[Event] Trans Augrabies MTB - 2022 Challenge

[ChrisF]

1 hour ago, DJuice said:

Chris from my last enquiry, stage 3 is going to use an alternative route and will not be crossing the river over the make shift bridge, the water level was just to high and only dropped significantly last week.

Still almost 1m above our normal swim and fishing hole, only Charlie the golden retriever brave enough for the cold water and water levels. 

 

THANKS  

 

Been packing the cameras and phone in zipp lock bags .... 

 

 

Please pop in at Challet 3.  There SHALL be a braai fire  

 

 

PS - Do you know the Smit farmers just above Kamamas ?  The one brother works with me.

[ChrisF]

Lekkerrrrr

 

[DJuice]

 

 

[DJuice]

https://grootdorsproduksies.pixieset.com/transaugrabies/day2/

[Prince Albert Cycles]

Stunning scenery and excellent video !

[DJuice]

 

[mrcg]

Was good to see the videos to get an idea of the routes. Quick question: how much single track is there approximately (%/km's)? I read it's not technical but saw some nice single track. I prefer technical, single track to long jeep track drags. Would love to check out this area and do this event. Cheers

[DJuice]

7 hours ago, mrcg said:

Was good to see the videos to get an idea of the routes. Quick question: how much single track is there approximately (%/km's)? I read it's not technical but saw some nice single track. I prefer technical, single track to long jeep track drags. Would love to check out this area and do this event. Cheers

Unfortunately not a lot of single tracks. Longish stages to get elevation. The single tracks are also not manicured, it is natural grazing foot trails of antelope.

https://transaugrabies.co.za/en/

 

Edited June 20, 2022 by DJuice
Link added

[DJuice]

Quote

 

I could not attend this year 😂. Received a few race reports and all of them made the same conclusion, it is a tuff three day event for the average weekend warrior.

The trails are littered with stones, dry river beds and sand patches is draining on energy levels.

Walking some sections of the Klipspringer trails, other comment was not technical can be done on gravel bike...not sure about that.

To me it will never be a big number event and I don`t think the organizer wants it to be.

Personally for me it is about the scenery, remoteness and the experience. 

Just a pity of the timing on the calendar, April is the most beautiful month.

Looking forward to @ChrisF race report.

 

[ChrisF]

What an event.  What an experience.  J

 

For some context – In 2017/18 I worked on projects in the area, on some of the farms that is part of the route.  On those trips where I drove up, the bike went with.

 

 

Doing solo rides in this area is a truly unique opportunity.

 

 

 

Yes, a fair bit of cycling was talked around the braai fires.  Few years back the farmers in the area did a 9-day ride from Augrabies down to Cape Town – almost exclusively via dirt roads.

 

And so the seed was sown to add Trans Augrabies to the bucket list of must do events.

 

January 2020 I was doing the Hermanus trails as part of my preparation for my first stage race …. Life happened, and that was my last trail ride on a standard bike.  It was either stop cycling or get an ebike …. Easy choice.

 

 

Logistics – The organising committee books out the entire camp for the weekend.  You can book one of the chalets, or a camping spot, or if you so wish you can stay outside the Park at any of the other accommodation spots.

 

Our neighbour is a long-time resident of the Northern Cape.  His kids, their partners, and the grand kids were in the next two chalets.  This was way more than just a cycling event for this family.  Turns out many more families were doing the same.

 

While we were out doing the day ride, there were guided walks for the non-cyclists.

 

The Trans Augrabies event website lists all the add on options, such as full meal packages, bike maintenance, massage, etc.

 

For those not up to three hard days, the event does have a range of entry combinations.  For instance, many of us entered only for days 1 and 3, taking day 2 to recover and spend time with the family.

 

Race format and skills – There are Cat A, B, C and D groups.  I counted some 8 ebikes in the D group.

 

Group A started behind a vehicle that leads the group out in a neutral zone, with the race proper starting when the flag drops and the vehicle pulls over in the park.

 

Five minutes later the second vehicle leads out Group B.  By 8:15 Group D starts behind its vehicle.

 

There is a “time weighting” system which levels out the playing field for men and woman, young and old.

 

Day 3 had a very different approach.  The first two riders started at 7:30.  30 seconds later the next two riders set off.  Took almost an hour for the full field to get going. 

 

CP Van Wyk managed the following times to win the event:

Day 1 – 82 km in 3:11

Day 2 – 90 km in 3:24

Day 3 – 50 km in 1:56

 

 

PS – Due to the still very high water level of the river the day 3 route was different to that on the website.

 

Fair to say, at the sharp end of the field you had to know your stuff !!

 

And yet, a good couple of riders in their 70’s finished all three days.  You don’t need to be some “super athlete” to complete this event.

 

One lady took all of 8:45 to finish the 90km of day 2.  RESPECT !!  She completed all three days, on a normal bike !!

 

The climbs with loose rocks had lots of riders off their bikes.  Similarly, some of the steps and steep decents tested rider skills.

 

The “TIER” was the sweeper rider.  He made sure that none of us was ever left behind … bit more about how he helped me later.

 

 

Trails and bikes – NO, these are not manicured trails as so many of us are used to.  SANS Parks have strict guidelines limiting “trail building”.  Thus the routes are a collection of roads, hiking trails, dry river beds, etc..  The photos below will show the changing terrain.

 

The terrain begs for a full suspension bike, at least that is my personal opinion.  It certainly is possible on a hard tail mountain bike, which may actually benefit from the sections on smooth surface.  On second thought, not sure I would want to be on a hard tail on those rocky single track sections.  It would be interesting to see somebody try this on a gravel bike ….

 

The organisers do allow ebikes, starting in Group D. 

[ChrisF]

Day 1 – It was a chilly 4 degrees when we lined up at the start.  The organisers showed they know the climate and how to welcome the riders.

 

 

Lani and her team are SUPER STARS !

 

 

Having done winter rides in the Swartberg I was ready for this cold weather:

-       Head wrapped in a buff

-       Latex gloves + cycling gloves

-       Thermal vest + cycling top + gillet + thick winter cycling top

-       Full length leg warmers

-       Socks + plastic in the shoes

 

 

Uhm, slim vang sy baas. …. Swartberg does not have water crossings …. 2022 have been a wet year, thus the water crossings were certainly deeper than normal !  The plastic bags may not be the best idea.  One lady actually WRAPPED her shoes and ankles with plastic wrap.

 

I had a very clear “race plan”:

-       Start at the BACK

-       Start slow and steady …

-       Do not interfere with the race for the normal bikes

 

After nearly 5 years I was on the starting line for my first Trans Augrabies.  Good dose of nervous excitement.

 

 

The neutral zone includes the first water crossings.  A couple are only a few centimetres deep, two have nice walk ways.

 

 

And then the nasty one …. This one was running almost 300mm deep, with no way around it.  It was a tricky part-peddle manoeuvre to keep moving and to keep your feet dry. 

 

 

I managed to get to the other side with almost dry feet. 

 

 

The exit was steeper than what I thought, and I had to gear down …. Nope, gear down more.  This is when I noticed the e-bike controller was switched off.  Strange….  Press the start button, and watch it go through the boot up …. To switch off a few seconds later.  I had barely noticed the issue when the TIER stopped next to me.  He went ahead to get assistance from the back up vehicles.

 

The possibility that THIS may be the end of my race. After the long build up to this …. NO !!

 

The Tier was back and I followed him to the backup vehicles.  The contacts between the battery and the bike got flooded and did a safety shut down.  Bit of Q20 and the bike started up perfectly. 

 

 

DANKIE MANNE !!!

 

 

Edited June 20, 2022 by ChrisF

[ChrisF]

Time stamps on the photos shows I lost 5 minutes …. In that moment it felt like “forever” ….

 

Gone with the “slow start” plan.  I was riding on the rev limiter trying to catch the group.  I finally caught up with the last rider, turns out he had stopped and was also catching up with the group.  We had a nice chat while catching the group.  His friend was further up the field, so we kept our pace and steadily passed a number of riders.

 

 

I settled into a nice rhythm.  And then we turned off onto the first “single track”.

 

 

 

This was to be one of the wider river bed crossings ….

 

 

I kept to my plan.  Hung back and let the riders do their race … until the track opened and I could pass them safely.

 

 

The climbs provided me with some photographic opportunities.

 

 

 

The first climb to require the rider’s attention ….

 

 

The first water point.  Riders were shedding the layers.  Riders could leave their layers at the water point, and pick it up at the event tent after the ride.

 

[ChrisF]

The views were spectacular …. If you dared to take your eyes off the trails …..

 

 

The camera does not do these steps justice.  The riders ahead had good reason to walk …

 

 

 

NO, not “Amper BO” …. The Magalies Monster is one serious climb.

 

 

I was totally spent, but loved every single section of day 1.

 

 

[ChrisF]

Day 2 – At the time I was glad that I only registered for days 1 and 3.  But this is my next bucket list … to up my fitness levels in order to recover fast enough to be able to ride three days in a row.

 

I used day 2 to take some photos and to recover for day 3.

 

Group A starting the 90km, for a 3:24 sprint race.

 

 

Group B about to start.

 

 

CP does not even look tired after a 90 km sprint race.

 

[ChrisF]

Day 3 – It

I enjoyed the staggered start of day 3.  Slow and steady through the water crossings !  I did add a make-shift splash guard.

 

No time to ease into it on day 3.  Just after the water crossing the route turned off the road …. I was concentrating so hard on the water crossing that I missed the turn, I had to turn back to get back on course.

 

 

 

 

The terrain kept on changing, and you never knew what waited after the next turn.  Moon rock …. This is the only part of the weekend where I used the e-bike’s full boost.

 

 

This is one HUGE rock !!!!

 

 

Almost immediately we were on some more single track climbs.

 

 

Followed by some steep down sections.

 

 

Taking in the views and a breather while fixing a puncture.

 

 

WOW !!

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 20, 2022 by ChrisF

[ChrisF]

Okay, enough sightseeing …. Let’s get on with this.  Being comfortable with rocky and loose climbs was a big advantage for this section.

 

 

 

 

 

NO …. You can NOT ride down Klipspringer !!  This is a hiking trail and you carry your bike down here.  Actually, the game rangers are on hand to help you carry your bike.  By the time we got there the game rangers were busy walking up from carrying down the previous bikes.  It was “fun” manhandling the ebike down there !!

 

 

And still no chance to relax.

 

 

This bit of gravel road was welcomed.

 

 

A few more hills before we got to the first watering point.

 

 

The watering point was at 17km.  First time I have finished my water bottle in such a short stint !!  This was a brutal start to day 3.  The rest of the ride was easy by comparison ….

 

 

A mix of smooth rock surfaces and thick sand caused some hickups on the return leg.

 

 

The last section passed through the neighbouring farms that stepped in to help create a new day 3 route, with the route over the river not being available.  This made for a nice end to the event.

 

 

 

 

 

What a stunning event !!