacation last year, and the wife says 1900m of climbing is about 500m too much over that distance for her legs at this stage.

Edited February 17, 2020 by Moridin

[DieselnDust]

60km

weather looks manageable so far according to accuweather

[Mamil]

The 60 but it is foolhardy given that I have TOGH on the Monday.

 

Discretion may prove the better part of valour but on the other hand fomo may get the better of me but on the other hand ... I have too many hands

[DieselnDust]

As long as you go for a decent 2hr long easy effort recovery ride on Sunday you will be fine for ToGH

[Jewbacca]

Sjoe Mamil, if you're the same Mamil I chatted to struggling up the climb at Picket-bo-berg a few years ago, you've come a long way! (read; the chatty, annoying sweeper)

 

You practically live on a bike these days!

 

If not the same Mamil, my apologies..... 

[Mamil]

Hmmm .... sounds like me, a hill, struggling, fending off the inexorable advances of the sweeper, and I was at Piketberg a few years back ... but I don't think I made friends with the sweeper on that occasion so it might have been another mamil.

 

There are some guys who have shirts printed with my name on them - I've considered approaching an I.P. lawyer but ....

 

 

There 

Sjoe Mamil, if you're the same Mamil I chatted to struggling up the climb at Picket-bo-berg a few years ago, you've come a long way! (read; the chatty, annoying sweeper)

 

You practically live on a bike these days!

 

If not the same Mamil, my apologies..... 

[gemmerbal]

but then they can do the shorter ride? or ride another event? surely not every event has to cater for the "masses"? prime example for me is the Fine Breede MTB: that is PROPER mountainbiking, last year i passed a guy who was spending his energy complaining on how "unfairly tough" the event was and he will never do it again bla bla bla - this on a bike far more capable than my HT donkey.

 

I don't get it: we organise "extreme" events and then average Joe complains when he can't complete it.

 

This event is now called "The MTB CHALLENGE".

 

Challenge people, not Fun Ride, Challenge. Challenge yourself.

Did a little bit of the 60km route on Boschendal Black yesterday, written off my knee while playing with my gps and lost concentration for a second..such great timing urgh.. hope I can recover in time for this event and the Argus.

Just this little 25km section I did was already miiiles more technical than anything on the previous years 60km route. Steep loose rocky climbs(people will push this guaranteed).. Descents with loose and sharp rocks with sandy patches here and there, dry river bed crossings with boulders that like to catch your front wheel.. and just the two sugarbowl singletrack pockets are already far more technical than anything we faced in last years race. I can't see how people are going to ride that steep switchbacks down if last years capabilities I saw is anything to go by. I can already see major pile ups happening down the singletracks.

I think at least 50% of the fields entries are lost after this year. Most people don't like this type of technical races, they want the vineyard block roads and simple jeep track for the climbs and the mellow flowy singletracks down like the last couple of years.

[Jewbacca]

Hmmm .... sounds like me, a hill, struggling, fending off the inexorable advances of the sweeper, and I was at Piketberg a few years back ... but I don't think I made friends with the sweeper on that occasion so it might have been another mamil.

 

There are some guys who have shirts printed with my name on them - I've considered approaching an I.P. lawyer but ....

 

 

There 

hahaha I was the back 3rd sweeper in a flannel shirt and cut off jeanpant..... I'm almost certain it was you!

 

Anyway, enjoy TOGH. I would love to be able to do it. Sjoe

[JohanDiv]

but then they can do the shorter ride? or ride another event? surely not every event has to cater for the "masses"? prime example for me is the Fine Breede MTB: that is PROPER mountainbiking, last year i passed a guy who was spending his energy complaining on how "unfairly tough" the event was and he will never do it again bla bla bla - this on a bike far more capable than my HT donkey.

 

I don't get it: we organise "extreme" events and then average Joe complains when he can't complete it.

 

This event is now called "The MTB CHALLENGE".

 

Challenge people, not Fun Ride, Challenge. Challenge yourself.

They won't do the shorter route because they are too fit and "extreme" for that.. you, me and 50% of the field fully agrees with what you say, this is what we want..but the point I'm trying to make is the other 50% of the field won't return. The MTB Challenge always attracted masses because it was seen as part of the CTCT week..that will change now and numbers will dwindle over the next few years no doubt..

 

Last year when the route was still lekker chill I started in B and on that first little technical kicker 10km into the race onto the dam wall at the back of Klapmuts kop the entire field had to get off and push because some guys in front couldn't get up there. If that's the technical skills of people in B I don't know what it was like in E. And now terrain will be far more technical than last year, there's going to be lots of pushing and falling on the day and the average weekend warrior or roadie stretching their legs for the Argus the next week won't return.

[gemmerbal]

correct, that little kicker just at the back of the starting point, I know exactly what you mean. or some dude sitting on his brakes in the tech descends. what irks me is 2 things: how the hell does he start in A or B group if he cannot descend or negotiate a "techie climb" and secondly, these skills can be taught! what ever happened to "crawl before walk/run?" do the short ride and build yourself up to the big ride! You don't go to the public swimming pool and try to do somersaults from the 10m platform before you at least tried it on the 5m platform? and then when you complain about it being too difficult on the 10m platform and that everyone should rather just stick to the 5m platform because that's where "most people" can compete.... oh ffs i work myself up over this BS...

 

you make a very sad and valid point thought, and it is symptomatic of society today (this all inclusivity BS) and that is it's all about the MONEY.

 

That's why this year I'm not entering this event, I can ride that valley whenever I feel like it, thus I don't have to sit behind Captain Slowly. The medal is not worth the frustration.

 

 

They won't do the shorter route because they are too fit and "extreme" for that.. you, me and 50% of the field fully agrees with what you say, this is what we want..but the point I'm trying to make is the other 50% of the field won't return. The MTB Challenge always attracted masses because it was seen as part of the CTCT week..that will change now and numbers will dwindle over the next few years no doubt..

Last year when the route was still lekker chill I started in B and on that first little technical kicker 10km into the race onto the dam wall at the back of Klapmuts kop the entire field had to get off and push because some guys in front couldn't get up there. If that's the technical skills of people in B I don't know what it was like in E. And now terrain will be far more technical than last year, there's going to be lots of pushing and falling on the day and the average weekend warrior or roadie stretching their legs for the Argus the next week won't return.

[I FLY]

..

 

 

 

That's why this year I'm not entering this event, I can ride that valley whenever I feel like it, thus I don't have to sit behind Captain Slowly. The medal is not worth the frustration.

I ride these events to build up my knowledge of the trails in the Stellenbosch/Somerset West area as I plan to semi retire there next year.

[gemmerbal]

hook up with the ride right people and you dont even need to ride the event. my riding partner has seen most of the trails in the Stb area, in 3 years I have not been on a ride with TDFN where he hasn't shown me some old piece of trail or something.

I ride these events to build up my knowledge of the trails in the Stellenbosch/Somerset West area as I plan to semi retire there next year.

Edited February 18, 2020 by gemmerbal

[I FLY]

hook up with the ride right people and you dont even need to ride the event. my riding partner has seen most of the trails in the Stb area, in 3 years I have not been on a ride with TDFN where he hasn't shown me some old piece of trail or something.

I will ask for his details for when I am next there at end of March

[JohanDiv]

You can also have a look at the Winelands Trails website.. our anual membership includes all the Boschendal and Banhoek trails (basically The MTB Challenge route) plus loads of other trails and they're constantly adding more trails to the list we can ride with the magic blue board.

[I FLY]

My wife and I entered the 60km for better or worse.

[JohanDiv]

Seeding should be out within the next few hours..