The Munga 2020

[walkerr]

There is a lot more to come.........the real suffering normal folk start arriving tomorrow and Monday morning........

You said that right. There's a group of 4 riders at the tail who are digging deep and refusing to let that little b*stard green cut line get away from them (including Chantal, Markus and Derek). They're out on some nasty rocky single track before WP8, with patches of deep sand - and they're doing it in the dark. Respect, Send them some love folks

[coppi]

You said that right. There's a group of 4 riders at the tail who are digging deep and refusing to let that little b*stard green cut line get away from them (including Chantal, Markus and Derek). They're out on some nasty rocky single track before WP8, with patches of deep sand - and they're doing it in the dark. Respect, Send them some love folks

My brother in law Vaughn is slogging away just ahead of that group........

[Dibles]

Nicky Booyens has just crossed the finish line. What a way to start off her birthday celebrations!

[River Rat]

An interesting aside from the human endeavour I was in the market for a satellite tracking and messaging device for my overlanding adventurs. The requirementsare quite simple to keep friends and family informed as to my whereabouts and to be able seek and coordinate assistance should a life threatening problem arise. There are two options the Spot X and the Garmin Inreach https://xcmag.com/paraglider-reviews/spot-x-bluetooth-vs-garmin-inreach/#:~:text=Unlike%20the%20inReach%2C%20the%20Spot,and%20Start%2FStop%20tracking%20buttons.

 

The former uses the same infrastructure used to track the riders on this race, based on the poor performance in past races of the Spot system I chose to go with Garmin albeit more expensive. Patting yourself on the back for saving R3k is little comfort when you are stuck in the middle of the Kgalagadi desert running out of water with a device thats incapable of finding the help you need. Watching the number of dots on this race that were either totally incommunicado or inaccurate I feel my decision was justified.

[Dibles]

An interesting aside from the human endeavour I was in the market for a satellite tracking and messaging device for my overlanding adventurs. The requirementsare quite simple to keep friends and family informed as to my whereabouts and to be able seek and coordinate assistance should a life threatening problem arise. There are two options the Spot X and the Garmin Inreach https://xcmag.com/paraglider-reviews/spot-x-bluetooth-vs-garmin-inreach/#:~:text=Unlike%20the%20inReach%2C%20the%20Spot,and%20Start%2FStop%20tracking%20buttons.

 

The former uses the same infrastructure used to track the riders on this race, based on the poor performance in past races of the Spot system I chose to go with Garmin albeit more expensive. Patting yourself on the back for saving R3k is little comfort when you are stuck in the middle of the Kgalagadi desert running out of water with a device thats incapable of finding the help you need. Watching the number of dots on this race that were either totally incommunicado or inaccurate I feel my decision was justified.

 

I can't figure out who is on the ladies podium because of malfunctioning trackers. No updates on the Munga FB page either. 

[River Rat]

I can't figure out who is on the ladies podium because of malfunctioning trackers. No updates on the Munga FB page either.

 

I shudder to think what would happen if a rider has an emergency and tries to activate the SOS function on a malfunctioning tracker. I had a similar incident when my wife had a fall on the Isimangaliso race 4 years ago, we activated the tracker with no response. I eventually climbed to a spot where I could get cellphone signal and called the emergency number. "Press the SOS button" they said, anyway I moved around pressing it until it registered on their side. The bakkie that was sent out ended up 4 kms off our position, I eventually coordinated the whole thing using my mobile and WhatsApp location. Now take the mobile out of the equation and we would have a disaster, with my wife having deep cut with blood everywhere in a big 5 reserve.

[PhilipV]

An interesting aside from the human endeavour I was in the market for a satellite tracking and messaging device for my overlanding adventurs. The requirementsare quite simple to keep friends and family informed as to my whereabouts and to be able seek and coordinate assistance should a life threatening problem arise. There are two options the Spot X and the Garmin Inreach https://xcmag.com/paraglider-reviews/spot-x-bluetooth-vs-garmin-inreach/#:~:text=Unlike%20the%20inReach%2C%20the%20Spot,and%20Start%2FStop%20tracking%20buttons.

 

The former uses the same infrastructure used to track the riders on this race, based on the poor performance in past races of the Spot system I chose to go with Garmin albeit more expensive. Patting yourself on the back for saving R3k is little comfort when you are stuck in the middle of the Kgalagadi desert running out of water with a device thats incapable of finding the help you need. Watching the number of dots on this race that were either totally incommunicado or inaccurate I feel my decision was justified.

I've been going through the same homework. Garmin also in the lead for me.

[River Rat]

I've been going through the same homework. Garmin also in the lead for me.

Outdoorwarehouse had the Garmin Inreach Se+ for R6.5k on a special.

[walkerr]

Those InReach units have got more and more attractive in last couple years. Latest high end model (although crazy expensive) doubles as a full blown navigation GPS too.

[dirtrider]

Hi everybody

Let's me start by thanking Vetseun and his family for their hospitality. Not only is he a demon on the bike, he also knows his way around the Braai.

 

Now for the race. I was felling good when race started and did my normal slow start planning to put longer hours in. After the first waterpoint (30km) I joined a group of 4 and we plodded along nicely when all of a sudden I got attacked by cramps from all sides. I have never cramped before but knew I had to keep going and ride/walk it off.

At next WP I loaded up on food, pills, drinks, gels and wherever else I could find.

At 120km sore throat and a bloody ear pain made my ride miserable. Two strepsels in Medical kit help me to at least swallow my drinks and bars.

Could not keep going for longer than 30 minutes and started alternating between cycling, walking and lying next to the road. At CP1 no power. GPS dead, power bank depleted and phone on 10%. Medic took my power bank to another station to charge and later return it.

As many may know, I get lost going to the loo!!! Now I had to use the tracking skills I acquired at RASA. This slowed me down even more, I had a turtle running past me at one point.

MY condition did not improve and the SMS from home had very clear instructions. 'stop now before we call race office'.

That is why I am sitting by the pool now feeling sorry for myself.

[Kranswurm]

Hi everybody

Let's me start by thanking Vetseun and his family for their hospitality. Not only is he a demon on the bike, he also knows his way around the Braai.

 

Now for the race. I was felling good when race started and did my normal slow start planning to put longer hours in. After the first waterpoint (30km) I joined a group of 4 and we plodded along nicely when all of a sudden I got attacked by cramps from all sides. I have never cramped before but knew I had to keep going and ride/walk it off.

At next WP I loaded up on food, pills, drinks, gels and wherever else I could find.

At 120km sore throat and a bloody ear pain made my ride miserable. Two strepsels in Medical kit help me to at least swallow my drinks and bars.

Could not keep going for longer than 30 minutes and started alternating between cycling, walking and lying next to the road. At CP1 no power. GPS dead, power bank depleted and phone on 10%. Medic took my power bank to another station to charge and later return it.

As many may know, I get lost going to the loo!!! Now I had to use the tracking skills I acquired at RASA. This slowed me down even more, I had a turtle running past me at one point.

MY condition did not improve and the SMS from home had very clear instructions. 'stop now before we call race office'.

That is why I am sitting by the pool now feeling sorry for myself.

Never mind.Sense prevailed before you did some harm to yourself.There is always next time

[River Rat]

Hi everybody

Let's me start by thanking Vetseun and his family for their hospitality. Not only is he a demon on the bike, he also knows his way around the Braai.

 

Now for the race. I was felling good when race started and did my normal slow start planning to put longer hours in. After the first waterpoint (30km) I joined a group of 4 and we plodded along nicely when all of a sudden I got attacked by cramps from all sides. I have never cramped before but knew I had to keep going and ride/walk it off.

At next WP I loaded up on food, pills, drinks, gels and wherever else I could find.

At 120km sore throat and a bloody ear pain made my ride miserable. Two strepsels in Medical kit help me to at least swallow my drinks and bars.

Could not keep going for longer than 30 minutes and started alternating between cycling, walking and lying next to the road. At CP1 no power. GPS dead, power bank depleted and phone on 10%. Medic took my power bank to another station to charge and later return it.

As many may know, I get lost going to the loo!!! Now I had to use the tracking skills I acquired at RASA. This slowed me down even more, I had a turtle running past me at one point.

MY condition did not improve and the SMS from home had very clear instructions. 'stop now before we call race office'.

That is why I am sitting by the pool now feeling sorry for myself.

Huge kudos for give it a go and not just throwing in the towel. Sometimes you have to realise that it is just not your day and the best you can do is make sure that there is another day to make up for it. So rest up, get over the ailments and disappointment then start thinking about Munga 2021!

 

[Jewbacca]

As an adventure racer, I have raced all over the world and been required to use all sorts of different tracking devices.

 

Some small and handy like the spot, some bigger than a 1987 sat phone. 

 

NONE of them work faultlessly. If placed badly in the bag, covered by a sandwich wrapper or whatever other weird thing you would think wouldn't have an effect on the unit.

 

The batteries also need to last sometimes up to 10 days, which means the upload cycles have to be slowed down.

 

It's a really tricky thing, especially then if you combine 100 units in 1 place, 100 end users who don't all follow instructions and then a combination of conditions and the above.....

 

I don't think there is a solution out there that can be used in this sort of mass participation event, stay economically viable and keep all you critical dot watchers happy.

 

At world champs 2 years ago on Reunion island our tracker stopped updating after we abseiled 120m into a cave, that was actually rapids, in the dark after 30 hours on foot with no sleep.

 

Our dot just stayed there... My with thought we were ded.

 

It updated 5 hours later to the top of the mountain and all was well again!

Edited December 6, 2020 by Jewbacca

[NotSoBigBen]

Just saw this on Munga Fb ...

 

"Just to share a quick story...you may have seen the 'sprint' for 3rd place yesterday between Sam Marx and Brian Brummer. Sam left RV5 with maybe 20 or so kilometres between him and Brian up ahead, and chased hard knowing 3rd place was on the cards. He slowly made up that distance over the 90km with Brian just keeping ahead. As they closed in on Doolhof Wine Estate and the finish line, Brian was about 200m ahead. Brian arrived at the entrance to Doolhof and was not paying attention to his gps device, and instead turned left following the local mtb trail markers. Two minutes later Sam rolled across the line believing he was in 4th, only to see Brian come up suddenly behind him in 4th! Brian was stumped and understandably disappointed. He had narrowly lost 3rd place by a 'rookie error' and it also had a big cost implication in prize money. Such is life.

 

This morning Sam came up to us and said that as thrilled as he was to end up third, he felt bad for the younger Brian as it was such an easy mistake. Anyway, he decided he wanted to share the prize money and that felt right!

 

That pretty much sums up the spirit of the Munga, where the sum is much greater than the parts, and riders are affected in a profound way by the camaraderie and remoteness of the race. It is deeply part of our DNA. Yes it's a race, but for each rider, it's a personal journey to a special place. Thanks Sam!"

[Moriarty]

Hi everybody

Let's me start by thanking Vetseun and his family for their hospitality. Not only is he a demon on the bike, he also knows his way around the Braai.

 

Now for the race. I was felling good when race started and did my normal slow start planning to put longer hours in. After the first waterpoint (30km) I joined a group of 4 and we plodded along nicely when all of a sudden I got attacked by cramps from all sides. I have never cramped before but knew I had to keep going and ride/walk it off.

At next WP I loaded up on food, pills, drinks, gels and wherever else I could find.

At 120km sore throat and a bloody ear pain made my ride miserable. Two strepsels in Medical kit help me to at least swallow my drinks and bars.

Could not keep going for longer than 30 minutes and started alternating between cycling, walking and lying next to the road. At CP1 no power. GPS dead, power bank depleted and phone on 10%. Medic took my power bank to another station to charge and later return it.

As many may know, I get lost going to the loo!!! Now I had to use the tracking skills I acquired at RASA. This slowed me down even more, I had a turtle running past me at one point.

MY condition did not improve and the SMS from home had very clear instructions. 'stop now before we call race office'.

That is why I am sitting by the pool now feeling sorry for myself.

Hey man, don't beat yourself up, you gave it your best, another day will come!

[Ozzie NL]

I shudder to think what would happen if a rider has an emergency and tries to activate the SOS function on a malfunctioning tracker. I had a similar incident when my wife had a fall on the Isimangaliso race 4 yearse ago, we activated the tracker with no response. I eventually climbed to a spot where I could get cellphone signal and called the emergency number. "Press the SOS button" they said, anyway I moved around pressing it until it registered on their side. The bakkie that was sent out ended up 4 kms off our position, I eventually coordinated the whole thing using my mobile and WhatsApp location. Now take the mobile out of the equation and we would have a disaster, with my wife having deep cut with blood everywhere in a big 5 reserve.

Isimangaliso....such a lekker event...rode it in 2016