Well... talking about the main race, have you read the detail behind each stage? The entire format has been switched around and the distances have been reduced... from the sounds of it, 2009 is SabieX light anyway. Regardless though, the wear and damage the main race does to your equipment (as much fun as it is), just does not seem to be worth it. Truth be told a mate of mine who did the Cape Epic reckoned the Epic was actually easier than the old format SabieX, simply because of the lack of mud pools that are knee deep and the fact that you don't need to replace you cabling / brake pads / chain / etc after each stage if you actually want to to complete the race with a working bike.
Anyways... the pre-ride sounds fun and worth it. The idea of riding as a social group with a back-up vehicle that actually has supplies (Being a back-marker there have been numerous times that I've gotten to water points that are practically empty) is VERY appealing. Also, not having to wait for a single track and not getting stuck in a queue when you finally get on it is a serious bonus Thanks for the report :) On Thu, Nov 19, 2009 at 6:47 PM, Carine <[email protected]> wrote: > I've done 2 extremely muddy Sabie Xtremes, and kind of decided to not do it > again because of the damage to the bike. > > But when Fiona and Doug and Gadget (my freedom Challenge riding buddies in > Joberg) all said they're gonna be at the Sabie X preride, and with Dawn and > Dave unavailable for playing, I realised I could either go with, or have no > riding buddies for that weekend. > > I have been tempted to do the preride before, but intimidated by my own > (lack of) ability and what i've read from other people about the speeds that > they do these rides at > > Couldn't get leave for the Friday (due to a new product launch that didn't > seem to fit in with my riding plans) > > Left the office at 2-ish on Friday afternoon, only to be prevented from > going anywhere by William-Nicol Traffic. Left Gadget's place at 5-ish. More > traffic-woes, and we were free. Quick phone-call to Fiona confirmed that the > day's ride was muddy and wet and long and awesome. Doug was battling with a > cold, though, and didn't ride Another phone call to Steve (Honey) whe is > lucky enough to stay in that area nowadays - also looking forward to the > next day's ride. > > We checked in and found the house-mates to be Colin and Graham - Colin, > with whom i shared a downhill or two in Waterval-boven and a few other > places - but more importantly, who has cycled events like La ruta de los > Conquistadores and Trans Rockies - a LEGEND. and Graham, who has toured lots > of the freedom trail SOLO. another legend. > > It promised to become another weekend of cycling with legends, listining to > their stories and admiring their bikes. > > Woke up Saturday morning with the smell of freshly brewed coffee - Graham > came prepared! We lubed the bikes, got our wind jammers out, and off we > went. Doug was not looking well at all, but who can blame him for wanting to > come with? > > Out into the fog and through the pine plantations and through the fog. > Admiring wooden specialized bikes, listening to stories, dodging > mud-puddles, and just generally being alive. > > Stopping for water, junglebars and bananas - then climb some more. A flat > tyre, a cold that got the better of Doug, who opted to get into the > ambulance - then climb some more. Wait at the top. On rare singletrackies, > send the fast people first- partly so that you can see where the dangers > are, but mostly for the enjoyment factor of all. > > Up on to the reserve, and then on the level before the descent started. We > had an ambulance, so > > No mud-baths where 1000 cyclists went before you. > No queues on singletracks, and therefor no-one who jumps queues, and no-one > walking perfectly ridable obstacles. > > Some downhill at last, release the breaks and just go. The Trance's shocks > were pumped a little too hard (due to the 6-hour-event the week before) and > it handled even more unstable than i remember the hardtail - probably only > because i haevn't been on the hardtail for a while! > > Anyway - so we bomb down this hill and that - up that little climbie, then > down again, and too soon the ride was over. > > Washed the bikes, had an humungous chelsea bun (the size of a chocolate > cake, really!), and then got clean to go watch the rugby in a pub. > > > Gadget organised some chicken liver pasta for supper - yummie!!!! > > Then Sunday morning, more riding! > > Doug looked a lot better, but wisely decided not to ride. > So we bid him farewell, and off we went - 'n climb on tar, some downhill, a > wicked steep long breathtaking climb - and what a pleasure that it was > ridable - mostly because there was no mud-bath where 1000 bicycle have gone > before you, and the pathe was not full of people hiking up the mountain with > their bikes. > > Breathtaking climb, breathtaking views, awesome people. I wanted to be > nowhere else. > > More singletrack, more climbs, more downhills, a little mis-happie on a > slippery climb that left a big gash on my knee, some attention from the > medical team, more singletrack, more general feel-good-ness and alive-ness. > > Too soon the ride ends. > Get clean, and head for Dullstroom for some pizza ans other fatty unhealthy > foodstuffs and beer and hot chocolate. > > Part of the reason for the ride is that the medical team can see where > accidents are most likely to happen - and to work out their evacuation plans > for the main event. There are 3 vehicles, so depending on the number of > people who wants to ride on the day, there can be a maximum of 3 groups. > People falling off from the fast group gets picked up by the slower groups. > Your R100 per day's riding includes permits and a medical team that follows > you in a car wherever possible (and who carries water and some energy > drinks, junglebars and bananas. And priceless, the AWESOME riding buddies in > what is one of South Africa's greatest mountain bike destinations ..... I'm > afraid the Sabie Xperience 'main race' won't see me again. > > But the preride .... i will be there next year. And i'll get leave for ALL > the days of the preride. > > THIS is the ride to do. > THIS is what mountainbiking is about (for me, anyway). > > > -- > > http://cyclingwith.blogspot.com > > -- > 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]<darkanddirty%[email protected]> > . > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/darkanddirty?hl=. > -- 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.
