Day 1

We had a later start than planned, due to some of our fellow riders only arriving at 11:30pm last night. Taking this into consideration, we deceided to skip the first 15km of tar riding and started on the road to Bainsfield. This was perfect, as the road was mostly forest track/jeep track with ups and downs for an easy 20km. 

After a short stop and opportunity to have a snack, we set off again. From this point it was slightly downhill. We left the forest road and headed onto a grass cut section...and then a 1.5km portage/hike a bike up a mountain side ! This was NOT fun !!! The route was covered in brambles and black jacks, and soon my legs were scratched to pieces and I was covered in irratating blackjacks! I just kept looking up and reminding myself that the top was getting closer with each step !

At the top of the mountain, we were rewarded with a nice flat grassy patch of riding, and some really amazing views over the valley and plains below us. We continued cycling and the grass soon changed to downhill jeep track with some rock garden stretches thrown in for excitement :) A few Km's further on we stopped for another break and soup stop :)

I did have a sense of humour failure at the 7km mark today due to mechanical problems. One of these was that my tyres were a little to soft, but that wasnt to much of a worry...I just rode them like that :) The bigger problem was that my hubby, in his infinate wisdom, had changed my chain before the ride, but not the cluster. This resulted in in the worn cluster/new chain not being good friends at all and my chain kept jumping all over the place. That left me with 3 less gears at the back and me having to keep shifting up/down just to maintain smooth pedaling ! Needless to say I am not impressed..at all !

The weather so far has been perfect, with a slight wind picking up this afternoon. At the soup stop I decieded to hop in the support car and continue the rest of the day enjoying the view from a comfy seat :) The route from there dropped down into the Umkomaas Valley and then out again with a 15km climb ! Ouch...hehe !

Riding for me today was 30kms with 850m of climbing. Total distance today was 85km with 2100m of climbing.

Tomorrows weather is not looking so good, so I think I will only ride the afternoon session. The morning session is 50km and apparently much easier and with fantastic scenery. Up again at 5am to get an early start....