Agreed ... Hansa is not a beer. Nor is most of that stuff that watery frothy stuff SAB churns out, sticks a label on and say "Proudly South African" beer (it's quite shameful really, being a beer gluping nation and all).
Windhoek... now you talking. Sounds like an excellent Sabie race ... and without the floor of mud that plagues the Sabie Experience. On Sun, Sep 27, 2009 at 12:45 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: > > So I have been entered by somebody else for another stage race !! No big > deal I have done plenty before , 3 days of racing in the little hills > around Sabie can only be fun . As most of you will know my preparation for > races i.e. training and all that nonsense is almost none . So let me say > from the start that I was in a lot of pain for 3 days . But then again I > always am when I race in the Sabie area , or what do you say Hardy ? Ok > now that we got that bit out of the way lets go back to the actual race . > > We checked into our tents the Wednesday evening at about 6pm and moved > into the marquee tent for race briefing . After the normal rules was > explained to us and warnings about sharp corners and neck breaking > downhill’s were passed around we could retire to our tents fairly early . > > Next morning we got to the eating mesh at 04:30 to be welcomed by a > contingent of local farmers and their wife’s . After the normal chit-chat > about who , what , from where are you we turned to talking about what we > there for MTB’ing . Was /I surprised to see how excited these farmers got > about this whole event . They all got some sort of “bush tunnel” on their > farms and are very proud of theirs . “Wait till day two for MY tunnel “ , > “No , no my tunnel on day three is smoother and faster “ . They also > shared all that they could about the trails for the day . Even though they > do most of these roads in their very reliable Isuzu bakkies they knew the > danger and potential problem areas very well . > > At 7am the shotgun went off and so did we . We left the start line with > the GPS showing 785.5 meters above sea level . 15.29km further it showed > 1529m . This climb is a straight up no free wheeling battle all the way to > the top . Here we found the first water table in the mist . Now this is > what I expected to find for a water table on a multi-day stage race . > Water, Coke and energy drink with boiled potatoes , chocolates , jelly > babies , bananas and friendly people . > > From here we did the up and down thing with smaller climbs followed by > fast descents . At 33km there was another 5km climb just to remind you > that halfway is still somewhere in the distance . This was followed by a > downhill that wanted you to turn around and do it over again . Although > this was on a dirt road it was very dusty with sharp turns and random > rocks lying in wait for the sleepy rider . I only managed 56.7kmph down > here . The bike just did not feel right and later that night I discovered > that the fork was locked out and I never even thought about looking !!! > At around 66km we ran into a hill called That @!...@# hill . I promptly > renamed it after I walked half of it to That @#...@#$#% hill . Once over > this hill we had loads of fun racing down the single tracks that took us > back to the finish . And just to make you forget all the pain of the day > you get to finish on a BMX track with all the burms , ramps and wooden > bridge . > > That evening we had very good life entertainment followed by race > debriefing which included a photo and video session . The food was > absolutely fantastic and we had a feast . After all the category winners > got their turn on the podium we all moved of to have another good nights > rest . > > Day two was the same ritual and after a chat to the farmers we went back > to the tents to fetch our bikes for another day of racing . Because of the > mist the previous day it was decided to keep the start time at 7am . After > another shotgun shell expired we all lined up behind the pace car and > headed down the tar road to the dirt roads that awaited us . Today we > started the race with a climb to 1530meters in 20km . By the time we got > to the top we all properly warmed us and most of us was also felling very > tired at this stage . The next 16km did not help very much to give the > legs a rest . The downhill that followed was also to fast and short to > give you a rest before the climb to the Tower . But just before you get to > climb this hill you again get the chance to ride some awesome single track > until you get to the waterfall . Here most of us carried our bikes waist > deep through the very cold water . Some of the other people just had their > neck sticking out and we had a few good laughs when the rider behind us > disappeared under the water with his bike . The short climb out of the > gorge wasn’t easy but as you stick you head over the top you could see the > water table waiting . Now there is one think that I always ask myself > after a race , Why do we bother to ask the course designed standing at the > water table how steep the climb is !!!!! This bloke has lost touch with > reality . The answer will always be “It’s not very steep and end just > around that corner “ Ja boet that corner on the horizon maybe . And so > began the climb that was the toughest for me on the whole event . Corner > after corner you turn just to find the road heading to the heavens . But > once again the downhill on the other side did not disappoint . I passed > all the people that passed me on the uphill until I got a puncture at high > speed just before the downhill ended . A small rock has gone between the > rim and the tire and cut the tire just above the bead . Out with the heavy > duty plugs and we got it sealed and rolling again in about 10 minutes . > Another awesome bush tunnel followed and then we got routed onto the > tracks around the Mankele bike park . What a way to end the day . Jumps , > bridges , fast corners all that you ever wanted in a mtb race . > > Again we had entertainment , great food and the rest that evening . There > was also a lot of excitement at price giving as DCM and Garmin was a split > second apart after two days and day three was going to be very,very fast . > Pity we missed that race but we will most probably get to see it on TV . > > Day 3 , talk to farmers , get bikes , line up at start line . For the last > time the shotgun breaks the silence and we head in another direction that > previous days . At about 500meter you stare at the mother of all up hills > . Well after three days that is what it looked like . A lot of riders got > caught by the little beast and did not have the right gears seeing a lot > of them lying on the ground . This hill went to 1268m in 13km . After > this we just had fun,fun,fun up to the 33km mark . I can’t remember all > the single track names but one made a huge impression and that was > ?Jurassic park . Fast and furious only begins to describe it . Funny how > quickly you forget that hill that almost took your legs off a few minutes > ago once you get into one of these beauties . The climb up to the Sudwala > caves was very testing but not as testing as the downhill single track > that followed . I would normally not use my brakes to much on downhills , > but this was a different story . Halfway down the hill I could smell the > pads burning . By the time I got to the cave parking lot the disks turned > a nice blue color . Down the cement road to the bottom of the hill went > very smooth and although they did warn us to take it slow down here I just > could not and went faster than anywhere else in the race . But the race > is not over , we get punished with another few sharp steep climbs which > eventually took us in to the smoothest “bush tunnel” I have yet seem . It > had a few awesome rock jumps and trees that you could use to turn against > . And so three days of awesome racing came to an end . Make no mistake I > was glad when we finished but will be back , better prepared (ok so you > heard this before ) > > The bike shop they had there was the best I have seen at any race . These > two chaps got very busy at time but always stopped what they busy doing to > help out . > > Now first I need to rate this race to other Stage races . Very difficult > but let me say that next year will be my last S2C . They both are awesome > races but the 2 Towers is just easier as far as logistics , traveling etc > goes , and then it is a lot cheaper . > > But as we all know nothing is perfect . Now maybe I am full of sheeeet but > Hansa and Windhoek can not be classed as beers . Sure there are people out > there that force themselves to drink this stuff but please can we have > just one other “beer” there ? I enjoyed the cold showers but some of the > older ballies did not find it very funny . The start must be at 6am , if > we had the same weather that welcomed us on day 3 on the first 2 days I > can see a lot of people on the sweep vehicle . I also suggest that the > corner named Werner Koekemoer get moved to the 2nd corner after watertable > 1 on day two . Standing at the water table we saw a few , wait a lot , of > riders not making the corner and neither did my partner when we eventually > got to it . > > Now I hope I get a guaranteed entry for next year as I can see entries > going fast next year with waiting lists and all that stuff . > > BTW anybody that wants to start training for next year can get all the > profiles and tracks from me . > > > > ----------------------------------------- > This email was sent using SquirrelMail. > "Webmail for nuts!" > http://squirrelmail.org/ > > > > > -- Kind regards, Roberto Ambrosio ... Running hurts, it always has. Woolly mammoths didn't just roll over onto a plate and serve themselves up to prehistoric man with fries and a shake. They had to be caught - and running down woolly mammoths was hard. - www.teamcyanosis.co.za --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "DarkAndDirty" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/darkanddirty?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
