Van Gaalens Mountain biking and running trails

[typhoon]

TrailSeeker 2012 route

http://app.strava.com/activities/25547546

[Mountain Bru]

Eish is someone going with you that knows the place?...if not best you download a gpx or two

 

Nope. All 3 of us are going there for the first time. Is it easy to get lost? Don't they hand out maps at the entrance or something?

[rouxtjie]

Nope. All 3 of us are going there for the first time. Is it easy to get lost? Don't they hand out maps at the entrance or something?

Eish, no maps(they won't help anyway to be honest), the routes are marked, but the markings get stolen / moved by local kiddies using the singletrack as walking paths. To be honest, its quite easy to get lost. But don't fear...you have two choices.

 

1. If you have a garmin edge cycling pc computer...you can upload some courses and follow breadcrumbs

2. You don't have a cycling computer, well then make it a seals / camelman ride...make peace with the fact that you will get lost, but you will learn where not go next time.

[Mike Bike]

Eish, no maps(they won't help anyway to be honest), the routes are marked, but the markings get stolen / moved by local kiddies using the singletrack as walking paths. To be honest, its quite easy to get lost. But don't fear...you have two choices.

 

1. If you have a garmin edge cycling pc computer...you can upload some courses and follow breadcrumbs

2. You don't have a cycling computer, well then make it a seals / camelman ride...make peace with the fact that you will get lost, but you will learn where not go next time.

eish Rouxtjie..you gonna scare them off..rather send them across the metal bridge turn right, follow the river trail..either in or outside the forest to the bridge/dirt road..few options there...

[rouxtjie]

eish Rouxtjie..you gonna scare them off..rather send them across the metal bridge turn right, follow the river trail..either in or outside the forest to the bridge/dirt road..few options there...

I have lost count the amount of times I got lost at that place, but its fun in the same breath...you only start worrying when the vulture restaurant birds start swirling above you

[Mountain Bru]

I'd rather get lost than wuss out and not go.

 

I don't have a cycling computer, but I have a phone. Will google maps not help?

 

Thanks Mike. I'll try remember to pull a right after a bridge.

Any clues as to where the best single track is? Not so keen on the dirt road/jeep track stuff.

 

Is it busy? Like if I get lost, will there be other people around?

[Clinton - theCOW]

Why don't MTB parks put their routes on Google Maps?

 

Yeah it's a bit of PT but any newbie can go there, check the map and work out which way to go, most carry smart phones these days?

 

I haven't been lost there, but know sometimes the markings are a little deceptive.

 

VG is awesome!

[rouxtjie]

I'd rather get lost than wuss out and not go.

 

I don't have a cycling computer, but I have a phone. Will google maps not help?

 

Thanks Mike. I'll try remember to pull a right after a bridge.

Any clues as to where the best single track is? Not so keen on the dirt road/jeep track stuff.

 

Is it busy? Like if I get lost, will there be other people around?

You have the right attitude, just go ride it, screw the rest. As mike said, go over the bridge and turn right...just follow that piece of singletrack until it meets with a district road. Its the river singletrack, and me personally can do that 10 times without getting bored, its pretty lekker riding

[Mike Bike]

You have the right attitude, just go ride it, screw the rest. As mike said, go over the bridge and turn right...just follow that piece of singletrack until it meets with a district road. Its the river singletrack, and me personally can do that 10 times without getting bored, its pretty lekker riding

yip the river is the best for sure..there are tracks both sides of the river and in and out the forest...follow it until you come to a concrete bridge..then turn left there..i think the sign says oom piets..follow it again thru 2 river crossings( both easily rideable) till you get to the dirt road. turn round and go back..will give you about 20kms..and yes there will be other people around

[awesme]

seriously need to get out there myself also sometime.

 

G

 

yip the river is the best for sure..there are tracks both sides of the river and in and out the forest...follow it until you come to a concrete bridge..then turn left there..i think the sign says oom piets..follow it again thru 2 river crossings( both easily rideable) till you get to the dirt road. turn round and go back..will give you about 20kms..and yes there will be other people around

[Mountain Bru]

Sweet

 

Thanks guys.

 

That old school church looked pretty cool too. Is it possible to ride there via the "river route"?

[Mike Bike]

yip, when you get to the concrete bridge, go up onto the dirt road, cross over, youll find a jeep track running kinda along the dirt road, takes you up to the church.

[rouxtjie]

Sweet

 

Thanks guys.

 

That old school church looked pretty cool too. Is it possible to ride there via the "river route"?

As mike said, just follow the river until you see a sign that says "greek church" follow it, or carry on, either way, pretty good riding

[Hennie VR]

Eish, no maps(they won't help anyway to be honest), the routes are marked, but the markings get stolen / moved by local kiddies using the singletrack as walking paths. To be honest, its quite easy to get lost. But don't fear...you have two choices.

 

1. If you have a garmin edge cycling pc computer...you can upload some courses and follow breadcrumbs

2. You don't have a cycling computer, well then make it a seals / camelman ride...make peace with the fact that you will get lost, but you will learn where not go next time.

 

This is why I got myself a Garmin 800. If you get lost just scroll to the maps page, check where the start is and navigate. from there you work out your own route. Great fun without worrying to much.

[Mountain Bru]

This is why I got myself a Garmin 800. If you get lost just scroll to the maps page, check where the start is and navigate. from there you work out your own route. Great fun without worrying to much.

 

I figure I can sort of do that with google maps/my tracks/endomondo/strava, so it's not the end of the world if I get lost

[NotSoBigBen]

Free maps for your Garmin 800 ( and others I suspect), you can thank me later!

 

I use Garmin basecamp to view them and also to transfer them to my Garmin.

 

http://openmtbmap.org/