Been I while since I have post. Last few months of 2012 was bit crazy. Lost of first and probaly last. So much happened I'm going to write a bit of each of the bigger things that happened.
23 September 2012 Karoo2Coast
With hand full of endurance events there was loads of training when not doing an event.First was the Karoo2Coast. Was planning to train hard for it but then my fuelEx was stolen so training took a good dive. Got the Ibis and had some training. Rode beter than expecting. This only inspired to be back in 2013 to go for that sub 4h as I had loads of traffic as I start in the second last group.
K2C Result
Distance: 95.21 km
Time: 4:39:16
Avg Speed: 20.5 km/h
Max Speed: 75.0 km/h
Elevation Gain: 1,890 m
13 October 2012 Mountain2Mountain Slanghoek MTB
Next up was Mountain2Mountain Slanghoek MTB. This is one of my must do event on my calendar. The people and vibe is always great and the route improve every year. This It start with a fairly flat but the surface was loose, rough and sandy which drains the legs more than one realised. Then up and around the mountain through Goudi to down some awesome technical single track. The was made bit longer than last year as it was to steep for most. Last year I had to have almost my chest op my saddle to keep it under control , so steep was it, but this much easier. Behind the mountain it is mostly long open gravel road and some vineyards road to get around. Once you turn left toward the tar road again a good bit of climbing starts till you reach the tar. Accross the tar and n short very steep climb up to a water point, that burn the legs, pedaling hard in granny gear. Nice water points and cold drinks make it a fun stop. This is where some new single track was made and you did not have a moment to relax as it turn twist all the time while you need to keep pedaling. No time for anything but pedal, turn and miss the little tree's. The race is only 872m climbing over 60km's but the route is one hurt you special if you are riding hard.
M2M slanghoek Result
Distance: 62.34 km
Elevation Gain: 872 m
Time: 3:01:25
Moving Time: 2:58:31
Avg Speed: 20.6 km/h
Max Speed: 48.3 km/h
27 October 2012 Training ride
Some how some people talk me into doing Coronation Double Century with mountain bike and nobbly tires. This is 203km's of tar. We knew it is something we had to do some training for. For one of rides went set of early on saturday morning for a long ride. Montagu as many of the team lived there. Starting in montagu we went up Ouberg around down through karoo, koo, keisie back to montagu. We had a back car with water, snacks and what ever one of us wanted along the way. I have not ridden this far before and was happy to have made it by took a bit strain in the end as we finish into the wind.Montagu training
Distance: 134.11 km
Time: 7:16:38
Elevation Gain: 1,729 m
Calories: 3,093 C
Moving Time: 6:08:16
Avg Speed: 18.4 km/h
Avg Moving Speed: 21.9 km/h
Max Speed: 65.6 km/h28 October 2012 Buffet Olive
After the saturday long training ride I somehow go myself to the start of the Buffet Olive race on sunday morning. I thought 42km is not that bad, having forgot the this race climbing is like. The climbs was not easy and I could feel my legs was not happy. I was a hard ride but some sweet single track made up for the suffering. I cant remember much about this race, maybe my body did not wanted to be there.
Buffet olive
Distance: 42.00 km
Elevation Gain: 1,304 m
Time: 2:55:47
Moving Time: 2:48:16Avg Speed: 14.3 km/h
Avg Moving Speed: 15.0 km/h
Max Speed: 50.2 km/h
2-4 November 2012 Wine2Whales adventure
A friend of my and his wife was going to do this but she got injured so he ask me to fill in. I have do the event few years back so had a rough idea what to expect.
Day 1 Lourensford - Oak Valley. We start very far back as we did not have seeding. I know this could be trouble for us as the technical trails we love is going to have lots of traffic and so we did. On a tight and rocky bit people went so slow that me and Pieter got suck between rock with overlapping wheels, getting of different side cause both of us t go down. A silly little brach caught my bib and caused a nice big tear.
As the route crossed over towards hansekop some good climb was to be done before we got to the new tail made on magic mountain that contours around to gantouw pass. This could have been loads of fun but with so many people walking and not give why it was really spoiled. The attitude of the riders on this event was the worst i have ever seen. They walk in the middel of the single track and even if you ask nicely to space cause your riding they ignore you and in in the trail. After nudging past one guy as we wanted to ride he start giving us lip. Over the mountain with a nice hike a bike into grabouw mto. Here I expect so fun as I knew loads of the single track. Instead we zip zap all over on the jeep tracks. All in all day 1 was disappointing.
Day2 Oak Valley-Oak Valley. Jumping up a few starting groups after day 1 gave me bit of hope for day 2. Most of the route we knew so it could help to know where to relax and where to push on. Traffic there still was but not as bad day 1. The highlight if the was as we got close to lebanon single track we push on the get past the people in front. We had it open in front and we could go and flow down the single with loads of fun. When we start the single we could not see anyone infront, but at the end of the trail we caught a few people.
Day 3 Oak Valley - Hermanus. Last time I did this event if was a boring A to B stretch of open roads. Not any more. Head out from Oak Valley we once again got some horrible traffic with switchbacks going up and then down. Between this and the start was not much open roads for the bunch to settle. After botrivier some open roads again help the people spread bit beter. Crossing over the mountains between botrivier and hermanus they have made some single track that is nice with some technical bits in. This made for a nice day 3 end. Getting close to hermanus we follow a trail running next to the hemel en aarde valley road. Here we got little traffic and open the taps only for me to clip a tree at good speed sending me flying. This only happen 30s after we have passed so riders. I crash got up and went on without them catching me. At the beach entrance I took another dive as my front wheel caught a log hiding in the soft sand. I nice bush caught me and gave me a soft landing. Now Pieter bit infront not knowing I pedal hard to catch him. The finish came just in time as I was tired.
All in all the event have potential to be AWESOME but the traffic just spoil it. So unless your fit an strong enough te be infront be ready to deal with horrible traffic.
24 November 2012 Coronation Double Century.
Like I said earlier I dont know why I was talked into it, maybe the endurance factor, could be could preperation for the one day's Transbavians. I'm not used to road events and they start EARLY. We where in group M and start 5h14. The starting weather was not to bad but we did not expected at all what was coming later on weather wise. The first few km's out of town we took really easy getting warmed up. Shortly after hitting the N2 one team mate back wheel got flat. He had a problem with it night before also but thought it was sort. 3 of us stop and rest went on, we will catch them. Quickly put in a tube and off. Putting on some pace but not to hard catching groups slipping a bit en then went on the next group. After a bit he back wheel went flat again and he said go. After a few km's we join our team again, but not sure if we are one down of if he would catch up. In the end he did not.
Weaving through little towns with such friendly people always help to keep the spirits up as we head toward Tradouw pass. This was the first of the two big climbs. Going up was not so hard. We past number of road cyclist. Some words got exchanged between our team one other team, but the in the have beaten them at the finish of the event.
Turning at barrydale we start to get hint of some wind that is not going to be fun. This was a long straight road toward Op de Tradouw pass. This was the second big climb for the day. Bit harder than Tradouw pass. The first refreshment point was just over the pass and came just in time for the legs to get a tiny rest.
Form this point the wind started becoming stronger and stronger. Pushing on to get to Aston, there was a feed zone. Enter the zone your time would be paused and start again on exit but pause only for a maximum of 30min. Here we lost a second team mate. Her knee did not want to go on after the rest. The road between Aston and Robertson can only be describe as hell. The wind was really horrible and at and angle so slipping was and not much effect. On this piece of the road is the most negative i have ever been on a bike. I wanted it to end. Turn left at Robertson was second best moment of the event. Now wind from behind and even a little downhill. 30-40km/h without even a pedal stroke and the legs go little rest. Heading back toward Swellendam direction the road had little rises and falls but not much. Just before Swellendam is where the rolling hills started. This would normally be no so bad but the legs are shot. It had drizzled here and there on the event but at this point it started to properly rain again. Even while riding I was so cold, I just want to get to the finish. Entering Swellendam I expect us to go down and turn into main rd, but instead we turn earlier and up another hill finishing on top of the hill.
I did it 203km on a 140mm full suspension mountain bike with nobbly tires. I was extreamly tired but it felt like a victory. Knowing we have beat a number of road cyclist was a great bonus. It was my first DC and LAST!!! At times I was bored out of my mind.
Distance: 203.65 km
Time: 9:10:55
Avg Speed: 22.2 km/h
Max Speed: 63.8 km/h
Elevation Gain: 2,258 m
Moving Time: 8:25:54
Offical time accourding to event 8:44:52
2 December 2012 Die Burger
As I'm doing the road Argus for first time 2013 to see what it is al about, I did this as seeding. Having done DC previous weekend I thought this could be not bad give I dont push myself to hard. I start in group E. How I dont know but ended up being the perfect group for me. In the begin it was bit chaos and everyone for himself till on the top of Helshoogte. Dropping down I tucked in to start passing people still sitting up. As the road started to flatten a bunch form. I catch the back of it and tried to keep up. I manage to hold on to the group, averaging 44km/h until they turn at the R45 towards Paarl. There they accelerate faster than I could and could not catch them. So i decide to dial it back and wait for next group. Next group came and i was able to tag along. As we got to Paarl the bunch became massive as it caught up to others. Working myself to a place where I felt comfortable as the road took us around the back of Paarl. When I turn to towards wellington the bunch was gone. Just a few of us making turn at the front. Thought Wellington and a water point just after. Here I stop to catch a bite as now my energy I need was in my hydration pack. Snacked got some drink and on I went. I have not riden this part of the R44 before and knowing there is rolling hills I did not know how hard I could push, so played it safe. This is where many of the road cyclist past me. But I did not care. I'm a mountain biker at heart so I'm riding alone is not a problem. R44 drop down a bit towards the N1 i took easy as I knew the Wiesenhof climb and Knorhoek climb is still to come which in the end was very easy. In Stellenbosch we turn up helshoogte road and next thing there is the finish. I'm happy with result but at the same time I felt I could have done beter if I was not playing it so safe on the R44.
Distance: 91.38 km
Time: 3:01:36
Avg Speed: 30.2 km/h
Elevation Gain: 998 m
Moving Time: 2:59:58
Avg Speed: 30.2 km/h
Avg Moving Speed: 30.5 km/h
Max Speed: 68.2 km/h
14-16 December Leeuwenboschfontein 3 day Fun ride
This is one of my favorite events to end of the years. It is a fun ride, no timing. Also if you do the long or short depending how you feel the morning. It is a have fun weekend with your friend in middle of no where. No cellphone signal. The routes change some what from the previous year.
Day 1 was not much climbing but the terrain made that you pedal all the time. On one stage a bunch of us go bit lost as a unknowing farm work closed a gate and removed a signboard. In the end we found the way. It was really hot but it was to be expected, mid December in karoo. Not long into the race I got a tire cut where I had to plug my tire. The day end with an incredible nasty climb but the descending down is awesome and made the climb worth it.
Day 2 is a day full of beautiful views but the get there is not so fun. The day had two big climb. The second climb was a 3km long with 300m up and surface was mostly loose rocks. I put the challange to myself not to walk any of it. Got to the top with only 3 stop but no walking. On top of the mountain is a big plato with lots of wild life. I saw Eland, zebra, spring bok and more, cant remember all. I remebered from last year the going back down was fun rock technical ride. Going down was so much fun until i had a hard crash. Somewhere with my hard aggressive riding a got a small cut on front tire and did not notice my tire in deflating. So and 35km/h on a sandy turn with speed bump my front wheel just did not liek it anymore and sent me flying. Knocking my knee on handlebar that my shifter and brake lever rotate 90 degree point to the air, stem turn on the steerer and flat tire. Oh also nice big patch of skin missing on my arm.
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