[Event] Bwell Around the Pot, presented by SEESA

[Abby.F]

Event Name: Bwell Around the Pot, presented by SEESA
When: 26/07/2024 - 27/07/2024
Where: Swellendam Showgrounds, Swellendam, Western Cape
Category: Gravel

The B-Well Around the Pot, presented by SEESA gravel extravaganza uses the terrain of the Overberg to its fullest in creating a collection of route options that feature glorious wide open gravel roads. Perfect for riding with your mates and taking in the brilliant scenery of Canola fields in full bloom

Choose your distance:

200 miles (321km)

100 miles (160km

60 miles (98km)

25 miles (40km)

For many, the highlight of Around the Pot is the ferry-crossing of the Malgas River. The three longer routes use this pont to cross over towards the N2, for the final stretch back to Swellendam, with the 25-miler choosing, instead, to take in the sublime trails and wildlife of the Bontebok National Park. There is a 45-minute neutral zone at the pont, to allow for the time it takes to shepherd grimy bikers across the river, with food and music to keep the spirits up.

Visit www.aroundthepot.co.za for more information and to enter.

Go to Event Page.

[JohanDiv]

Too soon to look at the weather??

Glad we are allowed to still enter up until Wednesday before the race. 

First want to make sure it's not a mudfest again before we enter.

[Mamil]

light rain starting more or less the same time as the 200 miler starts

Accommodation paid

Entry paid long time ago

Light rain I can cope with but If weather is foul - I'm staying under the duvet. I did the rainy 36one - I'm not riding 200 miles, undertrained, in the mud

[ChrisF]

2 hours ago, JohanDiv said:

Too soon to look at the weather??

Glad we are allowed to still enter up until Wednesday before the race. 

First want to make sure it's not a mudfest again before we enter.

 

The last two weeks worth of rain did not miss Swellendam.

 

It is most certainly going to be another mud fest.

 

 

More importantly .... what is the river looking like ?  When the river is in full flow the pont often is shut down.

[SSCC]

3 hours ago, ChrisF said:

 

The last two weeks worth of rain did not miss Swellendam.

The forecasts I was seeing showed little to no rain in the last 2 weeks in Swellendam. Do you live in that area? 

[Jackb]

Spoke to a friend of mine who lives in Swellendam and he says they haven't had the heavy rain that we've recently had here in CT. It was drizzling today. 

[ChrisF]

30 minutes ago, Jackb said:

Spoke to a friend of mine who lives in Swellendam and he says they haven't had the heavy rain that we've recently had here in CT. It was drizzling today. 

 

Thats very good news.

[Smartie]

I live in Swellendam and ride gravel regularly. We had a lot of rain recently - not the scale of floods seen in CT, but it was certainly wet! We could not ride one of the popular gravel routes as the one section was properly flooded - but this cleared within a few days. That said, ATP should be good if there is no more rain. I did a long gravel ride last weekend after the heavy rains and the road was mostly dry (part of my ride covered some of the 100 miler route). There were wet sections with streams and mud, but all rideable. Yes, I had to clean the bike after the ride, but there was no excessive mud build-up.

 

EDIT: I ride a gravel bike with Vredestein Aventura 700 x 44c tyres.

Edited July 18 by Smartie

[Jackb]

Hi Smartie any idea on the 200mile route? Is this worth doing?

[Smartie]

2 minutes ago, Jackb said:

Hi Smartie any idea on the 200mile route? Is this worth doing?

No, not sure, that is out of my league! 😉 On the route, from my experience here, most of the gravel roads tend to dry out quite quickly. So I would not be too concerned. The race organiser will make a plan if there is a problem with the route - for example, we spoke with one of the farmers on the ride last weekend. The race route use to come past his farm (short section around a bend), but this section usually becomes very muddy after rain, so they changed the route to detour through his farm to avoid excessive mud.

[Jackb]

10 minutes ago, Smartie said:

No, not sure, that is out of my league! 😉 On the route, from my experience here, most of the gravel roads tend to dry out quite quickly. So I would not be too concerned. The race organiser will make a plan if there is a problem with the route - for example, we spoke with one of the farmers on the ride last weekend. The race route use to come past his farm (short section around a bend), but this section usually becomes very muddy after rain, so they changed the route to detour through his farm to avoid excessive mud.

Thanks appreciated your reply. 

[Shebeen]

6 hours ago, ChrisF said:

 

The last two weeks worth of rain did not miss Swellendam.

 

It is most certainly going to be another mud fest.

 

 

More importantly .... what is the river looking like ?  When the river is in full flow the pont often is shut down.

Such uninformed and dangerous information. 

Using actual numbers the breede at Swellendam hit 1600cumecs on the 13th, but is already down to 200. There is no reason to think that river flow would shut the pont down next weekend. 

 

[Skubarra]

35 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

Such uninformed and dangerous information. 

Using actual numbers the breede at Swellendam hit 1600cumecs on the 13th, but is already down to 200. There is no reason to think that river flow would shut the pont down next weekend. 

 

The pont has been closed for a week now - so not completely uninformed I would say

The hope is that the river will subside enough for the pont to open before next Saturday

Edited July 18 by Skubarra

[Shebeen]

38 minutes ago, Skubarra said:

The pont has been closed for a week now - so not completely uninformed I would say

The hope is that the river will subside enough for the pont to open before next Saturday

Dangerously uninformed, sensationalist and alarmist for no practical reason. 

If the pont is closed next week due to river flow I will send you a case of beer. Pm me your address and choice of tipple.

[ChrisF]

4 hours ago, Skubarra said:

The pont has been closed for a week now - so not completely uninformed I would say

The hope is that the river will subside enough for the pont to open before next Saturday

 

Thanks

 

Gotta smile at some Hubbers  .... my mom grew up in Swellendam.  We spent a LOT of time there.  Been swimming in that river since the 70's.  Seen the old pont washed down the river a couple of times.

 

Can only wonder what it takes to have an informed opinion.

 

 

 

YES - We all hope it all comes together for a nice event !!

[MORNE]

….’when your sarcasm is so advanced, people think you are stupid’….

@Shebeen

😉