WC Gravel Monster - .......erm.."tar monster ? "

[MongooseMan]

Yeah, purely from memory, I have the sections as:

• Fast gravel road
• Tar approach to first climb
• Big tar climb (Bothmans)
• Fast tar descent
• Big gravel climb to first aid station
• Fast Gravel descent
• Tar, gravel, tar, gravel to 2nd aid station
• Tar to Tulbagh
• Rolling gravel
• *** sandy gravel
• Bains
• Half of Bains descent on tar
• Crazy (hope your brakes work) gravel descent
• ~500m of tar
• Rolling gravel to finish

So yeah, it's never boring

[Theunissa]

People seem to forget. Our money has zero vue these days. R1000 is nothing. I drive it out In 3 days. Going to the event costs more than the event itself. Even the accommodation is hectic. I'm not saying it's cheap..but nothing in this country is cheap. Any more. Our basket values on income has drastically dropped. Also there are alot of people that do squar but needs to be paid for these events. 

[Bub Marley]

3 hours ago, MongooseMan said:

Yeah, purely from memory, I have the sections as:

• Fast gravel road
• Tar approach to first climb
• Big tar climb (Bothmans)
• Fast tar descent
• Big gravel climb to first aid station
• Fast Gravel descent
• Tar, gravel, tar, gravel to 2nd aid station
• Tar to Tulbagh
• Rolling gravel
• *** sandy gravel
• Bains
• Half of Bains descent on tar
• Crazy (hope your brakes work) gravel descent
• ~500m of tar
• Rolling gravel to finish

So yeah, it's never boring

I’m in for this. 

[Vaultboy]

On 6/21/2023 at 8:57 PM, milky4130 said:

Bainskloof was open to the public, where we popped out from the farm onto the pass there was a marshal & I now can't recall if there was a traffic cop stationed there as well almost think there was and also where we swung off the pass as well.

Yes, there was a traffic cop, and he stopped traffic whenever we swung out onto the pass. I think it also contributed to drivers being more mindful of cyclists as they then drove up the pass. There were also traffic cops at all of the other major road intersections; even for the left turns. Traffic was stopped wherever we had to turn right.

[Vaultboy]

On 6/21/2023 at 5:33 PM, cadenceblur said:

Hefty entrance fee as well,  but this appears to be the case with gravel events 

The hefty entrance fee was definitely worth the value we got out of that event - good race event organisation and marshaling; an actual goodie bad; many waterpoints with a good selection of nutrition. For a lot of other events (road, gravel and MTB) I simply can't see where all that money goes. 

[Mamil]

Are we talking about the Boland Gravel monster here?

Just got an email inviting entry at R1150 - I know it's fashionable to attack / defend the prices of these events and a ZAR isn't what it used to be even a year ago but as a mid pack "racer" I must confess to clicking "enter" the other evening and then clicking away when I saw the price tag. Much as I love the events.

[cadenceblur]

Seriously considering this one, the cancelled ATP was a major disappointment, might do the Old Hermon before this one

[ChrisF]

22 hours ago, Mamil said:

Are we talking about the Boland Gravel monster here?

Just got an email inviting entry at R1150 - I know it's fashionable to attack / defend the prices of these events and a ZAR isn't what it used to be even a year ago but as a mid pack "racer" I must confess to clicking "enter" the other evening and then clicking away when I saw the price tag. Much as I love the events.

 

Enough events around the R600 price mark ....  couple even lower

[babse]

On 8/2/2023 at 12:53 PM, Mamil said:

Are we talking about the Boland Gravel monster here?

Just got an email inviting entry at R1150 - I know it's fashionable to attack / defend the prices of these events and a ZAR isn't what it used to be even a year ago but as a mid pack "racer" I must confess to clicking "enter" the other evening and then clicking away when I saw the price tag. Much as I love the events.

By an email you meant 27 emails

 

🙄

[milky4130]

On 8/2/2023 at 12:53 PM, Mamil said:

Are we talking about the Boland Gravel monster here?

Just got an email inviting entry at R1150 - I know it's fashionable to attack / defend the prices of these events and a ZAR isn't what it used to be even a year ago but as a mid pack "racer" I must confess to clicking "enter" the other evening and then clicking away when I saw the price tag. Much as I love the events.

As a comparison, Boland Gravel Monster is 150km's vs Attakwas 120km's for R1750. The one is on our doorstep the other a 4-5 hour drive with plenty of logistics to budget for on both sides as it is a point to point race. 

[Skubarra]

25 minutes ago, milky4130 said:

As a comparison, Boland Gravel Monster is 150km's vs Attakwas 120km's for R1750. The one is on our doorstep the other a 4-5 hour drive with plenty of logistics to budget for on both sides as it is a point to point race. 

Quickly googled a few

Prince George MTB (from the Attakwas organisers) 165km - R1,950

Race2Sea - 164km - R1,290

Stanford 100 Miler (2022) - R950

Ronde van Riebeeck - R590

Swartberg 100 - R1,750

One can debate the fairness of entry fees in general but I wouldnt say Gravel Monster excessive compared to other well known events? 

 

[Mamil]

Entered - couldn't help myself. No will power, no discipline, poor self control, weak impulse control - see you all there

Edit - now I need to decide if it's a double header with the Ride Darling event - in the flower season - on the Saturday.

Edited August 4, 2023 by Mamil

[milky4130]

1 hour ago, Mamil said:

Entered - couldn't help myself. No will power, no discipline, poor self control, weak impulse control - see you all there

Edit - now I need to decide if it's a double header with the Ride Darling event - in the flower season - on the Saturday.

Your own 2 day mtb/gravel stage race, sounds like a winner.

[Mamil]

Does anyone have a link to the gravel monster route or a gpx?

Much appreciated

[MongooseMan]

20 minutes ago, Mamil said:

Does anyone have a link to the gravel monster route or a gpx?

Much appreciated

If the same as last yearBoland_Gravel_Monster_.gpx

[Mamil]

Thanks - Wow that descent on the gravel from the top of Bain's looks VERY steep indeed - is it smooth or rough (asking for a friend who isn't the greatest bike handler but who doesn't want to ride his heavy aluminium dual suspension cos he's nervous of a couple of km of rocky jeep track)