Sedgefield to Edgemead Gravel Travel 2009

Posted on 29th April 2009 by mtbguy in Uncategorized

For only R2750 you can ride back from Sedgefield after the Knysna Oyster cycling festival Included in the price is accommodation in comfortable, accredited venues, bedding, towels, 3 meals daily, and the bonus of having your bike washed and lubed each day. Approximately 70 % of the route is on gravel (farm and secondary gravel roads), and the balance on tar roads.

This is a CITY CYCLING CLUB organised ride and sounds really outstanding.

THE ROUTE (Starting on Sunday after the Oyster festival MTB ride)

  • Day 1 Sunday 05 July:  Sedgefield to Zingela Indele 130 Km
  • Day 2 Monday 06 July:  Zingele Indele to Riversdal 120 Km
  • Day 3 Tuesday 07 July : Riversdal to Barrydale 79   Km
  • Day 4 Wednesday 08 July:  Barrydale to Montague 109 Km
  • Day 5 Thursday 09 July : Montague to Rawsonville 105 Km
  • Day 6 Friday 10 July:  Rawsonville to Edgemead 121 Km
  • Total distance 664 Km

TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS

We will travel to Sedgefield on Friday at about 14h00 with the CCC Club Kombi carrying 8 passengers and a Toyota Quantum carrying 13 passengers

Club Bike trailer plus a rented trailer for bikes (some bikes will need to be specially packed, and we will advise this closer to the time.)

ACCOMMODATION (Towels and bedding included)

  • Friday and Saturday Sedgefield Myoli Beach Lodge and Cabanas
  • Sunday Brandwag Zingela Indele
  • Monday Riversdal Oakdale Cottages
  • Tuesday Barrydale Barrydale Hotel
  • Wednesday Montague Private Accomodation
  • Thursday Rawsonville Nekkies

MEALS

  • Early morning Continental breakfast: At a nearby restaurant or catered for by CCC
  • Midday “Vasbyt” light lunch: At a restaurant, or catered for by CCC
  • Dinner: At a nearby restaurant or catered for by CCC

for more information contact: 

Steve Maritz at 083 401 6781 or e mail Steve at steve.maritz@castrol.com

Alternatively you can contact, Adriaan Koch on 082 660 6966 or email Adriaan at jakoch@telkomsa.net. 

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Wines 2 Whales feedback: day 2

Posted on 28th April 2009 by mtbguy in Uncategorized

Sunday morning was much warmer that Saturday and in fact completely rainless!

We started at Tri-active yet again and went towards the Paul Cluver amphitheatre to then hit a long fast dirt road downhill.
We eventually got into jeep tracks and single track and before long we are on the edge of a sheer drop off facing the Houwhoek Inn. The 90 degree hairpin corners on the single track on the way down were not really ride-able. The last few meters to the bridge is where most of us got onto our bikes again and the the whole group met up on the lawns outside the Houwhoek Inn. From there we followed the old pass parallel to the N2 down Botrivier. Just outside Botrivier we crossed under the N2 again and at 27km arrived at Wildekrans Estate for the first waterpoint of the day.
Here they has potatoes, coke and bananas and also sold boerewors rolls and wine by the glass.
The next waterpoint was at 45km after a nice easy ride through the veld all along the road to Hermanus.
From there we turned away from the road for the first real uphill of the event through forest, bush and dirt road to stop again at Sumaridge wine estate in upper Hemel-and-aarde Valley.
The scenery and views on this part of the route was amazing and we still experienced regular bits of great single track.
The last stop was a water and wine table with ice cold Rose on top of the Rotary Drive outside Hermanus.
From here one could see the whole of Hermanus and all the way to Gansbaai.
Some serious descents through vineyards and orchards took us down to the tarred road just about 3 km or so from the wine village in Hermanus where we finished.
Day 2 was really fantastic and even more enjoyable than day 1.
all in all it was a great experience.
We all received a coffee mug, a set of chain links, tire levers and 2 headbands a the start. Oh yes, a miniature cream liqueur as well.
At the finish line every -one received a voucher for lunch and a Mitchell’s beer at Ferryman’s in the Waterfront.
They still want the event to go ahead in November, let’s hope it happens.
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Wines 2 Whales feedback: day 1

Posted on 28th April 2009 by mtbguy in Uncategorized

Back home and rested, it is time to give that promised W2W feedback from the week-end.

Okay, as they mentioned on their website several times, this was a RIDE and not a race.
So, early on Saturday morning in the dark and rain we all gathered for the RIDE briefing. It was a very informal and casual affair that saw us only get away at 7h30.
The idea: 3 groups, a slow, medium and fast one, each with 3 or 4 guides to steer us in the right direction, so to speak. Johan made it clear that there were no sign postings en route and that the organizers won’t go looking for anyone that got lost.
It was a new concept to me. Either I race, or I ride with 2 or 3 buddies, not 150!
Of course the groups split up and we eventually had 3 groups within the medium group. I understand the fast and slow groups, being smaller in number remained intact.
Day 1 was very muddy, or should I rather say, day 1 was MUD!
…and water!
…and clay!
Anyway, riding the figure 8 circuit from Tri-Active , near Kromco, through the Oak Valley mtb route and then down to Thandi, under the N2 to Lebanon and back under the highway to Tri-Active took about 6h45 with starts and stops.
The rain was non-stop.
The action and enjoyment was however also non-stop.
Most definitely the most fun I ever had in rain, water and mud.
All in all we rode about 71,4km and most riders I spoke to enjoyed the entire thing.
There were 3 water points ( I think) with water, coke, Energade, bananas and baby potatoes.
A very enjoyable day and one worth talking about and doing again.
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Wines 2 whales update

Posted on 24th April 2009 by mtbguy in Uncategorized

Okay, arrived safely at Tri-active near Paul Cluver and registered for the ride tomorrow. Now having dinner at the Tri-active base camp. Lovely pasta dinner. Sitting with 3 guys from Melkbosstrand. Talking about the technicalities of espresso machines at the moment.
The vibe here is very relaxed knowing that it is a RIDE and not a RACE tomorrow.
Will update again tomorrow.
Good night.

Sent via my BlackBerry from Vodacom – let your email find you!

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Just about to hit the road

Posted on 24th April 2009 by mtbguy in Uncategorized

Bikes, gear and sleeping bags packed. Time to get a coffee for the road and hit the N2 to Grabouw. Once there we'll go directly to the Wines 2 Whales race village at Paul Cluver to register and check out the lay of the land. Once there I'll send an update.
Till then…
Sent via my BlackBerry from Vodacom – let your email find you!

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The week-end ahead

Posted on 23rd April 2009 by mtbguy in wines2whales

Right, it’s Thursday 9pm and I’m packed for the Wines2Whales ride in Elgin/Grabouw this week-end.

It started raining in Cape Town today so there is a good chance that it may rain there this week-end or even just be muddy from today’s rain. Well, nothing can stop me. I’m ready…I think.
Really looking forward to a RIDE rather than a RACE. There will be 3 groups on each of the 2 days, about 80km per day.
Each day will see riders leave in a fast, medium or a slow group. There will be guides for each group and water and refreshment points along the way.
I’ll be camping ( well, actually staying in a van ) with my friend Mark at the Back to basics youth camp tomorrow evening, just down the road form the start at Paul Cluver. 
That is where Tri-Active has set up a race village with tented accommodation, meals and the like.
On Saturday evening we’ll be staying with our families at a house in Onrus ( Outside Hermanus).
Back to the start on Sunday, only to ride back to Hermanus.
In case you won’t be there or can’t get away for 2 days, consider doing the  FV MTB Grand Prixon Sunday 26 April, organised by Geddan Ruddock.
Here’s more information about that event:

Registration:     6h30 – 8h30


  • We expect most participants to enter on the day, so please be here early if you are doing a Late Entry
  • You need to Park on the grass field next to Franschhoek Centre (north side), then follow the signs to the opposite side of the Centre
  • Registration is taking place in front of Manic Cycles (south side of Centre)
  • You need to Enter yourself at least half an hour before your start (see below for Start Times)
  • See attached Entry Form – if you print and fill this out before Sunday, then it will save you time on the morning!

Start Times:


  • 60km Teams:          8h30
  • 60km Individual       8h35
  • 40km Individual       8h45
  • 20km Individual       9h00


So, now you have no excuse for getting out there this week-end!


E N J O Y !

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a South African on the podium!

Posted on 12th April 2009 by mtbguy in Uncategorized


So, we have Burry Stander on the podium at yesterday’s UCI World CUP XC in Pmb!

Excellent stuff!
Here’s the top results from Release Centre:

1 Jose Hermida ESP 1hr55min03sec
2 Julien Absalon FRA @ 32sec
3 Burry Stander RSA @ 52
4 Christoph Sauser SUI @ 1:17
5 Wolfram Kurschat GER @ 120
6 Nino Schurter SUI @ 2:01
7 Jean-Christophe Peraud FRA @ 3:40
8 Lukas Fluckiger SUI @ 3:56
9 Roel Paulissen BEL 4:19
10 Mathias Fluckiger SUI @ 4:30

For full results, visit www.uci.ch

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no W2W race…

Posted on 2nd April 2009 by mtbguy in Uncategorized

In case you’ve not heard, the W2W race later this month is off!

Very sad indeed. I guess when times are tight, riders don’t easily part with money and sponsors shy away from something new. Heck, if Honda could pull out of F1…
Anyway, the organisers have decided to keep the ride, now at only R 200 per day. You now take care of all your own accommodation arrangements. Well, I’m in!
I planned to ride that week-end and I still will.
See the email from the W2W team and then go to their site to book the ride.
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