Long, long ago we had only Lebanon. Then Oak Valley got prominence when the ABSA Cape Epic established Oak Valley as the penultimate stop of the race. Since Grabouw has seen some trails at Oude Molen Distillery opening, but I am unsure whether these trails are still operational. Thandi had for a short time trails to ride, but I only ever rode these on invitation with locals that got permission to ride here. Now the trails are open for everyone and for most parts well marked.
Surely there is room for a light multi stage event incorporating the 3 Musketeers of the Grabouw/Elgin Valley, but more on this in a future blog. The focus today is purely on Paul Cluver / Thandi.
I have often been critical of the PPA for being too political and not enough cycling orientated. Here is another example, with the Schapenberg trails, of what can be accomplished with members fees.
On arrival at Thandi the parking lot was filled to the brim and eager mountain bikers were chomping at the bit to get a crack at the trail. The number board system employed at Schapenberg was copied for Thandi and after paying my trail fee I was issued with a temporary number for the ride.
The first section of the course reminds me of a typical cross country course with countless switchbacks taking you higher and higher in the plantations. The big difference is that the gradient is kinder than most XC type courses and that the switches are well placed, leveled and beginner-friendly. The climbs are stepped throughout the first 5 km and laced with fun sections of single track in the pine and wattle plantations. At the turning point the trail points mostly downwards and takes you past the newly built BMX track that promises to be lots of fun. But before you get to the BMX track you have some fun single track sections with sheer drops on your right from time to time, so remember not to look down while riding this section as vertigo while riding is not ideal.
After a nice warm-up like this the trail takes you up the first sections of switchbacks and at the crossing point you cross over from Thandi to Paul Cluver. The trail runs on mostly good farm roads with very technical black sections (the infamous Pofadder section included) looping out of the red loop. I refrained from riding some of the more technical sections as the rainy weather and a tyre combination on the hard tail less suited for wet weather persuaded me otherwise.
30km later I was back at the start and with over 600m of ascent in the short distance it provided a good workout.
Well done to PPA, Wines2Whales and all involved with bringing another world class trail to the riders. With our imminent move to Somerset West an annual permit is surely on the cards for me to ride these trails.
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