Cape Outback 2011

The Cape Outback Mountain Bike Expedition 2011

I had never even heard of the Cape Outback when I got the call from a cycling buddy about two weeks before the event. A friend of his had a team entry, but one of the team mates was unable to ride and they were now looking for a new partner. I am getting a bit of a reputation as the super-sub in my circle of friends and in trying to live up to this reputation I needed only a quick glance at the well laid out Cape Outback website to convince myself to accept the offer.

I soon learned that the Cape Outback expedition is not your typical MTB stage race. First impressions are that even though the race entry is by no means cheap, the race doesn’t have the over-commercialisation of other bigger events. The event director, Jakes Loubser, and his very capable side-kick and route director Leo du Plessis, are both adventurers at heart. It is therefore no surprise that the Cape Outback is branded as an expedition and not a race. Even the points system in lieu of the traditional timing is unique and designed by X-treme Africa events for the Cape Outback.  It seems to work exceptionally well for this type of event and I would like to see it used more widely. One can only speculate about the abbreviation:  FTT Position Placement System.

I am no stranger to roughing it and am content with whatever comes my way, even sleeping under the stars or in any makeshift shelter will do, but this time I had the opportunity to do it in style. My partner, Niel, had everything organised; a rented 5 berth camper, a support driver in the form of his good friend and supposed to be Cape Outback partner, Dirk, and his wife, Mariana, to complete the team as doctor, chef, team psychologist and cheering spectator.  Supplies of beer, meat, fruit cake, rolls, water and ice were stocked up in Paarl before departure.

A slow trip in the slightly overloaded camper into a headwind saw us arriving after seven on Thursday evening at Julie se Baai in Stilbaai for registration and the race briefing by Leo. The very relaxed atmosphere, personal welcoming by the organisers and well laid out camp site with huge bonfires, good food and free wine on the tables, made us feel at ease and looking forward to what was to come.  Leo’s race briefing was well presented, to the point and enticing without giving away too much. The promise of two interesting river crossing and “damaged roads” had my attention.  We opted for the Stilbaai caravan park for an overnight stop. Being a considerate but heavy snorer I volunteered myself into exile in the tented accommodation for the duration of the trip. The Thursday night’s accommodation is not included in the expedition package, so I had to pitch tent for the night. I woke to the sound of rain pelting down on the flysheet, but of this only some ominous looking clouds was left the next morning.

An early 6h30 start on the bridge over the Goukou River saw some 60 odd nervous riders saying their goodbyes to family and friends. I for one was not sure what to expect from the race. A quick glance around failed to spot the flashy array of brand new top of the range full suspension bikes you often see at multi stage events. The abundance of 29ers were noticeable as well as the hairy legs on the majority of riders. I have not ridden with Niel before and didn’t know what to expect from him apart from his promises of a being unprepared, unfit and that I should prepare myself for a very slow ride. Imagine my surprise when he flew away at the starter’s bell, leaving me huffing and puffing in his wake. The first few kilometres flew past and I only got a chance to catch a slight glimpse of the unbelievable views as we snaked along the Goukou River. We were promised some very dangerous and off-camber switchbacks and that is what we got. An earlier flood washed away the low water bridge over the Goukou river and a new route had to be hacked open by Leo and his team.

The river crossing called for the first of many portages on the expedition. Water depth differed from ankle to knee deep. After the crossing the first climb of the day loomed. Loose gravel, rocks, and washed out ruts made the climb more difficult than what the profile suggested. This set the scene for the remainder of the expedition. The descent saw us ploughing nose first into deep sand. I pride myself therein that I don’t walk downhills, but this one had me take a long hike. The guys on 29ers had a better time of it, but eventually also succumbed to the thick sand.  The second climb of the day took us to a sweet descent into the Slang River Ravine. The river crossing this time was on Leo’s inflatable kayaks. This was also the second water point and feed stop. Lunch consisted of some jelly sweets and boiled potatoes, but we were sustained by our dedicated support crew who created a makeshift water station a few kilometres earlier. Quite a few riders saw this as the official water point and Mariana and Dirk was only too glad to assist with ice, fruit cake, date balls and fresh water.

The kayak crossing was challenging but short and we were immediately faced by the second steepest climb of the Cape Outback. A cement jeep track climbed almost vertically in front of us. This must have been the climb that Leo talked about the previous evening, promising a bottle of wine to anyone that can ride up it in one go. I tried, but soon found my front wheel lifting, forcing me to put a foot down on the side of the track. I rested, remounted and tried again, only to have the same happen 100 meters further on. So no free wine for me this time. Some often sandy jeep track riding took us to good farm roads through ostrich camps, a jeep track around Nona Rosa Bushcamp and a tricky but beautiful piece of single track over the finish line and into the camp site. Some much deserved beers were followed by a hot shower in the camp site’s well laid out facilities. Hot water was provided by a “donkie”, a pressurised hot water boiler fashioned from an old gas tank and heated by fire. Nona Rosa does not have electricity or cell phone reception, so in my opinion a good choice for the first night’s stopover.  The full moon lit up the camp site, accentuating the 55m high cliffs surrounding the site. The brightness of the moon is amazing when there is no other light pollution around, but Leo also reminded us that the moon was at the closest point to the earth in 20 years.

A dinner of lasagne, salad and baked potatoes washed down with some white wine readied us for Leo’s race briefing and recap of the day’s riding. The 4 foreigners from the Multivan Merida team and one South African rider rode up the climb of the day and claimed their wine. The next day’s riding was promised to be through some pristine nature areas. Leo warned of an especially tricky section called the Ostrich Trails, apologising for the fact that not all the dangerous section were marked; they simply did not have enough warning signs! My first night in the well constructed canvas tents supplied by Zulu Overland was uneventful and left me well rested by the time the music started blaring at 5:00. A good breakfast of scrambled eggs, bread, muesli and yoghurt and 2 cups of coffee had me ready for the start at 7:00. Some flat but loose roads took us to the descent into the Ostrich trails. These lived up to all the expectations Leo set the night before: treacherous, scary, tough and beautiful all at the same time – true mountain biking and I felt well within my league, finding good rhythm on the technical sections and the legs strong on the climbs. This section also had the steepest climb of the expedition (and apparently also in any official event in the Southern Hemisphere). One of the Multivan Merida riders who actually rode it up, measured 43% incline on his Garmin. He was ever modest in claiming his 2 bottles of wine that evening.  The Breede River crossing on some high speed rubber ducks is followed by a sandy, tough climb that took us more than an hour to complete. A beautiful piece of single track took us down the mountain through a blue gum forest. The stop at water point 3 was shortened by the presence of hundreds of horse flies – must have been an experience to remember for the IALA volunteers manning the station. The last section of the day took us on some sandy tracks through the De Hoop nature reserve. Apart from a few Bontebok we did not see much game. Bleached skeletons tell the tale of the drought that has been plaguing the region for the last few years.

The finish at Ouplaas was an anticlimax after the exciting riding of the day. Ouplaas Primary is a rather depressing venue for a camp site. The tents were pitched on a dry rugby field amidst the rather dilapidated buildings of the school. The catering by the local community was part of their fundraising drive and one hopes that they raised some money for much needed repairs to the facilities. Good food was provided for both lunch and dinner and we spent the afternoon drinking beer and relaxing in the company of some other riders. Leo’s race briefing warned us of an early wake-up call, 5:00 start and more climbing than promised by the profile. At 123km stage 3 was also the longest of the expedition. At least his weather forecast still had the wind on our backs like the previous two days. This was however not to be.

Ouplaas was rocked by the sound of rock and roll at 3:00. It took me two or three songs to figure out that this meant waking up and getting ready for the start in two hours’ time. The bottle of Jägermeister I shared with Dirk the previous evening didn’t help my mood and I was somewhat fragile on the start line. The start was once again fast and a good pack was formed early on. The first 25km was covered well within an hour. This also signalled the left turn onto a farm road leading unto a jeep track climb and descends to the fence of the Denel missile test station. A flat section into the teeth of the South-wester took us to the suspension bridge over the Heuningnes River and into the De Mond Nature Reserve. The section after the bridge had us riding through sand dunes covered in typical seaside vegetation. Beautiful enough to stop at times to take in the view. Deep sand and the ever present South-wester slowed us down even further. A dual track climb took us up the Soetanysberg looking onto Cape Agulhas with the Indian Ocean on the left and the Atlantic Ocean on the right. A truly amazing sight and one that I will remember forever. From here on it was pretty much plain sailing to the beautiful oasis of Strandveld Winery. A long day in the saddle was rewarded with some sampling of the local produce, a lunch of hamburgers and salads and a lazy afternoon on the stoep of the wine tasting centre. More sampling of the local produce had us almost missing Leo’s race briefing. The last days riding was not to be underestimated. Three climbs dubbed The Three Little Pigs (Peaks?!) by Leo dominated the profile. I went to bed early, readying myself for what promised to be an awesome last day of mountain biking.

There is nothing little about the three little pigs! I walked more on the final day than on all the other days combined, pushing the bike up the steep and technical climbs. This is once again through almost unspoilt nature conservation areas. Beautiful Fynbos vegetation, awesome views and proper jeep and 4x4 tracks sum up the day’s riding. The 12 km descent into Beloftebos was fast and dangerous. We crossed the finish line together after 26 hours and 400km of the best mountain biking one can imagine. The FTT placement system placed us in 18^th place; right in the middle of the pack where we belonged.

In summary this is a race that can be used by the week-end warrior as an introduction into stage racing. It is not to be underestimated, but can be finished by the average Joe riding his bike every week-end and spending around 8 hours riding a week. Unfortunately the event is too close to the Cape Epic to be used in preparation for it, it is an excellent training opportunity for Cape Pioneer hopefuls or those maybe thinking of next year’s Epic. The race is well organised and riders are well looked after by the crew of volunteers and staff. Don’t expect overindulgent luxuries though. Jakes was schooled the hard way and this can be seen in many aspects of this expedition.

My pics: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=285009&id=748655734&l=7447b7c83d

Paarl Mountain

Paarl Mountain Boardwalk

Paarl mountain bikers are just so blessed to have Paarl Mountain on their doorstep as a play and training ground.

Paarl Mountain Boardwalk

This morning's ride included a fast tar section, a jeep track climb, some portage on a newly built boardwalk through an indigenous forest, some smooth single-track and a hairy scary downhill down what we call the Eliminator. And all this within the space of one and a half hours over 30 km!

On the Paarl MTB website there are some route descriptions. We have just so many options to choose from and the different sections are combined in all sorts of interesting permutations. The routes include district roads, technical jeep track climbs, single-track, downhill tracks (luckily with chicken runs for the chickens like me) and the most amazing 360 degree views of the whole Cape Town Basin.

Unfortunately my pics of the new boardwalk is not of great quality, but it gives you an idea of what I'm talking about. I will post some better ones at a later stage.

Boeckaert Soenen Paarl Rotary MTB race report

Paarl Mountain must be one of the most amazing spots to have on your doorstep, not only for mountainbikers, but also for hikers, trail runners, bird watchers, weekend warriors, picnic and braai enthusiast and even the culture vultures.

I regard the Paarl Rotary MTB race as my home race and even though we ride the mountain almost every day the opportunity to race it only comes along once or twice per year. I am used (if one can ever be!) to the amazing views that this race has to offer, so on this one day I focus on the road ahead and not the 360 degree views of the Cape and Boland.

This year saw me sick with a nagging cold that threatened to turn into bronchitis. This kept me out of the 24 hours of Oak Valley race, but there was no way I was going to miss the consolation of the Paarl race. I really didn't feel too well on race day, but decided to ride anyway and just take it easy and see how it goes.

It was one of the slowest starts I have ever been involved in in a race; probably caused by the short neutral zone through town and the "pace car" leading the pack. I was able to hang on to the lead bunch for about 8 k's, but then started to be worried about my heart rate and pulled back a little. I actually tried to wait for some friends that I knew weren't too far behind me. Some of them caught up with me on the way to the cement path (the highest point on the route) and this made the section quite enjoyable. I reached the top of the cement path on 1:08; almost 10 minutes off my pace of the previous year. At that stage I knew that my sub 2 hour target was not to be. From here it is mostly downhill, with the exception of a steep climb from the Bottom Loop to Krismiskamp. I flew down the downhills with good rhythm and flow and this made up for the slow climbing. Overshooting a switchback on the Bottom Loop almost saw me skidding down the mountain, but I managed to get a foot down in time.

The race incorporated a small section of singletrack near the end this year. I know these tracks very well and knew that I would be able to make up some time there. Unfortunately this section was not very well marked and some guys ahead of me got lost and ended up doing a 10 minute detour. I found  myself all alone through the singletrack and all the way to the finish, with no-one to chase down or out-sprint. This was a weird feeling, but one that my legs were thankful for.

I ended up with a race time of 2:00:40 and 14th position according to Racetec. This position is flattering though because they only display paid up PPA member's results. I know that some Paarl riders like Noel and Louis definitely beat me, but their names are not on the list.

Congratulations to Dick and his team for putting together a great race day. Maybe improve the singletrack section next year with some better route marking. The heat also caught some back-markers unawares and a bit more than just water at the single water point might have helped them.

Attakwas 2011!!!

 Attakwas! 

A word so loaded with emotion that many mountainbikers say it in hushed tones or stutter when they try to speak afterwards. It brings up memories of insanely technical terrain; redefining rideable for a lot of people, monstrous climbs that seems to go on forever, crazy downhills, intense heat, an ever present headwind, dust and river crossings that will rattle the deepest bones in your body. On the other hand this is the favourite race for many of us. A race so well organised that it is setting the standard for mountainbike races in South Africa.I cannot therefore think of a more fitting topic for my first blog post than an Attakwas race report.

My mountainbiking has always been a family affair and I try to make it as much of a treat for everybody as it is for me. This year we decided to camp at the finish line with some friends. Camp was set up on the Friday amidst some rainy weather, but we spent the night in George at my mother's place. Probably a wise decision if I listen to the amount of sleep my mates got in. 


We left for the race at 5 to arrive at Chandelier game farm in perfect racing conditions. Beautiful cool weather with no clouds or wind to speak of. A cup of coffee and catching up with old friends saw me ending up right at the back of my 6:45 start group. I knew that the guys I promised to ride with were probably right at the front, so my first 25km was spent fighting through the pack to try an catch them. I eventually caught up with them just before water point 1.


 The legs were feeling good and Johan was setting a good pace. A quick stop at WP 1 was followed by the first monster climb of the day. The max heart rate I got there last year still stands. I found it a bit easier this year and had to wait a few minutes at the top for the others to catch up (once you lose traction and come off the bike you're in for a long walk). It was here that Johan said that the dogs are starting to bite - our phrase for the beginnings of cramping. We slowed down a bit to allow for him to recover. Water point 2 was a longer stop to have the bikes lubed and refill the bottles. At the Attakwas this is all done for you, you feel like a pro. 


Soon after WP 2 I had an ungracious dismount into a river, which also meant a nasty gash to my shin. I knew this would need treatment at some stage. Johan's cramping got worse and I eventually decided to carry on and leave him behind. A decision that still sits heavily on my shoulders. A quick stop at a medic station got my leg sorted out and I was ready for the nerve wrecking descent to water point 3. I couldn’t stomach even looking at a Spur burger at this stage and took the first of many Fast Fuel gels. 


Many people say that the Attakwas only starts after the Spur stop and I agree. It is all district roads from there (although they added a nice diversion through a cow field this year), but you are still left with almost 1500 meters of climbing over 55km. I sat in a nice group, but started to fall off the pace and almost hit the wall before I stopped, sat down in a shady spot and refreshed myself with some more gels, a bar and some tablets for the pain in my leg and shoulder. This helped to the extent that I caught most of the people that dropped me earlier. I finished strong and with enough energy for the party afterwards.

Race time 7:40.

Link to some more info on the race http://www.dryland.co.za.