HOPEWELL MTB RIDE ORGANISED BY FAT TRACKS. THERE WERE PROBABLY AROUND 150 RIDERS HERE THIS MORNING. THERE WAS A STAGE FOR ALL LEVELS OF ABILITY WITH A LEADER IN EACH SECTION.
Sunday 15th January 2012
FAT TRACKS BIKE RIDE AT HOPEWELL
KEVIN
GEOFF
ANTON
THOMAS
CHARLES
MARTIN
PETER
Charles emailed me with a possible bike ride on Sunday 15th. It looked quite doable so I agreed that he would pick me up and we would ride this event at Hopewell game farm near to St Albans Prisons. I invited Kevin, Thomas and a couple of others. Ally had her theory test for her Surf Proficieny Award (SPA) the previous afternoon and this morning had her practical which would included a run-swim-run and some beach excersizes. Then she had duty the whole day till 5pm.
There was a bit of an east wind blowing and my experience with an easterly means the waves would be moderate but the sea choppy. There is also the possibility of bluebottles, jellyfish and churned up seaweed. This does not make the swim easy. But Ally is a competent and brave swimmer; I was confident that she would be okay. I dropped her off at Tara vd Venter. Adel would be doing a Triathlon and Anton would be marshalling.
Sunday morning I was up early and cleaned the bike, Lubed the chain and pumped the tyres. I checked my camelpack and filled the bladder with water. Charles picked me up just after 7am and we rode out along the old Cape Road towards St Albans. Charles has been doing a number of rides with Martin since they were on holiday together at Bushmans. Specifically they have been doing hills while I have been riding at Kragga Kamma where it is all flat.
We took the Bethelsdorp Turn off and found the game reserve. There were already a number of cars and people there. John had an operation this past week and would be off sport for a number of weeks. We off loaded our bikes and cycled to the main gate and in for 100 meters where we saw what we thought would be the gathering point. This was a ride organised by Fat Tracks MTB club. I have come across them previously at the Profiles Gym but as yet not thought of joining.
The main announcer man informed us that there was no cost for us to ride this morning. Stefan ( A Fat Tracks Member) had arranged this whole event with Hopewell at no charge to riders. There would be three groups; Racing Snakes; mid group ability and skill; mama’s and poppas. Martin and Charles elected to ride with the Mid group. Thomas, Kevin, Geoff, Anton and I elected to ride in the back group. Stefan would be our leader.
CHARLES AND KEVIN WAIT FOR THE START OF THE HOPEWELL MTB TRAIL RIDE. CHARLES AND MARTIN WENT OFF WITH THE SECOND GROUP.
The faster two groups went off and then it was our turn. We headed down into the valley where we crossed the stream a number of times. Each time we crossed there were rocks on the stream for us to ride across. I was uncertain crossing some and managed to ride across others. We crossed the stream around 5 times and rode along the bed of the river. Later on I heard Stefan giving some tips on how to ride these obstacles: dont look down to exactly where you are riding. Look ahead to where you will exit and pedal accordingly. Have the bike in an easier gear to exit the slight incline.
GEOFF SMILES AS HE REACHES THE TOP OF THIS TOUGH HILL.
We emerged on a dirt road where we regrouped. After this there was a reasonably long up hill which I found tough but okay to ride. Our little group rode together at this stage. Thomas is strong on the hills. This was Anton’s first ride and Geoff’s second and they too coped very well. At the top of the hill we again regrouped. Stefan, our group leader, decided that the back markers would take a slightly easier route as they had really battled coming up the hill. We had a bit of an easier ride along the ridge for a while before we tackled sharp down where you had to be careful. MMM? I had to be careful. Some of the chaps hurtled down this hill as if they were surfing a wave.
STEFAN WAS THE LEADER OF OUR GROUP. A YOUNG MAN WITH A HUGE AMOUNT OF PATIENCE AS WE WAITED FOR SLOWER RIDERS AND RIDERS WITH BIKE PROBLEMS. HE COULD PROBABLY HAVE DONE THIS COURSE THREE TIMES IN THE TIME IT TOOK US TO DO IT.
LOOK FOR THE LADY'S SLIPPER IN THE BACKGROUND
I had forgotten to change the front shock to “off” and as I started up the hill I kind of bounced and ended up standing still. It is really hard to get going again when you are on a rough track and a steep uphill. So I had to walk up the hill. I meet up with Kobus and we chat for a while on the ride. We look familiar to one another but PE is a small town and it is easy to see people without knowing them.
THOMAS AND ANTON. WE WOULD REGROUP AT THE TOP OF THE HILLS
We then made our way around to the west with Ladies Slipper in the distant horizon. There are a couple of ups and downs but nothing that we cannot manage. Time is ticking away. We are already over an hour into the ride and going slowly. Shortly after this Thomas found that he had a slow puncture. We first tried to pump it and then I tried some Slime. But it continued to leak and he had to pack it in. Strangely enough there was another man who at the same spot and at the same time, also had a puncture.
Stefan was now way up in front and he had seen that there were a couple of stragglers and had phoned the game ranger, Kevin, to fetch us in the bakkie. I elected to press on along the pathway. I could see the bunch way ahead but however hard I tried I could not catch them. I came across another chap who was also having puncture problems, Jock. He was pumping his tyre every few minutes and was making slow progress. I was worried that Charles would be getting impatient so when Jock stopped to pump his tyre again I carried on.
KEVIN REACHES THE TOP OF THE FIRST HILL
Stefan was waiting for us (the last two – Jock and myself). Then I saw what I thought was a piece of plastic waving in the wind. Geoff, Anton and Kevin were there and it turned out to be a wounded ostrich that was panicking as we rode past. The ostrich was waving its wings in an attempt to move. We did not approach it but could see that it was in distress. Kevin went back to advise Stefan who later told the ranger Kevin about this bird.
I rode on and down to where I could now see all the riders that had finished. There was a bit of a steep down hill and it was loose stones with some soft sand. I must have braked just at the wrong time and did a somersault with the bike landing on top of me. Full of dust and a bit bruised I was overtaken by Geoff and Anton right at the end of the ride. They went down to the finsh area for a beer and boerrie roll while I bought a coke and cycled to the entrance where I correctly estimated that Charles would be waiting for me.
It was now 10.40. I had been on the MTB for over two and a half hours and was really quite tired. I phoned in to say that I would be late for Nippers. Charles dropped me off at home and there Barbara was busy doing a whole clean up job for School starting on Monday. I could not leave her alone so decided to skip Nippers and to work with her instead.
After the bike ride and the loading the bakkie, cleaning up the back room and moving furniture around I was so tired that I passed out on my bed for a midday sleep.
Later I collected Ally from the Summerstrand where she had been on duty. It was as I had predicted, choppy with seaweed and a young boy,swimming in front of the clubhouse had lost his life drowing in waist deep water. Very tragic! Brian in formed me that this was the first drowning, while there were lifeguards on duty, for the past 55 years that Summies has been in excistence.
I had started the Endomondo on the cell phone but forgot to switch it off until we had driven a couple of kays away from Hopewell so the information was not correct. I could still see the route that we had taken and the calorie counter said that I had used up 1200 calories. Good or bad -- I am not sure.
What I am sure of is that I would like to do this kind of thing again and will sign up with Fat Tracks.
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