Great report! Well done! On Mon, Jul 12, 2010 at 12:21 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: > For reasons unknown to me Team Have Beer , which we most probably will > have to change to Team without Beer , was entered into a Adventure Race > after about a two year resting period . Donald was nominated as the > navigator and with this title behind him he also became the team manager . > It was decided from the start that he will be the ONLY one to give > directions and let me say now before I start the report that it worked > very well . > I suppose I also have to elaborate on our training program a bit as I am > sure a lot of people would like to know how we training for events like > this . > Running – Apparently Hilda put a few kilometres in the weeks before the > event . The rest of us started to run at a very young age and knew that > walking was way better and easier . > Cycling – Same as above , we know how to ride a bike > Rowing – Now here we knew that without training we could run into problems > . So me , Hilda and Werner did about 90 minute flat water training two > weeks before the event . Our team captain could not make this session but > he did assure us that he has seen a canoe before and “how difficult can it > be ? “ . > Getting all the required kit together took two days as it was all over the > place but I am proud to say we all got to the event fully kitted with all > gear in place . We left Pretoria just before 17:00 because we did not want > to miss the pasta meal . Normally a pasta meal at events would consist of > 14 noodles , find the mince and imagine the cheese . This meal was > something I would have expected to find at one of our finest Italian > restaurants in the big city , only twice the size . Luckily we had the > meal about 4 hours before race start as I found it very difficult to move > after I ate all that food . > The race started on time and we all grabbed out boats and started walking > to the river about 800 meters away . We did not really bother to plot the > point where we had to launch our boat and just followed the crowd who > happened to go the wrong way . When they realized their mistake and turned > around it put us in the front of the “lost” group . Only about 200 meters > was added by this little mistake and it also made the congestion at the > launch pad less . Nevertheless it was still a scramble to get the boats > into the water but we eventually managed to clear the side and started > paddling up river . Donald did not really fit into the boat but manager to > squeeze in . Very wobbly we rowed hugging the riverbed . I kept us as > close to the side as possible as I could see a swim coming up . Hilda and > Werner was going strong and did not look like struggling at all , we on > the other hand were all over the place . I think we got about halfway on > this leg when we went for our first swim . It was freezing cold and a > shock to the system . Getting out of the river was almost impossible with > all the reeds on the sides . But we had to get the water out of our ship > and after a struggle we managed to empty the boat and get back onto the > water . A few hundred meters further it was time for a dip again . This > time we picked a spot that was very deep and even when we managed to get > next to the reeds we would not stand . At this point I had a sense of > humour failure and got onto the reeds , grabbed the handle of the boat and > yanked it out of the water with Donald still hanging onto the other side . > When Donald started laughing I knew we are going to be ok and sat down on > the floating grass having a giggle . Again we got into the canoe just to > capsize a few meters further . We made a k decision to portage the > remainder of the leg . After falling around the reeds for what seemed > hours we realized that portage will not be possible , so back to the water > we went . To make a long story short we had another swim before we reached > the transition area . > There was no time to stand around as I could feel my blood starting to > freeze and had to move else I will become a Popsicle . No feeling in hand > or feet made going difficult but luckily we had a steep climb ahead of us > and quickly I could feel life coming back . We reached the top of the hill > in record time and quickly found the first CP . The 2nd CP eludes us and > after about a 20 minute walk we ended up at CP1 again . The sweeper team > joined us and kindly gave me a life jacket to try and keep warm . It > really helped a lot . I really don’t recall us ever finding CP2 as at this > stage I just kept my head down and followed whoever was in front of me . > Walking like this staring at the ground I noticed a lot of cow dung all > over the place . I said to myself , the first one I see steaming I am > gonna plant my face into . I still don’t know if I was lucky or unlucky > but I did not pass a steaming one . But spirits was still high and we > headed for where we thought CP3 would be . We knew there had to be a ruin > in the area where we will find the CP . Then we saw it , a flashing light > . We started to hike towards the light but it does not get closer , > actually it seems to be moving away from us . Ok that must be a firefly > from the North Pole , so we turn around and went the other way . But > somebody looked around and again saw the flashing light , this time it > seemed brighter and it made a sound !!!! Woop-Woop or something like that > . So u-turn again and this time we gonna catch that light . It is always > good to see Hardy (Clinton) but this reunion was special . But we could > not stand still for long and off we went . The sweeper team was somewhere > else sweeping and we headed towards CP4 . I just wanted to get back to > base camp ASAP to get some dry clothes and hot coffee . > At the TA we got a little surprise . Our life jackets were frozen solid > and we had to break them open to get our arms in . The splashies also > sounded like a space blanked and it was very difficult to get it around > the cockpit . Me and Donald was the first to go into the water and at this > stage the mist was so thick that I could not see the tip of the boat . > Hilda and Werner soon came paddling past us but in true team spirit and > knowing how we battle Werner broke his light stick and shouted at us to > follow the light . Donald instructed me to just sit still while he does > the paddling . Not what I really wanted to do as I needed to keep moving > but every time I blinked Donald would just growl “Sit stil “ . We followed > our team mates for quite a distance but lost them in the mist after a > while . Again I decided it best to try and see if we can stay close to the > shore . At the bridge I took the wrong entrance and we got stuck on a pipe > . I still don’t know how but we managed to get off the pipe , turn around > and continue without getting wet !! > The sweepers followed us closely and recommended that we exit before the > rapids . We did not need a second invite ,we were out of the water quicker > than CP4 could shout woop-woop . I could see the light at base camp but we > had to get to the next CP and also get our partners . Together with the > sweeping team we took a jog up to the next CP . Mandy had a nice big fire > going at her CP . We quickly realized that our partners have not arrived > yet . Maybe they took the first rapids and portage after that . We decided > to wait a bit and also to soak up as much heat from the fire as possible . > Another team arrived at the CP and reported that they did not see anybody > else on the river . This was not good and we had to go and find them . We > walked back up the river calling and blowing whistles without reply . We > eventually landed up at our boats again . Maybe they have also exited the > river early and headed for Base camp . So we grabbed out canoes and headed > towards the light . > I could see that their boat was not in the ship yard . Thing did not look > good . Hardy quickly got a search team together while we got into dry > clothes and waited by the fire . We soon got news that they found the pair > . Carine quickly ran to the kitchen to made 2 x hot chocolates as we also > got the news that they are very wet . > What has happened from what I heard is that they got lost in the mist on > the river and took the wrong split . In the dark the encountered some > rapids (I saw them the next day !!!! ) and capsized the boat . They > managed to hang on and found dry land but unfortunately on a small island > . They decided to leave the boat there and head for the other side of the > river where they knew the CP was . But the rapids on the other side were > even bigger and they took a ride over rocks and stuff . I could see that > Hilda looked a bit shaken while Werner was a little bit stirred . After a > warm shower they got the first words out and Hilda attempted a smile ! > We decided to continue as soon as the sun comes out . At a few minutes > past 7am we got onto our bikes and headed for the gorge . Things started > to look up again , we all on our bikes having a nice ride chatting about > what’s to come . As we got to the transition area 3 teams came in after > complete ting the gorge hiking leg . We got a warm welcome from the people > managing the Transition and after Donald finished his plotting we started > the hike up the gorge . I am very glad we decided to do this section in > the light for two reasons . If we started in the dark we most probably > will still be there somewhere and secondly we would have missed the most > stunning views . I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a hiking leg > this much . > The sweepers caught up to us at CP8 . Team Have Beer decided to walk along > the escarpment while the sweepers took another router but our paths > crossed 200 meters into the hike where the two paths came together . We > did not find CP9 where we hoped it would be and ended up on top of a rocky > hill . While the two navigators got their maps out I ran around the hills > looking for a CP . The young lady from the sweepers was standing on the > edge of the hill looking into the distance when she spotted something . > She saw a CP !!!! This thing was miles away and despite their best effort > to show it to me I could not see anything . Carine wanted to take a photo > and show me but not even her camera could zoom close enough . > The hike to CP9 was to say the least not easy going . Rocks , thorns and > thick bush hindered out progress . We saw another team approaching the CP > from the wrong side coming down the mountain . They must have reached it > before us as we only saw then much later hiking towards the gorge . CP10 > was very easy to plot as even me , who gets lost in Sandton city could > see it was at the top of the highest point . I again really enjoyed hiking > up to this CP . Uphill hiking is just so much more fun than the downhill > stuff . > At CP10 the sweepers decided to hike down to the road and hike from there > to the transition and we decided to try and cut the corner and go through > the bush . The downhill was very steep and rocky and really tested the > knees and ankles to the limits . Halfway down we decided it was time for > breakfast and stopped for about 20 minutes to take a break . At the > transition we found the sweepers ready to start their next leg . We told > them to continue as they still had to do the paddle . We could not do the > paddle as we only had one boat and would do the extra mountain bike leg > instead . > After a nice chat with the people at the transition Donald finished the > plotting and we headed for CP11 . Donald and Werner speeded past this CP > but luckily me and Hilda was exchanging recipes at the back and I saw the > CP next to the river . In his attempt to turn around Donald fell over and > decided to just lie there in the middle of the road for a few minutes . > This seems to be a trademark of our team , lying in the middle of the road > for long periods of time . On our previous race we actually slept in the > middle of the road . > After CP12 we cycled towards the caravan park where we would get > instructions for our next leg . Time was running out for us to go and > recover our boat while it was still light . Werner and Donald put the > hammer down and left me and Hilda eating dirt . We got the base camp just > after 14:00 . Another team who managed to wrap their boat around an > obstacle heard of our salvaging attempt and we agreed to team up for this > . It so happened that their boat was close to our team’s boat . The river > was flowing very strongly in the area where the boat were and I went back > to camp to fetch PFD and paddles . > WE made a rope by joining all the boat tie downs together. Werner and the > other team member made it across by hanging onto the rope . Then the > cavalry arrived . Farmer Dirk and his team got there with long ropes and > plenty of advice . We recovered two boats fairly easily but could not get > the third boat . We don’t know who this boat belonged to but don’t worry > it’s most probably still there . > We had to hit the road after price giving and could not stay for the after > party . A great race with many challenges and lots to talk about . Thanks > to sweeping team and marshals for “tips” , race organizers (we know where > you stay) and Dirk and his team . > Team Have Beer will now again go into hibernation for two years . So until > the next awakening cheers for eers . > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > South Africa's premier free email service - www.webmail.co.za > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > For super low premiums, click here http://home.webmail.co.za/dd.pwm > > -- > 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. > >
-- "Dream big and live those dreams. Why ration passion. Pursue Passion. Death and/or old age is coming, we must live sweet. The time is now. It is not only life, but the quality of this life." - Mike Libecki http://thespoonthatbends.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]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/darkanddirty?hl=en.
