Okay so it is official.
I am riding The Sani2C Trail with Werner Hattingh.
I am like a kid in a candy store right now.
On my MTB bucket lists Sani2C is one of the races I wanted to tick off the most. Remaining Multi days are the Cape Pioneer Trek in the Karoo and the Wine2Whales from Somerset West to Hermanus. And now I have a chance to tick this one off.
So when Werner asked me if I want to join him as a replacement after his original partner Pieter broke his wrist I jumped at the opportunity. Literally. The people in the office already think I’m weird, but the email from Werner saying I’m in is one of the best emails I’ve ever read.
We will be driving up, so the adventure already starts the Sunday before the race. Shooting through to Natal in one push. We will spend two nights in Underberg, having a rest/registration day before we start.
For three days we will be cycling from Underberg near Sani Pass (and the border with Lesotho) to Scottsburgh which is at the sea (hence Sani2C, race organisers just love to put 2destinations in their event names) about 40km from Durban.
Day 1 is 87km from Underberg to Eastwold
Day 2 is 96km from Eastwold to Jolivet
Day 3 is 78km from Jolivet to Scottburgh
This is all I know for sure. The whole ride part we still have lots to find out about. We’ll chat to someone who has done it before and learn as much as we can from them. We can never over prepare for something like this. I do know we will be spending quite a bit of time in the saddle, not as much as on the Epic, but I reckon we will be having more fun. Less suffer, more fun. (well that is what my heart is telling my head.) Epic was lots of fast open roads, with lots of monster climbs and very little singletrack. Apparently Sani2C is more singletrack, less monster climbs and more rolling hills (they still hurt) and the stories that I heard about the route is that it blows you mind. Singletrack through forest, sugar plantations, next to rivers and even parts where two singletracks are built next two each other so that congestions are less. (in the Overberg we treat rough jeep track like singletrack, so I will be loving this. I’ve seen photos of bridges built from pontoons for the rides to ride over rivers and apparently the trails are pretty well groomed and the route designer has a warrant out for any rocks on the route. So I’m already imagining fast swooping singletrack.
I am looking forward to balmy weather (by that time it will almost be winter in Cape Town,) swimming in the sea at Scottburgh, and hopefully I’ll see Jannik at the finish somewhere (he is like the Yeti, only more stylishly dressed, but way more frightening when angry.)
Then me and Werner will bum a lift back to Underberg to go pick up the Corsa, spend the night there and drive back to the Cape Colony. Luckily this will be a drive over two days, probably spending the night in Grahamstown at my mother’s sister, and then vamoos down through the Garden route to Cape Town.
So in the space of a week we’ll go through the Karoo, the Free state, skirt around Lesotho, cycle through Natal, and come back through the Transkei and the Garden Route. I can’t wait for this adventure to begin..
Friday, March 23, 2012
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Exciting Times
So I'm in the middle of a pretty exciting week.
Last saturday we did a lekker group ride in the Bainskloof mountains in Wellington. Today it was Tokai and this weekend it will be Gansbaai. So much of mountain biking. Joy!
Welvanpas in Bainskloof area is host to some of the sweetest trails in the Western Cape. I haven't ridden there in more than a year so decided to call a ride for saturday past, announce it everywhere and see who pitches up.
Saturday morning I woke up late. An hour late. Not a good start to the day. Chased through to Wellington in record time and ended up eating my oats somewhere between Kloof Nek rd and Durbanville. Aai.
The trails there are so sweet! We had a lekker group, and I rode with Harry, Hilke and Gabri for the first time in ages. I'm sorry, but the best way to ride trails is with friends. So we had a blast. The first loop we did consisted of a lot of single track, both up and down. The sort of single track that has you whooping like a surfer who just got barreled, only this isn't a wave lasting a couple of seconds, but sublime single track that has you flinging yourselves and your bike from corner to corner for a couple of kilometers, interspersed with climbs giving you amazing views over plantations, down the valley and down the mountain. We went down fast swoopy single track, entered forests at speed, chased each other down rocky descents and even had a few high speed gravel roads to get back to the farm to complete the first loop of 20something kms. We had a jol, there where thrills, only one crash, a couple of near crashes, but a lot of smiles and banter on the trail.
Back at the farm we smashed a couple of pancakes and a roosterkoek before me and Harry and Werner set off on the second loop together.
The second loop is tougher, climbs a lot. Basically going over Bains kloof climbing up through the plantations before dropping down to the farm again. The climbing hurt this time round. Harry looked like he was out on an ice cream stroll while Werner and I were taking shots. We were pretty thankful to reach the top, and after stopping the admire the view (and catch our breath) we dropped into the singetrack. The ST on this is mind blowing. Words just doesn't do it justice. I had moments where I was sliding into corners drifting both wheels, some where it was so steep I was laying over the back of the bike with my bum above the back wheel and my stomach over the saddle going down chutes and over rocks. At one stage when I could afford to glance at my computer I was doing 38km/h, in single track, between trees, with rocks everywhere. It was glorious.
I was having one of those days where everything just clicked, where my legs felt strong, where the bike felt like an extension of myself and I could seamlessly flick it left and right at whim. I love these rides.
We did about 38km'sand climbed about 1300m. It was a big ride.
Riding it with Gabri, Harry, Hilke, Grant and Werner made it even more special. Experiences like these need to be shared.
On monday I did a couple of hill sessions going home from work. Molteno rd in Cape Town will never be easy, but pushing it up there activates a world of hurt. Train hard to race easy...
Wednesday was a public holiday, so Werner and I decided to go to Tokai for some more trails and hard time in the saddle. Once again I had breakfast in the bakkie. Bad habit.
We went up to the top single track in the forest, and from there cruised through on the contour path to the Silvermine Reserve. I love doing this route, the views are breathtaking over Tokai and the Cape flats and you can see all the way to the Hottentots Holland Mountains.
From here we missioned back to Tokai, and then up to the Mast. This is one of the hardest climbs I've done, and we were going up it pretty strongly. I was amazed at how much we had left in the tank at the end of the climb, as usually I faded over the last bit. Not so this time. All the after-work vomit intervals are paying off. The views from the mast are even more incredible. Next time I'll take a camera with. As trying to describe it is pointless.
From here we descended down the Bridal Path, a single track trail down the mountain with crazy many switchbacks one after the other. Bliss. And hard work. After bridal path we went back up the mountain again for more single track, doing boulders both ways (fun in both directions) followed by Mamba, Boomslang and the DH section home. The trails in Tokai are named after snakes. I don't know why, I do know that I love riding down them, and that a trip to tokai needs to get done more regularly.
Once again we did about 40km's in three hours, with 1000m of climbing. Pretty decent. Needless to say I'm sleeping in compression socks again tonight.
The reason for all this riding is that I might be riding Sani2C with Werner. But more on that when it is official.
The rest of the week is looking promising. Rock climbing in Higgovale Quarry on thursday arvie, driving to Gansbaai on friday with my sidekick Alicia (best roadtrip partner ever) for a lekker chilled weekend with my parents, I hope to do about 6-7hours of riding over the weekend, with a bit of paddling, or at least a surfie if there is swell.
Pretty exciting times...
Awe, that's been a mouthfull. Enjoy the moutains and the forests and nature everybody.
Peace
Philip
Last saturday we did a lekker group ride in the Bainskloof mountains in Wellington. Today it was Tokai and this weekend it will be Gansbaai. So much of mountain biking. Joy!
Welvanpas in Bainskloof area is host to some of the sweetest trails in the Western Cape. I haven't ridden there in more than a year so decided to call a ride for saturday past, announce it everywhere and see who pitches up.
Saturday morning I woke up late. An hour late. Not a good start to the day. Chased through to Wellington in record time and ended up eating my oats somewhere between Kloof Nek rd and Durbanville. Aai.
The trails there are so sweet! We had a lekker group, and I rode with Harry, Hilke and Gabri for the first time in ages. I'm sorry, but the best way to ride trails is with friends. So we had a blast. The first loop we did consisted of a lot of single track, both up and down. The sort of single track that has you whooping like a surfer who just got barreled, only this isn't a wave lasting a couple of seconds, but sublime single track that has you flinging yourselves and your bike from corner to corner for a couple of kilometers, interspersed with climbs giving you amazing views over plantations, down the valley and down the mountain. We went down fast swoopy single track, entered forests at speed, chased each other down rocky descents and even had a few high speed gravel roads to get back to the farm to complete the first loop of 20something kms. We had a jol, there where thrills, only one crash, a couple of near crashes, but a lot of smiles and banter on the trail.
Back at the farm we smashed a couple of pancakes and a roosterkoek before me and Harry and Werner set off on the second loop together.
The second loop is tougher, climbs a lot. Basically going over Bains kloof climbing up through the plantations before dropping down to the farm again. The climbing hurt this time round. Harry looked like he was out on an ice cream stroll while Werner and I were taking shots. We were pretty thankful to reach the top, and after stopping the admire the view (and catch our breath) we dropped into the singetrack. The ST on this is mind blowing. Words just doesn't do it justice. I had moments where I was sliding into corners drifting both wheels, some where it was so steep I was laying over the back of the bike with my bum above the back wheel and my stomach over the saddle going down chutes and over rocks. At one stage when I could afford to glance at my computer I was doing 38km/h, in single track, between trees, with rocks everywhere. It was glorious.
I was having one of those days where everything just clicked, where my legs felt strong, where the bike felt like an extension of myself and I could seamlessly flick it left and right at whim. I love these rides.
We did about 38km'sand climbed about 1300m. It was a big ride.
Riding it with Gabri, Harry, Hilke, Grant and Werner made it even more special. Experiences like these need to be shared.
On monday I did a couple of hill sessions going home from work. Molteno rd in Cape Town will never be easy, but pushing it up there activates a world of hurt. Train hard to race easy...
Wednesday was a public holiday, so Werner and I decided to go to Tokai for some more trails and hard time in the saddle. Once again I had breakfast in the bakkie. Bad habit.
We went up to the top single track in the forest, and from there cruised through on the contour path to the Silvermine Reserve. I love doing this route, the views are breathtaking over Tokai and the Cape flats and you can see all the way to the Hottentots Holland Mountains.
From here we missioned back to Tokai, and then up to the Mast. This is one of the hardest climbs I've done, and we were going up it pretty strongly. I was amazed at how much we had left in the tank at the end of the climb, as usually I faded over the last bit. Not so this time. All the after-work vomit intervals are paying off. The views from the mast are even more incredible. Next time I'll take a camera with. As trying to describe it is pointless.
From here we descended down the Bridal Path, a single track trail down the mountain with crazy many switchbacks one after the other. Bliss. And hard work. After bridal path we went back up the mountain again for more single track, doing boulders both ways (fun in both directions) followed by Mamba, Boomslang and the DH section home. The trails in Tokai are named after snakes. I don't know why, I do know that I love riding down them, and that a trip to tokai needs to get done more regularly.
Once again we did about 40km's in three hours, with 1000m of climbing. Pretty decent. Needless to say I'm sleeping in compression socks again tonight.
The reason for all this riding is that I might be riding Sani2C with Werner. But more on that when it is official.
The rest of the week is looking promising. Rock climbing in Higgovale Quarry on thursday arvie, driving to Gansbaai on friday with my sidekick Alicia (best roadtrip partner ever) for a lekker chilled weekend with my parents, I hope to do about 6-7hours of riding over the weekend, with a bit of paddling, or at least a surfie if there is swell.
Pretty exciting times...
Awe, that's been a mouthfull. Enjoy the moutains and the forests and nature everybody.
Peace
Philip
Monday, March 19, 2012
Having fun on your bike.
Having fun on a bike is easy.
Fun does not discriminate against:
What bike you ride,
What wheelsize you run,
How much you weigh,
Wether you have leg hair,
Or what you wear.
Where you ride,
Why you ride,
How far you ride,
Or even where you ride.
What speed you go,
Or who is riding along with you.
So just get on your bike and go have some fun
Fun does not discriminate against:
What bike you ride,
What wheelsize you run,
How much you weigh,
Wether you have leg hair,
Or what you wear.
Where you ride,
Why you ride,
How far you ride,
Or even where you ride.
What speed you go,
Or who is riding along with you.
So just get on your bike and go have some fun
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