Mountain Bru Posted September 7, 2021 Share Anyone else doing this? Any suggestions/insights on the route? Is Van Gaalens one of the more technical routes? The profile looks quite intense with some nastiness late in the race..... As always, anyone have a GPX file of the route? (Don't hate me if you don't care about such things, just let it go) I'm doing the 67km, how many liters of water do I need in my camelbak? (This is a joke) Red Bird and Christian van Zyl 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Bird Posted September 7, 2021 Share This is definitely one of the toughest, yet enjoyable. It has quite a few rocky climbs and one called the snakebite in the middle, which also has a very technical downhill. Big rocks... I rode with 2 litres of fluids. Prepare for a hot, dry day out. Here is the gpx file from 2020. Trailseeker_Van_Gaalen.gpx Edited September 9, 2021 by Foxy_Roxy Climb name Mountain Bru, _David_ and eala 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mountain Bru Posted September 7, 2021 Share 2 minutes ago, Foxy_Roxy said: This is definitely one of the toughest, yet enjoyable. It has quite a few rocky climbs and one called the cobra in the middle, which also has a very technical downhill. Big rocks... I rode with 2 litres of fluids. Prepare for a hot, dry day out. Trailseeker_Van_Gaalen.gpx 3.55 MB · 0 downloads Awesome! Thank you!???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_David_ Posted September 7, 2021 Share pussies ride with Camelbaks only take one 500ml bidon. Hahaha... this is one race that will make you appreciate your camelback, especially if it is a hot, dry day. Edited September 7, 2021 by _David_ Mountain Bru, DIPSLICK, DonatelloOnPinarello and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuncanDoughnuts Posted September 7, 2021 Share Van_Gaalens is a fun day out, can be rather demanding depending on the route but nothing too technical. great venue and trails Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DIPSLICK Posted September 7, 2021 Share FUN GAALENS, IF you fit, more technical than most "family type" Routes but def Do-able, its always HOT in the past the water points were adequate similar terrain than the Monster depending where they sending you similar climbing can be achieved _David_ and eala 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pieterlab1 Posted September 7, 2021 Share This is a great race. Save something in the tank for that last climb. They have ice cold Blackhorse Draughts for sale after the race... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonatelloOnPinarello Posted September 7, 2021 Share Van Gaalens Trail seeker is basically the mini Magalies Monster. If it's your first one, and you arent a Van Gaalens regular. Then all I can say is, forget what expectstion any previous Trailseeker event has created. This will be a lot harder. If you doing marathon distance, I suggest you ride with a camelback (I know you perceive this as akin to devil worship, but seriously, take my word for it) Its going to be hot, it's going to be tough. Even the jeep track type climbs get technical. Depending on your pace, expect some some congestion/traffic on the last few km, especially in the bamboo forests along the river. All the distance groups converge and share the last few km of Trail. If your flying through the marathon, like with the top finishers, you should miss the traffic. If you mid pack, your going to get held up in the last few km by the kids and the grandpa's doing the half marathon slowly.... If your a leisurely (4hour plus) marathon rider, you should again miss the worst of the traffic. Final note, the magalies area is full of almost perfectly round sandstone/quartzite stones about the size of a monkeys head.... they make climbing hard, and going Downhill super sketchy Edited September 7, 2021 by DonatelloOnPinarello Typos Mountain Bru, _David_, Danger Dassie and 3 others 4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danger Dassie Posted September 7, 2021 Share The DonPin has spoken much truth. Heed it well dirt padowans.... DonatelloOnPinarello, Scary Rider and Mountain Bru 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonatelloOnPinarello Posted September 7, 2021 Share 21 minutes ago, Danger Dassie said: The DonPin has spoken much truth. Heed it well dirt padowans.... Thanks. I know I often talk a lot of rubbish and I'm in the running for longest post awards, but I tried hard to stay on point here, and just get my past experience across And seriously, those monkey head sizes marbles.... watch out for them. I have the X-Rays to back this claim up Edited September 7, 2021 by DonatelloOnPinarello Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolf Hansen Posted September 7, 2021 Share This weekend will be my first race. I am doing the half-marathon though and I will be taking a 2L hydration bladder. I have a tendency to lose water bottles along the trail on a normal day. How technical is technical? Are we talking Iron Throne or Hennops? I don't even know what a GPX file is. I thought we were talking about the Shimano cranks again... Scary Rider 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonatelloOnPinarello Posted September 7, 2021 Share 9 minutes ago, Rolf Hansen said: This weekend will be my first race. I am doing the half-marathon though and I will be taking a 2L hydration bladder. I have a tendency to lose water bottles along the trail on a normal day. How technical is technical? Are we talking Iron Throne or Hennops? I don't even know what a GPX file is. I thought we were talking about the Shimano cranks again... Just go and have fun. Without ridiculous expectations of top 20 (or 50) finishes, the half will be a fun morning out. With a 2l camelback you will be sorted. The Super technical climbs scattered with the monkey head stones are only on the full marathon route (to the best of my knowledge, 2019 was my last race). For the techy stuff, consider it somewhere half way between hennops and iron throne, leaning more towards hennops. Especially on the half marathon route, which turns back before the really techy climbs. Rolf Hansen and Danger Dassie 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolf Hansen Posted September 7, 2021 Share 14 minutes ago, DonatelloOnPinarello said: Just go and have fun. Without ridiculous expectations of top 20 (or 50) finishes, the half will be a fun morning out. With a 2l camelback you will be sorted. The Super technical climbs scattered with the monkey head stones are only on the full marathon route (to the best of my knowledge, 2019 was my last race). For the techy stuff, consider it somewhere half way between hennops and iron throne, leaning more towards hennops. Especially on the half marathon route, which turns back before the really techy climbs. Thanks. 100% just for fun for myself. I have no intention of racing competitively. DonatelloOnPinarello 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eala Posted September 7, 2021 Share 6 hours ago, DonatelloOnPinarello said: Van Gaalens Trail seeker is basically the mini Magalies Monster. If it's your first one, and you arent a Van Gaalens regular. Then all I can say is, forget what expectstion any previous Trailseeker event has created. This will be a lot harder. If you doing marathon distance, I suggest you ride with a camelback (I know you perceive this as akin to devil worship, but seriously, take my word for it) Its going to be hot, it's going to be tough. Even the jeep track type climbs get technical. Depending on your pace, expect some some congestion/traffic on the last few km, especially in the bamboo forests along the river. All the distance groups converge and share the last few km of Trail. If your flying through the marathon, like with the top finishers, you should miss the traffic. If you mid pack, your going to get held up in the last few km by the kids and the grandpa's doing the half marathon slowly.... If your a leisurely (4hour plus) marathon rider, you should again miss the worst of the traffic. Final note, the magalies area is full of almost perfectly round sandstone/quartzite stones about the size of a monkeys head.... they make climbing hard, and going Downhill super sketchy What he said .Prepare to handle cramping also .Walk the difficult parts if you burn too many matches riding them .You will need the energy later on .A camelback is a good idea because the trail keeps your hands really busy.Ride with lower tire pressures . Similar to Magalies monster .It will be hot ,it will be technical.The surface will be sandy,rocky,marbles,graspolle and combinations thereof Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolf Hansen Posted September 8, 2021 Share Well she is prepped and ready for race day. ChrisF, BaGearA, _David_ and 3 others 4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCA12 Posted September 8, 2021 Share I'm in for the Marathon. 3rd marathon after Buffelsdrift and Legends this year. Did the 40k last year. There was one quite steep climb (to top of Tant Miems (can't remember spelling) Otherwise quite a fun route. Quite nervous for the Marathon, as I know it will be tougher than Buffelsdrift and Legends. All the best to those riding _David_ and Rolf Hansen 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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