Imfolozi MTB Challenge

[Andrew_ew]

Just want to give a huge big thanks and congratulations to the organisers (Stu Berry and Impi concept events) and the staff of KZN Izimvelo at Hluhluwe and Imfolozi game reserve for putting on a great ride in what can only be described as the most difficult circumstances possible.

 

Unseasonal rain fell in the catchment area of the imfolozi river which resulted in the Imfolozi river being in spate less than 4 or 5 days before the race. The traditional course therefore could not be used as vehicles could not cross and there was too much risk becuase of crocodiles.

 

On the Wednesday before the race the decision was made to still proceed with the race, but to find a different route.

 

Stu and the staff of Izimvelo (especially San Marie)found a new route - through one of the most game dense parts of Imfolozi game reserve, cleared the course, swept as many thorns off the route as possible and marked the course - which included 22km's of single track along elephant paths - all before race day on Saturday.

 

Rumour has it that Stu ran a large part of the course marking it himself with water soluble spray paint - including all dagerous obstacles - bear in mind this is an area lousy with elephant, black & white rhino, buffalo, lion, leopard etc which included some thick bush & riverine bush - which is well known for hiding nasty surprises.

 

 

The course was considered so dangerous that racing was cancelled and riders had to ride in groups of about 19 or so - thanks to dedicated rangers and the anti poaching patrol who swept the area repeatedly during the race it was decided after the first water table (which included freshly prepared bacon and egg rolls) to allow the riders to split up into groups of four.

 

After the second water table, the ride was delayed by over an hour due to a number of bull elephants (between four & seven) on the race course who refused to move. Eventually with great courage and at great personal risk to her life, San Marie, (with the help of her accurate marksmanship) had to repeatedly fire her rifle at the feet of the elephant to get them to move off the course.

 

To all involved - thank you so much for going above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that we could enjoy the privilege of riding through such an incredible game reserve.

[Slowbee]

San Marie is awesome !

 

Is she still doing the overnight trails at Imfolozi ?

[gtr1]

It was an awsome ride. Great route, and yes, hats off to the organisers. As well as to the riders. At some races riders wouldn't accept such changes.

 

See my post https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/106075-only-in-saafrica/

 

This race is the highlite of my year. Was my 3rd ride.

[Andrew_ew]

She is one special lady - and tougher than most men! - I speak subject to correction - that she is actually in charge of the west (south west?) section of Imfolozi game reserve. I had a long chat to her dad after the race - who also helped out - and appparently she did not sleep for two nights before the race as she was so worried about rider safety due to the new course.

[Guest agteros]

The Umfolozi game reserve and surrounds. Great area I once used to call home. Once a Natalian (especially Northern Natal / Zululand) it stays in your blood!

Something to put in the to-do list!

[brad890]

The Umfolozi game reserve and surrounds. Great area I once used to call home. Once a Natalian (especially Northern Natal / Zululand) it stays in your blood!

Something to put in the to-do list!

 

where abouts up that way are you from? currently live in mtuba but study here at TUKS

[Guest agteros]

where abouts up that way are you from? currently live in mtuba but study here at TUKS

 

Grew up in Nongoma, went to primary school there. Vryheid High for high school. All very much last century

[Gareth1982]

Must put this race on my to do list for next year.

[Purnjap]

"Eventually with great courage and at great personal risk to her life, San Marie, (with the help of her accurate marksmanship) had to repeatedly fire her rifle at the feet of the elephant to get them to move off the course."

 

That aint right... :thumbdown:

[brad890]

"Eventually with great courage and at great personal risk to her life, San Marie, (with the help of her accurate marksmanship) had to repeatedly fire her rifle at the feet of the elephant to get them to move off the course."

 

That aint right... :thumbdown:

 

yip it ain't right till you get trampled or have a tusk come through your vehicles window, by a male on musk.

 

the rangers at the reserve are good, and most of them know what they are doing especially the rangers in higher position jobs and that have been at the reserve for a while

[gtr1]

where abouts up that way are you from? currently live in mtuba but study here at TUKS

Not many people admit to coming from Mtubatuba, nevermind those that have never heard of it

We have a house in the iSimanganiso Park. Go there as often as possible. Mtubatuba is the local shopping town.

[gtr1]

"Eventually with great courage and at great personal risk to her life, San Marie, (with the help of her accurate marksmanship) had to repeatedly fire her rifle at the feet of the elephant to get them to move off the course."

 

That aint right... :thumbdown:

Might not be entirely right, but by that stage there were 50 cyclist all bunched up waiting on the hill for the elephants to move off. In just the place where a Black Rhino and calf had charged through not long before the riders came past. So the possible risk in Rhino, elephant and Lion country with a bunch of cyclists all sitting in the open was probably not an ideal situation. We waited over 1 hour for the elephants to move off.

[brad890]

Not many people admit to coming from Mtubatuba, nevermind those that have never heard of it

We have a house in the iSimanganiso Park. Go there as often as possible. Mtubatuba is the local shopping town.

 

yes i know its not the greatest or cleanest town in the world, but with the old man being a rural veterinarian Mtubatuba is where we live lol, (and me too one day probably as i'm busy studying in my 4th year at onderstepoort)

 

you must let me know if your down that way sometime during the varsity holidays, i do allot of training along the Umfolozi river, and in the cane flat.

 

plus mtuba is nice and central, within a 25km radius we have the Hluhluwe-uMfolozi game reserve, St Lucia and cape vidal, as well as Richards Bay for movies and stuff so yeah lol

[gtr1]

yes i know its not the greatest or cleanest town in the world, but with the old man being a rural veterinarian Mtubatuba is where we live lol, (and me too one day probably as i'm busy studying in my 4th year at onderstepoort)

 

you must let me know if your down that way sometime during the varsity holidays, i do allot of training along the Umfolozi river, and in the cane flat.

 

plus mtuba is nice and central, within a 25km radius we have the Hluhluwe-uMfolozi game reserve, St Lucia and cape vidal, as well as Richards Bay for movies and stuff so yeah lol

PM me your contact details. I'll be there in Dec. I usually ride in the Park by myself.(not really allowed)Be good to ride with someone who knows some other areas.

[brad890]

Might not be entirely right, but by that stage there were 50 cyclist all bunched up waiting on the hill for the elephants to move off. In just the place where a Black Rhino and calf had charged through not long before the riders came past. So the possible risk in Rhino, elephant and Lion country with a bunch of cyclists all sitting in the open was probably not an ideal situation. We waited over 1 hour for the elephants to move off.

 

i was REALLY wanting to come home for this race, the holidays were just a week too short, and the road down from pretoria is C.R.A.P. to say the least with all the road works along the N2, i now skip it all and go through swaziland go in at Oshoek and come out at Golela, it is like 50km longer but allot quicker then sitting at road works and driving along unsurfaced roads and new tar that has ALREADY!!!! disintegrated

[Andrew_ew]

"Eventually with great courage and at great personal risk to her life, San Marie, (with the help of her accurate marksmanship) had to repeatedly fire her rifle at the feet of the elephant to get them to move off the course."

 

That aint right... :thumbdown:

 

well polite requests and gentle hints were not working, they also failed to respond to a gentle nudge....

 

just interested - were you there in the situation?

 

I can assure you that the people that work in Imfolozi & Hluhluwe game reserves are consumate professionals who do their jobs under extremely difficult circumstances where there is little political will or interest in conservation and consequently as little money from provincial government as possible goes into these reserves. The staff salaries are extremely low and they do the job because they care passionately for the wild spaces and the creatures in them. They would not anything that would hurt the animals unless they absolutely had to and there was no other choice. In this case no animals were hurt at all.

 

They had waited for over an hour for the elephants to move and I am sure other attemps such as shouting at them banging on the side of the vehicles etc would have been tried first. I worked as a ranger in my younger days and I can assure you that shooting at the feet of elephants and the use of flashbangs to move them is an accept technique for moving large game when all other atempts to move them have failed. As I understand it the elephants were behaving in an aggressive manner as well. Please also remember that elephants kill people. People, inlcuding Izimvelo staff have been killed by elephant in these game reserves in recent years.

 

Now bear in mind that in order for game reserves to survive, they have to have visitors who pay. This means mixing dangerous animal and people. There is going to be conflic. If even one cyclists gets squashed then there is no more race. If there is no more race then there will be no 300 riders paying about R700 each descended on the reserve, no riders raising further funds for wild dog conservation (which is what the race is all about), no riders buying donated paintings for R25 000 to contribute even more money to conservation of a critically endangered species. Also what you may not know is that the event does not carry any liability insurance - let me repeat that - the event carries no liability insurance - think about that and think about the risk that the organisers and Izimvelo carry themselves - 300 cyclists clad in lycra in a big 5 game reserve.

 

I guess none of this should be done because some armchair critic decides to pass moral judgment on the decision of an experienced professional who had to make a difficult decision that ultimately involved no risk to anyone's life except her own. She took a huge personal risk in order to ensure that a ride that raises massive amounts of money for conservation went ahead.

 

How dare you criticise someone who risks their life daily to care for wild animals and wild places that mean so much to all of us and that will be there for you and your children thanks to people like San Marie and the 300 cyclists who pay what must be the most expensive one day entry fee in South Africa.

 

So instead of baseless critcism - how about doing something positive and raise some funds for the game reseves or make a nice big contribution to conservation.

Edited August 2, 2011 by Andrew_ew