PE >> Plett Day 1

Opening my blog feels kind of strange. After an absence of almost 3 years it feels like that good friend you haven't calledmin ages, and hopefully after the first few awkward minutes things feel like the good old days.
Somon that note I'm changing tact to srage 1 of the PE >> Plett 4 day race. I opted for the 'light' version opposed to the extreme one. The 'quote' on light or extreme is merely to indicate that it was not all that light today. 'Awesome' would more aptly describe today's riding. After I had a slightly delayed start (trying to sort out access for my gardener at home) and missing marshalls who thought that the field all passed through, and subsequently taking a wrong turn, I had some catching up to do. I started catching riders in the first single track, and kept passing riders throughout the 3 rivers trails. Now I've made a mental note to come back to spend more time on the local trails here. They were quite magnificent!
More about those trails here.
http://3riverstrails.co.za/
We tracked the railway line for the first half of the race. Narrow gauge steel bridges, gentle gradients and amazing scenery would have made an amazing train journey decades ago. Now we were dong it on our bikes. Intle Game lodge offered some beautiful vistas of the veld rolling into the ocean. Another place to come back to...
http://www.intlegamelodge.com/
The second half of the race provided most of the climbing. The day was getting hotter and the tough route race snakes were coming through at regular intervals. A quick stop at the second water point and off again.
More climbing, and dropping 25 kg's since September and putting in hard time on the bike training all seemed to come together very nicely. Enjoying the climbs is maybe a bit far fetched, but at least I wasn't hating it like before.
64 km, 800m ascent l, 3 or 4 steel bridges, some light hearted banter, a rather deep river crossing later and Zuurbron opened up before our eyes. The race village is comfortable with a hearty lunch, free (yes, FREE!) Windhoeks and cooldrinks, a hot shower and a good sportsmassage done, and guys and girls exchanging war stories in the chill zone.
Tomorrow the start will be 6:30 to combat the mid 30's tempratures expected. Hopefully it equates to an earlier finish too.