---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Jan Dekker Date: 2008/12/18 Subject: Sabie Experience 2008 ride report To: Hardy <[email protected]>, Marius <[email protected]>
Hi, this is the ride report for team East to West, Marius and Jan, for the 2008 Sabie Experience. For those who have not yet been in Sabie on a long ride a quick introduction. Sabie is a town surrounded by mountains which is covered by pine plantations. A mountain usually enjoy the company of other mountains and has the ability to hide its fellow mountains. Pine trees enjoy growing on mountains and loves rain and sunshine, they also has the ability to hide mountains but can also hide single track. It does not help to ride into a pine tree as they are very hard and not known to move, usually they only move after getting to know a chain saw. Sabie is a 100% town, there is no gentle climbs but only very steep climbs. If the sun is not blazing hot then the rain is falling by the bucket, if you do not love the ride you have a very bad time. *Day 1 - 'That guy in grey is mad'* The first day was a typical Sabie day, with a very big climb to start with. We started in the ''C'' shoot surrounded by fast looking riders, this was a blessing as most riders in the ''C'' had reasonable technical ability. Our day started fast and soon we climbed through Jantjiesbos and further up the mountain, things were going well and both steeds and men were feeling fresh and ready for action. After dispatching the first climb a gradual to steep descent started down to the Blyde river, this is where we encountered the first proper single track through pine forests (see introduction). Single track can cause different reactions to cyclists, the roadie usually gets a terrified look and they would dismount and continue on foot with caution (usually in the single track..), most mtb riders would enjoy the track but not at an Olympic pace in fear of hugging unmovable pine trees. Then there are the few who start to foam by the mouth, get a devilish look in the eye and proceed with minimum time spend on the actual track (either by flying or by leaving the track to make it more interesting). I think we fitted in the third grouping, the golden rule for people like us is to dress different than your team mate in. I saw the single track and lost all self control (I am ashamed of this), in front of us were two category 2 riders cruising along. It seemed natural to leave the track and pass the first rider, unfortunately when I pulled in next to him I saw two big pine trees next to the track in the distance. Usually this would not pose a problem but being next to the track this meant one tree was right in front of me. One can react in 3 ways, firstly brake and cruise behind the other outjie, secondly pretend not to see the tree and then go on and meet a friendly doctor, or thirdly increase speed, swerve as late as possible into the track hopefully missing the other outjie. I chose the third option and missed both tree and rider with some bark on the handle bars... This seemed the appropriate way to pass his team mate as well, my team mate (dressed differently than me) was stuck behind them for a couple of corners and this is when one outjie exclaimed, ''that guy in grey is mad''..... The rest of the day was filled with a very cool adventure section (rideable down to the river) and more single track before hitting more climbs and a fast finish. What a successful day, we came in just over 5 hours and maintained our beloved ''C'' shoot position. The evening was spend relaxing in a warm swimming pool with a couple of beers to fend off dehydration, eating and sleeping, what a wonderful day!! *Day 2 - if Icaris climbed this high his wings would burn* ** Day two is a special day in Sabie, basically a 45km climb before undulating a while and then rushing down in 15km of madness. The first part of the climb was gradual before hitting the real thing. I am ashamed to admin to shameful roadie tactics, o how my standards have dropped in the last 6 months. We slipstreamed a friendly man through the initial gradual climb and this friendly man ensured that our ''C'' buddies did not disappear into the distance (have I ever mentioned that we struggled on anything that was not steep up or down?). On the long hard climb we did our thing and maintained a good pace, this was great going and despite been viciously attacked by a ''steekvlieg'', the problem is that one cannot get away from it... Through the final part of the climb up to the harbeesvlakte some teams were grinding to a halt, but we still climbed with the tenacity of a Jack Russel chasing a rusted Land Rover. Then some problems started, see we had four knees in our team and unfortunately one was getting a bit stressed. It was on the flats of the Hartbeesvlakte that the ugly pain emerged. Our problems always seem to be on the flats... With some relaxed riding and team work we pushed through to the final descent, and boy what a ride this was. See my team mate has a bike with 6 inch travel (to the ladies, despite what you have been told in the past six inches is really 150mm) and following was challenging, on that bike rock gardens was reduced to gravel roads. There was only one option, increase speed and pass him to be able to see the road ahead. This seemed to work until hitting some funny cobble stones cast in cement. After a few seconds it struck me that this was the famous ''cobble stones'' which enabled logging vehicles to be able to ascent or descent a very steep section with a vicious corner. The cobble stones was wet and I was in trouble, brakes did not help as it reduced me into a two wheel skid and I passed two slower riders without being able to slow down or steer. With a strong dose of instinct and a bum firmly planted on the back wheel the bike stayed upright.... Another concern was my team mate slamming into me (remember he was also going a tad to fast) but somehow he also made it down in one piece. On this point, good luck to Elsie's team mate, hope your elbow heals quickly! The mad rush continued down the remainder of the mountain and after very nice single track, some more idiots standing in the middle of the road and a fast and flat in we managed to get back in one piece. Another successful day as we were in one piece and managed to finish under 6 hours, mission accomplished! The evening was spend relaxing in a warm swimming pool with a couple of beers to fend off dehydration, eating and sleeping, what a wonderful day!! *Day 3 - an outbreak of mud* ** We were relegated to ''D'' bunch due to some youth riders joining the field on the third day, where is the respect? We started slow, our ''D'' buddies disappeared into the distance and on the first climb the ''E'' buddies began to pass us. The going was tough and our sore knee was still giving some hassles. The clouds were looking angry. Then somewhere after 30km all hell broke loose, a rain storm with chilling winds and lots of water. It is now a good time to mention that people sometimes make fun of my rather big Camelbak, well it spit out two warm rain jackets ready for the monsoon. We finished the climb in the rain and then started the journey back home, it was like living in an intense action movie. Single track was converted into rivers, we loved it and rode everything. Riders started walking and shivering in the rain and wind with no warm clothes on, next time you go into the mountains remember that warm jacket!! I was back in England, Wales and Scotland all over again and loving it. Single tracks were slippery and super technical but inside my warm jacket it couldn't be more fun. I didn't feel the rain stinging my face and kept on riding, sliding and having fun in general. It was madness, never a moment to relax and all of a sudden we were like two horses heading home. My only concern was that with another 40km to go we bolted to early, but through the madness a natural high was created and we never looked back. Passing teams, getting sworn at and loving it!! Close to the finish there was a muddy bank, I think it was a single track but due to the outbreak of mud I cannot say for sure. Steering was dodgy and people cheered as the ride down began, halfway down without the ability to steer I shouted the normal ''rider coming'', the poor man looked around, took a slippery step to the left and muted ''you're fucking mad'' as I passed.... I managed to crash in the final few yards of the mud, exhausted but happy. What a day, intense, madness, super technical, I still get goose bumps just thinking about that day, it felt like a dream, two riders in the zone and living it!! A big RESPECT to my team mate, we did things to dream of and rode where other walked and had fun all the way. The day was soured a bit by a medic delivering our friend DK with a damaged ankle, hope you are back on the bike soon. The evening was spend relaxing in a warm swimming pool with a couple of beers to fend off dehydration, eating and sleeping, what a wonderful day!! *Day 4 - Time trial* ** In a time trial the slower riders normally goes first and the faster riders posts fast times later in the day. Not today. After more rain the course was a absolute mud pit when we started. Gentle hills were reduced to clay banks, we having to push or carry the bikes. After a number of minor falls, one on national TV, pushing and some more sore knee we managed to finish the day. The bikes were trashed but the riders happy, it was time for the final swim in the warm swimming pool, washing bikes and getting ready to leave. What a successful Sabie. See you all next year and remember the rain jackets!!! --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "DarkAndDirty" group. 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