To the Barn that is Red and back...

Great ride to the Big Red Barn mountain bike park outside Irene on Sunday the 18th of December 2016. A few dedicated mountain bikers met at 05:30 at the BP to push our bodies to the limits whilst having a whole lot of fun. Fast ride there averaging almost 24km/h (thanks to Billy and Ian). Once at the park, Alister took us on some of the best parts which was extremely enjoyable. Awesome trails that are fun to ride even for the technically challenged like myself. Breakfast followed by the slog home. The ride home was great, nice pace and Ian took us on a different way that really broke the manotamy of riding the same parts getting there. Really enjoyed this ride - I finished on 101km and was not completely broken. 

Customary breakfast after churning up the track...

Get in line - Billy, Michelle, Becky

The Famous Babekas Becky

Yes was in front of Ian at one stage

Billy the Bandit

Group shot almost home...

Ride in the rain last week - followed by coffee at the M&B

WattleSpring trails outride..

Yesterday we went on a great ride out to the new WattleSpring trails MTB park outside Bapsfontein. It was an exploratory ride to see how far the park was away from Benoni (+30km) and to see what the park had to offer. We met at the BP at 05:30 and made our way to the park - we got there around 07:00 and were met by Ryan who very kindly took us around the trail. Unfortunately there was a lot of rain the night before and most of the track was vey muddy and couldn't be ridden. My back wheel slide out in the mud a few times and I scored three spectacular touch downs. The parts that we did ride were awesome, lots of work and thought has gone into this track, there is loads of single track, jumps, berms and step downs etc... 

Can't wait to go back there when the track is dry and the whole route can be experienced. We cut our ride short because our bikes caked in mud and opted to go back to the club house for some coffee and a breakfast bun instead. After replenishing the body and washing off the bikes we made our way back to Benoni - I ended up on 90km round trip, what an awesome ride with fantastic people. 

Marco, Michelle, Juan, Von, (muddy) Me, Becky and Wayne after the WattleSprings virgin ride. 

Guilty blog from the lame blogger..

So after 7 odd years later after my first blog post in February 2009 I have become a blog slacker. Life has overtaken me and the time to reflect on my MTB memoirs is sadly reduced. Never a less lots has happened since my last blog post. I have had some fantastic rides (most of them involving a voluntary coffee stop) and witnessed some incredible feats in this wonderful sport of mountain biking. 

Everest challenge 2016 - I went and supported Becky and Sean on their amazing feat of riding the same ascent as it would be to climb Mount Everest. They chose a hill in Linksfield over a 30 hour period (against adverse weather conditions) they climbed almost 9000 meters. They did 113 laps up the hill to get the 9000m which was incredibly tough and resilient. I did 10 laps with them and really admire their determination to complete this feat. They are amazing athletes and we are proud to have them as members of the Benoni Rough Riders MTB group. 

Mini Everest that had to be claimed 133 times

Sean, Becky and Rene the Everest conquerors

Everest route was drawn on their car to plot their progress 

Tired Champs after 30 hours slogging uphill

November was 94.7 road race month and I had a few rides to train for this. Not as many as I should of and I was a little under prepared once again. We had a great group ride out at Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve with the Apricot Tree charity group. Pretty hot ride with temps hitting 40 degrees Celsius - always a tough ride with loads of climbing. Sean was not riding after his Everest challenge the weekend before and brought the trailer and gas cooker to provide refreshments for the riders once they completed the route. Was really awesome - the nose cone of his trailer was filled with ice and packed with beers and cold drinks - these went down extremely well. 

One of the many 'training' rides followed by coffee and breakfast (Marco and Mark with no cash to pay the bill) 

94.7 road race 2016 was another awesome race. Once again I did this race with Wayne on our mountain bikes. We started at 7 o'clock and had a great chilled ride. Wayne had to wait for me on a few of the hills as my body had not yet recovered from the few days of drinking an eating I had subjected it to in Cape Town a few days before. The route this year was a lot better with us going around Kyalami race track instead of the inner city. Great ride once again representing the Apricot Tree school charity. Awesome support from the school with refreshments and massages once we crossed the finish line. 

Me and Wayne at the start of the race

At the finish - just over 4hours in the saddle

OK this is the end of the blog post - hoping for some long rides in December and will post more I promise.